FYI, just adding the notebook link, which has some nuggets you’ll be interested in. 

Well, I nailed three things dead-on for you tonight. Jake Gardiner to the Ducks; Wild talking to the Devils about moving up and Tyler Cuma to the Wild. I had him going to the Wild at No. 23 in my mock draft, not even 24,  because I knew that Washington would trade that pick to New Jersey who would trade it to the Wild who would take Cuma.

Ok, I’m lying about the last part.

First, on Olli Jokinen, Wild GM Doug Risebrough, with a wink, smile and a sarcastic line, confirmed that he was indeed entrenched in the Jokinen discussions.

I know often when writers use “sources,” it’s hard to believe for sure how much truth is in there.

I can promise you that every word that you’ll read in tomorrow’s paper is accurate as best I can report by talking to a dozen or more people in the last two days. I know lots of people inside both these teams — one I currently cover, one I used to — and the Wild offered Pierre-Marc Bouchard.

And I promise you, I would not write that if I was not 100 percent positive of its accuracy. I would hope I’ve proven in my three seasons of covering the Wild that I don’t throw sensitive stuff like that against the wall and pray it sticks. 

Bouchard’s contract – restricted and one year from unrestricted free agency — scared off the Panthers, and it’s the same reason the Wild offered Bouchard.

Now, whether the contract thing is the only reason the Panthers scoffed at the Wild and chose Phoenix is very debatable. Keith Ballard is an enticing guy to get in a trade, especially when Panthers GM Jacques Martin is looking for quality defenseman and could potentially lose Jay Bouwmeester for the exact same reason Bouchard might not be long for Minnesota.

Now, is this a sign of things to come (Bouchard being traded)? I can’t tell you that now for sure. The Wild will obviously offer Bouchard a long-term deal now, but will it be at the price Bouchard and his agent, Allan Walsh, want? I highly doubt it.

So if Bouchard goes to arbitration or it simply looks like a one-year deal will be all the Wild will be able to work out with him, I think they’ll trade him — either now or after Jan. 1 if it resumes negotiations and again can’t sign him.

I’ve been speculating this for some time — six months now — but the Wild is clearly weighing if it can afford to sign a small, one-dimensional player — albeit a supremely talented one — to a long-term deal for significant dollars. Two things prove it. One, they were willing to trade him today and two, they’ve committed long-term to Koivu, Schultz and Burns and routinely sign Bouchard to one-year deals.

I think we’re going to see a monumental difference of opinion in the long-term contract proposal the Wild offers Bouchard and the one he’s going to want. 

As for Cuma, the Wild spent a significant piece — a 2009 third-rounder — to move up a single spot. Risk? Yes. But the Wild says it wanted Cuma (I keep accidentally typing Tuma because the Panthers once took a Martin Tuma, and now I’m freaking out I might have put Tuma in the paper. Yikes!) that badly, and Tommy Thompson says they would have been depressed if New Jersey took him.

Cuma was a center three years ago, but had a very good world under-18 junior tourney and is considered a solid two-way guy. He had pneumonia in December and looked worn out in the second half, but the Wild see him as a future shutdown stalwart and cornerstone guy.

That’s it for now.

It was very neat seeing Jake Gardiner go to Anaheim. Quality organization for a quality player, and he’s clearly the guy they’re hoping will be Scott Niedermayer’s replacement whenever the defenseman … sadly … retires for good.

(I added the sadly just to give you all chance to make fun of me for my obvious affection for the Niedermayer Bros.).

Hey, I’ve known brother rob since we were both 21.

Night for now. I have to be back here early in the morning and pray the Internet works. You would not believe what us scribes had to deal with tonight, but the stories are in and I’m cooked.

This entry was posted on Friday, June 20th, 2008 at 11:04 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.