Q&A, Volume 2
Posted on December 10th, 2007 – 4:12 PMBy Michael Russo
Good afternoon back there in the Twin Cities…
Cold front moving through San Jose. It’s down to 60 degrees. I’d put on my coat if, and you’ll find this amusing, I didn’t leave my sports coat in a rental car this morning.
Get this: I get into a rental and the battery’s dead. So I get in another, grab all my luggage, but not my coat, which I had just put in the back seat.
And of course the car rental agency ain’t picking up the phone, meaning this’ll be a couple hundred dollar mistake.
But after a couple things that have put life in perspective in the last couple days, I’m doing my best not to sweat the small stuff.
Now, to the reason I’m on here right now. The well’s dry right now, so I figured I’d call upon you. How about another Q&A?
I will answer a select few questions during either this Sunday’s column or next Sunday’s, and some of the others here on the blog at some point.
Please post only questions on this link. If you want to continue comments and discussions and stuff like that, use the previous blog posting or subsequent ones.
Understand I’m not going to be able to answer every question and try to make your questions time sensitive since the answers won’t appear until one of the next two Sundays.
Also, understand, I may need to edit your questions for space constraints.
Practice is in an hour. I’ll be back later to update.
The team better be on time. I’m going down to Berkeley tonight.
Here’s another article in the Boston Globe with mention of Detroit chauffeur Albert Howard, who between running for President, took me to and from the airport the other day.
75 Responses to "Q&A, Volume 2"
I’ve seen JL statements that he feels confident to throw Branko against any line (and JL has called him out for good play numerous occasions this year) but there still seems to be a media/fans perception that he’s on the bubble. Could you explain this and what does the front office think?
Will the Wild ever come close to beating the Red Wings this year?
How many ways will the return of Mikko Koivu help the Wild win the Northwest Division?
I know this is a non-Wild question, but how likely is the return of Peter Forsberg to the NHL? What team could he possibly end up with?
Joe H.
Ednia, MN
With many people discussing Derek Boogaard and his dimishing role as the enforcer for the Wild, I wonder how this effect some of the big brusiers in the WIld farm systems. Specifically Matt Kassian and John Scott. Do these players have the talent to skate regular shifts, or are they a possible victim of the enforcer’s shrinking ice time?
There are many reasons why the acquisition of Todd Fedoruk does not make much sense, why do you think the Wild front office made that (desperate) move?
Please excuse the Non-Wild Content
Mike,
You may want to add http://www.mybadflight.com to your list of web surfing destinations. If nothing else, you can find comfort in the shared misery (oops, I meant glamour) of business travel.
OK, Michael, here’s one for you:
You and the coaching staff seem to be in agreement about Martin Skoula; that he is the greatest defenseman to lace ‘em up since Paul Coffey roamed the blue line for the ’80’s Oilers.
My own opinion is that he may be a minutes-muncher, but he is a puck-handling liability who is marshmallow soft, despite his 6′5″ size.
What is Lemaire’s obsession with Martin Skoula? And what does he (and you, frankly) see in him that we don’t?
Mr. Russo-
I’m sure you’ll get plenty of serious questions, so I’ll try a different route.
Imagine a scenario where both of the Wild goalies are hurt during a game and Lemaire MUST pick a positional player to strap on the pads and play goalie for the overtime shootout. Rank the top 3 Wild players you would pick to play goalie in a shootout, assuming none of them would get hurt in the process.
If you were GM of the Wild, what moves would you make right now? (We’re assuming Koivu’s coming back soon)
If you had to grade the Wild front office on their talent scouting and drafting, what grade would you give them and why? (Grades A-F)
What plan would you propose to Gary Bettman to get the NHL on ESPN next year with the Versus contract expiring at the end of this season.
We heard Benoit Pouliot had a great camp. He did not make the team, but could be used now, why hasn’t he been playing in Houston much?
The team seems to struggle to find its motivation at times this year. Without a guy like Wes Walz in the room, who can the team rely on to get them going when they need it?
Tom…fyi, Pouliot was hurt for awhile, but he’s playing again now (and putting up the points).
It seems to me there are two possible paradigms to fit this year’s Wild into. 1). They are a very good team having huge and unacceptable performance swings, in which case the coaching staff deserves a long, beady stare. 2). All that “just a little bit away” from being Cup contenders kool-aid we were all drinking at the end of last year and the beginning of this year is just that –delusional and self-destructive. So which is it, Mike? (Yes, I know, you love me for how either answer will get you in trouble. Merry Christmas!)
Martin Skoula is standing at his own blue line with no goalie behind him. Sidney Crosby… hell, we’ll make it easier, DAVID Crosby is laced up and standing at center ice with a puck. In 100 one-on-one rushes, how many of the 100 goals would Skoula score on his own empty net?
My friends think only a dozen or so. I think the number would be much higher.
What do you think?
It seems like Lemaire has a great deal of confidence in the Wild’s newest member, Todd Fedoruk. While I realize the Wild picked him up to get “tougher”, how did Fedoruk get into such a position of favor with Lemaire so quickly? What is the thinking behind playing Fedoruk (he’s been getting about 10 minutes of ice time per game lately)while Foy, Boogaard, Radivojevic and others sit?
Keith Carney is always at the top of the plus/minus category for the Wild, however, it still doesn’t prevent him from being scratched often. This goes against normal logic. Why does Lemaire continually scratch Carney even though he rarely gets scored upon?
The Wild needs a center. We have Belanger, Koivu, Moore, and Sheppard handling the face offs. Moore is a liability. He is only on the roster because he is a center. What move can the Wild make to pick up a solid #3 center?
I’d like them to aquire Andy McDonald (he is available!). I’d also like them to move a defenseman (particularly Nummelin or Skoula), and I’d like them to put Moore and/or Foy or Branko on waivers.
If the Wild were to trade a defenseman or 2 for a center. Does Jacques have enough faith in Belle or Reitz to call either one up?
I’ve got a few.
#1 (and I’m kinda serious here) Why does Mark Parrish spit so much? I see other hockey players spit frequently, but nowhere near his frequency.
#2 What’s going on in Berkeley? You’re not trying to hunt me down for anything are you? I swear my payments are current. You gotta cut me some slack here, Mike!
#3 Do you think DR’s threat of *jobs on the line* a while back with the Fedoruk pickup had any substance to it? I know we’re talking about guys like Branko and Foy being on the bubble, but to me that doesn’t really count. I’m talking someone significant. What do you think?
Now that the NHL has altered the schedule to play every team at least once, do you see an 84 game schedule on the horizon (each team gets a home and home)?
Also, would the potential sale of the Wild affect any expansion/movement within the NHL?
Lastly, because of the schedule change is there any chance of the Wild moving to the Central division?
Is there any talk at the league office of addressing the inconsistency, sometimes “let em play” other timies call hooking when a guy sneezes, of the referee work. All that talk about calling it close seems to be generally back to the make up call scenario.
We know the Wild is a first class organization. How can we have one of the best “live” experiences in the NHL and one of the worst television productions in the NHL?
Going to games at the X is always exciting. The arena is packed and the fans are knowledgeable (at least those that aren’t sitting in “vendor” seats). The facility itself is outstanding.
I’m not going to say Dan and Mike are an embarrassment to the team. I’m not going to complain about the numerous mistakes they make every game (it is one thing to get the visiting players mixed up, quite another to constantly butcher the players from our own team). I’m not even going to chastise them for their folksy sense of humor. This blog has enough of those comments already.
I certainly am not trying to say that the job of a play-by-play announcer or color commentator is easy (try “announcing” the game with your television on mute…you’ll quickly realize how difficult it is). I just think we deserve more from the Wild in respect to the televised product. Also, the games broadcast on KSTC and FSN look terrible (although Comcast is finally picking up FSN games in HD soon).
Bring in Gary Thorne!
Whats the situation with increasing the number of Wild games in HDTV? When is the 45 contract up, and will the franchise make HD broadcasts a major consideration in the next round of negotiations? Hockey in HD looks GREAT. Hockey on 45 today, not so much.
Confirm this rumor:
Martin Skoula is really Martina Skoula. A transgendered defectanct from the country slow-vak-check-hedont. Is there anything Skoula does well.(the word well means better than average)….anything?
Multiple reports in the hockey press have Anaheim’s Andy McDonald available for trade because of the Ducks need to dump salary following the return of Scott Niedermayer. Considering the Wild’s desperate need for another center, and McDonald’s relatively reasonable $3.3m salary, what are the odds of Risebrough making a serious offer for him?
Were the Wild in the running for Jussi Timonen (just picked up by Dallas for a conditional pick in 2009)? If not, why not? The Wild have slipped defensively and quite honestly some of the play by the defensemen has been less than stellar. The Wild don’t seem too eager to call up and D from Houston so Timonen might have been a nice fit.
What do you see the Wild doing to correct the problem they have with depth at center?
How much input does Jacques Lemaire have on personnel decisions that the team makes during the season, after camp breaks? Does the GM solicit the coaching staff’s opinion(s) about roster moves, potential trades, etc.?
With Walz, one of the more vocal leaders in the locker room now gone, who on the team has stepped up as a vocal leader for the team?
Ok, I have a couple:
1. Did you get your jacket back?
2. It hasn’t been discussed on this blog in a while, but the current point system that awards more overall points for games that go into OT than games that end in regulation is completely illogical. Is there any talk at all of revisiting this system or does the league think it is great?
3. When is the Strib going to include ‘games played’ as a column in the nhl stats? When it is late the season, that is an important thing to know. I am sure they can fit it in, no?
Is it safe to assume Marion Gaborik will be the favorite to win the fastest skater contest on All-Star weekend 2008?
Only one thing I’d like to ask: When is the Wild’s MVP coming off the IR?!?
You printed me last time…thanks!
As a gopher homer. How does the Wild feel about the development of Danny Irmen?
I’d like to see him replace SRV next year.
What is your favorite Wild memory/story from the time you’ve been covering them?
Does Brian Rolston still possess the capability to score on a shot that is not a slapshot? Ever since last years Allstar game, it seems he has become a one-dimensional player (”Give me the puck so I can take a slapper”). This has hurt his production and consequently hurt the team. Have too many people been in his ear telling him how great his slapshot is?
1. Why would ESPN want hockey back when women’s college basketball or replays of 3 yo WSOP tournaments draw 3 times the ratings at a fraction of production costs?
2. Will there be more outrage this year if NBC does not cut away from a series deciding playoff game in OT instead of showing an hour of pre-race horse racing coverage for a race that essentially lasts 2 minutes?
3. If a tree fell on Skoula in the forest, would there be sounds of cheering across the state?
1. How were you able to get Foster to let you take a picture of his (hideously grotesque) eye for Sunday’s paper?
2. It seems as if the players and coaches to a degree place a significant amount of trust in you - almost to where it seems as if they treat you as a peer (as a professional in the sport). How difficult is it to pace the line of friend vs. journalist in order to get your job done?
3. Pre-trade deadline thoughts: If things keep going the way they have been, and the Wild are looking at pretty much the same situation as last season, what strategy will the Wild be looking to take when it comes to trade pickups (and dumps)? Is anyone on the Wild looking attractive to other teams at this point (Butch & Schultz come to mind)?
1. The Wild has always had goalies that are on the top of the league statistically. This year, the difference in a number of losses has been the goaltender match-ups. What has changed this year, and what needs to be done to improve?
2. It has been obvious for some time that the Wild need more depth at center. What obstacles are standing in Risbrough’s way of getting more centers?
(1) Early in the season there was talk about schedule changes. Now that the future schedule has been changed to include playing everyone at least once, is there still any talk about changing the division that the Wild plays in? Being a transplant to Minn and not growing up with the Stars’ rivalries, I think it would sad to lose the new rivalries that they have forged.
(2) At the end of last year there was so much talk about the Wild not winning face offs, have any of the additions to the roster made a significant impact in this stat?
Seems like the Red Wings are outclassing many teams including our recent pathetic no show in Detroit.
The Wild may not want to show at the Joe, but what is the deal with all the empty seats? Are the local fans in Detroit simply spoiled now? Seems aweful strange that they are not even close to selling out. What are the fans saying there?
Nick Schultz. Your thoughts on his development as a defenseman in the NHL, as well as the long term prospects with the team.
We hear that Rolston and Demitra “don’t like” to play center because of the defensive responsibilities. What are the chances of Veilleux learning the center position?
At season’s outset, the plan was for Sheppard to not play every day, yet here he is after the loss of Walz and Koivu. Is Risebrough looking to find another center or are he and Lemaire pleased with Sheppard playing every day?
Mike,
How many frequent flier miles do you attain in an average year and do you get to use them yourself do you have to give them to the paper?
I’m with Wild RoadTripper with Skoula and add KJ to the list.
Also, What is the best way to explain to my 10 year old son that 18, 588 isn’t true?
What are the odds of both Rolston and Demitra being on the club next year? And do you see one of them in a possible trade scenario this year because of their impending free agency?
1) Why is it that Detroit and others are considered ‘puck control’ type teams and the Wild seem to want to get rid of it as soon as they get it? What does a team like Detroit do that the Wild cannot?
2) Do the Wild practice the slapper from the point on the PP? If so, does anyone tell Rolston that a lower shot from the point is more effective and easier to tip? His slapper that is waist high goes right into a butterfly type goalies chest and is harder to tip. The one shot I can remember him keeping low, and actually intentionally off target to Demitra resulted in a goal. Really?!?!
3) On an odd man rush or equal man rush, has anyone ever suggested that the player without the puck stop in FRONT of the net instead of continuing on past the net thereby negating his chances at a rebound?
4) Is Skoozy made of glass? Why doesn’t he use his size and weight to check the heck out of people? Could it be that he’s a pacifist and we’re not aware of his beliefs? It would explain a lot.
5) What has happened to the Face Wash? Is that a dead technique? Our d-men should use it a lot more when they are clearing the crease in my opinion. They don’t do enough to discourage crashing our net.
6)Is Voros the greatest thing since sliced bread? Let’s see, he actually WANTS the puck in the corner, he fights for position, he scores, he’ll drop the gloves with anyone at any time and he’s excited to play the game. Very refreshing.
7) Is there any discussion in the league about an ‘eye for an eye’ when it comes to injuries that are the result of obvious no-no’s like 2 handing a guy? Ohlund’s 4 game suspension should start after Koivu returns and Ohlund sits until he’s back, then 4 games….
Frank the Tank just nabbed one of my quesions … suspensions should start when the injured player returns.
How is Johanson in any way worth what we are paying him? I thought that he was supposed to be a quarterback type, as well as a rock solid D guy. I haven’t seen either of those traits this year or much of last year.
Russo- I left my coat on a NWA flight the other day. Just means it’s time to ask for new one at Christmas.
Question: Why is the Wild coach calling out the players for ofensive woes? Does he create plays for them to score? This team needs to get a finisher, too many nights we see 1-0, 2-1, 3-2 games. We need to score 4 to win each night.
Question: Why is Voros the only new player making an impact? Is the talent pool that low? Go get more like him, he brings the juice.
Question: What happened to Backstrom being the best goalie in the NHL, is our defense leaving him home alone? Why so many goals, 5 against Detroit. And how is it they re-load every yr, lead the league and we scuffle along. I hate that.
Is there any talk of retiring Wes Walz’s number?
Are most of the Wild players using wood or composite sticks? I see Gaborik has a deal with Mission sticks, are there any other players with endorsement deals?
If you believe Terhaar and Greenlay as they call games, the Wild players are getting called for the slightest infractions, while opposing players are getting away with murder. But if you look at the stats, power play opportunities are usually about the same for each team. Are these guys just homers in the extreme, or should every Wild player be a Lady Byng finalist?
1. Will FSN or the Wild ever provide more info on how prospects/teams are doing? (like the Twins minor league report?)
2. How is Constantine doing in Houston?
3. Can you recommend must have hockey books for fans and their kids? (Xmas is coming1)
4. Who do you respect as hockey writers and journalists? What are your criteria?
1. How many Wild players have specific deals signed with companies for equipment use?
2. How many sticks do most of the Wild players carry on road trips?
3. If Skoula was the only person on the ice, would he still have a hard time getting the puck out of the zone?
One of the hallmarks of “Wild hockey” has been a tight defensive game. That seems to be missing this year. They brought back the same group of blueliners from last year. So why has their play been so inconsistent? What do they need to do to get better?
Assuming we can sign only Rolston or Demitra at the end of the year, which do you think more likely and why?
Since nobody has convinced anybody that we should retire Wes Walz’s number, has the Wild been thinking of honoring his contributions in another manner such as a yearly award for the player who most contributes to the Team in terms of work ethic, grit and leadership?
Its no secret how big (and influential to a degree *cough* Eklund *cough*) blogs have become as far as a media element goes in relation to the NHL, and hockey in general. Some teams, like the New York Islanders and the Washington Capitals, have gone so far as to invite “established” bloggers to sit in the press box and view the games, and even ask questions during post-games in order to bring a new light to the blogging role. What are your thoughts on a.) the influence of blogs on the NHL, and b.) could you see more teams following the Isles and Caps lead as far as letting fan bloggers into a press-capacity?
With the retirement of Walz, Wild is short at the center position. In a perfect “wild” world where DR can trade for a star like Lecavalier or Sundin would such player be able to thrive (i.e contiune to put up points) in JL’s system? If not, what type of center would.
This has already been touched on, but I’ll give it a twist.
Example: Let’s say Team-A’s top scorer gets taken out by an illegal hit by a chump player from Team Cooke. Suspend the chump player, but also a player of equal quality on the offending team (Cooke) for the duration of the Team-A player’s injury, if one is incurred. Meaning that as long as Team A’s top scorer is out, Team Cooke’s top scorer would also have to sit out. Truly an eye for an eye.
What do you think and would the league ever consider this type of punishment?
Is there an unwritten rule among players about fighting with a visor? It seems like some players (like Keith Ballard) drop their helmet with their gloves while others (I thought somebody from Vancouver did this earlier this year vs. the Wild) keep it on. Thanks!
Would the Wild consider trading Rolston or Demitra if they thought they were going to lose them via free agency after the season, even if the team was in contention for the playoffs?
ok, since you sort of answered the when on Koivu…
Considering all factors (the elbows the were flying from Wild players that night, ohlund previous non-record, and now the number of games Koivu has missed), what is your take the NHL’s 4-game suspension of Ohlund?
Considering the Wild are no longer an expansion franchise in terms of talent (no jokes please), and that few other coaches do it, what’s your opinion of the “line-shuffling” Lemaire does with his teams?
Mr. Russo,
You asked the residents of Russoville for their favorite stories/memories of Wes Walz. Would you be willing to share some of yours?
Rumors keep circuluating that the Wild is for sale. Yet, the organization denies them. What’s really going on?
What is your perfect answer to re-alignment and scheduling?
Any theories or insight on the dramatic performance in Joe Thornton’s peformance since he was traded to San Jose.
Maturity, change of venue, better system, better chemistry, better supporting cast?
Since the rule changes of a few years ago have resulted in less skilled goals and more “dirty” goals, do you see the NHL changing the rules again so that skilled plays, which are more fun and entertaining to watch, will be able to result in more goals?
Is Matt Sundin the answer to the Wild’s questionable collection of centers?
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