Wednesday pregame update
Posted on September 24th, 2008 – 12:04 PMBy Michael Russo
Update: I thought you’d find this funny. When Jacques says Mojzis, it sounds like Moses, as in “Mojzis is going to lead the Wild to the promiseland.”
Coming to you from the Xcel Energy Center press box next to my new backup, Brian Stensaas. Please join me in welcoming him to the fray, and you’ll be reading a lot from him throughout the season.
Not much news to report. Marian Gaborik (strained quad) obviously won’t be playing tonight, although he is walking around much better.
The Wild lineup is on the below post if you didn’t see. Colton Gillies had the butterflies churning this morning. The 2007 first-round pick and roster contender will make his Xcel debut in front of the Wild faithful.
His lone preseason game last year came in Grand Forks against, I think, Buffalo. These preseason games all run together.
Walked out to the Blue Jackets bench before their skate and chatted with Ken Hitchcock. He won’t be going with nearly an established lineup tonight. Prospect Jakub Voracek will be in, and he’s been skating with Fredrik Modin in practice. He says he’s got Kristian Huselius, normally a left winger, playing on his off wing and Rick Nash on the left side.
That could be one exciting line. Hitchcock is one go-to coach for us longtime hockey scribes. I’ve probably said this before, but you feel you learn something every time you talk to him.
That is it for now. I’ll be back on later.
Here is Jeremy Rutherford’s story in the St. Louis Dispatch on Erik Johnson being lost for the season with a torn ACL/MCL. Just a freak accident. You’ve got to feel for Johnson, the former Gopher and No. 1 overall pick, and the Blues.
Also, here’s a cool Wild video emailed to me. It was produced by fan Desiree Little.
94 Responses to "Wednesday pregame update"
It’s been a long wait for hockey season. Thanks for the updates.
Brian- welcome.
Very cool video - interesting that Gaby was not in the core players part but he was in the highlights.
Somebody wanted to know the breakdown of Gaby’s assist stats:
Of Gaby’s 41 assists, 29 were first assists and 12 were second.
Gaby factored in 75% of Johnsson’s goals (4), 6 of Demitra’s, 5 of Burns, and 4 for Rolston.
Demitra had 17 first assists and 10 second assists in Gaby’s goals. That doesn’t sound right, I might have to check on that because that would mean that of his 39 assists, 37 went to Gaby.
Burns provided 6 first assists and 7 seconds, so 13 of 28 went to Gaby.
Until he is re-signed, he is not part of the core. Even DR makes that slight distinction.
Welcome, Brian. Is he the new #2?
Greenstar nailed it on the last thread … Catch-22!
Fans want the Wild to pay the big bucks for marquis players, except they do not want to pay higher ticket prices to finance them.
That is a big dilemma, more revenues are needed for the cap to grow to offset these big salaries and that means the fan$ dollar$.
But, people do not want to pay.
Gabs is an exciting and fine player for the Wild, but at some figure he becomes a luxury. And at som astronomical figure even higher than that, you have created another Kevin Garnet problem all over again, (like someone else pointed out earlier).
I cannot say what is the right figure for Gabs except to say that teams that can keep player salaries in check will have more resources to face the future! Manage cap dollars, a key to a winning future.
(You will have ticket prices raised anyway, even without the big salaries. Energy costs affect the team as well as the rest of us.)
Always two there are..no more, no less… a master and an apprentice
Welcome to the new No. 2!
(Begs the question of what the Don did with the old No. 2, but whatever.)
Didn’t/doesn’t Brian write sports for the Metro/West section? Bit of a step up in covering the Wild, compared to a tennis match between Chaska and Shakopee.
*Colton Gillies had the butterflies churning this morning.*
Poor dear. Deep breaths. It’s just hockey. Have fun. You’ll be fine.
(This from the person who gets nervous to the point of irritability for her novice league games. Ha!)
Welcome, Brian!
Welcome #2 #2. As Hockeydad wondered, what happened to #2 #1? I hope all is well with him.
Will the game tonight be on TV?
#2 runs the vikings blog, no?
I believe he said “it was only business”
#1 #2 got cut and sent to Houston.
No, Wildlover. Radio.
Yeah, what did you do with Youngblood?? Not that we can’t accept a new #2, but the kid did a pretty decent job last year, and we want to know we’re going to get the same from Stensaas.
By the way, someone come up with a nickname for him. We can’t call him Stensaas, or #2 all season.
Stenzie.
kj says:
September 24th, 2008 at 12:57 pm
All this negativity, and I didn’t post!!!
I am impressed.
Deep…you are mostly right in that the perception of signing Gaborik is more important than the signing itself.
Green*…you are mostly right in that I am tired of Gaborik and his wonky funny parts.
MKia…wrong again as you seemingly always are.
Gaborik is done here…I have already posted that numerous times. He will not bring a lot in a trade and Russoville will be disappointed in the 3 third rounders that Douggie claims is ‘market value’.
CL is selling hot dogs? Sweet!
youngblood does the gophers football beat coverage now.
I like Stenzie.
Yes Phil, but which is the master?
Saasnets?
Hey kj,
I WILL be coming out to catch one of the band’s final shows. I’m sorry I’ve been out of touch lately. It was a really rough summer.
So, is that official? We’re calling him “Stenzie”?
Yeah check the wild.com video on the home page. Colton Gillies is VERY nervous to play in front of the home crowd. Good luck tonight boys and just relax Colton you’ll be fine. I heard Schultzie on 93X this morning. It was good to have him back on.
Cool Dave…just let me know.
We’re at the Blue Fox next Friday…
Shouldn’t Stenzie have a say? Hey, Stenzie, okay if we call you Stenzie?
Man, I want to give Colton a hug and an ass pinch. Maybe that will distract him from his nerves.
ms.c
2 minutes for instigating a minor… 
Ms.C - Be honest, you’d pinch his butt even if he didn’t have butterflies. 
I’m just trying to be helpful, kj!
FYI: his RandBall handle is Stensation, so you can probably go with that if you’d like.
Enjoy him, you adorable, hockey-mad freaks.
In watching the JL pre-game presser at Wild TV, I laughed out loud to myself after I saw the name inscribed down the shaft of Jacques Warrior stick.
D
A
I
G
L
E
Nah, BW, he’s not even on my radar in that way. I like ‘em young and uncomplicated, but not THAT young.
Not that’s it’s bad or anything, I just think it’s funny. Maybe extra’s were laying around the stick room and Jacques liked the curve and flex?
I’m not sure, until I know he’s Stensational, that I can really get comfortable with that name.
Plus, that’s not a very “hockey” nickname. Stenzie, on the other hand, totally is.
That’s pretty funny, Lapper. Hard to believe there was a Daigle stick still sitting around.
Anyone know a website that has up-to-date hockey injuries. I’m setting my fantasy list, and don’t want to draft a player that will be out long term.
I used Rotoworld.com, wildfor9. Seemed pretty thorough as far as the news I’d been hearing. http://www.rotoworld.com/content/injuries.aspx?sport=NHL
Be sure and look at the date of the report though because some are from the end of last season.
Ms. C - So 23 is a good age?
Right, ms.C. I believe a hockey player would get his ass kicked if he walked around asking people to call him “Stensational.” In fact, if that was my nickname, I think I’d kick my own ass.
How about 2A for the new guy?
Thank you both for the sites.
And I’m all for Stenzie. Didn’t someone mention a bit of disgust w/ everyone wanting their fan’s to be Nations, a la Boston?
#3?
How about we call him “Rosie O”, that way we could segway into ass-less chaps a lot easier during our discussions.
Clearly, Deep, you don’t require any kind of a segue to raise the specter of Rosie in assless chaps….
How about… Ex-Stenz… hee hee… like in the commercials…
“He does everything to make your coverage bigger, and longer.”
LOL Dave
Why 23, Lemmi? But yes. Perfect fantasy hockey boyfriend age. Too young to be embittered by life, probably not married yet, but hopefully at a tolerable level of maturity assuming their mama and billet family raised ‘em right.
Well you’re in luck Ms. C! I’ll keep the guy nameless for his sake, but he happens to meet all those qualifications….well unless you’re saying that playing PRO hockey is one of them, then I bet he just feels shame. 
although I’m not quite sure if he has a thing for goalies….
For all the Wild’s center woes, it could be worse. Look at the Blue Jackets. Umberger, Novotny, Peca, STEVE KELLY, and a bunch of other no-names.
Yikes!
Lemmi-
Anyone who plays hockey has a thing for goalies…
Ran into the goalie for the women’s Gophers squad a few years back. She was shopping and I was charged with ringing up her sale.
Wearing a N-stars jersey, struck up a conversation about hockey, she said she was the goalie for the U… I about collapsed right there. Lust at first sight I tell ya.
Oh yeah, they also have Malhotra. I guess he’s kind of their Belanger.
Buddha…
Maybe anyone who plays hockey has a thing for goalies of the opposite sex would have sounded better?
Unless you swing that way…
Yes Lemmi… that is what I intended…
Hey dude I’m running on 3 hours of sleep and trying to find creative ways to stay awake at work for another 4 hours
[…] Russo’s Rants – […]
You can’t tell me you all don’t have a little man crush on Harding, what with his ever changing goalie masks…
Hey dude I’m running on 3 hours of sleep and trying to find creative ways to stay awake at work for another 4 hours
Go to your local Starbucks and grab a box of Dark Chocolate Covered Coffee Beans”. It’s a cure-all… I promise…
LOL Buddha. I totally get that! Something about goalies, male or female. I’m distracted by both our novice league goalies. I just stare at them. I hope they don’t notice. I’m still working on not being intimidated by our opposing team’s goalie.
Lemmy, I’m only in the market for *fantasy* hockey boyfriends. Already got a husband who probably wouldn’t take kindly to my picking up a real hockey boyfriend.
So yeah, for fantasy purposes, he’s gotta be pro. There’s a whole range of delicate criteria, really. I’ll spare you boys the details.
LOL At Russo’s add-on at the top. Hey, maybe he’ll lead the Aeros to the PL at least?
Harding. Ugh. Objectively, he’s cute but too nice for my taste. Goalies with charity masks need not apply.
Sorry Russo, didn’t find that funny at all. No offense, just not your best.
You get what you pay for, LJD.
KJ, I would hope the Don is the master, but now that you ask, i don’t really know! Difficult to forsee that is…
welcome aboaed bri
ugh…. aboard.
I’m headin’ off to the game tonight…any chance a can of Boogard gets opened up?
Not unless he comes out of the stands. He’s not on the roster. You might get a can of Weller though!
damn it
I think Eklund must have spread his “knowledge” to the MSM, and into the world of politics. Trying to read the last two issues of Newsweek, and every other line is something like “who spoke only on condition anonymity.”
Ugh. If you’re going to flap your gums, stand up and be heard. Otherwise… just shut up.
*Says the guy who goes by Buddha… ah well. Finding out who I am wouldn’t be real difficult.
Wyatt Smith gets sent down to AHL.
He signed with TB, right? Wyatt that is.
new season, new #2.
#2.2?
Welcome to the masthead, nonetheless, Stenner.
I hate to pump up Eklund’s site but this blogger who was at the Wild’s Training camp got to interview DR for 20 minutes. Here is the overview of what he found.
http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?blogger_id=78
Its not a bad read, some interesting stuff.
Augh. Wish I didn’t have a boycott against clicking hockeybuzz links… Anything new in there that we haven’t all heard a bazillion times? Starting to think Riser’s a robot.
KJ,
I am wondering where I was wrong. So far I am batting better then the stinky Twins do on there best day
Ah screw it. I’ll click the link. Such high principles I have.
Okay, that was decent, in terms of the prospects. At the very least, now I know Aeros camp starts next Tuesday. 
I think the newbie’s nickname should be short to the point, and spot-on. How about his initials?
Hello, B.S. …
Welcome aboard!
Who’s with me?
There’s no such thing as principles in the weeks leading to hockey season.
WRT, lol! I’m with you. It could mean Beautiful Stories?
Anybody know where tonight’s game will be broadcast? I guess WCCO will have it, but I can’t find any online streaming links. Usually you can’t listen to Wild games from the CCO website, only from the links on wild.com or nhl.com, and I haven’t seen any.
Yes, Wyatt Smith did sign with TB. They just cut him.
that’s a nice little video, and the Habs may very well win the Cup (she said it’s going to where it belongs afterall).
It’s nice that people are high on the Wild, but since they won’t be making the playoffs this year, there really isn’t anything to get excited about.
It’s a poorly made up roster, especially if/when Marian gets dealt. The GM is a terrible, sorry assed excuse for a hockey exec. Lemaire is no longer a suitable coach.
This team is going to have a hell of a time scoring goals, stopping goals, and doing much of anything really. It’s going to be a lousy year with the Wild finishing 10th to 12th in the West and going back to the ever unproductive drawing board.
Until Lemaire and Risebrough are gone, this team will never, ever come close to winning a Cup. We deserve better !!
Russo, just so u know, Mojzis means Moses. In Czech, Slovak and probably other Slavic languages.
Hello everybody! It’s nice to be back. Had to take a holiday over the offseason. The pissing and moaning was making me fatigued.
Nico, where did you find the crystal ball? And why are you here and not on the line with Vegas?
Did your ball have the Twins sucking this year also?
Awesome to have hockey back. Can’t wait to go check out the new guys tonight. See what this Gillies guy is all about and I would like to see what Mojzis and Kolanos might be able to bring to the table.
Now I have to go lay a bet on the Wild making the playoffs. I think Nico’s ball is full of $hit.
You should hand out razorblades with that post, Nico.
*Usually you can’t listen to Wild games from the CCO website*
WOT?!!?! Oh hayell no!
“Now I have to go lay a bet on the Wild making the playoffs. I think Nico’s ball is full of $hit
just give me the money if you’re going to give it away.
If that is the case, I hope wild.com has the link to the radio feed.
Anybody know if any of the pre-season games will be televised?
SLAPSHOT: They say not.
…even cable or the NHL channel?
….sorry not cable, satellite (?)
Not tonight! I don’t know if any of the other games will be. I’d hope some will be broadcasted.
Nope. No where. No time.
Come on over and share your thoughts while listening to the game on CCO.
Preview & game thread - http://www.hockeywilderness.com/2008/9/24/621267/minnesota-wild-vs-columbus
If you’re interested in an online stream, it’s available from the Blue Jackets at http://streamdata.dispatchbroadcast.com/CBJgamelive.asx
Wow, post a link to a live feed and get moderated! Interesting.
