Todd Varga

@hf101 I agree. Not only did the Wild get actual assests for a guy who had underperformed and became a locker room hazard, but they moved 4 million in salary. Foster and Villeux are both UFA at the end of the year, and Palmieri wont make more than 1 million next year. This is huge for a team that will be looking to make a big free agent splash this summer with the likes of Zack Parise or Ryan Sutter.

Michael Russo is reporting Marek Zidlicky has waived his NTC for a move to the New Jersey Devils. Kurtis Foster has been told by the New Jersey Devils he will not be playing tonight.... This deal looks to be imminent.

I wouldn't object to that. Harding is good with regular playing time, and I think he and Hackett could be a successful tandem. I was thinking of this scenario a few weeks ago, before New Jersey solidified their stance on not trading Parise, that the Wild could put together a package centered around Nicklas Backstrom with some prospects and picks to get Parise. But Backstrom has been playing phenominally lately, and if he carries them to the playoffs, I don't know if they'd be willing to trade him. It would be really interesting to see what he could fetch in a trade though, provided he waives his NTC.

Josh is sick from what I have heard, but I do think he will generate some intrest. The Wild have a wealth of goaltending prospects, and Hackett looks like the real deal. I love Hards, but it's time to move him. Lets get something for him while we can, and let Matt Hackett prove he's as good as he looked earlier in the year.

Wild Musings- Reverse the Curse; the Deadline Cometh 2/24/2012 Hello, and Happy Friday everybody. Today the Wild are gearing up for the second day of a road back to back. They are coming off a shootout win in Sunrise against the Panthers, and are looking to sweep the trip with a win in Dallas. Tonight will be a crucial game for the wild’s playoff hopes. The Stars are sitting in 8th place, three points ahead of the Wild in 12th place. A regulation win for the Wild tonight would be huge. It puts them right behind Dallas, and in the thick of the battle for 8th. A loss, or even an OT win, is going to keep the Wild in this sort of trade deadline haze of whether to buy or sell. With that said, I’d like to break down what the Wild may be willing to move at the trade deadline. The obvious place to start is with players who are going to be Unrestricted Free Agents on July 1st. -Erik Christensen- The Wild just acquired Erik Christensen, and are not going to deal him. Christensen has been an interesting pick up for the Wild. He hasn’t really had an impact on the ice during regulation, or Overtime, but has been pretty invaluable in the shootout. He’s 2 for 3 in shootout attempts for Minnesota, and makes it look effortless. The guy has great hands, and great moves. He instantly injects some confidence into the Wild as they go into the shootout, which is an area they desperately needed help in. Hopefully as he plays more, he finds his game in the first 65 minutes of the game. -Warren Peters- Peters has been a serviceable fourth line center for the Wild. He is a center with size, and some offensive talent and instincts. He has some good speed for his size, and is able to get pucks to the front of the net on rushes or off the boards. I don’t see any value in moving Peters, or any teams wanting him. -Greg Zanon- This is a player I actually see having some value at the deadline. Zanon is a serviceable defenseman that can really help a team heading into the playoffs with depth on their blue line. Zanon is a shot blocking machine, and I could really see him being a good depth defenseman for a team heading into the playoffs. I also see him as a guy the Wild will move. He isn’t a player the Wild will be bringing back, so I could see them moving him for picks or prospects. -Mike Lundin- Lundin has been somewhat forgettable for the Wild this season. He spent the first third of the year on IR, and has been a decent defenseman or a healthy scratch the rest of the year. I think he could be a good defenseman for a team in the playoffs, but I’m not sure he is someone teams are going to depend on, and I don’t see him fetching much in return. -Clayton Stoner- Stoner is a young defenseman with size. He is currently on IR, and the Wild have had preliminary talks with him on a contract extension. I don’t see him going anywhere. -Josh Harding- Here is the biggest chip the Wild have had all season that may not be worth anything anymore. If the Wild would have traded him when they were winning earlier in the year, when his numbers were robust and he was generating buzz, they probably could have acquired some real talent from a team in need of goaltending. Since December, the buzz about Hards has greatly died, and as of now I don’t see him being moved. With that said, Toronto and Ottawa have made it known they’re in the goalie market. Tampa Bay and Columbus could use an upgrade; Detroit may need a back up for Jimmy Howard, Chicago may look to upgrade, so Harding could be dealt. After hearing all that, he picked a very poor time to get sick and stay off the Wild road trip. Now to add to all of that, we have the Marek Zidlicky cloud hanging over the Wild. I have no doubt that if he is not moved before the deadline, he will be dealt over the summer when his full no trade clause becomes limited. Zidlicky has shown signs of the offensive skills that make him valuable and still could be dealt before the deadline. The trick is finding a team he agrees to go to, due to his no trade clause. It should be an interesting weekend by all accounts. I hope everyone enjoys the trade deadline buzz and all the coverage that goes along with it. Have a good weekend everybody. Todd Varga Subscribe to my blog “Wild Musings” Follow me on twitter @Wild_Halo

@Poedein25- He has been serviceable in the top 6 when he has been asked to be there. I deally I believe he is on the third line with Clutterbuck and Powe, but the case can easily be made for him as a top 6. I saw glimpses of him in Edmonton, and I was never blown away. Having watched him since he has come to Minnesota, the guy has grown a ton offensively. I feel he is a legit scoring threat on the ice. Again though, as Galgon aluded to, I feel this is more about having Brodziak around to help mold the younger players that will fill out the core of this team.

Wild Musings 2/21/2012 - Hockey Day in America #SignBrodziak On Sunday, the Minnesota Wild beat the Boston Bruins in 2-0 shutout. Wild goaltender Niklas Backstrom was in masterful form, stopping 48 shots, and 3 breakaway chances in the first period. Fitting enough that on Hockey Day in America, Matt Cullen and Chad Rau, two Minnesota Natives, scored the two Wild goals (Interestingly enough, Chad Rau has scored twice in the NHL: once on Hockey Day in Minnesota, the other on Hockey Day in America, so let’s make sure somebody tells him Thursday is Hockey Day in Florida). The win pulled the Wild within 4 points of 8th place Calgary, ended a 7 game losing streak, and sent the Wild into a 4 day break with some much needed momentum. Now if Mikko Koivu could get healthy enough to get back into the lineup on Thursday, the Wild would be firing on all the cylinders that it has. They are gearing up for a back to back on the road in Florida and Dallas, and the Wild need all hands on deck to keep their playoff hopes alive. Now, the biggest story to come out of the Wild win on Sunday was the announcement of the club reaching a contract extension with Kyle Brodziak. The Wild Center signed a new three year deal worth 8.5 million with an annual cap hit of 2.8 million. That is a very workable cap hit for a heart and soul type of player that really drives the Wild. Kyle Brodziak is a grinder type of player that plays in all facets of the game. He is a great third line center, which is where the Wild will play him ideally. He is great on the penalty kill, and is third on the team in goals on the power play. He scored a shootout winner in Edmonton earlier this year, and has 15 goals on the year so far. Over the past two seasons Brodziak has really stepped up his offensive game, scoring 37 points last year (16G-21A) and being on pace to score more goals and hopefully more points so far this year (15G-14A 29 points). The real value in this contract is going to be seen in the next few years. Brodziak is a hard worker, he plays the game the right way, and he never takes a shift off. Brodziak is going to prove invaluable as the Wild infuse all the young talent they have accumulated into their lineup over the next few years. Guys like Brodziak and Koivu are going to be the examples that young guys like Zack Phillips and Mikael Grandlund are going to be held to. This is all part of the culture Mike Yeo and Chuck Fletcher are trying to build and instill in the organization. This is a great sign for the Wild, and a well deserved pay day for Kyle Brodziak. Up next for the boys in green, a trip to Sunrise to play the Panthers on Thursday, followed by a trip to Dallas on Friday, where the Wild haven’t won since 2003. This is a crucial stretch for the Wild’s playoff hopes, as the deadline looms near on the 27th. Friday I’ll look at the Wild and the trade deadline, and breakdown what they should and shouldn’t be doing. As always, thanks for reading. Feel free to comment and ask questions. I love talking hockey with you guys. Have a good day. Todd Varga On Twitter @Wild_Halo

Wild Musings 2/21/2012 - Hockey Day in America #SignBrodziak On Sunday, the Minnesota Wild beat the Boston Bruins in 2-0 shutout. Wild goaltender Niklas Backstrom was in masterful form, stopping 48 shots, and 3 breakaway chances in the first period. Fitting enough that on Hockey Day in America, Matt Cullen and Chad Rau, two Minnesota Natives, scored the two Wild goals (Interestingly enough, Chad Rau has scored twice in the NHL: once on Hockey Day in Minnesota, the other on Hockey Day in America, so let’s make sure somebody tells him Thursday is Hockey Day in Florida). The win pulled the Wild within 4 points of 8th place Calgary, ended a 7 game losing streak, and sent the Wild into a 4 day break with some much needed momentum. Now if Mikko Koivu could get healthy enough to get back into the lineup on Thursday, the Wild would be firing on all the cylinders that it has. They are gearing up for a back to back on the road in Florida and Dallas, and the Wild need all hands on deck to keep their playoff hopes alive. Now, the biggest story to come out of the Wild win on Sunday was the announcement of the club reaching a contract extension with Kyle Brodziak. The Wild Center signed a new three year deal worth 8.5 million with an annual cap hit of 2.8 million. That is a very workable cap hit for a heart and soul type of player that really drives the Wild. Kyle Brodziak is a grinder type of player that plays in all facets of the game. He is a great third line center, which is where the Wild will play him ideally. He is great on the penalty kill, and is third on the team in goals on the power play. He scored a shootout winner in Edmonton earlier this year, and has 15 goals on the year so far. Over the past two seasons Brodziak has really stepped up his offensive game, scoring 37 points last year (16G-21A) and being on pace to score more goals and hopefully more points so far this year (15G-14A 29 points). The real value in this contract is going to be seen in the next few years. Brodziak is a hard worker, he plays the game the right way, and he never takes a shift off. Brodziak is going to prove invaluable as the Wild infuse all the young talent they have accumulated into their lineup over the next few years. Guys like Brodziak and Koivu are going to be the examples that young guys like Zack Phillips and Mikael Grandlund are going to be held to. This is all part of the culture Mike Yeo and Chuck Fletcher are trying to build and instill in the organization. This is a great sign for the Wild, and a well deserved pay day for Kyle Brodziak. Up next for the boys in green, a trip to Sunrise to play the Panthers on Thursday, followed by a trip to Dallas on Friday, where the Wild haven’t won since 2003. This is a crucial stretch for the Wild’s playoff hopes, as the deadline looms near on the 27th. Friday I’ll look at the Wild and the trade deadline, and breakdown what they should and shouldn’t be doing. As always, thanks for reading. Feel free to comment and ask questions. I love talking hockey with you guys. Have a good day. Todd Varga On Twitter @Wild_Halo

I thought the Peters "cross check" was terrible. He hit Backes in the side of the head with his stick, no question about it. I thought he deserved at least 3 games for it, and was shocked when he only recieved the one. Peters is not a repeat offender, and Backes didn't miss any time, but it was a blatant shot at the head, which is what the league is supposedly cracking down on. I agree with the idea that the supplemental discipline has been inconsistent. But I believe that the system for establishing supplemental discipline defines it to be inconsistent. There seems to be no finite criteria for any of it, and I feel that is the main problem. That is the reason I have put little of this blame on Brendan Shanahan. Shanahan is making judgement calls. He looks at whatever his internal criteria is and hands out punishments. Perhaps when he has done this job longer, and has established more suspensions to use as precidents, he will become more consistent. That obviously remains to be seen. My main problem with it all is just inconsistency. I would personally endorse a zero tolerance policy on all of this. Firm guidelines for boarding hits, hits from behind, targeting the head, cross checks, etc. I know this opens up an entire new can of worms, but at least there would be some kind of established criteria in place to go off of for what is happening to players. As it currently stands, I agree alot with Greg Wyshinski and Jeff Marek (they do a podcast called Marek vs. Wyshinski and brought up this idea on their show), that Shanahan should be making more videos showcasing clean hits. Show us what you want. Show us what is acceptable, and explain it in the videos. I think this goes a long way in helping fans and players see what is being deemed "acceptable" and "clean."

@galgonWild Sorry for no response. I had to work all day today. I have not heard anything, except for "undisclosed reasons." Hopefully he is OK.... and not concussed.

Wild Musings, Marek Zidlicky, and NHL Thoughts 2/17/2012 The Wild dropped a heartbreaker to the Winnipeg Jets last night, losing 4-3 in the shootout. Evander Kane scored twice, and had the shootout winner. Devin Setoguchi remained hot for the Wild, scoring twice in the losing effort. Setoguchi has been on fire, scoring 4 goals since the return of Mikko Koivu on February 9th, who also scored a goal last night. The topline has actually been responsible for all of the goals since Mikko’s return, which is a huge problem (one of many, mind you) for the Wild as of late. They have zero secondary scoring right now. Matt Cullen has been snake bitten the last couple games, getting stoned on golden scoring chances in the past few games. Clutterbuck has been hurt, Nick Johnson hasn’t really been playing on a line with NHL talent, and Erik Christensen has not really been much of a factor- although he scored in the shootout yesterday and he made it look really easy. I like Christensen, and hope he finds his game here quick, because at this point he is a complete non-factor. Now Marek Zidlicky…. What an interesting mess Zid is creating. In case you missed the past few days of this, Zidlicky told the media he would waive his no trade clause and approve a trade to the Devils, fueling speculation that the Wild was close to a deal with New Jersey. Chuck Fletcher seemed genuinely surprised, and said no deal was in place. That may or may not be true, as are all statements made by GMs ten days before the trade deadline. The Wild have to move Zidlicky. He and Mike Yeo are not on the same page, he is becoming a distraction, and in all honesty was not contributing to the team before that anyway. Random thought: If there really is no deal in place, or no talks ongoing with the Devils, why did Zidlicky pick the Devils? Does he like the city? Does he like the team? Or did he think he could create a bunch of media buzz and false hope in fans minds by picking the team with the most desired, soon to be UFA that is being clamored about in Minnesota in the franchise’s short history? Minnesotans are salivating at the mouth at the thought of Zach Parise coming to the Wild. Convincing him to play in his home state for the foreseeable future, would be a grand slam for the Wild. The man scores goals the Wild desperately need, and would instantly become the face of the franchise (sorry Mikko). I just found Marek Zidlicky’s statement and choice of team interesting in this light, if Fletcher is being truthful, and there really is no deal in place. Around the NHL: -The Red Wings are ridiculous. 22 game home winning streak. Absolutely absurd, but not all that surprising given how good this team always is. What a great time to be a Detroit sports fan. The Lions are on the verge of being great, The Tiger’s have added Prince Fielder to the middle of their lineup, and the Wing’s haven’t lost at home in 22 games. Good for you Detroit. -The Hal Gill trade worked out well, even though that is a big price for a rental player. Nashville is making their push to be a serious contender in the West. The Preds have added another talented defenseman to an already impressive D-core that will provide needed depth come the playoffs. They also add size and strength which, as we’ve seen, goes a long way in beating a team like Canucks. Montreal got two good youngsters and a pick for a UFA. You’ve got to feel good about that. All that being said, good luck to Blake Geoffrion in playing in Montreal with the media. -Rick Nash is for sale, and is using his no trade clause to pick his team. Rumored teams include the Kings, Sharks, Rangers, Canucks, Flyers, and Bruins. All of the trade’s people have been coming up with have been really entertaining. But at the same time, it is kind of sad. Rick Nash is the Columbus Blue Jackets, and the thought of him not being there is kind of strange. I understand him wanting to move on, and wanting to be in the playoffs, it is just that “end of an era” kind of feel to it… if he gets traded. For comparisons sake: Borrowing from the world of baseball this reminds me of one of my boy hood heroes, Tim Salmon. I have been an Angels fan since I was a baby (1987 is the first season I remember). Tim Salmon joined the Angels in 1992 and retired with the team at the end of the 2006 season. Timmy was part of those brutal teams I grew up watching in the 1990s. If you’re not familiar with baseball, the Angels in the 1990s were terrible. They made the playoffs in 1989, and didn’t get back until 2002. Fortunately for them, and Timmy, they won the World Series in 2002, so it was well worth it. This is what the Rick Nash in Columbus situation reminds me off. It all worked out for Tim after he stuck with the Angels through all those years. Rick Nash has been that guy, just without the happy ending. Nash is the Blue Jacket’s Tim Salmon… unless he gets traded. Thank you all for reading. I really appreciate everybody’s input and support. I hope you have a great weekend. Todd Varga Follow me on Twitter @Wild_Halo

Wild Musings, Marek Zidlicky, and NHL Thoughts 2/17/2012 The Wild dropped a heartbreaker to the Winnipeg Jets last night, losing 4-3 in the shootout. Evander Kane scored twice, and had the shootout winner. Devin Setoguchi remained hot for the Wild, scoring twice in the losing effort. Setoguchi has been on fire, scoring 4 goals since the return of Mikko Koivu on February 9th, who also scored a goal last night. The topline has actually been responsible for all of the goals since Mikko’s return, which is a huge problem (one of many, mind you) for the Wild as of late. They have zero secondary scoring right now. Matt Cullen has been snake bitten the last couple games, getting stoned on golden scoring chances in the past few games. Clutterbuck has been hurt, Nick Johnson hasn’t really been playing on a line with NHL talent, and Erik Christensen has not really been much of a factor- although he scored in the shootout yesterday and he made it look really easy. I like Christensen, and hope he finds his game here quick, because at this point he is a complete non-factor. Now Marek Zidlicky…. What an interesting mess Zid is creating. In case you missed the past few days of this, Zidlicky told the media he would waive his no trade clause and approve a trade to the Devils, fueling speculation that the Wild was close to a deal with New Jersey. Chuck Fletcher seemed genuinely surprised, and said no deal was in place. That may or may not be true, as are all statements made by GMs ten days before the trade deadline. The Wild have to move Zidlicky. He and Mike Yeo are not on the same page, he is becoming a distraction, and in all honesty was not contributing to the team before that anyway. Random thought: If there really is no deal in place, or no talks ongoing with the Devils, why did Zidlicky pick the Devils? Does he like the city? Does he like the team? Or did he think he could create a bunch of media buzz and false hope in fans minds by picking the team with the most desired, soon to be UFA that is being clamored about in Minnesota in the franchise’s short history? Minnesotans are salivating at the mouth at the thought of Zach Parise coming to the Wild. Convincing him to play in his home state for the foreseeable future, would be a grand slam for the Wild. The man scores goals the Wild desperately need, and would instantly become the face of the franchise (sorry Mikko). I just found Marek Zidlicky’s statement and choice of team interesting in this light, if Fletcher is being truthful, and there really is no deal in place. Around the NHL: -The Red Wings are ridiculous. 22 game home winning streak. Absolutely absurd, but not all that surprising given how good this team always is. What a great time to be a Detroit sports fan. The Lions are on the verge of being great, The Tiger’s have added Prince Fielder to the middle of their lineup, and the Wing’s haven’t lost at home in 22 games. Good for you Detroit. -The Hal Gill trade worked out well, even though that is a big price for a rental player. Nashville is making their push to be a serious contender in the West. The Preds have added another talented defenseman to an already impressive D-core that will provide needed depth come the playoffs. They also add size and strength which, as we’ve seen, goes a long way in beating a team like Canucks. Montreal got two good youngsters and a pick for a UFA. You’ve got to feel good about that. All that being said, good luck to Blake Geoffrion in playing in Montreal with the media. -Rick Nash is for sale, and is using his no trade clause to pick his team. Rumored teams include the Kings, Sharks, Rangers, Canucks, Flyers, and Bruins. All of the trade’s people have been coming up with have been really entertaining. But at the same time, it is kind of sad. Rick Nash is the Columbus Blue Jackets, and the thought of him not being there is kind of strange. I understand him wanting to move on, and wanting to be in the playoffs, it is just that “end of an era” kind of feel to it… if he gets traded. For comparisons sake: Borrowing from the world of baseball this reminds me of one of my boy hood heroes, Tim Salmon. I have been an Angels fan since I was a baby (1987 is the first season I remember). Tim Salmon joined the Angels in 1992 and retired with the team at the end of the 2006 season. Timmy was part of those brutal teams I grew up watching in the 1990s. If you’re not familiar with baseball, the Angels in the 1990s were terrible. They made the playoffs in 1989, and didn’t get back until 2002. Fortunately for them, and Timmy, they won the World Series in 2002, so it was well worth it. This is what the Rick Nash in Columbus situation reminds me off. It all worked out for Tim after he stuck with the Angels through all those years. Rick Nash has been that guy, just without the happy ending. Nash is the Blue Jacket’s Tim Salmon… unless he gets traded. Thank you all for reading. I really appreciate everybody’s input and support. I hope you have a great weekend. Todd Varga Follow me on Twitter @Wild_Halo

@yave1964 I really think that is a possibiity. I can't see the Wild holding on to Harding. Hackett is ready, and they are organizationaly stacked at the goalie position, so it makes no sense to hold on to Harding. The Wings woud be a great fit for Harding, along with a few other teams. @hf101 I agree. I'll be shocked if one, even both, are not moved. Lots of teams out there want D-men, especially an offensive minded, puck moving D-man like Zidlicky (alledgedly). Zanon has been good, but he's not the top 2-4 D-man that the Wild need. I would trade them both and look at one of the top D-Men on Juy 1st.

The Wild Conundrum 2/13/2012 It’s been a rough week for the Minnesota Wild. The past week has seen the boys in green lose two games to the last place Columbus Blue Jackets, and a game to the division leading Vancouver Canucks. For a team that is desperate for wins, this was not a good week. Not only were the results bad, but for two of those three games, the Wild played fairly uninspired hockey in two of those games. It was so bad to the point that Mike Yeo vented his frustration to the media after Thursday’s game against Vancouver (I covered this in a previous blog “Wild Musings-Judgment Day”). While the effort was there on Saturday, the results were still the same. The Wild have scored only six goals in their last five games, and are about to run into another rough patch in their schedule, approaching games against the Blues, Bruins, Panthers, Stars (in Dallas-where the Wild have not won a game since 2003), Sharks, and Kings. If the Wild are going to make the playoffs, they are going to have to beat teams that will be in the playoffs, and be serious contenders in the Playoffs. All of this brings us to the Wild conundrum. The Wild will play the Sharks on February 26. If the results don’t change over the next week, the Wild team that plays in that game could look very different than it will tomorrow against the Ducks. The schedule may actually set up the Wild perfectly to either solidify their role as buyers or sellers. If they can defeat these teams, they will gain points in the standings, and hopefully the confidence they will need to push forward. Should the Wild continue their slide, they could easily become sellers mid next week. Looking at the schedule, and how the Wild have been playing lately, I’m finding myself (admittedly an optimist by nature) having to convince myself that they can make it happen. Losing to Columbus was bad. Losing to Columbus twice was very sad. But the game that hit me the hardest was the Vancouver. Vancouver really has an embarrassment of riches. They have all stars on every line, they play good defense, and they have two very good goaltenders (most of the time). The Wild don’t have the talent that Vancouver does. It was evident in that game. This isn’t news to me or anyone else, I just never saw it illustrated as much as I have in that game (That’s not to say the Wild can’t beat the Canucks, they can, they just aren’t going to do it on raw talent… and probably not consistently - or in say… a seven game playoff series). With that said, the Wild are going to be even more shorthanded as Cal Clutterbuck is now officially day-to-day after Saturday’s game with Columbus, and Clayton Stoner’s return from IR not looking as immanent as once thought. That means more of what we have to expect this season from the Wild… Call ups from Houston. Marco Scandella and Kris Foucault have been recalled from Houston. Scandella has played 37 games for the Wild this season, and has 3 goals, 3 assists, and is a -10 on the year. Foucault will be making his NHL debut, and will wear #72 for the Wild. I’m glad to see Scandella back. He is going to be a big part of the Minnesota blue line for the next several years, and I’m anxious to see if he was able to refine his game at all in Houston. He should also help in putting up shots from the defense, which is something Mike Yeo has been asking for more of. I Hope everyone has a good week. Thanks for reading- I appreciate all the comments, questions, and feedback, and am really enjoying talking hockey with everyone. Todd Varga Follow me on Twitter @Wild_Halo

The Wild Conundrum 2/13/2012 It’s been a rough week for the Minnesota Wild. The past week has seen the boys in green lose two games to the last place Columbus Blue Jackets, and a game to the division leading Vancouver Canucks. For a team that is desperate for wins, this was not a good week. Not only were the results bad, but for two of those three games, the Wild played fairly uninspired hockey in two of those games. It was so bad to the point that Mike Yeo vented his frustration to the media after Thursday’s game against Vancouver (I covered this in a previous blog “Wild Musings-Judgment Day”). While the effort was there on Saturday, the results were still the same. The Wild have scored only six goals in their last five games, and are about to run into another rough patch in their schedule, approaching games against the Blues, Bruins, Panthers, Stars (in Dallas-where the Wild have not won a game since 2003), Sharks, and Kings. If the Wild are going to make the playoffs, they are going to have to beat teams that will be in the playoffs, and be serious contenders in the Playoffs. All of this brings us to the Wild conundrum. The Wild will play the Sharks on February 26. If the results don’t change over the next week, the Wild team that plays in that game could look very different than it will tomorrow against the Ducks. The schedule may actually set up the Wild perfectly to either solidify their role as buyers or sellers. If they can defeat these teams, they will gain points in the standings, and hopefully the confidence they will need to push forward. Should the Wild continue their slide, they could easily become sellers mid next week. Looking at the schedule, and how the Wild have been playing lately, I’m finding myself (admittedly an optimist by nature) having to convince myself that they can make it happen. Losing to Columbus was bad. Losing to Columbus twice was very sad. But the game that hit me the hardest was the Vancouver. Vancouver really has an embarrassment of riches. They have all stars on every line, they play good defense, and they have two very good goaltenders (most of the time). The Wild don’t have the talent that Vancouver does. It was evident in that game. This isn’t news to me or anyone else, I just never saw it illustrated as much as I have in that game (That’s not to say the Wild can’t beat the Canucks, they can, they just aren’t going to do it on raw talent… and probably not consistently - or in say… a seven game playoff series). With that said, the Wild are going to be even more shorthanded as Cal Clutterbuck is now officially day-to-day after Saturday’s game with Columbus, and Clayton Stoner’s return from IR not looking as immanent as once thought. That means more of what we have to expect this season from the Wild… Call ups from Houston. Marco Scandella and Kris Foucault have been recalled from Houston. Scandella has played 37 games for the Wild this season, and has 3 goals, 3 assists, and is a -10 on the year. Foucault will be making his NHL debut, and will wear #72 for the Wild. I’m glad to see Scandella back. He is going to be a big part of the Minnesota blue line for the next several years, and I’m anxious to see if he was able to refine his game at all in Houston. He should also help in putting up shots from the defense, which is something Mike Yeo has been asking for more of. I Hope everyone has a good week. Thanks for reading- I appreciate all the comments, questions, and feedback, and am really enjoying talking hockey with everyone. Todd Varga Follow me on Twitter @Wild_Halo

Well stated friend. I agree with the talent level. The Wild are lacking straight talent, which is all the more evident when they are on the ice with a team like the Canucks. At the beginning of the year, I had the Wild pegged as a team that should finish 6 through 9 in the West. I still maintained that even when they were on fire at the beginning of the year, and I still maintain that after their freefall that saw them win 4 games in all of January. The Setoguchi trade doesn't look great right now, even though Burns isn't having the greatest season either, but I'm not ready to call it a bust yet. Setoguchi is better than this, and he may yet bounce back, but the Wild also recieved prospects Charlie Coyle and Zack Phillips in that trade- both of who will be in Minnesota or Houston next year. That trade could still pay huge dividends for the Wild. Mike Yeo is awesome. He is an awesome coach. Whether it pays dividends this year or not, Fletcher hit a homerun by hiring him. The group of forwards for the Wild has the chance to look very different next year (I'm planning to write about this in a week or two, probably after the trade deadline), and the defense is still young and growing. I do agree with signing a top 4 defensemen. Zanon has been better lately, but has struggled most of the year, and Zidlicky has been the most unproductive offensive defensemen I have ever seen. Thank you for being the only person to admit trading for Dany Heatley was a good idea. Anytime I try to tell this to anyone they just go off about Heatley's past and how they dislike him, or about how he can't score 50 goals anymore. That was a great trade for the Wild. Havlat did not want to be in Minnesota. You could see it on the ice.... when he was actually on it. Thanks a lot for the comment. Appreciate it.

Wild Musings 2/9/2012- Judgment Day Tonight the Wild were handed a 5-2 loss by the Northwest leading Vancouver Canucks. The game started off very promising, as Dany Heatley scored his 18th goal of the season 13 seconds into the game. Unfortunately that was about it for the Wild offense. The Canucks dominated the next 30 minutes of the game, scoring 4 unanswered goals. The loss leaves the Wild 2 points out of the 8th spot in the West, behind both Dallas and Phoenix. At a time when the Wild desperately need wins, this would seem a very damaging loss. However, I believe this loss has the possibility to the genesis of a Wild playoff run. Mike Yeo is the head coach of the Minnesota Wild. For those unfamiliar with him, he coached the Wild’s AHL affiliate the Houston Aeros last year, and took them to the Calder Cup finals. He is in his first year as head coach of the Wild, and like most head coaches, he addresses the media after a game. On this night, Mike Yeo was as honest with the media as I have ever seen a coach be. “We’ve pretty much been terrible for the last 2 months.” “We don’t have enough players on the ice that are willing to pay the price to win the game.” Mike Yeo made a real statement through this press conference. He sent a very clear message to his players, to his coaches, and to the fans: This isn’t good enough- we have to be better. Yeo is a smart man. He knows, just like the rest of us (whether we want to admit it or not), the Canucks are a better team. But Mike Yeo has never been about having more skill, or more talent than any other team. If you have ever heard one of his news conferences, he is about 3 things: Playing the system, paying the price, and putting in the work. He says them every time he talks about his team, and what they need to do to win. This is what he preaches, and what he expects. He very clearly feels they have gotten away from this, and is stating as much through his news conference. The results back up what he says. The Wild have been in freefall for the past two months. They have gotten away from the system and style of play that had made them the best team in the NHL at the beginning of the year. This is all not to say the Wild haven’t faced any exterior challenges. They are missing two of their top six forwards, and have played a fairly brutal schedule over the past month and a half. But they still have the skill to make a run at the playoffs, and Mike Yeo knows this, and he is throwing down the gauntlet to his team. The Wild will need to rekindle the chemistry and process that had them at the top of the NHL earlier in the year to make a run at this. Things that are moving in the right direction: -Dany Heatley is on fire. He is scoring goals, and taking shots the Wild desperately need. -Devin Setoguchi scored a goal (his 3rd in 16 games) and played his best game in weeks. He has to stay hot and contribute offensively. -Mikko Koivu is back. The Wild play the Jackets on Saturday. I am expecting to see the Wild we knew back in November. Thanks for reading. Feel free to leave comments. Follow me on Twitter @Wild_Halo. Todd Varga

Thanks for the responses. I do not expect Bouchard to comeback this year, and to be honest, I have my doubts that he will be back at all. He has had each of his last three attempts at a comeback derailed shortly after they started due to concussions, and I just don't know how long he is going to be able to do this before he does serious damge. Latendresse was practicing with the team last week, but has taken a break here recently. I think he will make it back, but I wouldn't be shocked, especially if the Wild start to fade in the standings, if he was shut down for the rest of the year. Koivu is practicing with the team, and was center or wing on every line except the Heatley-Brodziak-Johnson line, so I don't expect Yeo to break them up. Yeo said this morning he wont play in Columbus tonight, and is likely to return Thursday at home against Vancouver. As for the deadline, I don't expect any thing big. I would think we may see some tweaking, much like the Christensen-Wellman deal. I definetly do not expect Fletcher to deal picks and/or prospects for rentals. The team is not in position for that type of dealing. I honestly wouldn't mind if they just stood where they are. If they can get Latendresse back healthy, and maybe even Bouchard, then you have essentially added scorers at the deadline. I agree BrowntoBure- I think it would be a terrible mistake and misuse of resources to sell of prospects or picks to be eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. The only way I see it working, is if they get a guy who helps them beyond this year, which is always hard to come by.

Thanks for the Welcome. Gillies was not fitting with the Wild line up. He was not producing points, and was having a good energy shift maybe once every 3 games. He was very inconsistent, and could create decent scoring chances but would not come close to finishing them off. Being only 22, I think the Wild really wanted to get him through waivers to the Aeros so he could further develop, but that obviously did not work. At the end of the day, he was taking up a roster spot, and being unproductive on a team that is pushing to make the playoffs. He admitted to Tom Reid after the waiver claim that he had gave up on being a success in Minnesota, and was not trying as hard as he did at the beginning of the year, which probably expedited his departure. The Wild probably could have gotten a pick for Gillies, but I think they really wanted to put him in Houston, and not give away another high draft pick.

A Wild Week 1/29/12-2/4/12 The Wild finished up this week going 1-1-1, holding on to 8th place in the Western Conference by 2 points over Dallas. This week we saw the Wild lose a heartbreaker to the Nashville Predators, defeat the Colorado Avalanche due to a Nicklas Backstrom shutout, and drop a shootout to the Dallas Stars. On Tuesday the Wild will finish up their 3 game road trip in Columbus. That game will complete a stretch of 30 games in which the Wild played 20 on the road. While the results have not been what the Wild would have liked for the majority of that stretch, this past week saw the Wild play some very good hockey. The Wild look like they are getting back to playing their system, and playing the way they were playing when they were winning at the beginning of the year. They are playing with a confidence they will need for the rest of their playoff push. This past week also saw Mikko Koivu and Guillaume Latendresse get back on the ice and practice with the Wild. While Gui will take some time to get back from his concussion, Mikko will more than likely be back this week, and has not been officially ruled out for Tuesday’s game. This is great news for a team that is 29th in the league in scoring. Mikko is a significant force on this team. He plays all facets of the game, and will more than likely lead the team in scoring at the end of the year. Since coming to Minnesota, Latendresse has been a goal scoring machine when he is on the ice. Unfortunately that time has been limited over the past two seasons. If this team can get Gui back on the ice within the next month, they will have a lot better chance at making the playoffs. This past week also saw the Wild make what could be the first of a few trades to help the team before the trade deadline on February 27. The Wild sent young undrafted free agent Casey Wellman to the New York Rangers for Erik Christensen and a conditional 7th round pick. Christensen played his first game for the Wild in Dallas. He registered no points, and missed a shootout attempt, but he looked good for a guy that has not played since the middle of December. He skated well, and fit into Mike Yeo’s system very well. The Wild also made some noise this morning signing young defensemen Nate Prosser to a two year one-way contract extension. Prosser is a very good young defense man that has earned his shot at being a staple in the Wild Defense Corps. Prosser is very good in his own zone, and is able to step up into the offense when he needs to. When the Wild take the ice on Thursday to play the Canucks, they will kick off the last 29 games of their season in which they get to play 19 home games. The Wild will have to take advantage of their schedule, and keep playing their system if they want to make the playoffs. The Wild are in as good a spot as they could hope to be in after the January they had. They will need to get healthy, play strong and confident hockey, and perhaps make a few upgrades before the deadline to make a strong playoff push. Thank you all for reading. I’ll be back later in the week with another blog. Feel free to leave comments and questions. Follow me on Twitter @Wild_Halo Todd Varga

A Wild Week 1/29/12-2/4/12 The Wild finished up this week going 1-1-1, holding on to 8th place in the Western Conference by 2 points over Dallas. This week we saw the Wild lose a heartbreaker to the Nashville Predators, defeat the Colorado Avalanche due to a Nicklas Backstrom shutout, and drop a shootout to the Dallas Stars. On Tuesday the Wild will finish up their 3 game road trip in Columbus. That game will complete a stretch of 30 games in which the Wild played 20 on the road. While the results have not been what the Wild would have liked for the majority of that stretch, this past week saw the Wild play some very good hockey. The Wild look like they are getting back to playing their system, and playing the way they were playing when they were winning at the beginning of the year. They are playing with a confidence they will need for the rest of their playoff push. This past week also saw Mikko Koivu and Guillaume Latendresse get back on the ice and practice with the Wild. While Gui will take some time to get back from his concussion, Mikko will more than likely be back this week, and has not been officially ruled out for Tuesday’s game. This is great news for a team that is 29th in the league in scoring. Mikko is a significant force on this team. He plays all facets of the game, and will more than likely lead the team in scoring at the end of the year. Since coming to Minnesota, Latendresse has been a goal scoring machine when he is on the ice. Unfortunately that time has been limited over the past two seasons. If this team can get Gui back on the ice within the next month, they will have a lot better chance at making the playoffs. This past week also saw the Wild make what could be the first of a few trades to help the team before the trade deadline on February 27. The Wild sent young undrafted free agent Casey Wellman to the New York Rangers for Erik Christensen and a conditional 7th round pick. Christensen played his first game for the Wild in Dallas. He registered no points, and missed a shootout attempt, but he looked good for a guy that has not played since the middle of December. He skated well, and fit into Mike Yeo’s system very well. The Wild also made some noise this morning signing young defensemen Nate Prosser to a two year one-way contract extension. Prosser is a very good young defense man that has earned his shot at being a staple in the Wild Defense Corps. Prosser is very good in his own zone, and is able to step up into the offense when he needs to. When the Wild take the ice on Thursday to play the Canucks, they will kick off the last 29 games of their season in which they get to play 19 home games. The Wild will have to take advantage of their schedule, and keep playing their system if they want to make the playoffs. The Wild are in as good a spot as they could hope to be in after the January they had. They will need to get healthy, play strong and confident hockey, and perhaps make a few upgrades before the deadline to make a strong playoff push. Thank you all for reading. I’ll be back later in the week with another blog. Feel free to leave comments and questions. Follow me on Twitter @Wild_Halo Todd Varga

Wild Friday 2/3/2012 Last night the Wild edged the Colorado Avalanche for a 1-0 victory. The Wild have now won two of their last three, and are holding on to eighth place in the Western Conference. They are three points in front of both the Avs and Stars, who they are coincidentally in the midst of playing consecutively. Niklas Backstrom was the unquestioned star of last night’s game, making 37 saves en route to his third shutout on the year. Mike Yeo told both Josh Harding and Niklas Backstrom that the number one goalie job was up for grabs, and Backs went a long way last night in securing that position. Greg Zanon scored the only goal last night. The goal came in the first period, from Dany Heatley and Kyle Brodziak. The assist was Heatley’s eighth in the last four games. Heater has really stepped up his game since Mikko Koivu went down with his shoulder injury. His line with Kyle Brodziak and Nick Johnson has been astounding the last few games. Nick Johnson continues to show the tenacity and the drive that got him to Ottawa this past weekend. Kyle Brodziak continues to put up points, and play the physical brand of hockey that the Wild need. This line will be crucial to winning tomorrow night’s game in Dallas, a place the Wild have not won in for a long, long time. And as of this morning, that game in Dallas just got a little more interesting for Minnesota. This morning the Minnesota Wild announced that they have acquired Erik Christensen and a conditional seventh round pick for Casey Wellman. Christensen will wear #26, and is expected to be in the lineup in Dallas, centering a line with Darroll Powe and Carson McMillan. From what I have seen over the years, Christensen is a good offensive minded forward. Most synopses that I have seen around the internet say he has great hands, good offensive instincts, and is good in the shoot out. These are all areas the Wild need help in. Christensen may be able to provide an upgrade at either the Center or Wing position, especially while the Wild are short Koivu, Latendresse, and Bouchard. I am anxious to see how Christensen fits in. He is familiar both Mike Yeo and Chuck Fletcher from his time in Pittsburgh, and he may be another player, like Nick Johnson, who can help the Wild further develop Yeo’s system. As for Casey Wellman, he will be missed. Wellman was the first piece of the youth movement that the Wild have been in since Chuck Fletcher took control of the Wild. The college free agent put up 7 points (2G-5A) in 14 games this year. Wellman has a lot of potential, but it never really came through in Minnesota. He needs more time to develop, and with the amount of talent the Wild have waiting in the wings (no pun intended) at forward (Mikael Granlund, Zack Phillips, Charlie Coyle, Jason Zucker, Johan Larsson), Wellman probably wouldn’t have had the best chance to break through. I was personally a big Casey Wellman fan. He has great speed, and good hands. I wish him all the best with the New York Rangers, or wherever it is he can find success in the NHL. Thank you all for reading. Feel free to leave comments and ask questions. Follow me on twitter @Wild_Halo Todd Varga