Wild Aquire Dan Fritsche

The Wild trade Eric Reitz, who had 2 points (1-1-2) in 31 games for the Wild, to the New York Rangers for Dan Fritsche, who had 4 points (1-3-4) in 16 games for the Rangers.

Read more...

Today's News

Krys Kolanos on waivers and sent to Houston; Peter Olvecky called up.

Kolanos clears waivers.

Read more...

Maple Leafs, 1 vs. Wild, 6

It was a win, and it was a decisive one at that, but looking at the opponent, the Wild should have won. The Wild needed a good game coming out of the All-Star break, and with 6 even strength goals, 12 players getting points, and no powerplays allowed, it was a good game, a solid 60 minute effort by the team. The Wild didn't pepper rookie goalie Justin Pogge with shots like they wanted to, with only 21 shots on goal, but they capitalized on their chances, scoring 3 goals in the span of 2:57. Cal Clutterbuck had another good game; he scored the first goal of the game, had a franchise record 9 hits (and now leads the league in hits with 173), agitated the Toronto players, and had a fight with Ian White. Pierre-Marc Bouchard, who didn't want to be outdone by Clutterbuck, had 2 goals and an assists, while Marc-Andre Bergeron, Andrew Brunette and Owen Nolan each had a goal. Backstrom played solid last night (of course), and made the good stops and the routine ones. Now it's on to the Western Conference, as the Wild will have a two game road trip to Edmonton and Vancouver.

Notes:

• Craig Weller is still out with a head injury, missing his 4th consecutive game since his fight with Sheldon Souray. Eric Reitz was the lone healthy scratch for the night.
• Andrew Brunette, the reigning NHL ironman, played in his 500th consecutive game.
  
• Miettinen, Bouchard, and Bergeron were all +3 tonight; Kim Johnsson was a career high +4.
• The Wild play the next 7 games against the Western Conference, 4 of those games against the Northwest Division.
  
• The Wild are now 11-2-1 against the Eastern Conference, can we petition to be moved to the Eastern Conference.

UP NEXT: Friday @ Edmonton, 8:00pm CT

Read more...

Games to Watch this Week

Tuesday, January 27
Washington Capitals vs. Boston Bruins, 6:00pm CT

Thursday, January 29
Dallas Stars vs. Detroit Red Wings, 6:30pm CT

Saturday, January 31
Detroit Red Wings vs. Washington Capitals, 11:30am CT
Chicago Blackhawks vs. San Jose Sharks, 9:30pm CT

Read more...

Kings, 5 vs. Wild, 2

Well, we know that the Wild are good at one thing, and that's being inconsistent, and they showed it again last night. After beating a good Chicago team the previous night, the Wild lose to the second to last team in the West.. The Kings got the type of goals that the Wild need to be getting, the goals where there's a screen in front of the goal and a shot from the point either going in or deflecting in to the net. All night Kings players were in front of Backstrom and Harding, screening them, and there were no white jerseys around them to move them out of the crease. Kyle Calder got the first goal of the game for the Kings with a great screen from Dustin Brown and Armstrong got basically the nail in the coffin to make it 4-2 after Zidlicky had made it a one goal game when he deflected a shot from the point, and he was only a few feet from Backstrom.

With the All-Star break here (though there are still games tonight) the playoff push is here, and the Wild have to start stringing wins together if the want to be in the top eight at the end of the season.

Notes:

• Same lineup as in Chicago, with Irmen and Reitz being the heathly scratches.
• Backstrom was pulled after the second and was replaced by Harding.
• Pretty good bout between Boogaard and Ivanans.
  
  
• Zidlicky set a new club record for powerplay goals for defensemen, previously held by Burns, with his ninth goal of the season (all in the powerplay).
• Both Zidlicky and Bergeron were -3 tonight, but at least we know that Bergeron knows how to play goalie if we need him to.
• The Wild were wearing their traveling whites and LA their home jerseys.
  

UP NEXT: Tuesday (27) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs, 7:00pm CT

Read more...

Wild, 4 vs. Blackhawks, 1

Aren't the Wild happy that they have an all-star goaltender in Niklas Backstrom in net, stopping the pucks. without Backstrom last night the Wild may not have pulled this game out and grab two points from the Chicago Blackhawks. After grabbing a 3-0 lead against the Blackhawks, with a goal from Mikko Koivu, his 60th of his career, and two powerplay goals from Marek Zidlicky, the Wild just went into a defensive mode, especially after Martin Havlat scored midway through the game. The Blackhawks peppered goalie Niklas Backstrom with a total of 40 shots during the game, and had prime scoring chances. Great goaltending from Backstrom, capitalizing on early scoring chances, and scoring in powerplay opportunities, that's what won this game for the Wild.

Notes:
• Andrew Brunette was in the lineup for his 498 consecutive game after being injuried in the game against Anaheim. He had two assists in the game.
• Danny Irmen was recalled from Houston just in case Brunette wasn't able to play against Chicago.
• Irmen, along with Eric Reitz, were the healthy scratches for Minnesota.
• Martin Havlat scored at exactly the 10:00 minute mark of the second period, so one lucky Blackhawks season ticketholder just won $1million.
• Kurtis Foster made his first road trip with the team since breaking his leg in a game late last season against San Jose.

UP NEXT: Today vs. Los Angeles Kings, 7:00pm CT

Read more...

Ducks, 3 vs. Wild, 0

After scoring 11 goals in their last two games, the Wild decide to lay an egg before heading out to Chicago. There were numerous missed opportunities by the Wild, but the officiating in the game was horrid, and might have mentally cost the Wild the two points. After a Zidlicky shot rang the post, and Koivu failed to put the rebound in the net, there was a scramble in front of the Ducks net which eventually lead to Owen Nolan putting the puck in the net. The refs blew the call dead, and the goal was waved off, citing that they (the refs) has lost sight of the puck. Watching the replays, it's obvious that none of the Ducks players nor Hiller had secure the puck and it was still lose in the slot. A couple of plays later, almost the same type of scenario happens, this time in front of Nik Backstrom. Ducks players were crashing the net, the puck was out of sight, but this time no whistle. It just infuriated me watching this, especially with the refs right in front of Backstrom and the net, and not blowing the play. Backstrom had the puck under him for a good 10 seconds before the refs blew the play, and yet when Hiller clearly hasn't frozen the puck on the other end of the rink in a similar play, the play is then dead? I still don't understand it, because Hiller himself even says he didn't have the puck, only that it was "close" to him...UGHHHH! Even Backstrom's POed...I'm done ranting about that play.

The Wild didn't play an extremely bad game, though it wasn't spectacular by any means. The powerplay really hasn't been clicking as of late, going 0 for 4 tonight on powerplay opportunities, and 2 for 27 in the last five games. The powerplay hasn't even been getting high percentage scoring chances, being kept on the perimeter most or the time, or not even being able to control the puck in the offensive zone to get a shot on net. But it wasn't just the powerplay that wasn't clicking, Bouchard missed on a breakaway, Miettinen missed a wide open net, and a lot of fanned shots and shots into blockers for the Wild.

Well another missed opportunity to move up the playoff ladder...on to the next game.

Notes:
• Eric Reitz was the Wild's lone scratch of the night.
• Andrew Brunette left the second period with 15:27 left on the clock after going into the end boards awkwardly. He laid on the ice for a while, and was then helped off by the Wild trainer and Koivu and Clutterbuck. It looks to be a serious leg injury, but we'll see if the iron man will be back next game.
• The Wild are 1-6-1 against opponents who are on the backend of back to back games..
• The Wild are 1-1-1 on Hockey Day in Minnesota.

UP NEXT: Monday vs. Chicago Blackhawks, 7:00pm CT

Read more...

Oilers, 1 vs. Wild, 5

You probably know now that Benoit Pouliot has been sent back to Houston of the AHL. Pouliot, who has been in Jacques doghouse for a while now, has been a healthy scratch for the Wild in 6 of the 11 games. Pouliot was essentially given a spot in the lineup coming into this season has had his job taken away from him by Krys Kolanos, who play has been very solid since being called up. There's been no word whether or not someone will be coming up from Houston, but what is sure is that Pouliot will be in Houston for a while.

Well, on to the game...and speaking of Kolanos, he scores the first goal of the game give the Wild the lead 1-0 in the first period. And after Reddox comes back and ties the game for Edmonton, Cal Clutterbuck, who has been play superb as if late, scores for the second consecutive game, his first game winning goal and gave the Wild the lead for good. Three insurance goals in the third period by Bouchard, Burns, and on the powerplay for Belanger, put this game out of reach for the Oilers, and it got pretty fiesty at the end of the game, as most games do against the Oilers.
Another good game coming from the Wild, and a good output of goals again for the team...where were these goals a couple of weeks ago?

Notes:
• Pouliot, Gillies and Reitz were the healthy scratches for the game.
• Craig Weller just got dropped by Sheldon Souray (though I thought that Souray threw a couple of elbows in that bout); he won't be in the lineup next game.
• The powerplay was going to be 0 fer something for another game until Belanger scores with 46 seconds left in the game, but the powerplay hasn't been clicking as of late, with goals or scoring chances.
• Some pretty goals as of late for the Wild, ie., Burns's goal from Koivu.

UP NEXT: Saturday vs. Anaheim Ducks, 8:00pm CT Hockey Day in Minnesota

Read more...

Benoit Pouliot

Pouliot's been reassigned to Houston per Falness and Russo.

Read more...

Coyotes, 3 vs. Wild, 6

I don't think that I would have believed it if I didn't see it myself, the Wild scored 6 goals in a game, and all the goals were even strength at that.. Eleven players had points in this game, with six players having multipoint nights, and all six goals came from six different players.

Marc-Andre Bergeron makes his presence known after missing 10 games, on his return scores on his first shot, 46 seconds into the game. The Wild had their legs in this game, and it showed. There were stretches during the game that you were just thinking 'oh no', like when Reinprecht made it a one goal game at 4-3, but then Cal Clutterbuck makes it a two goal game again, and James Sheppard got the nail in the coffin. Clutterbuck had a great game, making hits, taking hits, drawing penalties, having quality scoring chances, and making plays. And solid games coming from Brunette and Koivu, who both scored a goal and had an assist, I'm just hoping this will get then out of their scoring slump.

It's just a good win by the Wild, putting a 6 on the scoreboard, and beating a team that's ahead of them in the standings...now just four more until the all-star break.

Notes:
• With Bergeron activated off of IR, Scott was sent back down to Houston.
• Boogaard and Gillies back in the lineup, which means that Pouliot, Weller, and Reitz were the healthy scratches of the night.
• Two failed clears by Skoula leads to two goals by the Coyotes (Jokinen and Reinprecht)...ughh..
• How great has Owen Nolan been for this team?
• How many breakaway goals has Belanger missed this season? I'm hoping he hasn't been taking any lessons from Gaborik.
•Let's just hope that the 6 goal output last night doesn't mean that they're going to lay an egg the next game.

UP NEXT: Thursday vs. Edmonton Oilers, 7:00pm CT

Read more...

Games to Watch this Week

Tuesday, Jan 13
Montreal Canadiens vs. Boston Bruins, 6:00pm CT

Wednesday, Jan 14
Washington Capitals vs. Pittsburgh Penguins, 6:30pm CT
Detroit Red Wings vs. Anaheim Ducks, 9:00pm CT

Saturday, Jan 17 (Hockey Day in MN)
Detroit Red Wings vs. San Jose Sharks, 9:30pm CT

Read more...

Wild Loses 4-2 to Jackets B-Team

Whether or not you want to believe it, it's true. The Blue Jackets, a team that has been recently decimated by injuries and significant ones at that with 6 regulars out of the lineup for tonight's game, including Rick Nash, outworked, outskilled, out-everything the Wild in tonight's game and handed the Wild their second straight loss. The rookies completely dominated the Wild in the game, with Filatov getting the hat trick, Dorsett getting a goal, and Mason making all the right saves. I give a lot of credit to the Jackets' players who kept the Wild's shots on the perimeter, especially on the powerplay. The Wild should've gone 0 for on the powerplay, but a late powerplay opportunity for the Wild allowed Marek Zidlicky to get his 6th goal of the season, all of which have been on the powerplay, to make it a two goal deficit instead of a three goal deficit.

Just another case of the Wild playing well the first two periods and self imploding in the third period, they just can't string a solid 60-minute game, and I've said and thought that way too many times this season. And the Wild at the half way point in their season are OUT of a playoff spot.

Game Notes:
• Harding in net, with Backstrom getting some rest. Reitz, Gillies and Boogaard were the scratches; Boogaard skated during practice but did not play.
• There was a high hit by Mike Commodore on Clutterbuck in the third, driving Clutterbuck's head into the glass, but no call.
• Filatov's first goal of the night will be on highlights...mainly thanks to Josh Harding.
• Good fight between Weller and Boll during the second.
• I don't think JL was too happy with the d-men today, there was a lot of d pair shuffling during the game..never put Skoula and Scott together again.
• Ohhh...and the Wild lose again against a team on the backend of a back to back.

UP NEXT: Tuesday vs. Phoenix Coyotes, 7:00pm CT

Read more...

Wild, 1 vs. Flyers, 3

It was ultimately the powerplay that lead to the Wild's demise in tonight's game against the Flyers. The Wild went 0 for 8 on the powerplay on the night, while the Flyers capitalized on their only powerplay of the night as Mike Knuble scored the game winning goal while Craig Weller was in the penalty box. After the Wild were unable to score or generate anything on the 5 on 3 in the second and were 0 for 5 on the powerplay, all I could think of was Montreal. I give a lot of credit to the Flyers' penalty killers who not only shut the Wild down on the powerplay, but they also generated offense while shorthanded (though I shouldn't have been surprised, they have 13 shorthanded goals on the year, compare that to the Wild's two).

Game Notes:
• Stephane Veilleux scored the lone goal of the night for the Wild when an apparent icing was waved off.
• Martin Skoula was out of the game tonight because he was sick (so something apparently is going around in the Wild's locker room); players will be getting their own rooms while in Columbus.
• Stephane Veilleux (illness) and Eric Reitz (healthy scratch) returned to the lineup while Derek Boogaard is still out with an 'upper body' injury, which left Colton Gillies as the lone healthy
scratch.
• Niklas Backstrom shutout streak ends at 149 minutes and 9 seconds, setting a new career high for him.
• Gosh...if an opponent gives you six consecutive powerplay opportunities you need to make them pay for going to the box...UGHHH!!

UP NEXT: Saturday @ Columbus, 6:00pm CT (Game 41 and officially the halfway mark for the Wild)

Read more...

West All-Stars

Backstrom the lone representative for Wild...but Koivu should've been on the list, too.

Read more...

Wild,1 vs. Bruins, 0

On the back of a solid performance from Niklas Backstrom and a second period powerplay goal from Marek Zidlicky, the Wild shutout the Bruins for the first time this season, as the Bruins lose back to back games in regulation for the first time this season. It's quite the accomplishment for the Wild to shutout the highest scoring team in the NHL in the Bruins, but the whole time that I'm watching the game, I'm biting my lip just waiting for the Bruins to tie up the game. It would've been great if the Wild would've gotten that insurance goal, but because of Backstrom, they didn't need it. The first and third period were kind of mirrors of each other in that Boston practically dominated the play, but because of three consecutive powerplay opportunities for the Wild in the second period, the Wild were able to score and take the lead.

Notes:

• Boogaard was sidelined for the second game with an 'upper body' injury
• Pouliot was back in the lineup because Stephane Veilleux is sick (something must be going around), so the only healthy scratch was Eric Reitz
• Western Conference All-Star reserves will be announced today, 11:00am CT
  

UP NEXT: Thursday at Philadelphia, 6:00pm CT

Read more...

Games to Watch this Week

Tuesday, Dec 6
LA Kings vs. Anaheim Ducks, 9:00pm CT

Thursday, Dec 8
Dallas Stars vs. Detroit Red Wings, 6:30pm CT
Anaheim Ducks vs. LA Kings, 9:30pm CT

Friday, Dec 9
New York Rangers vs. Buffalo Sabres, 6:30pm CT

Read more...

Red Wings, 3 vs. Wild, 2 OT

It's another one of those moral victories because who would've thought after having such a horrid December that the Wild would've been able to pull three points out of games against the top two seeds in the West, but the reality of the situation is that the Wild could and should have won the game. No matter what your thoughts are on the call reversal of the Franzen no goal (and it should have been been no goal IMO) the reality is that the Wild weren't able to hold onto the lead, for the second game in a row, execpt this time they weren't able to pull any kind of heroics to get a win in the extra sessions as Pavel Datysuk scored in the shootout against Josh Harding for the Red Wings and Kolanos, Burns and Koivu were all stopped on their attempts.
The Wild held their own against the defending Stanley Cup champions, but were trailing 1-0 going into the third when Owen Nolan scores his seventh of the season and fifth on the powerplay to tie the game up seconds into the third. And 16 seconds after Nolan scores, Antti Miettinen gets out of his scoring slump and gets the Wild a 2-1 lead, but after back to back penalties by Stephane Veilleux (high sticking) and Josh Harding (slashing) the Wild were on their heels and rye initially no goal call on Johan Franzen for a high stick was reversed by Toronto and the game ends up tied by the end of regulation, and the Wild end up with only one point by the end of the shootout.
At least the Wild pulled out a point, something the Wild haven't been able to do in many games this season, but I really am getting tired if these moral victories, I'd rather get real victories and the two points along with it.

UP NEXT: TODAY at Colorado Avalanche, 7:00pm CT
Notes for today's game:
• Pouliot definitely deep in JL's doghouse, as is Reitz
• Zidlicky is a game-time decision

Read more...

Today's News

Mikko Koivu named captain for January...Gaborik opted to have surgery and will be out at least 10 weeks.

Read more...

The Saga of the Groin

As reported yesterday by John Shipley of the Pioneer Press and Michael Russo of the Star Tribune, Marian Gaborik is contemplating hip surgery to relieve some pain on his oft-injured groins that would essentially put him out until the end of the season, if not the rest of the season. It was reported that Gaborik was recently in Colorado, presumably to see the same doctors that helped repaired his hip last season. This is only the continuation of a long never ending saga of injuries with Gaborik, and no doubt the Wild are thanking their lucky stars that Gaborik didn't sign the reported $8million however long contract that the Wild offered him during the summer. Obviously the worse part of this for the organization is that now Gaborik has no trade value and will walk July 1 and the Wild will get nothing for him. And for the Wild, a team that struggles to put pucks in the net with and without Gaborik, this only adds to their offensive woes because no matter what your opinion is on Gaborik, he contributes to the offense when he's on the ice.
You got to kind of feel bad for Gaborik, at least I do. Here's a hockey player who's already an elite player and is still young enough to have the potential to do more with his career but he's been plagued with groin injuries that haven't allowed him to play a full season in forever. He's basically been labeled "injury prone" the last couple of seasons and will probably continue to hold that label throughout his career, which is just sad for someone as talented as Marian Gaborik. Now aside from that, I still hope that he gets stuck with the Panthers or Thrashers or some other club struggling to put butts in the arena and Ws in the books.

Read more...

Gaborik

So much for being able to trade Gaborik as the Star Tribune's Michael Russo reports that Gaborik and the team are pondering season-ending hip surgery for the winger.

Read more...