Need a hockey fix?
Posted on August 23rd, 2008 – 10:51 AMBy Michael Russo
Starting Monday, about 40 NHL, college and top high school players will be skating every weekday for the next three weeks at the Rec Center in St. Louis Park. The pre-training camp conditioning camp is put on by the player representation agency, Octagon.
Times are subject to change, but right now, the daily weekday skates will be from 10:30 a.m.-noon.
A number of Wild players have already started skating there — Brent Burns, Derek Boogaard — as well as several other NHLers. Last year, some players that were there off the top of my head included Marian Gaborik, Nik Backstrom, Danny Irmen, Nick Schultz, Wes Walz, Mark Parrish, Paul Martin, Keith Ballard, Thomas Vanek, Mark Hartigan, Ryan Malone, Bret Hedican and many others.
Shjon Podein and Chris McAlpine will be running the sessions.
121 Responses to "Need a hockey fix?"
Augh. I’m so jealous.
I remember the players skating last year around this time at SLP. Some kid was begging Boogaard to punch him in the face. Funny stuff.
Ah ha ha ha, I guess they can’t all be geniuses, eh Lucky?
Is it not weird to anyone that it’s close to the end of August and we haven’t heard a peep about the first contract offer to Gaborik? Anybody?
I speculated that the Wild gave Gaborik and his agent an offer yesterday, giving them time to think it over the weekend.
I think we will hear from Russo midweek if a contract has been tendered.
Ooga.
Booga.
Wooga?
I think that Mister Know it all will attend a couple of the weekday sessions if someone wants my autograph ?
That’s a little weird, Kevin. Rock on.
Ooh, I would be interested in one of those autographs! Please be sure to sign it “Mister Know it all is a jackass.” It may very well be the first accurate statement you’ve ever written.
Wow. A MKIA autograph. I could put that right next to my GW Bush autograph… perhaps in the ol’ circular file.
Just a humorous moment for a second… I signed up for the ESPN fantasy hockey league yesterday. “Owners” need to rank the players in the league in order for the system to conduct a draft. In the default rankings:
Colton Gilles is 391
Olvecky is 432
Schaffer is 440
Three players with at best a outside chance of making the team. 450 to almost 500 spots above…
Martin Skoula @ 895
Just below him at 896?
Chris Simon… not even in the league.
Iginla 50 - You know Mister Know It All has lived up to his name. I will put I am a jack ass on your autograph becasue I like you
MKia.
Reality check. Seriously.
so, the dog days roll on, I see…
Well, summer’s over as of next Monday Nick. State Fair will be done and school starts for most next Tuesday. I personally can’t wait for school to start around here, that will lessen the amount of feral children running around seeing who can scream the loudest.
Ok people say something witty, I’m trying to distract myself from the interview I have tomorrow so I don’t get to nervous. Or perhaps some news about Gabby could be released and that would give me something else to think about.
What kind of job you interviewing for bandgeek?
Something witty.
Gawd, we have another month and a half of summer. We don’t usually get a true Fall day until around Halloween.
So sleepy today. And I don’t think there’s a place on me that doesn’t hurt.
I’m sure most of you have seen this but in honor of the Canadiens centennial you’ll be able to play as the greats in NHL09. Including Jacques Lemaire himself.
http://canadiens.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=379851
Ba dup ching! Ms.C with the wit…
Let’s give her a round of applause. She’ll be here all week folks, don’t forget to tip your wait staff.
I like it Ms. C. Well played.
Museum stuff Buddha. Planning special events and such. If I get this the Mr and I want to go to an away game. Maybe Chicago since it’s close. Or Colorado since we can visit our friend who lives out there if we go as well. If I get this it also means I get a new car next spring.
MsC sounds like you need a long hot bath. And sorry I can’t get you fall sooner. It was down right cold when I got up this morning thanks to a Canadian front moving through, now if we could just get some rain to help out the plants things would be peachy.
I am not a video game person but do players in the NHL, NFL, NBA, and MLB get some money for being used in these video games?
LOL Buddha, I was thinking, Geez, is this too old and lame of a joke to even bother? I’m still pretty sure it is… 
Sunshine, they work out some deal through the player associations. Free hookers and blow or something…
BG, very best of luck on your interview. Sounds like a fun job, actually. I’ll be sending you “Yes, I’m perfect for this job!” vibes tomorrow.
What I really is a long, cool nap. I had a helluva time falling and staying asleep after kind of a bad hockey game last night. *churn churn churn*
“what I really NEED is…”
a proofreader…
See, MKIA, if you wrote “I am…” then it would defeat the purpose.
Iginla50goals thinks one comes across as a jackass when one refers to oneself in the third person.
Hookers and blow, Ms. C? These are a few of my favorite things.
Ms. C agrees about that third person thing.
Oh wait, maybe I meant “speaking of hookers.”
Ha! Nice.
Bandgeek: Best to you on your job interview. You need the gig…you’ve been too long without profitable employment.
E-mail me if you’re interested in either Chicago game (I’m going to both of them) and maybe we can hook up somehow. Let’s talk tickets…off this blog.
Iggy50: you don’t happen to hang out at CP.com, do you?
Band: Best of luck tomorrow. Be the ball.
Dang, too bad I’ve got this work thing getting in the way of going and watching some skating. It always seems to get in between me and lots of fun stuff.
Not rubbing it in Bandgeek, hope the interview goes/is going/went well.
I don’t think so Nick. I just entered CP.com, and it comes up as Chicago Pneumatic - did you mean something else?
Mister Know it all likes himself ok Iginla. I take after some very famous people
iggy: no worries. Are you a Flames fan, or just an Iginla fan?
Clearly.
Mostly just an Iggy fan. But I sorta like the Flames too. I would like them moreso if they were not in the NW division.
MKia…are you Herschel Walker?
Iglinla is one of those guys… like Brett Favre. You just really want to hate the guy… they’re both just such descent guys, and play with such passion… you can’t help but secretly cheer for them.
I really just wish the guy didn’t score 85 points a season against the Wild.
Sorry for the football reference… I know how touchy Vikings fans can get.
Oh, I think Iginla’s a much bigger stud than Favre. Definitely a guy you can be a fan of regardless of the team he’s on. Though I’d hate to ever see him as anything other than a Flame unless it’s the Wild.
They have fans?
I used to be one… but a half-assed one. Well, more like 1/8th-assed.
Oh. Vikings. Never mind. I have The Dumb more than usual today.
Good luck on the interview Band!
I don’t think Iginla cries during post game interviews Buddha! 
Good luck BG!
Thanks guys! I really want this one, it’s my dream job…. well ok, so my dream job is being the Wild’s personal historian, but someone already has that job. I’d also take the job of Boogie’s personal towel girl, but we all know that isn’t happening. Well the Mr’s home, I should go see what he wants for supper. I’m getting hungry.
Hi everybody. I’ve been lurking for a couple years now. Thought I might as well take this opportunity to introduce myself. I saw Boogaard tonight where I work and chatted a bit. I asked him about the back and he said it is doing “perfect.” I also mentioned the Octagon and he said Gabby is supposed to be there in a couple days. He also bought a place on Summit Ave and looks forward to chasing Hordichuk around a few more times this year.
It’s funny how inane details become so interesting during the summer months. Hopefully this will send a slight breeze to the doldrums.
Oh Jordan, you’re an angel of hockey off-season mercy! Boogie! Gabby! YAY!
29 days until pre-season games start ya know!
Thanks, Jordan. You have lifted my spirits. That’s great news about Boogie’s back. Let’s hope he can play 65 games.
I hope Gabby resolves his contract talks before arriving in MN or the media hounds — okay, Russo and to a lesser extent Shipley — will be waiting with their notepads, tape recorders, blackberries, or whatever.
Hey Russo, I’m bored and full of myself, so I’ve decided to run for President of the Aeros. I’m available for interviews any time. Or alternately, if you want to get some Jokinen-like buzz going, that’d be cool, too.
(Why stop at Hot Pockets?)
Are there cheerleaders for the Aeros? If there are, could you as your first order of business put together a calendar of the hot Aeros players in some tasteful state of undress for the female fans as the male fans get the cheerleaders?
or 1/2 off beer on Tuesdays would be nice also.
Hi everybody. I’ve been lurking for a couple years now.
tantric message boarding? Sweeeet.
Seriously, though, welcome to our little cult, Jordan.
welcome to our little cult, Jordan.
Is that why the Kool-Aid tastes so funn–
Let’s give this a try…
Sweet, it worked!
Goody, I couldn’t have said it better myself. Most people get cabin fever in the winter, hockey fans get it in the summer.
Hah! Y’all are on a roll today!
Yeah, Sunshine, we have the lovely Aero Dynamics dance team or as I call them: “dance” team. Not to mention Miss Aeros, the winner of the bikini contest. Scantily clad women abound at Aeros games.
Gonna have to get Paul Albers some teeth if we’re gonna do a calendar… some guys pull off the gap, some don’t.
MsC thats one of the reasons I miss Fridge, he really could pull off the toothless look. So can Burnsie. My friend H sent me a REALLY nice picture of Burnsie one time, nummy. That’s all I really have to say on the matter, nummy.
That’s all you need to say. He’s adorable. Pauly just needs to put some meat on his bones and he might could pull it off, but he’s full on hillbilly being so skinny.
Speaking of Fridge, one of my blog regulars is a Phoenix fan and got to see him practicing/playing yesterday for the first time. She was skeptical when they signed him but is coming around after seeing him on the ice. I felt a big twinge of sad when I was reading her post about it. *sigh*
Oh sweet. Puck Daddy is pimping my quest for Aeros presidency today. Heh. *rubbing hands together gleefully at the prospect of world hockey domination*
Just for you MsC (and to distract myself till I have to leave) I went and found the picture of Burnsie I was talking about.
http://meltyourfaceoff.files.wordpress.com/2007/09/brent-burns.jpg
Enjoy!
Cabin Fever
Cabin Fever
Cabin Fever
I got the Cabin Fever
Oh you can’t beat that “just rolled out of bed” look, can you?
Oh how I just love gabbing about boys instead of hockey!
Who doesn’t love the offseason?
/sarcasm
funny…girls like the “just rolled out of bed” look on boys.
I’d say boys like the “just (want to) roll INTO bed” look on girls.
Hey man, feel free to offer up something better, eh?
Two weeks until anything interesting happens (I’m pretending the Gabby thing isn’t going on), like the Traverse City Prospect Tourney. There’s a hint of a possibility that the NHL Network might televise the tournament. Seems a bit late in the process for that to be coming out, but that would be very cool. Seems like that’s precisely why that channel exists, doesn’t it?
Iggy, if guys can talk about Jessica Alba, and the female broadcasters. MsC and I can discuss how nummy Burnsie looks shirtless, it’s only fair. Now I have to go to my p.t.j. (one of them anyway) and my interview is during my lunch break so wish me luck.
good luck, band! Take no prisoners!!
LUCK LUCK LUCK, BG!
While I enjoy some of the old NHL games on the NHL Network, I am ready for some new ones. Let’s hope they do show some of the Traverse City tournament. Might be the only time we see some of our prospects play.
Good luck, BG.
Iggy, if guys can talk about Jessica Alba, and the female broadcasters.
That’s weird. Why would we be talking about Terhaar and Greenlay?
C’mon sunshine, seeing Brian Hayseed replacing Jon Casey with that ridiculous red, white and blue headband on vs Chicago in 1991, all of the mullets on the ice and in the stands, watching Basil McRae score on a penalty shot with a move better than any I’ve seen out of Gabby in his entire shootout career, there’s nothing better (I think that was on Sunday night)!
Bandgeek, I am with you and ms.c, if the guys can have their hot girls to talk about we get to throw in the occasional comment on how yummy several of the Wild players are. Once I get past the wedding I will get antsier for hockey season. The delayed honeymoon is in October and we are thinking of trying to get tickets for the home opener. That would be way fun.
i just got my tickets for home opener in the mail yesterday.
We watched a bit of the North Stars vs Blues the other night from 1980 something (I want to think 1986). It was weird seeing the slashing, hooking, and holding that wasn’t called. The goalies looked so shrimpy compared to today’s goalies. I think they had a lot less pads back then. It was a good temporary hockey fix.
G*: nice….how’d they smell?
like $6000.
the ticket book was the same style as last year, spiral bound, which i like. the openers were in a separate envelope and are some sort of composite material. not paper, i don’t think.
was nice to see the phalen outdoor rinks in the book. I started my very short lived hockey career there. they always had very good outdoor ice and one rink had solid boards not the 2 by 10’s with the gaps.
Yeah, but all you girls oogling the hockey players makes us uncomfortable. They aren’t ‘normal’ men like us. They are some sort of distorted image of what men should look like that has been created by the media. We are put under tremendous pressure that we should look like them.
I’m kidding about the above by the way.
Oogle away. Doesn’t bother me one bit.
BTW: for those of you looking for your hockey fix, both Sporting News and Hockey News have their season yearbooks out. (Nice work, Russo, on the THN piece.)
I went to Barnes and Noble and they don’t have those magazines. Do you know where I can buy them?
LOL Goody, the gap tooth, slashed face, broken (multiple times) nose look is really something all men should be striving for.
sushine: I bought them earlier today at the local grocery store. I dunno…try Byerly’s?
NiNY: grocery store in NY or MN?
You would think that with their racks of magazines, they would have at least one of them. I will have to check out the grocery store.
Did everyone notice that former number 2 now has his own blog? Unfortunately for him it’s Gopher Football related. Let’s all sing the rouser as we try and squeak by NDSU!
Deep Breath, when’s your next date/dollar amount prediction on the Gabby signing?
Russo, how’s the foot? Will your hacky-sack career ever be the same?
Hmm, bn.com has both. Maybe they just haven’t quite hit the shelves here yet.
They have an online single issues available for both as well.
http://gifts.barnesandnoble.com/search/results.asp?WRD=hockey+news&TYP=Z&FMT=33
Being in the magazine wholesale distributin biz, I can say that the east coast is always a little ahead of the midwest. Both titles will start showing up on the newstand, (at least in North Dakota), starting on Thursday.
Thanks for the info.
Mitch, any chance they’d stock a few in Texas or would they not even bother? I’ve been considering stopping at Borders on the off chance that a copy or two would be sitting in the sports magazine rack…
Know the best part about Eklund’s blog? (Seriously, sunshine got me hooked on it now; it’s like reading a comic strip; but I digress.) It’s how he has a link to his facebook page and “Be my friend” at the bottom of his posts. If that doesn’t throw out any possibility of his being a credible journalist, I don’t know what will.
(Not that I’m bashing facebook or people who use it.)
Ms. C,
I would think since they are yearbooks the distribution would be pretty much national. Borders, Barnes & Noble, would be best bets. Or larger grocery stores.
Eklund is no fun anymore. His rumors are so ridiculously outlandish that its not even fun to read while bored.
Ugh.
Anyways, TSN is reporting that Saki is holding a press conference on Thursday. About what, don’t know yet.
http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=247617&lid=headline&lpos=topStory_nhl
He has been rather bland lately, sunshine, yes. It’s all about Sundin. He needs new material.
Let’s everyone of us e-mail him a ‘tip’ on a Gabby trade. If we all send him the same trade, he’d probably post it. 
KiPA: If not for facebook, how would I meet all the cute girls out here and know what they’re doing with their lives? wow THAT didn’t sound creepy at all! Yay for school starting again!
I got Mister Know it alls autograph at St Louis Park today. What a smaty guy he is, just full of hockey wisdom and he is cute too. Iggy and KJ you might be surprised by his wisdom he has with regards to everything involoving hockey
Sorry I was so excited to tell everyone that I failed to spell smart right…. So sooory
Oh really, “Sallynsue?” Is he a cross-dresser too?
“Sallysue” = Miss know it all.
I always thought that MKia was a ’smaty’ guy.
Hey everyone! First thing… is there anyone here that has a fantasy football (just for fun preferably) league that needs one more person? since I am not employed, I am having a hard time finding one to join. let me know if you need another player!
Secondly, we just got back to Austin from MN tonight. We were up for the state fair and to visit the wife’s fam. We had a whole bunch of deep fried stuff on a stick… not to mention the carmelized-bacon-on-a-stick. Anyway, not that anyone really cares… but I just had to comment on how awesome the weather was in MN this past week. Coming from Austin where it’s 90+ degrees every signle day, it was fantastic to enjoy some mid 70’s weather for a change. I gotta get back to the North sometime soon. Cheers!
ATX: glad that you had a nice trip. How was the bacon? I’m afraid to eat it.
The bacon was actually pretty decent. Not as sweet as I thought it would be… it was really thick and a little tough… make sure you have someone to share it with.
Well, I think I have a real shot after the interview today. I should know by the end of next week. I really really want this, and not just because I get a new car next spring if I get it.
Austin, I’m glad you had a good time. Just thinking about bacon makes my cholesterol go up.
Glad it went well, BG! Fired off that thank you note yet?
Internet and phone are both still dead in the water. Just me and the mosquitoes stealing internet on the deck. Mr. AT&T can’t get here fast enough for me tomorrow. Grr.
Okay, mosquitoes are winning. Buggery f’k!
ATX-
I don’t have a spot for football… believe it or not I have one in a hockey league though…
Interested?
Mitch-
Hopefully you are still out there. You have any ideas on where to go to get a magazine published? Low circulation… I found a couple places, but they all print on such heavy paper, and the prices are ridiculous.
Bandgeek: I worry about you after what you posted earlier. Take nothing for granted. Are you sure your interviewed-for job will be awarded by the end of next week? With the RNC next week basically turning most of St. Paul into Gridlockville, the short work week (due to Labor Day holiday) will be longer than usual…
When will we get an update from Russo even if its a rundown of players skating at SLP or which Wild players have made it back into town. A Gaborik update would be great but I am not holding my breath. IMO, the longer it goes on, the clearer it becomes that a trade is more likely than an extension.
I am assuming by now that a contract has been tendered.
ATX: Thanks for the food review on the bacon. The weather has been nice for walking around the fair — not too hot where you will get someone’s sweat on you when you are going thru a crowd.
So gross.
I usually stick to Martha’s cookies, cheese curds, mini donuts, and the milk shake from the dairy barn. My mouth is watering for some of that milk shake now. That to me is the fair experience. If I hit all that, I am one happy woman.
Buddah, I would be interested in a fanatsy hockey league for sure. My email is ahmug@hotmail.com… just send me the info. I usually start a hockey league of my own, but I would be willing to participate in to different leagues. I still would like to join a football one too though… I think I may be too late for that 
Sunshine, the cheese curds were very good when we had them, and those milkshakes are exelent as well. We had a ton of stuff… actualy the Hot-Dago-on-a-Stick was pretty good too. Gotta love that State Fair food.
Sunshine, if you had a milkshake and I had a milkshake, and my straw reaches across the room…
I. DRINK. YOUR. MILKSHAKE!
I drink it up!
Budda-
Sorry, don’t have an answer for you. My customers are the retailers within my distribution area, and my job is to supply them with the right mix of magazines for their location. I don’t have any idea on where someone would go to get initially published or printed. I do receive some product from publishers in the TC area, I could get you contact info if you’d like and maybe they could provide you with some insight.
A funny rumor via
The Bleacher Report
Scott Gomez and Michal Roszival to Minnesota for Marian Gaborik and Kurtis Foster
Another monster blockbuster. Gomez wouldn’t fit better anywhere than in his old system, and here’s his chance to play with Jacques Lemaire once again. Roszival continues the trend Minnesota’s trying to maintain with puck-moving defenseman. Gaborik has been on the block for the last little while, and really would legitimize the Rangers’ core of wingers.
Kurtis Foster might be exactly what the Rangers are lacking: a 6′5″ defenseman who doesn’t mind using his body, and has a very solid shot to boot. Even if the Rangers give Gaborik $7 million or $8 million, this move saves the Rangers lots of money…until they spend it on Sundin.
My favorite part is that there is no reference to the fact Foster is out for many months, and how well he will come back is completely in doubt.
The author does state this is simply a “what if Gomez were to be traded”, not that he actually would be.
Buddha, have you checked with a Lulu.com or other self-publishing-type place? I can attest to Lulu’s customer service being absolutely top notch, but I don’t know if they do magazines or something along those lines.
ATX-
Invite from ESPN should be in your inbox. There are no actual prizes, but you do have a chance to win the Martin Skoula award… Look it over, if you want in, join. If not, so be it.
Mitch-
Any info you could send would be greatly appreciated. Send it to buddhafisch@gmail.com… Thanks.
Ms. C - I will check that out, thank you.
That guy has it wrong on so many levels. The only thing he was right was the “what if Gomez were to be traded” bit.
I don’t think Gomez ever played for Lemaire. Gomez was drafted in 1998, the year that JL retired from the Devils.
I am ignoring the rest.
YEAH — FOOD!
Well done sunshine. Well done. I love when a rumor is ripped to shreds in 30 seconds or less. I’m guessing they could have made it just a touch easier and said that Gomez could relive his playing with Lemaire for the first time since they were both with the Lightning…
