Sorry, I was trying to meet someone for dinner after writing into the evening. Practice ran late into the afternoon, early evening, and get this: My Verizon blackberry got no reception in the bowels of the Verizon Center. That’s why I didn’t blog about Forsberg at the time.

Not a shock, because I remember my cell never used to work when the place was called the MCI Center.

On another humorous note, it would have been great theater if a candid camera was on Pioneer Press writer John Shipley and I as we tried to work the kiosk to buy our $1.65 train ticket back to the hotel after practice.

I am not exaggerating when I say it took us 10 minutes to get our tickets. We were like two buffoons. I’ve had less trouble in Paris, and about the only thing I know in French is how to say, “Comment ca va?” to Jacques and Mario.

Then, we’re on the train, and it was like that Seinfeld episode where Elaine went crazy. Our driver slammed on the brakes more often than if he was driving on the L.I.E. at rush-hour.

Anyways, you know by now that Peter Forsberg is back in the NHL, back in the West and back in the Wild’s division — with his old team, Colorado.

GM Doug Risebrough wouldn’t tell me if the Wild backed out of the Forsberg sweepstakes when his agent said Forsberg wasn’t confident with his feet, or if the Wild was in it to the end. He alluded to the fact that the Wild did want him, but he chose to go back to where “he knew.”

Again, I think this just adds further pressure to make some sort of spark by Tuesday’s 2 p.m. deadline.

Vancouver and Calgary have won four in a row. Colorado now has Forsberg back, not to mention injured Joe Sakic, Paul Stastny and Ryan Smyth back. And the Avs and Wild play three times still, including in two of the final three of the season.

Problem is: Clearly it’s not easy to make a trade right now. Tampa’s made the only trade of the night with Philly, dishing smooth-handed but lead-footed Vinny Prospal back to the Flyers. Asst. coach Terry Murray is a huge fan of Prospal. He had him when he was the head coach there, as well as when he coached Florida.

Risebrough said prices are off the charts right now and few teams are willing to pay them off.

He said there will be “fit” trades.

Of the players I asked today, Pavol Demitra was the only one comfortable enough to say he hopes the Wild make a move, preferably for a “center.”

I’d look at Atlanta and Bobby Holik. And I’d call mid-morning Tuesday when Thrashers GM Don Waddell’s going to be overwhelmed with trying to get the best package for Marian Hossa. Waddell will be so focused on Hossa, he’ll probably give Holik away.

Holik is physical and is third in the NHL in faceoffs. The downside is he’s slowed over the years and is no longer a big scoring threat.

Jacques Lemaire said it’s critical the Wild start offering more effort, specifically the Wild’s “skilled” players. He said of those players, Brian Rolston is “trying,” which is an indictment of the others — no doubt.

He actually had a lot of interesting stuff to say about his squad today that should sound off alarm bells.

OK, that’s it for now. Talk to you throughout the deadline hopefully.

This entry was posted on Monday, February 25th, 2008 at 8:15 pm and is filed under Main. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.