CreaseAndAssist

It doesn't work like that. I agree with you on cancelling the 2019-20 season. The league has wasted lots of time, and is going to spend a fortune to force the playoffs to happen for very little benefit to the the league or the game itself IMO. And as the risk appears to be increasing; especially for players living in the U.S. (even if the games are going to be played in Canada) the whole thing seems pointless. However, back to my original point. IMO, the 2020-21 season can start whenever. If that means it starts on January 1st, 2021, so be it. But here's my addition...they should not be fearful of pro-rating the season. So if it cuts that deep, then maybe you only play half a regular season and then have the playoffs as you normally would. I see people talking about the possibility of pushing back the college football season to the spring. If that happens, what do you think is going to get prime air time; the NHL or college football? Even regional networks would face a lot of pressure to aire football over hockey because it draws much better ratings and generates more ad revenue. If we didn't have a Stanley Cup winner in 2019-20 it wouldn't be that big of a deal. Sports are full of 'what if's' but if one player, coach, trainer dies during this whole thing...it was probably was preventable by not having this at all. I feel like its been rushed and even after seeing a pretty good summary of their 47-page precautions list it still seems like there are some glaring holes and potential for disaster. The NHL shouldn't worry about starting the 2020-21 season 'on time' they should worry more about starting the 2020-21 season with the most comprehensive and well thought out plan possible. Of course it would help if America would get its act together and not be so problematic in hosting games here as a hub city.

Per Russo, Khovanov signs a 1-year deal to play in the KHL even though he's under contract with the Minnesota Wild. Has the ability to return to North America whenever play resumes here during the 2020-21 season. The things he needs to work on... ~ Stop taking needless retaliatory penalties ~ Playing with more pace - too much floating in his game.

If a perennially mediocre team like the Wild has a shot at getting #1 overall by losing their play-in series?!? Great, I'm all for it even if its just to have a 12.5% chance at it. I'm tired of picking in the early to mid-teens and getting some player who might be able to be a contributor on the 3rd or 2nd line if we're lucky. Is the lottery messed up? No, it turned out like a lottery as it isn't going to the most deserving. It's just how the ping pong balls turned out as improbable as it was going to be.

Brave the Wild one of the longest running Minnesota Wild podcasts Part of the fun of blogging about the team is meeting lots of new people. Joey is certainly a super Minnesota sports fan where he hosts a podcast about the Wild, Vikings and Timberwolves. Check it out!

They can only offer him a 2-year deal based on his age. As it would be his Entry Level contract. If we can't sign him until January of 2021, it would be just a 1-year Entry Level contract and the year after that he'd be an RFA.

Well leadership in Wisconsin didn't want to break the quarantine. The GOP legislature challenged the executive order made by the Governor. More or less the legislature pressured the Wisconsin Supreme Court for permission to break their own law; to strike down the governor's executive order. It wasn't something the people asked for, but Wisconsin Dells and the bars were worried they were going to be doomed. Yet, Dells attendance is half of what it normally would be. But for the most part, It was just politics. And once things were opened up...it wasn't going to go back. My guess testing has been minimal here, and its going to hit us pretty hard at some point. I know myself and MNSOTA are still Social Distancing, wearing a mask...and being careful. But maybe the better question is it really feasible to have hockey back. Even in a place its been far better contained in Canada, to give the players their 'bubble' its going to cost the league a fortune to pull it off for something that will still probably draw minimal TV ratings. I don't get it.

I don't think the NHLPA dropped the ball; they instead used that as a bargaining chip to give their actual members something they wanted. That being guaranteeing their participation in the Olympics for 2022 and 2026. In fact if you look at some of the preview of the CBA portions; the NHLPA really leveraged the league well to drive down their escrow commitments. Honestly, with how insanely expensive its going to be to pull off this summer hockey thing...its hard to see how or why the owners would really want to agree to some of the things they gave up.

(shrugs) Its a lottery. Ottawa had the best odds of anyone and did about as bad as they could possibly do. Detroit has to feel burned, but the lottery isn't about setting things up to give it to the most deserving team. Its a lottery with the hope to thwart tanking. However, as far as this Wild fan is concerned it gives the team a chance to do what it should've done all along and that is tank. Its a rare opportunity indeed. But as far as the draft normally goes. Winnipeg got a great draft after making the playoffs, same with Colorado; and they did it by being savvy with their drafting and the teams that dealt those picks to them had miserable seasons which gave clubs that were already pretty good another blue chip player. That happens. By what I've heard...Lafreniere is the only maybe generational talent and even that's a maybe. Byfield isn't, but he's going to probably be a good player. But overall this draft is fairly deep with forwards and if you need help up front this was the year to try stock up on some picks. Its pretty sparse with big defenseman and even the top defenseman available are players that have incomplete games. I don't care. The Wild have never had a superstar and while losing doesn't guarantee Minnesota will get that pick I'm game for taking that chance. People can complain all the want. We were outside of the playoff window; so its not like we're a President's trophy team possibly has a chance at the 1st Overall pick. Its not like we're Edmonton and getting 1st Overall year after year.

Wild Fans Might Be Wanting to Tank after last night's NHL Draft Lottery results I know I wasn't the only one thinking an quick exit might not be the worst thing for the Minnesota Wild considering what might be available...enjoy and discuss.

Kaprizov has had since late April to sign. Nothing at all is stopping him from doing so; he has a certified agent...but it isn't happening for whatever reason. Sorry, I am not going to accept the lame ass rationalizations.

Kaprizov is still not in any hurry to sign and Alexander Khovanov signed with Ak Bars Kazan in the KHL. What a shame he feels he has nothing to learn in the AHL.

I know the 2015 article said he had done some scouting with the Arizona Coyotes, but I think he's been doing some things in junior hockey too (USHL).

A Tribute to Brian Rolston I wrote an article in tribute to my favorite Wild player, Brian Rolston. Enjoy and discuss.

Nope. The Wild used Crowd Chant by Joe Satriani throughout most of its history. Then for a while it was Let's Go Crazy by Prince...but now its back to Crowd Chant because lame old people didn't feel you could clap to Prince's song. We've never used the Whip....EVER.

I am really intrigued how this group will look out of the gate. Some of the vets didn't sound all that excited about continuing the season. While I think Evason will be extremely motivated I am not sure the whole club will be all in...and this could be an awfully long break and warm up to be done after a few games.

I'm pretty sure Luke Johnson and Sam Anas make the roster before Dmitry Sokolov or Kye Rau. Partly because of production but also because of versatility in the case of Luke Johnson.

There are not a lot of bigger defenseman in this draft. In fact, that's the way its been trending for the last few years. Lots of 5"10"-ish guys.

Goaltending is probably the only thing the Wild has ever had (at times) that approached elite in status. Yet not as much from one individual as it was from a tandem. But eventually the organization went to a more traditional...starter and back up kind of deployment.

I would've been surprised if he signed somewhere else being a Fargo kid as he is. They're a fairly well-to-do hockey family in the Fargo / Moorhead area.

I just think he'll see an old tired team play against Vancouver. And beyond Fiala he won't see much potential help and be like...what the hell am i getting myself into. He has zilch to prove in the KHL; if he really wants to be in the NHL as fast as possible he should sign with the Wild. But he hasn't...which leads me to think he might be having second thoughts.

Kirill Kaprizov Drama continues, will he sign in Minnesota or the KHL? So what else is new...more Kirill Kaprizov drama. Enjoy?

I liked John Davidson when he used to be the analyst for Fox national broadcasts during the late 1990's. Then he had to go be a Team President for 3 different organizations. Pete Weber and Terry Crisp were actually a pretty entertaining duo in a 'listen to your grandpa' kind of way. I like Chris Cuthbert too.

He's done with his show until next fall. Which sucks...but I totally understand.

NHL Central Scouting Final Rankings Movement Tracker Who rose, who fell...IMO the draft talk really gets going once this list is published. Enjoy and discuss!

That's an interesting way to put it @Alexandron but I think people haven't been happy with the Wild broadcast for years. I agree on the point on Walz, who had a decent start but then seemed to think he needed to talk so much more, when the opposite is true. My favorite broadcast teams in the NHL. San Jose Sharks New York Islanders TSN - Murphy and Ferraro Hughson and Simpson - Rogers I like John Forslund although Tripp Tracy can be annoying.