Hill to Switzerland, Parrish signing soon
Posted on August 6th, 2008 – 4:20 PMBy Michael Russo
Agent Ben Hankinson confirmed a report on Minnesota Hockey Journal that defenseman Sean Hill is close to signing with a team in Switzerland.
Hankinson said Hill’s No. 1 option is to play in the NHL and he has some options, but not the right fit yet to risk not having a job in October.
Also, Hankinson says Mark Parrish has some good NHL options and it shouldn’t be long before he has a deal.
Thursday update: Hill’s signed with Biel.
203 Responses to "Hill to Switzerland, Parrish signing soon"
I wonder if the IT people could post the updates on the bottom of the posts?
Anyone else believe Parrish is gonna sign with Dallas?
So if Hill signs with a Swiss team, that will make four Wild players from last season’s squad (Nummelin, Radivojevic, Simon and now Hill) who will be playing in Europe next season. Are we going to become the farm team for Russia’s KHL league? That may be the next step…
But the scariest thing from this Russo article?
“Ben Hankinson, Player Agent.”
Another Gopher who couldn’t cut it in the NHL…
JEFFS468…please…be happy the blog works. It’s not that hard to smell the ‘food’.
I think Parrish is going to sign a one year deal with Detroit. Weird again KiPA… 
Sorry KJ.
Still a little overheated from Carcraft.
How did your weekend turn out?
Did Ben even make it to “the show”?
answered my own question: 43 games with the Devils and ‘Bolts.
3-3-6, all time.
Heh. He played for the Solar Bears… one of my favorite minor league names. 
Is it hockey season yet?
Thanks for the update Russo. I wish there was some news on Gabby… Just to know we’ve made an offer or something. I’m not trying to be a worry wart but he is a big piece of the puzzle.
Another Gopher who couldn’t cut it in the NHL…
The majority of college players at every university never make it to the NHL. What is your point?
I wonder if they test for ‘roids in Switzerland..
— says: don’t sweat it man. Gopher bashing is popular among some of the regulars here. Nothing personal.
Ben Hankinson was up in the NHL for a coupla cups of coffee, and that’s about it. — says: After hearing ad nauseum about the great Gopher hockey players out of the almighty Woog/Lucia program, it astounds me that there are no NHL players in that group at all.
Or maybe it’s that they’re just NOT THAT GOOD.
Ms. C: Thanks for the reminder of the Orlando Solar Bears. One of the all-time great sport nicknames (not quite to the level of the minor-league baseball Macon Whoopees, but it’s not bad…)
NiNY: It’s not Gopher-bashing. It’s more like Gopher ‘reality check’…
What would Detroit want with Parrish?
KiPA: McCarty is an UFA, so they think they might be able to get his replacement (Parrish) at a cheaper rate. Besides, it’s Detroit; that’s where Hossa went after he left the Pens…
..I didn’t really need to tell you that, now, did I?
McCarty was out of hockey, or at least the NHL, for a while. He was pretty cheap and didn’t really have much of a role. Don’t really see them needing to replace him. No doubt Parrish would want to go there, but again, why would Detroit want him? What would Parrish be replacing? Five minutes a night, three points in 20 games?
I said it before: Parrish could be groomed to take over for Holmstrom. I think Detroit’s a good fit for him.
Gopher bashing is popular among some of the regulars here.
Yeah, I don’t get that. I see that around here a lot. I don’t notice a lot of Gopher-boasting or even their fans bashing other programs.
Do they not have any fans or are they just classier fans?
WRT: How many NHLers have come out of Notre Dame? Yet the products of that program manage to escape the wrath of the non-U alumni around here.
Alright, grooming to replace Holmstrom. I can see that. Parrish would be real cheap, since nhlnumbers says they’ve got just 610K of cap space.
It’s a matter of pure jealousy. SCSU? Give me a break. By the way, I am not a Gopher and have no connection with the school but it is clear that much comes from places like SCSU and UND.
Headed up North for hiking and kayaking for a long weekend. NiNY, going to make Dark and Stormies.
wood: okay, I’m not cheating (by using the web…dark and stormies….rum and birch beer??
I would take minimum pay to play for Detroit for the chance to win a SC even if it is 5 minutes a night, 3 pts in 20 games. Don’t forget that he gets some money from the payout.
Realistically, why would Detroit want Parrish when they have Holmstrom who could tip in goals and more.
Parrish will likely go to Nashville. Dallas has less than $2 million in available cap space.
Alright, grooming to replace Holmstrom. I can see that. Parrish would be real cheap, since nhlnumbers says they’ve got just 610K of cap space.
Isn’t the veteran minimum more than that?
KiPA: You have mail.
NiNY: Yes, I agree with you about Notre Dame, but if you were to say that about them with the NFL, that’s another story. Men’s hockey has been the focus at the U of M for nearly 40 years. Notre Dame’s focus is on football, not hockey. Anyhow, just get sick and tired of the Gopher pomposity after a while.
“…it astounds me that there are no NHL players in that group at all.”
Martin, Vanek, Ballard come to mind.
Local radio media dorks aside, the majority of the Gopher puck pomposity I see around here is that which is attributed to their fans/program by fans of other programs.
WRT: as an aside, did you see the article yet?
lungdoc: To every rule there is an exception (or three). And, you forgot the two that didn’t finish their glory days at the U, Kyle Okposo and Phil Kessel, both of whom Don Lucia are grieving about…
NiNY: Yes, I saw the article. E-mail me tomorrow about it. Too much going on tonight.
NiNY, Gosling Dark Rum and Barritt’s Ginger Beer.
KiPA…obviously, my lame attempt at a carryover ‘weirdness’ joke didn’t exactly cause many to smile.
Why would Detroit want Parrish indeed!!!
Who are these Gophers you’re all whining about? I know about a team with Rodents, just not Gophers…
No worries, kj, I caught the reference. Just responded by bashing one of Minnesota’s own. 
Lets not forget Jeff Frazee will soon take the NHL by storm. Yes Sir Frazee will lead the Devils to the promise land once again and the faithful fans will sing his praise. Oh mighty Frazee show us your flawless goaltending. Soon NJ will forget Martin what’s his name.
Yes, yes, the Gopher bashing is just soooooo amusing. Look, I’m a Gopher fan, I’m an alum of the class of 2000. Sometimes the bashing is a bit much, but being as I’m “one classy beotch” I usually don’t reciprocate the hate. Besides, why should we pick on other Minnesota teams, when we can all agree that Wisconsin is a much better target?
when we can all agree that Wisconsin is a much better target?
I thought you people were supposed to hate Boston.
Kevin, Boston is an old traditional rival of the U, but the whole state can get behind a little Badger bashin’ (the mascot kind of badger, not the real animals, those are vicious).
That makes sense to me.
Sean Hill must think he is going to play in the NHL again. Mister Know it all does not think so. His drop in performance last year sure suggests he was taking help the year before.
Mark Parrish should retire but it looks like he is going to milk another club for over 1 million more dollars before he is through. I say Mark Parrish plays with Florida would be my guess
No doubt Minnesota has talented hockey player
No doubt the Minnesota Wild should have more minnesotans in the system. I do think it is a bit of a slap in the face to Minnesotans that not one Minnesota born player will be on the roster this year. Not a good idea for the Wild, but neither Parrish or Hill problems could have been avoided by the Wild. No doubt
The Wild need to do better locally. They need ro put more focus on the subject and do a better job. This is not just any market
Yep, makes perfect sense.
Nick, you’ll have mail sometime tomorrow maybe. Stupid Comcast truck redoing the lines in the alley screwing up my internet (and hence e-mail) access. Hope it’s fully fixed by the time I get home tomorrow from the P.T. Job.
Night all, I’ve got an early tour of tweens tomorrow so I’ll really need my rest tonight.
“Gopher bashing is popular among some of the regulars here.”
Too true - you would have no idea from this blog that SCSU is 0-8 lifetime in the NCAA tournament.
[…] -Former Wild defenseman Sean Hill is close to signing in Switzerland. […]
Much better to boost your own school preference than to bash some other school.
UMD, Wisconsin, UND, SCSU, MSU, Bemidji are all competing for these same athletes that the UM does.
But why, because some kids choses the UM do they suddenly become subject to so much abuse from the rest of the conference?
I do not understand the Gopher hating!
Lucia is a fine person and coach, I know the family well. His mother was a wonderful elementary teacher who taught both of my kids. And, I played on a football team coached by his father who is in the MN HS Football coaches Hall of Fame.
If not for the committment of the UM to the Minnesota high school hockey players, from Mariucci on forward, when the rest of the league was playing with older Canadian Juniors our own Minnesota hockey would be mediocre like many of the other states.
And, by that last remark, I am not bashing the Canadian kids playing in our colleges either.
The UM is the most important opponent for practically every team in the WCHA, they fill peoples buildings.
You do not have to like them, but at least give their hockey program the credit they have earned.
You cannot have a strong league without strong teams. If your team cannot beat the Gophers at leat show respect.
Mister know it all, I would like to see Minnesota trained hockey players on the Wild team too.
But, not unless they can truly earn the right and be players we can be proud of. And, I do not want the Wild to pass up better prospects because there are Minnesota products they want on the team for PR reasons.
With many other teams drafting ahead of the Wild, and drafting more of our kids, it is less likely there will be blue chip kids lurking for easy picking.
How anyone in their right mind can bash Gopher hockey is beyond me. Lucia is losing some of his cache’ with the coaches around the state for telling them to keep their kids in school and he then sends his kid to the juniors for seasoning and takes his kid’s buddy Wehr. But really, how can you question the overall success and record they have put up. They aren’t perfect and there are challenges that go with trying to hold onto the top flight players now that the NHL has come calling but they will get it worked out. If it gets real bad, they just add a couple of 21,22 year old Canadian freshmen and they will be right back in the mix with the rest of the WCHA.
For anyone curious a list of gophers playing professionally somewhere???
http://www.gophersports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=39242&SPID=3322&DB_OEM_ID=8400&ATCLID=612413
Of course on further review not all that current.
Just like the program, Goldy. Not all that current.
MKia: No doubt Minnesota has talented hockey player
Player? freudian slip?
I’ve got nothing agains Gopher players or their organization. It’s the fans I can’t stand. My wife went to UND, walking the halls at the WCHA final five wearing a Sioux jersey, see lots of fans of the other WCHA teams, the only ones who EVER say anything (”Sioux suck”, etc) are Gopher fans. My wife never does or says anything to provoke this, merely wearing the jersey seems to be enough. Yes, there is a lot of hate directed at the Gophers and their fans from the other teams’ fans. IMO,they bring it on themselves.
I, BTW did not attend a school with a hockey program.
I do not understand the Gopher hating!
it’s similar to how it was hip to camp out for st paul saints tickets and get to a game 4 hours early to wait for the lot to open to go tailgate. now you can roll into the lot about an hour prior and get a spot and buy a ticket the night of the game. it’s no longer hip and saints fans understand that. gopher fans don’t.
I’d actually prefer to see the Wild AVOID the Minnesota kids until they can get one that’s better than 3rd-4th line talent. The local kids are better served getting away from here and establishing themselves professionally away from unrealistic parochial fan expectations around here.
what would be funny is if the Wild traded Gaby for Vanek and the Gopher peeps went nuts about “bringing him home” and all that.
THAT would be Gopher pomposity.
Goody, there is plenty of that, but not limited to Gopher fans.
Personally, I pull for any of the WCHA teams that make it through the league competing in the national tournament.
I can just about guarantee that Sioux fans, Badger fans, Bulldog fans, SCSU Husky fans, delight in being anti-Gopher even at that level.
“You cannot have a strong league without strong teams. If your team cannot beat the Gophers at leat show respect.”
Correct me if I’m wrong…but the Sioux have PWND the gophers the last 4 years, beating them not only in the reg. season, but in the NCAA tourney when it counts. So if the gophers are a strong team, what does that make the Sioux??
Iceman has it exactly right. As a Goph alum, most of my fellow Gopher hockey fans will back other WCHA teams in the NCAAs, as long as they are not playing the Gophers — I don’t think that feeling is reciprocated.
The Sioux are the best Canadian junior team in the WCHA. I have to give you that.
The Sioux are the best Canadian junior team in the WCHA. I have to give you that.
lol.
pwned!
Seriously though, the Sioux have a great program and, at least from what I hear, a great arena (bit of a haul from Chicago, so I haven’t made a game up there yet). It’s nice to see Toews do so well up in the Bigs here.
from what I hear, a great arena
CW, I’ve heard the same. Supposedly, it’s NHL-caliber: underwater treademill, etc.
Zig, got any detail on the facilities you can share?
Yeah glad to see him do well for the Hawks, i’m certain he would have won rook of the year had he stayed healthy last year.
He definitely dangled up at school, and as a captain in the Bigs, I think he’ll elevate that team to the next level…plus they got brian campbell, that’s all you need right?
We play intramurals on the main sheet, but they don’t let us into the training facilities/ workout area, but yeah i hear it’s top notch.
The arena itself resembles the X,(marble floors, leather seats, etc…) just a tad smaller, and about 3 million Sioux emblems/logos everywhere. I’m gettin jittery thinkin about it. Beyond the $8 beer, its the best rink I’ve experienced
what would be funny is if the Wild traded Gaby for Vanek and the Gopher peeps went nuts about “bringing him home” and all that.
THAT would be Gopher pomposity.
You’re not funny NiNY.
Rodent fans suffer from the same self-inflated sense of ego that Michigan football fans have. Almost as insufferable as the GB fans east of us.
Lucia is a fine man. And a good coach.
But, it doesn’t mean that I cannot have a personal disdain for all things Rodent.
The arena itself resembles the X,(marble floors, leather seats, etc…)
[Darth Vader voice]: Impressive.
(FWIW, the X does not have marble floors, and the leather seats are in the Suite Level.) 
Ralph = 1. X = 0.
But, it doesn’t mean that I cannot have a personal disdain for all things Rodent.
I don’t think anyone’s saying you can’t.
Don’t mistake indifference for inflated sense of ego. I think Gopher fans are comfortable with their team’s place among the upper echelon of college hockey programs. Note that I didn’t say “best performing every single year.”
I’m not sure SCSU, UMD, UM-M, etc, fans can say the same thing.
Red Sox fans say the same things about Yankees fans (”they’re arrogant pompous jerks!”) I don’t think most Yankees fans care one whit what a Red Sox fan thinks about his/her team. Does that make them arrogant or just comfortable with their team-ual orientation, so to speak?
Iceman: Goody, there is plenty of that, but not limited to Gopher fans.
Not in my experience.
I’m a huge SCSU fan, but come NCAA time I root for all the WCHA teams.
I think some Gopher hating is the result of an old, arrogant Gopher fan base. When I picture Gopher fans I picture an old guy wearing a stiff hat yelling at me to sit down in the 3rd period with the goalie pulled.
I picture that because it happened. I was at CC catching a SCSU game last year. St Cloud was clinging to the lead and CC had the goalie pulled. The entire SCSU section is standing and there is an old guy in a Gopher hat yelling at me to sit down.
You know how most NHL fans hate Detroit fans? Same reason most people hate Gophers fans and Sioux fans.
I bet you sat down didn’t you.
That old guy was probably Woog…
That old guy was probably Blue…
[Crying] You’re my boy, Blue! You’re my boy.
Actually I asked him if he wanted to switch seats so he would be in front of me. He declined.
But I don’t hate all Gopher fans mostly just Jeff Dubay, Doug Wood and Frank Mazzacco, they are blinded by homerism and that isn’t good.
And for those of you getting ready to defend those guys let me remind you that you probably hate Dumber & Dumber for the same reasons. Please leave the double standards at home.
AiH - I agree completely. Nothing irritates me more than hearing Mazzacco’s biased, ignorant voice after drinking a few cans of Schlitz (aka, dominating a few games of beer pong) on the weekends.
- Gopher fans should not be held responsible for Dubay, Woog or Frank. I don’t hold UND fans responsible for the political views of their late benefactor.
- The only time I had on the glass seats at the X was a Final 5 game between DU and the Gophers. My friends and I are well below average in terms of school spirit yet the SCSU fans behind us (it was there section) ruined it with over the top heckling.
Rodent fans suffer from the same self-inflated sense of ego that Michigan football fans have. Almost as insufferable as the GB fans east of us.
Fan-base prejudice. It’s almost like racism. Generalize a group of thousands of people based on the behavior of a few examples.
I run into rude and obnoxious fans for just about every team that has a lot of fans. In college hockey, my two worst examples were St. Cloud and North Dakota fans, but I’m not going to say all their fans are a-holes.
I’m a Gopher fan, and I don’t see where you’re coming from at all, kj. I just cheer them on in much the same I do for the Wild.
The fact that people continually bash the Gophers fans/program/team must mean they are doing something right though. You don’t see too many people picking on Michigan Tech…
That’s enough outta me. See ya when there is actually some Wild news…
If you tune into Gopher hockey games and find “biased” commentators, I can’t help you. However, I will fully agree that the Final 5 broadcasters should come from outside the league. How cool would it be if Gary Throne came to town once a year for the Final 5!
Wallshot - I can be an a**hole SCSU fan and I apologize. But I only make it to one SCSU weekend a year now and I get so worked up and drunk during the weekend that I usually end up being an a**hole. But I usually get a token drunk photograph in the SCSU alumni magazine, two years running now!
I guess what I’m saying is that college hockey should be allowed to have a college atmosphere.
Also, try to cut us Husky and Sioux fans a little slack, we don’t have a whole lot else going for us besides college hockey.
All I can is “For Jealousy There Is No Cure”….
GO GOPHERS
No need to apologize Aaron, most of the obnoxious behavior doesn’t bother me anymore, mostly it did when I was a kid. I sort of expect it now. Taunting and jeering isn’t an SCSU thing or a UND think or a UofM thing. It’s a sports fan thing. People get rowdy at games, and that’s fine.
Just wish we could leave it in the arena.
I run into rude and obnoxious fans for just about every team that has a lot of fans. In college hockey, my two worst examples were St. Cloud and North Dakota fans, but I’m not going to say all their fans are a-holes.
It’s like Red Wings or Packers fans. When your team wins a championship or two, you get a big ego. ND fans were absolutely insufferable between their National Champ teams and the Gophers’ wins, and if I were a Sioux fan, I’m sure I’d say the same about Gophers fans. The Dead Things keep winning cups, and that makes them insufferable pricks to me, but to a certain extent, I think they have that right.
Packers fans, well, even when they get stomped by the Vikings, they’re still insufferable, so maybe that was a bad example.
p.s. I will go back to lurking now.
AiH: And for those of you getting ready to defend those guys let me remind you that you probably hate Dumber & Dumber for the same reasons.
Aww, crap! I’d almost forgotten about D&D. Why’d you have to go and bring them up? I was so looking forward to the upcoming season but now a little less knowing I’ll be seeing a lot of them.
And didn’t they sign a big multi-year deal this summer?
WildLover: not helping.
Wildlover: I’m really jealous about those gophers…I mean it takes a special team to go into the NCAA regionals, (in Grand Forks), and lose to the LOWEST
How did the signing of a BADGER from DULUTH who used to play for the WILD to a team in SWITZERLAND turn into a Gopher bashing thread? Sheesh! Enough already.
…ranked team in the tourney. Holy Cross was a joke, and somehow they managed to beat your beloved rodents. That was one of the loudest moments in the Ralph’s history. Good job.
Were they as big of a joke as you and your Schlitz, ziggy?
Goody - it is funny you said that because I actually cringed a little when I recalled D & Der. I actually thought about deleting it from the post but figured this particular blog was going downhill anyway.
The word “Gopher” is one of the quickest ways to completely derail Russoville. Perhaps even more so than “Skoula” or “Rosie in a**less chaps.”
Let’s see, did I cover all the heated topics?
Jarome- you’re a gopher fan?
When drinking in excess, efficiency is key.
p.s. I strongly believe Dion is the adhesive that holds the Flames together. He shattered two glass panels in one game!!
Rosie in a**less chaps
No, this is DEFINITELY the worst of the three…
That was one of the loudest moments in the Ralph’s history.
And the Ferris State NCAA upset of UND in Minneapolis was barely noticed. That is the difference in fan bases my friends … Dean Blais, former Gophers player
Just not a Schlitz fan or a zigtron fan. ;-D
AiH…I think the only word you left out that would bring a more heated response is:
lemmings
Oh, and my Rodent ramblings are meant merely as entertainment…mine! Button pushing of the Sky U Mah crowd is all it is…
You have it exactly correct Wallshot (@ 10:26). It is almost like racism.
And, @ 10:52, “Just leave it (over the top behavior) at the arena”.
What does anyone expect from Gopher announcers but some Gopher bias? I suppose it is a $$$$ thing for the WCHA to employ Gary Throne. Probably FSN Gopher announcers come much cheaper than a national announcer. Besides that, the national guys do not have a handle on college players and rules.
Zigtron, I do, and will continue to respect the Sioux program. For a number of reasons.
Among them, I have some very good friends who’s two sons have been key players for the Sioux. For that matter, I have various close friends who have kids who starred at Michigan Tech, UMD, and SCSU, and maybe others too.
Those parents were partisan, but they were all fair and respectful toward their son’s opponents.
So, why would I want to show any disrespect to any of those teams?
But remember, the Sioux were not there for the Minnesota hockey players when they were a bunch of snotty nosed kids still developing and the Sioux as well as DU, Michigan and others were taking mostly overaged Junior A players.
JEFFS468…I never got 68 KAT running AND I threw my back out on the morning I was headed to Car Craft. I wasn’t able to attend…and yes, I am bitter because of it!
Dean Blais, former Gophers player
Let me guess, another gopher player who couldn’t make it in the NHL blah blah blah?
Can this please go back to discussing Parrish and Hill and the little boys put them back in their pants?
Can this please go back to discussing Parrish and Hill and the little boys put them back in their pants?
Now that isn’t inflammatory at all, is it?
Parrish and Hill are no longer with the Wild.
There, I’ve discussed it.
Hill sucks. The end.
Jarome- so you’re admitting dion is key? I can do Hamm’s if need be.
Ice - who did you know that went to UND?
Zigtron, Holy Cross and Ferris State upsets prove only that when a team is a big favorite, they still need to play the game.
And, if a team convinces itself differently they are in deep trouble.
Your comments more or less prove my point from the amount of glee you write about, from that memory of the Gopher loss. And contrast your remarks with DB @ 11:23.
I just wonder how: if you disrespect the other teams in your league, then how can you feel much credit for beating them?
When a low seed from another league moves forward in the tournament, then it is a black eye for the entire league.
So instead, I prefer all our league teams keep winning.
KJ.
You a probably lucky. Getting in Sat morning was a joke. I idled my car about 3 miles in 1 1/2 hours, after sitting there so long it finally overheated and i had to leave it in the spectator lot on Como. went back about 10 to get it in when there was no line.
We did go through alot of beer though…
Every team needs a number 1 defenseman, so yes he is a key to the team.
But Iggy is the captain and their best player, so I would say he is the MVP of that team.
Don’t get me wrong, I respect all teams in the WCHA, maybe with the exception of UAA, but that is beyond the point. Acknowledging that the WCHA is the best conference in the NCAA, every team demands respect. My strong feelings against certain clubs may arise due to the fact that the competitive bar is raised each time we play them. This seems to bring out the best in both teams, inherently elevating the level of satisfaction or dissapointment after the game is over. The outcome of these games isn’t easily forgotten, which enhances/fuels the rivalry vs. some teams, aka the rodents.
Sorry to break up the “who’s fans are bigger dicks” conversation… but does anyone know when single game tix go on sale?
lunch
So who the equivalent to JI on the Wild?
Was it Walz? The team wasn’t the same after he left. Major leadership hole and all that.
Was it Koivu? When he was out, the team really had a lot of problems and only started to recover after he returned?
So who the equivalent to JI on the Wild?
The Wild has no equivalent.
In this corner, weighing in at 110 pounds and pushing 89 years of age and the recent recipient of a brand new plastic hip, Joseph “Blue” Polaski.
Let’s talk trades.
I think this would be a good deal:
to Buf:
Gabs (42-41-83)
Belanger (13-24-37)
to Min:
Pominville (27-53-80)
Kotalik (23-20-43)
Aren’t those both wingers, VoR?
Would have to be Pominville, Kotalik and a 1st anyway.
Yep. I had Gaustad in there, but I like Kotalik more. And I thought Pominville played some center.
You might get away with Pominville, Kotalik and Gaustad, but I’m not sure about the salary hits, and it might mean Gillies out in the cold.
Or Gaborik for Pominville + 1st or 2nd.
Pomminville doesn’t have enough goals to make that trade worthwhile.
Anyone have any idea about when single game tix go on sale? Bueller? Bueller? Anyone?
[two girls are topless in a pool of KY jelly]
Are you sure you’re ok with this, Blue?
Naegele awarded 2008 Lester Patrick:
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=245550&lid=headline&lpos=secStory_nhl
Isn’t it usually end of August?
Another option
To Car:
Gabs (42,41,83), Belanger (13,24,37)
to Min
Staal (38,44,82), Cullen (13,36,49)
(Move one of them to wing.)
Voice of Reason says:
August 7th, 2008 at 10:52 am
Packers fans, well, even when they get stomped by the Vikings, they’re still insufferable, so maybe that was a bad example.
Pot, meet Kettle.
Vikings fans worry way too much about the Packers and their fans. They should worry more about their own team and its players.
lungdoc says:
August 6th, 2008 at 8:31 pm
“…it astounds me that there are no NHL players in that group at all.”
Martin, Vanek, Ballard come to mind.
———–
Leopold and Taffe
Another option
To Car:
Gabs (42,41,83), Belanger (13,24,37)
to Min
Staal (38,44,82), Cullen (13,36,49)
(Move one of them to wing.)
What a fleecing that would be for the Wild! I think that is not even close to possible.
Pommerdoodle!
Man, I go have a falafel and some hummus and you guys go berserk.
Anyone have any idea about when single game tix go on sale? Bueller? Bueller? Anyone?
Preseason: 8/23/08.
Regular Season: 9/20/08.
Or
To NJ:
Gabs (42,41,83), Belanger (13,24,37)
to Min:
Parise (32,33,65), Madden (20,23,43) + 1st + 2nd
Or
Gabs (42,41,83), Belanger (13,24,37)
for
Stillman (24,41,65), Vermette (24,29,53)
Or
Gabs (42,41,83), Belanger (13,24,37)
for
Backstrom (14,55,69), Semin (26,16,42)
ATX - 9/20 - http://wild.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=368619
GGGGGGS: Sorry, missed your 12:31pm.
Dampland, it was a joke. Much like the Vikings as a whole.
What a fleecing that would be for the Wild! I think that is not even close to possible.
Agreed. Maybe Gabs+Belanger for Staal and a toss-in.
“Or
Gabs (42,41,83), Belanger (13,24,37)
for
Backstrom (14,55,69), Semin (26,16,42)”
Money in the bank. I feel, when he isn’t scoring on his own goal, Backstrom will continue to dangle.
Thanks for the re:tix guys!
The Wild’s JI equivelent?
I’d have said Walz was closest. BTW, is it just me or could Batman (Christian Bale) be his kid?
Mikko ‘Franchise’ Koivu is I think going to get there but isn’t quite there yet.
Also, I find it odd that you guys are suggesting trades involving Gabby where we get back even less scoring. Have we not already lost a chunk of scoring? Do we really want to lose more? You need someone that will score at least 35+ goals in a trade for Gabs IMO.
Do we really have space on our team for two guys named Niklas Backstrom?
bfw: Naegele awarded 2008 Lester Patrick:
Naegele, Burke and Housley. Good year for those with MN ties.
ATX - Not many players are scoring that many goals, and the ones that are are the elites who would likely have stratospheric price tags. Also, we’d most likely want him in the east where he can only hurt us once a year.
Also, the deals I was playing with involved sending Belanger and getting another player in return who can also score goals. Do we really want all our scoring resting on one groin anyway?
Gabs (42,41,83), Belanger (13,24,37)
for
Stillman (24,41,65), Vermette (24,29,53)
Or
Gabs (42,41,83), Belanger (13,24,37)
for
Backstrom (14,55,69), Semin (26,16,42)
You know Stillman’s in Florida now and Vermette’s still in Ottawa? Plus Stillman’s getting old. Wasn’t all that good after his trade to OTT.
The second’s more intriguing, but Semin’s injury-prone, backstrom’s another PMB who played with AO, and the Caps are already like $2M over the cap.
And your NJ offer sucks because I don’t want Gaborik in the Atlantic.
Good points, KiPA, I don’t follow the east very closely.
In the Ottawa trade, I was trying to come up with something that involved Gabs for Vermette, since he’s shaping up to be a future stud. You could also do Vermette + Fisher + pick for Bels and Gabs.
In addition to what he said, ATX, I don’t think any teams that have that caliber of player are going to swap them for something of equal ability that is in the last year of his contract. I think you have to look for potential, because you’re not going to get equal scoring in this kind of trade.
I think the two biggest factors are youth/potential and contract years that you are getting back.
Ultimately, I think the best scenario would be to re-sign the Groin.
Geez, where are these trade proposals coming from? Most of them sucks.
I like the Wild-Caps proposal.
I like Fisher and Vermette. And I liked your NJ offer, though I think a 1st and a 2nd may be asking a bit much (especially as Iginla said, with gabby’s contract) but otherwise I think it’s good. My friend insists Madden is overrated but he’s still pretty good.
The thing about Vermette is I wonder if he’ll turn the corner and become that guy who puts up a lot of goals/points. He’s almost a Malone-clone so far, but I don’t know how much time he gets on the top two lines. Spezza-Alfie-Heatley’s their no. 1, Fisher centered their No. 2 but I don’t remember who his wingers were.
I think Madden would be a replacement for Walz as far as providing a steady defensive center. (Koivu will spell Walz as the team leader before long.)
Sunshine, I’m just babbling because there’s nothing else to talk about. It’s coming from the speculation that Gabs will be shipped if he doesn’t want to re-sign.
The Wild’s JI is IJ. This year will be an even BIGGER breakout season than last.
Oh…for those that might not know…
IJ = Inglewood Jack = Brent Burns
there’s nothing else to talk about
[two girls are topless in a pool of KY jelly]
Hey now, not for lack of effort.
Kinda slow.
Should I pull the food gag again?
No, it just bums me out.
The AHL schedule is out. Yay.
Speaking of KY, Family Guy last night was the Y2K episode.
“Y2K? Are you trying to turn this into some sort of sex thing?”
Mister Know it all has read the comments about the Minnesota kids in Minnesota and I dont agree with any of them. I say your located in Minnesota so deal with it. The Wild need to start puting more of a focus locally on the talent. If they dont FOCUS, they will get the same results that they have.
AJ Thelen- They took him becasue it was a late round draft pick in the first round so they took a chance on a Minnesota player and pissed it away. They obviously did not look at the player closely. AJ is the only player that they have chosen that I am aware of with a draft pick. They have taken chances on players from Minnesota that were not making it elsewhere to see if those players could turn it around playing at home. Parrish was not a well thought out move as his results were decreasing with the teams he was playing for coming to the Wild…
If fans are dumb enough to think that the Wild have done a good job with having a reasonable focus on Minnesota born players you better re-think.
Mister Good Old Beaver: I think you’re taking a big leap by assuming they DON’T spend some time considering the local talent, such as it is.
Look at Wheeler. We were reported to be very interested in him and he flat out said he wanted to go sew his oats yonder of the land of sky blue waters.
I bet you couldn’t find half a dozen self-proclaimed Wild fans would would ACTUALLY stop supporting the team if they didn’t have any Minnesota-born players on it.
They might SAY they would…but I’m betting they wouldn’t actually follow through.
the vast majority of Minnesota born hockey talent, such as it is, has peaked somewhere between high school and the AHL.
Deal with THAT.
Does the Wild have a scout for high school/college level players?
Mister Know it all - Please save your comments for Sid’s show on Sunday morning - you will fit right in with other know it all fans.
Mister Good Old Beaver
Heh heh. Funny.
It’s those types of people that make me avoid Penguin boards. This way, any stupidity I come across doesn’t involve my team so I won’t get angry about it.
Yeah, DR and TT and some of upper management. They live in MN for most of the year and the high school tournament is played in their building.
Also, Russo has reported that DR has attended some high school games to scout our Jake Gardiner.
It’s those types of people that make me avoid Penguin boards. This way, any stupidity I come across doesn’t involve my team so I won’t get angry about it.
Heh heh, that’s funny. Good stuff, Kipper Snacks. Very practical approach.
—-
Does the Wild have a scout for high school/college level players?
I was hanging with TT at our Woodbury Squirt tournament last season, does that count? lol.
Well, I was working on the definitive list of teams and # of players from their state/province but IE locked and ate it. So, I’ll just report my preliminary findings.
The most I found were CGY(5 I think AB born), EDM(6 I think AB born), MTL(7 I think QC born). No US teams had more than a couple of players born in the state in which the team is based.
Now, does that prove anything? No, not really.
It would be nice if we had some MN players but I’m not upset that we don’t. It would be nice if the Wild somehow took an interest in MN born players and tried to aid in their development into NHL talent no matter where they might end up after the draft.
I was suprised at how few US born players there actually are in the NHL.
“They say the darkest hour, is right before the dawn”
lyrics provided courtesy of “Meet Me In The Morning” by Bob Dylan.
I think that sums up August, and the first days of September. Most of us Hockey nuts know what is right around the corner, and these dogs days of summer tend to get us a bit stir crazy, and we resort to financial talk, How big a HD TV we should get for the new season, mindless WCHA trashtalk, Beer (any New Belgium brew for me)…and who knows what else.
Persnally, I’m not quite ready to trade in the Cobra’s and Pro V1’s for Warrior’s and 6 oz’s of frozen vulcanized rubber. Soon enough though….soon enough.
I’ve enjoyed my summer away from the blog, and it’s fun to be back. I’ve lurked around a few times, and actually saw someone use the word pwned. Did people actually watch those Internet Commentor Business meeting video’s I posted a while ago? Wow, I’m impressed, maybe I should have paid more attention after I posted.
are you telling me the Nashville Preds roster isn’t full of players from Tennessee???!!!
well, I’m not sure if this primes the hockey pump for y’all or not, but you’re free to come down to Parade Thursday through Sunday of next week to laugh at NiNY’s fledgling goalie skills.
are you telling me the Nashville Preds roster isn’t full of players from Tennessee???!!!
No, but I do think the Coyotes are looking for an all-Arizona-born roster.
you’re free to come down to Parade Thursday through Sunday of next week to laugh at NiNY’s fledgling goalie skills.
I can laugh at them from here.
bfw: Glad you like my approach. And believe me, there are a LOT of idiot Penguin fans.
I was suprised at how few US born players there actually are in the NHL.
This is relative.
As a percentage of total NHL players, the number of American-born NHL players has trended upward consistently for the last few decades. Minnesota has the largest share of American-born players.
As an alumnus of SCSU I can say that SCSU v. UofM is a huge rivalry where both sides are a-holes to each other. Although I do have to say that since graduating 3 years ago I have stepped back and noticed the Gopher fans think they are better than other fans. That’s fine, they definitely have more NCAA wins than SCSU and have been around a hell of a lot longer too. However, the dominance is gone and I don’t see any WCHA team (maybe AA) scared to play them. Of recent I think the real test is UND. What really pisses me off is that FSN only shows Gopher hockey, which I believe leads some Gopher fans to believe they are entitled to be arrogant. Can’t wait for that first weekend. Go Huskies!!!
I forgot to add that, unless I missed it, I was glad to see that no one is arguing that there is better college hockey than in the WCHA.
YES back to NCAA…too bad it’s about time for me to get out of here…otherwise I would talk all of you into being lifelong Sioux fans.
NiNY…any PM sessions?
Next week is my last with my current employer so daytime excursions will be difficult.
However, on Saturday…
kj: actually, Thursday, Friday and Saturday end with scrimmages that don’t start until 5:30.
If anyone is willing to be Julie McCoy and set up a little get together for Friday or Saturday evening (somewhere central) that would be awesome.
“That’s fine, they definitely have more NCAA wins than SCSU”
So does Holy Cross
to laugh at NiNY’s fledgling goalie skills.
LMAO, that’s a funny visual.
I see that comparable to throwing sticks on the sidewalk and watching the rollerbladers skate over them and crash, as in Big Daddy. lol.
I crash enough as it is, without the sticks being thrown on the sidewalk, bfw*!!
And we can thank Craig Dahl for most of those losses.
Nick you’re going to be right by Liquor Lyle’s if you’re at Parade.
I would love to have double header WCHA games on Saturday night on FSN.
TV advertising revenue drives what is covered. So, it must be demand, why FSN has Gopher games but seldom shows other teams.
Actually, as of last year, UMD is now also nearly without local TV where they were once regularly on and for as long as I can recall.
I assume the Duluth advertisers quit on the station. And, it may have gotten too expensive for the TV channel to produce it.
My point is, don’t blame the Gophers or Gopher fans because your school does not have wide coverage. It is not their fault.
Iginla50, there is really no equivalent in the rest of the NHL to Iginla. Koivu is our closest in my opinion.
Any way we can work a three team trade and get Vermette, Staal & Parise in exchange for Gabby, Belanger, Boogie and Poohbah?
Yeah, I know …. but dare to dream.
I’ve always like Staal & Parise, and I think Vermette is going to be a stud.
As far as the person who posted above that Brent Burns is going to have a bigger year than last, I wouldn’t hold my breath. I don’t see Burnsie going over 15 goals and 25 assists in 08-09.
I think Shepard will be the guy to really surprise people, if he actually gets put on a line with some talented players in stead of Boogie, I would expect to see 12-15 goals and 20-30 assists from the kid.
Can we please leave Boogie and the Gophers alone? I have very little going for me at the moment so coming here and being called names by people I have never met in person (people I usually respect but today I question that) really isn’t the caliber of conversation I was looking for.
Let’s not trade Boogie. He has his place on the team, and if his back has healed properly since the end of the season he will be able to do that. I know we have other guys willing to standup for their team mates, but none of them really create the same sense of fear from other teams that Boogie does. So stop trying to trade away my boy people.
JL and Co. need to be sure they don’t over work Shepp this season. He’s still very young and while I have high hopes for him, I will not be disappointed if he has a bit of a sophomore slump this year. He was worked much harder than expected because of injuries last season, so I’ll cut him a small amount of slack this year.
But what do I know, I’m just an a**hole Rodent fan.
well, I’m not sure if this primes the hockey pump for y’all or not, but you’re free to come down to Parade Thursday through Sunday of next week to laugh at NiNY’s fledgling goalie skills.
Oh man, if I was in the neighborhood I would offer up my comedic offensive skills to double the fun!
Nick you’re going to be right by Liquor Lyle’s if you’re at Parade.
Hey I used to live almost next door to LL’s. Good happy hour, that LL’s.
Nick,
If my e-mail is working properly now, you should have mail soon.
Bandgeek: Sorry if I offended you by sorta starting the anti-Gopher tome. It’s just as for4rest has said; Gopher fans are in general more obnoxious than other WCHA fans — when sober. (Mind, you, I included the catch words.) Arrogance is a mild term for the likes of Woog, Mazzocco and (especially) Jeff Dubay, who’s ‘Gophers-are-holier-than-thou’ attitude makes me want to put him thru a table at a KFAN remote. (Although why I’d want to waste that much energy on that ne’er-do-well is beyond me.)
iceman is also, correct, however, in that the Gophers contract with FSN North has virtually pushed the other 4 Minnesota D-1 schools off the TV listings entirely. The only time that any of these teams get TV time is against either the Gophers or the Badgers (when they play at Madison’s Kohl Center). Tough to recruit when you have that big strike against you right out of the box.
kj & NiNY: If you set something up for Saturday, I might be there. No way for Friday, as Saturday is a work day, from 6 A.M. on…
Having to listen to Doug Woog is just awful. I’m not entirely sure the man knows where he is half the time. Here is a sweet quote from old man Woog from the most recent season:
“Everyone is on their feet except for the people in wheelchairs.”
Why the hell would you say that out loud? Don’t get me wrong I watch the Gophers live at the M and on TV but that guy drives me nuts!
How can Mozzacco or Woog be netural? Who signs their paychecks? Woog played at the U and coached there, and so he bleeds maroon and gold.
I watch a good percentage of the games, and now that I know where MediaCom hides those teams games (produced by Bethany College in Mankato), I watch them too.
I believe Woog and Frank do try to be unbiased. But, how could they be? If any of you, who are partial to any other team, were doing the games you would not be netural either.
The other teams are not pushed off FSN, they need to put a financial package together (advertisers) that is attractive to either KMSP or FSN and they will get shoehorned in.
I’m feeling exceptionally left out today since I never went to any Gophers hockey games as a child and I didn’t go to school in MN.
Guess I’ll have to wait for the NHL talk to come back around to the Wild blog.
Safely - I think - speaking for almost all Gopher fans, let me state the following:
- We wish your squads had complete TV access with your own announcers - perhaps the WCHA channel Zulgad reported on last winter will even the TV playing field a bit.
- We have no desire to have Frank and Doug on the Final 5 broadcasts - neutrality would serve the league much better.
- We wish KFAN* paid a ton of attention to all teams (although I think that would require a conversion to communisum)
- We are jealous that your school has one main rival - we have nine!
- There are a ton of good players in the WCHA (see the recent trend in NHL draft picks and total players) - we know your team can compete.
* At least the main sports radio station in the TC covers college hockey since their Wild coverage is inadequate.
Word, WATX… in my case, it’s payback for taking up the blog with personal finance talk yesterday. Karma’s a bitch.
MsC, how’d the lime tree do?
I would much rather be talkin’ NHL. I think the summer hockey drought is starting to affect many of us around here.
So the doggies are walked, and the dishes are almost done (ran out of room on the drying rack), the Mr is happily watching a special on the dark ages on the history channel, and I get to kick back and use the computer for a while. It’s kinda nice.
Oh, all we got was a steady rain all day. No wind, no scary. So, the lime tree just got well watered. And I got to feel smug for not overreacting like most everyone else.
Well that’s good. I would have felt bad if you’d lost your lime tree. We would have had to start a Foundation to Restore MsC’s limes. Do you think you could send some of that rain this way? My grass is crunchy and I’m getting tired of watering my flower beds.
Is it hockey season yet?
I would send you rain AND hockey if’n I could.
To bad you can’t send me rain and hockey. Oooooo….. The Daily Show’s on. Night all.
Nick in New York. I am Mister Know It all? No doubt! Your post I agree with, the Minnesota born players are not peaking to NHL talent currently, but still plenty of them out there that fit the makeup of a Wild player in the NHL Nick from New York. You’re not giving the need to have players from Minnesota on the Wild roster enough credit Nickolas. Bad Public relations and they know it. This is Minnesota, Not Nashville. It’s a reality, and they need to do better. So Parrish and Thelen did not work out, that is just a mistake any GM can make and I get it.
They do have a current problem with many fans Nick From New York
You’re right, KiPA. Weird.
You’re right, KiPA
Hang on, first time a woman’s said that to me, I need to mark down the date and time.
We shall erect a statue in Russoville to commemorate the occasion.
We shall erect a statue in Russoville to commemorate the occasion.
Do we really want any erections around here?
KIA - First Minnesota player drafted by the Wild was Jake Riddle, he was never signed. They also drafted Mike Erickson. They currently have Chris Hickey but who knows how he’ll do though. They brought Lundbohm back to Houston as a depth center to replace Foster (yep he’s gone, wrong on that one). So they aren’t devoid of Minnesotans. Not one of the Minnesota players they’ve signed has worked out though, other than Neilsen the first year and Hendrickson for a few years(remember they had Bonin, Crowley and Westrum too). I do believe they have problems with their Minnesota scouting. You have to wonder why other teams were able to get guys like Andrew Alberts or Tom Gilbert with later draft picks, or they were able to find guys like Steve Wagner or Tom Preissing as free agents, and the Wild weren’t. No one is saying the Wild has to have Minnesota players on the roster to be successful but they should be able to figure out who are the best players from amongst those right under their noses, at least more so than their competition, and they haven’t done that. You can’t tell me they wouldn’t have been better served having drafted Alex Goligoski instead of Roman Voloshenko in 2004 or how about drafting Gilbert instead of wasting one of their third round picks on Erickson in 02. Course they could have had Fillpula for that pick too. Hell Tim Conboy did well with the Canes last year and he was a 7th round pick in 2002! Just saying that other teams seem to find good late round picks that happen to be Minnesotan and the Wild have failed in ALL of their late round picks they haven’t traded away, including their Minnesota picks, there is something wrong with that picture.
I wouldn’t mind seeing Parise in a Wild sweater. He fills the MN born player hole that some complain about. It’s just a bonus that he didn’t play for the Gophers!
Perhaps, DR, JL et. al. do not particularly care for the MN style of hockey. Perhaps that’s why they haven’t drafted/signed too many. Perhaps that’s why most of those they have had haven’t done so well here. Just a thought.
BTW, refering to oneself in the third person a-la MKia, is really, really annoying.
wasn’t the first wild player ever signed a kid from st thomas? i figured it was a PR move.
Goody - I assume you’re talking about zach parise, but they were both exceptional players at UND.
You’re right Green*. Steve Aronson. I don’t think he played more than a preseason game.
