Sunday from Parade
Posted on October 12th, 2008 – 2:02 PMBy Brian Stensaas
Happy Sunday, Russoville! Stensaas here, blogging from home after watching Jacques and Co. put the Wild through an hour-long practice at Parade Ice Garden in Minneapolis. Lots of Gaborik jerseys and other Wild paraphernalia cited among the few dozen or so spectators at this practice. Mostly hockey moms and dads and their kids. It’s quite a different scene from the empty Xcel Energy Center practices we’ve seen so far this season. At Parade, the stands seem to be on top of the ice. And all the little kiddies were right up on the glass trying to get a peek at their favorite players. Nice gesture by Andrew Brunette, by the way, turning back to slide a puck to a kid just before taking the ice. Two bucks will get you a puck at your local sports shop. But getting one from a player, that’s just cool. Especially when you’re seven.
Speaking of pucks, Jacques was demonstrating a passing drill early on and tried to chip the puck off the glass and into the neutral zone. Instead, the vulcanized rubber disc went sailing over and landed a few feet from me. Mr. Lemaire … was it something I wrote??
Lots of skating in this practice. A few dump and chase drills preceded a host of 1-on-1, 2-on-2 and 3-on-2 rush sessions. These weren’t quickies, either. The guys went toe-to-toe at full speed til the whistle blew. Pretty up-tempo for the day after a game. The coach said he wanted to see more of the team skating together, and he got it.
Owen Nolan had the play of the day, spinning around a defender during the 1-on-1 drills and beating Nik Backstrom five-hole. It drew a nice round of applause from the onlookers. Sharpshooter of the day award goes to Eric Belanger. Working on one-timer drills near the end of practice, he slapped one off the crossbar that careened back to Benoit Pouliot, striking the youngster right in the gut. He went down like he had gotten punched, but obviously it was all in fun.
On the news front, defender Marek Zidlicky is still not well enough to skate with that bum right ankle. He will not make the upcoming road trip, meaning he’ll miss at least the first four games of the season.
And Russo realizes he had a misprint in his Short Takes section from today’s paper. Vancouver’s player who honored the late Luc Bourdon with the bow-and-arrow gesture Thursday is Alex Burrows.
More from me tomorrow. The team will practice in the morning before taking off for Atlanta.
Now go watch some football.
155 Responses to "Sunday from Parade"
Thanks Stencils.
Benny has a sense of humor! ZOMG. 
Caborik looked like an individual on a team that didn’t want him last night. Sheppard had him wide open and didn’t pass to him, Gaborik was not on the first PP unit and didn’t even start the game. There was clear evidence that his teammates did not consider him part of the team and that the coaching staff was not planning on him being arround much longer. I think the departure of the “Glass groin” will be a welcome change to the team of the other 17,999.
That’s nice from Bruno, the kid must be thrilled.
Thanks for the update Stencils.
As someone who was happy to see Rolston go and even more so to see Parrish and Demitra go last nights game was perfect. I would have liked to see my favorite players (Basically all of the 1st round picks) put it in the net, but 4 goals from the free agents is a great sign.
If you watch the games last year, Gaborik rarely is ever on the first PP unit and rarely is he in the starting line-up. Heck, SRV and Branko were in the starting line-up more often than Gaborik and Rolston combined. Lastly for a guy not on the first PP unit, he still gets his PP points.
That’s Shep’s fault not passing to a wide-open teammate regardless if its Gaborik or not. That’s just a wasted play. Its like a quarterback not throwing it to a wide open receiver but throws it to one surrounded by two defenders. Wasted play.
[…] Russo’s Rants – […]
I dont know about you guys, but I am ready to see Gabby leave. I dont like his attitude. I cant quite describe what kind of player he is. It almost seems like he is “good” at a lot of things not just one or two. And I think that is what makes him special. But I dont think that makes him great. For instance He’s got speed but he’s not a great pure scorer. Again he is fast but he doenst have great puck moving ability. Like I said he is good but he’s no Sid the kid or Ovechkin.
It was great to see the team do well with out the help of gabby. I would like to see Gabby go sooner then later cause I want whoever we get in that trade to mesh with the team. Also if this is Lemaire’s last season I want to see what we can do with out Gabby (Russo has said somethings that might point to Lemaire wanting to be done after this year).
Yes Sunshine but this is an example of Gaboriks point. He is an elite offensive player, and that requires he play with others that understand at an elite level the way he thinks. I believe the Wild have only one forward on the roster that can think like that and that is PMB.
This is the Rub on JL, he may be right about what it will take to win with this Wild team, but Gaborik may not be getting his needs met, so maybe JL could search for another angle here ??
Russo, if you have your ears on do you know why JL refuses to play PMB with Gabby 5 on 5 ??
Not to belabor the point, but from last thread, it was noted that Gaby was not booed last night. From my confortable seat in section 220, when Gaby was introduced as a non-starter, the boos were ringing in loud and clear. Also, as long as he has a Wild sweater on, you would think it would make sense to use him in a way that would be most beneficial to the team. That, my friends, of not going to happen when he is on a line with SRV and Shepp. If JL is gonna use him that way, why not just put him by the popcorn machine so there is no chance of him being injured until the trade can be worked out. Awful.
Haven’t we seen what the Wild was like without Gaborik when he was lost for 34 games or when he was gone for 20 some games in the 05-06 season? They treaded water and lost 10 road games in the 06-07 season. When Gaborik came back, they went on an unbelievable run the second half of the year. That was the year that we had 5 players scored 19+ goals, also. Isn’t that where the Gaborik Effect was coined?
Without Gaborik, would the team have gone on their run that year? Would they have made the playoffs? Would they have earned 104 points?
MKIA:
PMB and Gaborik can’t play together because they are both RW and defensively would be problematic. That, I think, are the two main reasons.
[…] It’s quite a different scene from the empty Xcel Energy Center practices we’ve seen so far th Check out the source Blogs about […]
sunshine: I think it’s obvious that I wuold like to see Gaby resign here, but for a price that behooves what the Wild would get in return (i.e., anywhere in between $8-9 million/season). Why I am so frustrated is simply because we just don’t know how far apart the two sides are. Is Ballgame going no higher than $8 million a season? Is Salcer looking for $10 million a season? The problem with all this is that Ballgame is absolutely playing with fire by letting it drag into the regular season. Gaby suffers an injury and his trade value is going into the Bertuzzi. But, I think we can all agree that some team may “over trade” at the deadline. But, do you risk keeping him on the team until the end of Feburary and pray to Gretzky that he doesn’t get hurt? Very bad spot to be in. Just looking for resolution, either way, like I think many/most fans are.
Gaby isn’t gonna get hurt if he keeps playing like he played last night.
so, if elite players need to be with elite players to perform to peak, then how do you reconcile that with A) Brooks’ assertion that All-Star teams don’t work against non-All-Star teams and B) Semenko in Edmonton and, closer to home (if less famously) Fridge with Gaby last year?
I mean, if that’s true and Gaby score 42 or whatever last year playing with misfits like Fridge and Radio, then he would score like 175 playing with Thornton, or…Demo….oops.
Gaby hasn’t had consistent linemates at the top of the skillz chart on the Wild roster really ever. Why should Lemaire change now?
From my confortable seat in section 220, when Gaby was introduced as a non-starter, the boos were ringing in loud and clear
Well then they didn’t make it off the upper deck because down in 114, I heard nothing but applause.
can’t say the same for skoula. definate boos that someone near me though was skou.
If #10 is on the ice when the penalty is called, good chance he doesn’t start the ensuing PP.
that other no talent, waste of money bum sidney crosby only has 2 assists in 3 games. you’d think for the money he is being paid he would play a little better.
G*: So, if Gaby gets two assists in the next two games, he can demand STK money?
Gaby isn’t gonna get hurt if he keeps playing like he played last night.
I don’t care who ya are that’s funny right there.
that other no talent, waste of money bum sidney crosby only has 2 assists in 3 games
We’re looking to trade him and Malkin.
We’re looking to trade him and Malkin.
here i thought it were only minnesota fans that were demanding of their players. 
look, it was one game of 82. #10 is not going to score in every one of them. The whole team played tight the 1st period. he was looking to make plays, was open for a couple home run passes that never materialized. He didn’t try to stick handle thru 3 defensemen. it doesn’t mean i think he is worth 10mil, that hasn’t changed. it was an average game. everyone has them.
or it was all the booing from section 220…
DB- “right in the Bertuzzi” Classic.
KiPA - I’m in for an STK and Malkin trade…
NiNY- I’m on your side here. It doesn;t matter who Gaby’s line mates are, as long as there is chemistry. That’s all that matters in hockeyl Put a line out there that can play together, they will be unstoppable. Put a bunch of all-stars who have never skated together, it won;t work.
Mister KiA, if you had PMB and Gabby together, who can play big and cover in the defensive end?
Sunshine, from last thread. Gabs has had seven full seasons (starting the eighth?) to figure this out and elevate his game.
Sunshine again, the last year’s team was geared to having #10 and to rely on him for scoring. So, of course they are in a hole without him. This year’s team is constructed more like the original Wild teams. I do not think they will miss Gaby as much.
As far as who Gaby plays with, what is wrong with Sheppard? He is an up and comer.
And, you do need a defensive forward with him too so if Gaby does not prefer playing without the puck, then maybe SRV is an important linemate … though not the only choice which may turn out to be Owen Nolan.
The Wild do need scoring from multiple lines. Koivu can make any other line better. You would think Gaby could make other players better as well?
All of this is early in the season. I think JL is looking for what gives the team the best chance to win, not necessarily what showcases Gaby the best.
Gaborik just needs to have a good passers to play with him. Walz and Demitra were good passers - usually tape to tape. You couldn’t say that the SRV-Shep-Gaborik line had much tape-to-tape passes.
Like I said the tape-to-tape passes were from Gaborik to Burns.
here i thought it were only minnesota fans that were demanding of their players
Hanging around here has rubbed off on me.
I like Gabonomics NiNY. can I take that instead of econ 348?
KiPA: you’re REALLY one of us now…
Buddha: happy to help. I believe there’s a statistic behind every good bit of BS in the world.
Great remark, MisConduct.
I think that people are overly negative about if he gets hurt. If he gets hurt that is beneficial to the Wild re-signing him. Then DR is able to go to Salcer/Gaby and say “You just proved that you can’t stay on the ice like Ovie or STK, good luck trying to get more than what we’re offering you.”
Opinions?
If you can’t dazzle ‘em with details, baffle ‘em with bull sh*t…
KiPA- first place in the ESPN league, but a -17 on the year already… ouch.
Ah, crap, you’re on to me, Buddha.
Patrick Ruesse shouldn’t be allowed to write about hockey, he doesn’t know anything about it, and his negative attitude is an embarrassment to all mankind…
Here is a letter to editor I wrote about his criticizing of Naegele recently. Of course - it wasn’t printed by the Star Tribune Editors.
Journalistic Credibility?
The Star Tribune should be ashamed on letting one of their employees write an article based solely on bitterness and speculation than actual fact. The article entitled ‘Naegele cashes in and runs while Pohlad invests’ is absolutely embarrassing. It is very evident that Reusse has an axe to grind, but to try and smear the character of an individual that has done so much good for not just the hockey fans, but everyone in the state of Minnesota is almost criminal.
The beginning of his article starts out with the huge ‘failure’ that the Wild season turned out to be. I question Patrick’s credibility in this matter – he attended a total of 5 Wild games before the playoffs started, and that number is an increase from last season. How is your writer entitled to use terms like ‘failure’ or ‘flop’ when there is a strong chance that he isn’t knowledgeable about what he types.
Patrick’s next segment has to do with Chris Simon (which he has already written about in the other 4 articles he covered the Wild on). This a perfect example of Patrick’s bitterness toward either The Wild, the sport of hockey, or maybe his fellow man. Chris Simon has made mistakes like most humans, but he deserves the respect to not have them brought up in whatever context makes the writer happy. To continually write those words is an act of a man with not just a personal agenda, but an agenda filled with hate.
His estimation of Naegele’s annual income would be considered criminal in the business world. How can his source be, ‘In local business circles’? If Patrick doesn’t know the REAL numbers, then he shouldn’t wrap his speculations in camouflage. Your writers need to have more integrity – and that is lesson number one in Journalism 101.
In sarcasm, Patrick calls Naegele such a ‘grand fellow’. It is obvious that Patrick doesn’t know him, and hasn’t spent nearly enough time covering the team since it hit the ice in 2000. If he did follow the sport, or ever venture into St Paul, he might notice how rejuvenated the city is. He might notice all the thriving businesses that weren’t here before the Wild joined the NHL. He might notice all the people that now call downtown St Paul their home. He might notice the Wild charities at the Children’s Hospital or even the Mentoring program that helps out the local youth. And you would hope that Reusse would be able to sense the pride in a community that comes together and roots for their teams. And that pride is win or lose.
I work in the sports industry and I am around Patrick Reusse in many situations. I am used to hearing him complain about this and that, and having interactions with media relations staff that leave a lot to be desired. If he wants to spend the majority of his time complaining, that is up to him. But when he uses his public forum, which is a privilege and not a right, to spew his bitterness and assassinate the character of a good man – I would hope the editors would be there to clean up the mess. If he needs a refresher in Journalism 101 – which involves integrity and credibility, please see that he gets it.
SIDENOTE - at last night’s wild opener, Patrick had no problem eating FREE nachos and drinking FREE soda pop in the press level. It seems like only a lack of integrity would allow a ‘person’ to rip a man on one hand - but take a FREE meal from him in the other hand…
ENOUGH is ENOUGH…
The Star Tribune editors need to reel him in…
He is a BAD HUMAN and his only goal is to make the world a worse place.
Why would anybody want to see Gabby leave??? I do not. Give the guy a break- he is under so much pressure right now, that this is honestly not even on his mind. He has other things to worry about like actually playing hockey, and not having to worry about this whole contract issue. The time will come, and things will get better. It always does. The wild are a good team either way, you all look at it. Gabby is a honorable guy, and he is a respected player here in MN! So lets keep it that way!!
I thought I dipped to second place.
And yeah about my +/-, that’s why I sent you that email.
Okay, I got my rankings done JIT for the my third and final fantasy hockey draft. Gonna let it auto-draft but I’ll be watching, fretting, etc. It’s what I do best. Looking forward to sucking in yet a 4th fantasy league.
Iceman:
Last year, it was probably the first time where Gaborik wasn’t feeling the pressure to score goals all the time or the team be dependent on him alone. They had just come off a season where 5 players scored 19+ goals. They had a bonafide 30 goal scorer in Rolston.
I think Gaborik has elevated his game. He is playing a stronger defensive game then before and he is playing a more team game then before. Could he still be better? You bet he can be better and play at an elevated level consistently. All players can improve. If he doesn’t have the soft hands before, he’s not going to have it to the level of Koivu or PMB. Just like these two can’t learn Gaborik’s quick release or wrister.
I just think that sometimes folks blame everything on Gaborik. If Gaborik doesn’t score, then he sucks. If he doesn’t use his speed, he sucks. If 2 guys are defending him, he sucks. If he plays defense but doesn’t look strong while doing it, he sucks. Some of it is warranted but not all of it.
Takes two to tango, Rebekah. Gaby is as much on the hook and responsible for this distraction as anybody. Says he wants to be here but doesn’t want to sign a contract for what he’s worth (and I’m going to assume Riser isn’t low-balling him). I’d like him to stay but I don’t feel the least bit sorry for him.
It is only one game Sunshine.
They have had many practice hours for the coaching staff to watch players and how they interact with each other.
Due to changing on the fly and other matchups in penalty kills and power plays, during the course of any game, each player is probably on the ice with a good percentage of his team.
So, the passes did not click, that does not mean they won’t.
For me, Gaby needs to create opportunities for teammates too.
I like him to stay, but not at the premium dollars he thinks he needs … even if he starts scoring.
If he wants to be that highly rewarded, then he needs to be much more creative offensively (including setting up linemates) and be much more responsibly without the puck.
going into the Bertuzzi
+2
I wish I could have seen the game so I could comment on The Ghost of Gaborik. From the posts, it seems like he is getting support from the usual supporters and criticism from the usual critics.
Will efforts like last night from #10 reduce his trade value? How will his putting a death grip on his stick affect his date with contract nirvana on 7/1/2009?
Would it be a fair statement to say that #10 doesn’t perform real well under pressure? The longer he goes without a good game, the more he will press and fuel his anxiety.
The road trip should be interesting. A trip through the Southleast. A chance for #10 to show what he can do in the Land of the Offense and the Home of the Scoring.
NiNY…Gaborik will deserve NBC money about the time the Dow reaches 15,000.
I just want to know why Gaborik thinks he deserves Crosby/Lecavalier/Ovechkin money. If he could put up the stats, I’d have no qualms paying him that
You don’t know Riser if you don’t think Riser hasn’t low-balled Gaborik. He always does.
The players themselves have said that the contract negotiations have not pervaded the locker room. I believe them at the moment. Are they going to be asked about it? Yep, but they also understand that at some point, they may be in a similar situation.
So far from 4 different guys, they have had the same response. Not bothering them but more of a media story than a locker room story. As the season wears on, the story might be different.
All the people saying Gabby needs to set up his ‘mates, he has 206 goals and 208 assists…
Good points, all of them, Journalistic Credibility!
Ice:
That’s what I am saying. Its one game where they weren’t THE best line like in Montreal.
My point is that people relish when Gaborik doesn’t do well. I don’t get it. So you don’t like him that doesn’t mean you would relish in him doing poorly.
I am upset that Rolston left but I am not praying for him to fail either.
Well, I don’t figure he’s still low balling him. This isn’t SRV here. If they’re offering in the 8.5-9 range, that’s not low balling in my book.
Sunshine, I am not blaming Gaby for anything.
But, we are speaking about relative value and my opinion is different from yours.
There is a fixed amount of money to spend. I do not want Gaby to get such a big piece of that pie that the Wild are unable to afford the missing pieces unless he wants to improve the other parts of his game.
To me, Gaby is a little bit overrated. I seem him as a scoring machine.
But, I seem him as emotionally driven so that when things are going well they snowball and he goes on a tear, but when things start to go badly then his goal scoring drops.
Every player, to some degree, is like that. He maybe more than most.
With others, when the goal scoring drops off (lets say because other teams figure out how to shut them down), maybe they can elevate a different part of their game like hitting, defense, etc.
Right now, if the team reads him that he will not be here for the duration, then I think they need to do what they are (that is to put their team together as if he was not the most important part.
Rebekah-
All I can say is this:
“If they offered me what I want, we wouldn’t be talking about this.”
Uncle Moneybags is not honorable. He is Latrell Spreewell (sp), and Randy Moss. He is a money hungry sports pseudo-star.
Stay or go, fine. But don’t make yourself sound like an idiot. Oh wait. Too late.
KiPA- let me look at the leasgue, see if snyone will trade you something…
Gabby’s play last night was exactly what you would expect from a guy who missed about 90 percent of training camp. Plus, he was playing with a couple of linemates that he has little to no playing time/experience with. He was non-descript last night, just like I expected.
Everyone on this site is certainly welcome to their opinions, but I do get surprised at how many people on here second guess JL. I do believe that any coach at any level will make mistakes at times, but this is one of the most respected coaches in the game. I think I would be correct in stating that no one else posting on here has even one NHL win as a coach. I wonder about a few of his decisions at times, but I don’t get too excited about them without or until I can hear some kind of explanation from him regarding them. Neither you or I know what goes into most of the decisions of JL and the staff.
Regarding line combos, knowing JL, nothing is set in stone yet, it was Game # one.
I saw the passing situations talked about between Shep and Gabby, from my point of view there weren’t clear cut enough seams for Shep to not error on the side of caution. He did miss one wide open chance though… which #10 probably would have muffed on…
My take, game one, mediocre first 20 min, poor last 8 mins, not quite full tilt in between those stretches. Yep… game one of 82.
We are on the same page on that Sunshine. I do not want any of our players to fail because I personally do not have confidence in them.
With Rolston, it is a little like the Twins Torii Hunter … they are gone now and I do not wish them any harm but I have no wish they have great success either.
With both of them, ultimately they were not what they claimed they were. Sort of like Lou Holst (spelling?).
They preach one thing, but do another which makes them hypocrites in my opinion.
I do not blame Gaby for wanting what the market will bear. But, at a certain point his is maybe asking for more than he can deliver the team.
If he wants to stay in Minnesota, then he will need to make some concession in his thinking about his value to the team.
If he is not willing to make that concession, then perhaps his remarks that “he wants to stay with the Wild”, do not quite represent his true feelings. If he wants Ovechkin money, then he needs to put up those numbers.
The Ghost of Gaborik is not what I would call a superstar. Sure, he is dynamic offensively and is the Wild’s most talented player. But, is he their best player?
To me, an elite player is someone in their sport that elivates the play of their teammates through their own play.
I.E. making them better.
To me, whining about the players that #10 is ’stuck’ with points out exactly why #10 does not deserve top dollar.
Would you give the same crutch to other current NHL stars? How good Iginla, NBC, Ovie, Lecav, etc would be if only they had better linemates?
Ice:
I am on record as saying that I would give Gaborik between $8.7-$9 million. However, if the Wild can’t reach a deal, he needs to be traded. I might overrate him a bit but I am also not blind to Gaborik’s faults.
I think in the playoffs when he wasn’t scoring, he was doing the things you mentioned. But, did we hear anything about his defensive play? No. Its Gaby is not scoring. He needs to score for the Wild to win.
For the longest time, this team needed him to be a scoring machine and maybe he feels that he needed to do that to be accepted or that it was his contribution to the team. Do we notice when he’s playing defensively well even when he’s not scoring? Last night, he didn’t make a spectacular backcheck but he was in the passing and shooting lanes. He blocked a shot.
When he doesn’t score, the media and the fans get on his case. If we want him to be an all around better player, we have to give him some room. He goes three games without scoring and omg, he’s not scoring and he ’s getting paid X millions of dollars to score. Or he didn’t do anything last night and he wants $8 million?
elevates…sheesh.
Good points, all of them, Journalistic Credibility!
+1
KiPA: I take it back….thank you Bernard Berrian, Correll Buckhalter, and Clinton Portis! 
Anyone watching the games tonight?
Lemmi… “Journalistic” is missing one key point: Reusse is a columnist, and he can speculate all he wants. He’s a columnist writing about his opinion, he’s not a reporter. He can’t cite his opinion on something as a fact, but he is free to express himself in any manner.
We agree he does have very little hockey knowledge, aside from what beer to drink at a game.
Sunshine, you would be willing to pay Gaby more than me, but maybe the number of years would factor into that.
If I paid him that much, then I would probably have my finger on the trade trigger to improve the Wild whenever the team began to falter.
So far as the playoffs last spring, though it is not his strong point, I did think Gaby tried to add the defensive responsibility necessary to become more valuable to the team.
When I see some signs of team orientation and unselfishness on his part, I do appreciate it.
As a for instance, I think it was important for him to make that pass to set up Boogey late in the game yesterday.
To me, even though Boogey did not convert, that shows some of the unselfishness and team orientation I want to see.
If I look across the NHL for a player to build a team foundation with, it would be Iginla. In the future, I think our Koivu will be there too. If I was GM, I would have a hard time to tie up so much money for Gaby that I could not pay Koivu what he is worth next time around.
Ha. The idiots in Edmonton just rang their goal horn/light when Budaj made a save.
But that is my point about Ruesse - he cites his opinions as ‘fact’…There is something fundamentally wrong when a “hack” like Ruesse can slander a person because he has the power of the pen..
That is the work of a coward hiding behind his nametag..
By allowing that - it then puts the onus on the slandered individual to defend his own honor..
It is a bad way of conducting business - and is similar to a playground bully..
If the editors don’t have the integrity to keep him (and others) in check, then there has to be a PLAN B..
JC:
I agree with what you wrote and that is why I refuse to read any columns from him about the Wild.
Ruesse doesn’t even write half the crap with his name on it. He just has one of his little henchmen trash whichever team he’s in the mood to trash and throws his greasy name on it. As long as it insults the fans, owners and management he’s happy.
I am loving NHL Center Ice already. worth every penny!
Just got back from the TX State Fair…
Regarding “superstar” players elevating their teammates play, I got these numbers:
Player GP G A Cap
Marian Gaborik 77 42 41 6.333
Sidney Crosby 54 24 48 8.700
Evgeni Malkin 82 47 59 3.834
Alexander Ovechkin 82 65 47 9.538
Ilya Kovalchuk 79 52 35 6.400
Crosby is the only one that really elevates the other player, and we have already talked about how he took less money than he could have. If Gaborik wants to make 10 mil, someone WILL pay it, even if all he does is score goals.
Iceman and Sunshine- Jl said 4 years ago that PMB would not play center for 3 years minimum, and that was 4 years ago. PMB is a center before his NHL career started, and Sunshine PMB can play left wing or right wing. He might very well play better on the right side, but why not play him some of the time on left wing with Gabby on the right side ?? I again will ask the question to Russo given all the facts about PMB I have just mentioned- Why would JL not try to be flexible and try him with Gaby ?? For Gabys sake
Nick from New York- my thought process would be Shep at center with PMB on left and Gaby on right or swip swap Gaby and PMB on the wings since Gaby can play left as well
When Gretzky Anderson and Messier played together I am pretty sure when one of them were open they knew the puck would find the tape on the stick
Defensive liability question- JL says he gives Gabby special privledges, well prove it! Shep will back check and help out the D. If those two played together PMB and Gaby, maybe you might get Gaby signed. If anything it will show him that the coach has some flexibility and cares about his concerns
Journalistic…
But that is my point about Ruesse - he cites his opinions as ‘fact’
Is that your opinion, or a fact?
Such as:
There is something fundamentally wrong when a “hack” like Ruesse can slander a person because he has the power of the pen..
Is he truly a hack?
Is he actually slandering someone?
Isn’t your accusation against him exactly what you deride him for doing to Naegle?
He just has one of his little henchmen trash whichever team he’s in the mood to trash and throws his greasy name on it.
I don’t understand this.
Ruesse isn’t really that bad, he just doesn’t know hockey and shouldn’t write about it.
It is apparent that for every fan there is a different opinion on the Gaborik issue. I for one, believe that #10 would be better off parting ways with the wild. I also believe the team would be better off as well. You simply can’t compare #10 with the top 3 players in the league on the stat sheet, so logic says you can’t pay him top 3 $ either. Given that the CBA is opened up at the end of this season, maybe the price on free agency will favor Gaborik next year, but only if he is able to stay healthy and make a difference on this team again this year. Look around the league and see what you can get for $8-9 Million a year, virtually anyone in the league. If they offered him that kind of money for 8+ years, and he said no, that is a pretty clear statement “I don’t want to wear a MN sweater”
KJ,
I am not defending the Wilds decision to pay him what they are offering. I am sure it is better then Fair.
For the record I think JL is a great coach, that is not to say that he is not stubborn to a fault
Wild9…
If you don’t think that Ovie, Malkin and Kovalchuk do not make other players around them better, there is no point in debating it. You see a different game than I do.
NBC, Ovie, Malkin, Kovalchuk…I would take ANY of those players over Gaborik in a heartbeat. Same for Iginla.
Reusse doesn’t like any teams. Sid is a homer. I dislike both of these styles of journalism, because you don’t get fair reporting.
One of the reasons I like reading Russo’s stuff is that while not negative, he is not afraid to call out the team or ownership, when it is necessary.
Gretzky and Messier did not play together, unless it was on the powerplay late in games when they trailed, which wasn’t often.
Same for Datsyuk.
I think they make their teammates better, but someone earlier pointed out how Gaborik’s assist and goal totals were equal. I was trying to make the point that not all superstars elevate their teammates that way, but I apparently left out part of my sentence.
Is anybody watching the Ducks game right now. What a bunch of goons the Ducks are. We know why Weller and Boogy are both needed.
I have watched the game and they are in a league by themselves in the style of hockey they play
One of the reasons I like reading Russo’s stuff is that while not negative, he is not afraid to call out the team or ownership, when it is necessary.
russo is a reporter, not a columnist. big difference.
ruesse is writing an opinion piece, the don is here to report on the team and add some of how he sees it.
“I don’t understand this.”
What don’t you understand? The guy doesn’t offer any insite. All he does is throw insults at teams he knows nothing about.
I say we trade #10 for the gal they have doing the fit for a king segment between periods. Would solve the need for a crowd favorite in return…
What don’t you understand? The guy doesn’t offer any insite. All he does is throw insults at teams he knows nothing about.
this is much different from
He just has one of his little henchmen trash whichever team he’s in the mood to trash and throws his greasy name on it.
the former makes sense, I don’t understand the latter. who are his little henchmen?
fit for a king is from the LA kings telecast
Deepbreath- Gretzky Messier and Anderson played togeteher on a regular basis when I watched them, thats not to say that they were not seperated at different times. I think Gretzky and Kurri, you get the point.
Broten - Ciccerelli
Demitra- Gaborik
Lemieux and Jagr
Trottier- Bossy
I dont think I need to go further
Remember when Bjugstad scored a ton of goals with Broten. Broten made Bjugstad.
Shep- SRV and Gabby - That was formed out of stuborness of a very good coach that we all are glad is here
Shep looks like he is going to be great, so dont waste him as a center of PMB and Gabby- Stick Bellanger in the middle
WF9… I am still confused by your post. How does the goals, assists, and cap hit tell us if they elevate their teammates?
Being able to elevate your teammates isn’t really something you can track. It has to do with leadership, the ability to get guys to play in a way they normally can’t or don’t.
AO, Crosby, and Malkin all make players like Ryan Malone and Backstrom better. They elevate the game their teammates play.
Uncle Moneybags doesn’t do that. He does not make Koivu better. He does not make Butch better. Heck, he can barely make himself better.
If I had the ability, just to keep up with the speed of the game at the NHL level, and the coaches directed all of the offense through me, it would make me look a lot better than I am. Just like it has Uncle Moneybags.
Crosby, Malkin, and AO have the ability to carry a team. Uncle Moneybags crumbles under the slightest pressure.
Shep between PMB and Gaby would be the ultimate compliment from Lemaire. It means he can play defensively and hang with those two guys.
The best forwards are Gaborik, Koivu, and PMB for their ability to score and create plays. Shep would be in centermen heaven if he gets to play with Gaby and PMB.
Keep in mind, MisterKiA, the goal is to build a strong team which means a whole team, and you need some scoring balance.
If you switch SRV with PMB and put him with Gaby, then what about scoring on the other line?
I avoid Ruesse’s comments about hockey. The other thing, Ruesse enjoys skewering people for sport. Sometimes he writes things that are enjoyable to me but I really never like his poison pen stuff.
As Journalistic Credibility points out, he savages people without any real foundation.
Buddha,
Randy Moss ran 15 routes a game and the qaurterback of the Vikings could not get him the ball. Big players want o make plays and when they are open they want the puck/ball
Buddha, I don’t think he elevates other’s game either. Ride at 5:16 made a comment about Gaborik’s assist and goal totals being equal, and I was trying to show that the best players are not making players better through assists.
I didn’t explain myself very well, but in my defense, I ate more fried food at the fair today than I ever have before.
Iceman,
Under your logic then a trade is whats neccessary I presume. Becasue if a deal could have been done it would have been done. Gabby is just no going to sign if I am correct and he thinks that its not going to work out here with chemistry
It would be fun to see who the Wild get for him actually.
I dont know why its hard for people to get that Gabby is more a goal scorer then a playmaker eventhough he can do both. It stands to reason that he needs to play with a playmaker. I dont know how that can be argued
Gaborik does make his linemates better. Does he do it to the level of AO and Crosby? No. But he does make them better. Look for no further evidence then Fedoruk and Voros.
I think his assists demonstrates that he is not selfish as others have pointed out. If you look at his stats, his assists usually is either close or more than his goal totals. Has he taken the puck himself instead of making a better play if he passed it? Yep, but he’s getting better at playmaking now that he has better linemates.
Got it. Sorry. Missed the original post.
Fried food at the fair? What fair? I want to go to the fair…
I was at the TX fair.
MN fair is to food on a stick what TX fair is to fried foods.
Sunshine: You are right, he does elevate their game somewhat. I think, with these bits we are getting from contract negotiations, I keep hearing the 10 mil, and thinking “He is not worth it”, and minimizing his skills.
W/ Voros & Fridge, I think some of that is the system as well, who ever they are playing with. How many times have people come to MN, and raised their point totals?
Gaborik = great player, but signing him to a long-term deal for $9MM or more would be a mistake IMHO for a few reason. The biggest one is that I don’t think we can assume that the cap is going to continue to go up like it has over the past few seasons. He’s a great player, but he just isn’t worth that much money, especially considering his injury risk. Look at Pavel Bure. A guy who’s game was based on speed and struggled with injuries. Pretty much washed up by the time he was 30. Guy LaFleur, same thing. Gaborik could be a shadow of his former self in three years, counting $9MM against a cap that maybe isn’t that far off from where it is today. That’s another scenario that needs to be considered, and honestly I don’t see that as such long odds.
I say trade him for as many first round picks as possible.
Off topic, but does anyone else think Nordy looks like the illegitimate child of Goldy Gopher and TC Bear?
Good job on Rosen’s show Russo. Rosen is another of the Twin Cities media that can barely spell Hockey.
If they are an offensive player — it goes down with the exception of Rolston. If they are not, it goes up.
The $10 million amount has not been confirmed by anyone. It been use in the context of IF Gaborik wants more than AO or is asking for $10 million, then the Wild might be force to trade him. Also used in the speculation that his agent wants to make historical deals and has had a record of doing that — Bure, the first $5 million man and Blake the first $9 million defensemen.
Nobody knows what Gaborik wants because Gaborik or his camp hasn’t said so. They just said that they want to be paid market rate, which based on this past free agency, it would be around $8.5 to $9 million. The Vancouver offer to Sundin was an aberration and only for two years. You have to look at Hossa as the closest comparable.
Ice:
Did I hear correctly Russo saying that Gaborik denied receiving a contract averaging $8 million a year?
MisterKiA, I do not disagree with your assessment that Gaby is a goal scorer, and not a playmaker, and I do not think that is necessarily a knock on him.
But, he is not a Cicerelli sort of goal scorer though. I do not see Gaby as a clutch player as Iginla is. Nor, do I seem him of the same ability level that the Penguin guys or Ovechkin is.
What I see from my ivory tower is a long long way from the X and so the vision is not particularly clear.
But, Gaby has not accepted defensive responsibilities. He has not really refined his talent or added to his game. And, he does not give any indication (unlike Schultz, Burns, PMB or Koivu) that he is dedicated to be a Wild player for his career. And, so he does not seem to be a total team player.
So all of that I see as negatives go toward diminishing what I think the player is worth.
He is worth a lot, but apparently the Wild do not think he is worth what Gaby thinks he is worth, or he would have signed by now.
Either that, or Gaby would really prefer to be on a bigger stage, in a more glamorous city, and would stay with the Wild but only for premium dollars.
But, to answer your first question, maybe the Wild do not have the exact perfect center for him. I am not sure. But, I would not destroy other chemistry for his benefit. If he is so good as to demand the biggest money, then he needs to be one who can control a game by himself.
Certainly, if I was DR and I knew it was a long shot that I could sign Gaby, then I would start looking for possible trades.
When it was apparent that DR was oogling over OJ, I felt that dangling Gaby might be a great move. But, others here, maybe Greenstar, pointed out that if we traded Gaby then maybe OJ was not such a necessary acquisition.
Sunshine, when I say selfish in reference to Gaby, it has nothing to do with assists. Maybe an unwillingness to sacrifice himself for the team. (An example would be Schultz coming back early from his surgery to play in the playoffs when his team needed him badly).
So who in the NHL could be referred to as “B-Mo?” My Inside Pittsburgh guy (who I now hate since he charges now for the good stuff, and I’m not paying for rumors) has posted this “Is Pittsburgh planning a package for an impact player” and a couple of the comments refer to “B-Mo” and how his arrival would put the Pens back on top.
My only guess as to who it could be is Brenden Morrow and I see that as even less likely than Gaborik to Pittsburgh.
Brendan Morrow?
Benoit Mondou - center for AHL of NJD
Brenden Morrison
Morrow and Morrison are all I came up with too, sunshine. The “article” came with a picture of Malkin, presumably intended to make people think Malkin would be traded, but for Morrow?
*shakes head* So many “Penguins trading Malkin” rumors. What a great idea that would be.
“Let him show what he can do outside of Crosby’s shadow.”
Yeah, then we get to dick around some more with jerking Staal back and forth between wing and center.
I hate people.
You guys do realize the NHLPA can basically decide they don’t wanna continue with the current CBA beyond this year, right?
You do realize what effect that has on the cap this year? The bonus cushion is gone, so 7.5% gets eaten up.
Plus, even if the players association decides to continue the CBA, it will expire in 2012. Contracts signed before then will be grandfathered in, so every guy who thinks he can command a top dollar will want a mega contract for as many years as possible, cause chances are the owners are gonna push back again.
Didn’t anyone realize that when Hossa only signed for a year? It was all over TSN back then. All the big name guys want long term contracts at the end of this year.
#10 has a contract. He’s in a bargaining position at the moment. If he gets hurt before he signs or is dealt, he loses value to the team. He doesn’t lose bargaining position, because of expectations when he’s healthy. So, he is in the drivers seat, so get used to it.
MuN:
The CBA has been discussed this year and its not likely that the NHLPA will open it up.
Hossa only signed a one year deal because that’s all that Detroit offered since they have to sign Zetterberg, Franzen, and Samuelsson. Hossa’s money will most likely be given to Zetterberg. Plus, its Hossa’s one great chance to win the cup
I meant to say that the CBA has been discussed on this board.
Hossa will cash in after this season.
But in regards to the opening of the CBA: I thought they had to do that by a certain date? I thought if the PA didn’t open it by like Sept. 15 or 30 then the CBA would keep going until 2011.
Ruesse isn’t really that bad, he just doesn’t know hockey and shouldn’t write about it.
Exactly.
Any thoughts on the new FSN scoreboard - I think I liked the old one better.
KiPA:
I think you are right about the date.
Just saying…
6GS: The new scoreboard on the FSN telecasts are a direct result of complains from certain teams (mostly baseball) that the old one was too obtrusive (i.e., that the scoreboard was blocking the ads behind home plate) and that since the trend is for standardization of everything in on-screen fonts, the ‘one size fits all’ approach applies here.
Gaby’s allegedly looking for more than eight-and-a-half million dollars ($8,500,000 USD) per year to play professional ice hockey.
He is not a goalie, a defenseman or a Selke hopeful.
I’d say it’s fair to focus on Gaby’s offensive production (or lack thereof) right now. Even on a game-by-game basis. You want it? Earn it.
The point about looking at his game 1 performance through the lens of him missing a lot of camp is valid, though.
Look for no further evidence then Fedoruk and Voros.
Voros, that’s funny. Maybe we should trade #10 to the rags and get voros back, he at least has a goal…
Closed circuit to DR:
Make #10 go away. Either sign him or deal him. You have already failed your own meager expectations. You wanted this situation behind you before training camp ended. You did not get that done because of your cautious nature.
If a deal was going to get done, it would already have been done. Unless you haven’t really offered him what has been reported.
If the Ghost turned down 80 mil over 9 or 10 years, you’ll have all of Wild Nation on your side if you deal him.
Oh, and btw…trade him to PHI so I can mythically cash in… 
Make #10 go away
I agree with this but
If the Ghost turned down 80 mil over 9 or 10 years, you’ll have all of Wild Nation on your side if you deal him.
I’m not so sure this is true. I think there are still plenty of people that assume the wild are being cheap like every other sports franchise in the state and our teams will always be developmental squads for the big boys out east.
For as much as we rip him, I must say that I thought SKOULA played pretty darn good on Saturday. (I only saw the 2nd & 3rd periods however)
I have never seen him play the body as aggresively as he did Saturday. That is how he should play every game.
Not sure how long it will last, but for now I unexpectedly say …. “Keep up the good work Marty!”
When is the practice at the PIG today? Are all PIG pratices open to the public?
Dampland: +1, with humility. He does that consistently this season, I will vote for him for President.
Sure…Good Marty shows up and I don’t get to see it.
Green*…if I were DR and #10 gets traded, I would announce in my loudest outside voice:
“It is obvious that Marian did not want to be here. We made a market offer and could not come to terms. We couldn’t afford to let him leave via free agency so we negotiated with many teams and took what we felt was the best offer.”
And then I would call Russo and let him know the exact dollar figure the Ghost turned down.
WRT - knowing the FSN scoreboard change was made for basketball is not going to make me like it better. I can see how this version works better for basketball but like you said, why not retain the old one for hockey.
kj, i hope he does. Not sure if he will be able to since he will be grabbing his ankles though.
The discussion about how much Gabby makes others around him better is a good one, albeit subjective. The rule of thumb is that a player should close to twice as many assists as goals, with assists being a sign of how much the player is doing to make other players better. That stat holds up pretty well when looking at great players, but there are exceptions, Ovechkin being a big one currently (165 G, 147 A).
My own feeling is that Gabby’s a very good player and someone that any team would want to have. He’s a great goal scorer, but he’s not a great playmaker nor is he a great defensive player, so he’s not worth the $10 mill/yr maximum a team can pay to any one player - the $8.5 the Wild have offered is more than fair for who he is. Yes, someone will pay him close to $10 mill/year, I’d as soon that be someone other than the Wild.
#10 is a finisher, or supposed to be. I have never looked at him as a playmaker.
If Ballgame has been convinced that he cannot get Gaby signed, he needs to roll the dice and hold out until the trade dealine. Teams will be more willing to cough up more in a trade in late-February than early October. That way, when Gaby tweeks his weiner sometime between now and the trade deadline, and Ballgame is only able to get Keith Tkachuk and a 6th round pick, it will provide all of us closet GMs enough ammunition to fire away at Ballgame until at least the end of the season.
kj, i hope he does. Not sure if he will be able to since he will be grabbing his ankles though.
Excuse me sir, but do you have a mint? Perhaps some Binaca?
BullMoose- Gabby gets goals- remember the pass to Boogy- that did not produce a point either did it ?
KJ, is there anyone you dislike more than DR?
{chirp}
Funny, I was just thinking the same thing, as tumbleweeds rolled through Russoville.
MATT COOKE SUX!!
(I yelled that to wake people up if they fell asleep at the keyboard)
KiPA: The date the NHLPA can open up the CBA is at the end of the 2008-09 season — I just looked it up on nhl.com. Re: Gabby/contract — we don’t know exactly what he’s asking for. Salary might not even be the deal-breaker issue. I’ve spent some time overseeing contract negotiations with unions and a lot of misinformation gets spread around pretty fast.
What concerns me more than anything is the duration of whatever contract he gets — given his style of play, he’s naturally prone to injury. There’s just no getting around that.
Both Gabby AND Skoula made decent defensive plays against the Bruins. We had to do a double-take to be sure we weren’t seeing things.
Interestingly enough, Voros has 4 pts in 4 games. Not a bad start for him.
As for Gaborik, it’s just difficult to get a good read on him. He’s such a mercurial player. When he wants to, he can put together a very complete performance, whether he scores or not. The problem that I’ve always had with Gaborik is that he just disappears in games… far too frequently than an ‘elite’ player for a team ever should.
He does make the Wild a better team, and I hope the management is offering a fair deal. I really think that Gaby has had his heart set on moving to an Eastern team for over a year now. If he wants to move, fair enough. I just hope a deal gets done sooner than later.
I will be happy when …
1) The Gaby thing is settled so we can stop talking about it.
2) My now 3 day old headache will go away.
3) The elections are over so I no longer have to watch political ads.
I am so with you on the political ads. I change the channel and its on that channel. I change the channel again and its on that new channel too.
Uggh. Even on cable, they are everywhere.
Sorry to bring this up again, but I’d like to put in my 2 cents on the Reusse discussion: Reusse is a shock-columnist (akin to shock-jock), albeit a bad one. His job is to stir up controversy and piss people off. So, JC, writing your letter to the StarTrib only validates to them that he is doing his job. To be clear, I don’t like him at all either. He writes from a perspective of complete ignorance on most if not all occaisions. I wish too that the Trib would replace him. Unfortunately, I don’t think that will happen anytime soon. I believe ignorance of him (as mentioned by many here) is the best policy.
Gaby discussion: I don’t think that you can put the Gaby-Demitra combo on the same level as the others mentioned, MKiA. They just didn’t have the same level of chemistry, nor did they play the same type of game. And on the topic of whether or not Gaby is a playmaker: I think the stats do speak for themselves. They don’t give guys assists for nothing. Now, a better stat to judge by would be how many of his assists are first assists, and how many are second assists. I would say that alot of Gaby’s game is about scoring goals, more so than being a playmaker. But in recent years, Gaby has become more of a complete player. Now, is he the best in the league? Certainly not, but he certainly is the best that we have. And as long as we are talking about assumptions based on one game, MKiA, how about this: I seem to remember one game late last season where Gaby put a pass right on the stick of Demitra for the game winner in OT.
I really just wish we could get this situation over with so that we could talk about all the other great guys on this hockey team . But alas, (**sigh**) the end does not seem near.
BG, I was watching CSI on the one english language channel on our TV in Mexico last week and this lady had a headache because her husband shot her in the head while she was sleeping but the bullet lodged in a “safe” spot in her brain. She had this headache she couldn’t shake… So, I’m just saying…
Does anyone know what the Wild actually offered Gabby? I saw Russo last night on Rosen’s show and he made it sound like it the Wild had only offered 8 million. If they are willing to pay him anywhere near 8 million you are making him a franchise player, so is it shouldn’t be that big of a deal to pay him up to a million more a year? I don’t buy the injury problem as a reason not to sign him or to pay him less, because you are already offering him awful lot. If the Wild felt he wasn’t the player they wanted they should have trade him before the draft. As far as I can tell they didn’t even look into that. I understand not wanting to pay him 9.5-10 million a year though, but I also don’t think he should be our franchise player. Not with the style of hockey we play here.
Over the course of his career here he hasn’t been a consistently defensive responsible player. I know he’s young, but he has been in the league long enough to understand and improve this area of his game. Modano was the same when he came into the league, but he became a great 2-way player within the first 7 years of his career.
Also it seems to me that JL system is more based on the idea of waiting for the other team to make a mistake and then generating odd man rushes and breakaways. Gaby isn’t very stellar on breakaways, which neutralizes his speed to some extent. His greatest strengths in my opinion is his speed and his shot release. To take full advantage of these skills he needs skill around him. I think you need a different style of player to fit into the Wild type of team. This isn’t to say Gabby isn’t good, I think he probably would excel somewhere out east a lot more.
Er, while I do heart Drew Brees, I meant to change back to Ms. C there…
puckluck:
Did Russo also say that Gaborik denies receiving an $8 million deal?
If they are willing to pay him anywhere near 8 million you are making him a franchise player, so is it shouldn’t be that big of a deal to pay him up to a million more a year?
willing to pay 9 mil, why not $10? already paying a lot…see where this goes?
told you kj that there were people out there not on DR’s side.
Why wouldn’t the players association want to continue the CBA?
The Association is really a partner with the ownership.
The goal of each is for maximum revenue to divide. Stable successful teams and a TV contract ought to be the goal of both the owners and players association.
The only thing the Association and owners have any contension about is the size of the share. Owners want cost certainty. And, the players are not particularly compassionate to the owners about where the money is coming from.
People who know what Gaborik’s been offered:
DR
Gaborik (hopefully)
Salzer
That’s it. All the other numbers we’ve been hearing are just guestimates.
Hmmmm….. Don’t seem to have any extra holes in my head so guess gun shot is not the cause. It’s actually allergies. All the wet warm weather the last few days has things (mold, mildew, etc.) growing when they should be getting slowly froze out. I would love a hard freeze, I actually got bit by mosquitoes several times last night helping the Mr clean up his tools off the “new” front porch. It’s hockey season, I shouldn’t be worrying about getting bit.
I did catch the Oilers game last night, I like the third uni. For a second I thought I was watching a vintage game.
Why wouldn’t the players association want to continue the CBA?
i think players think they can make more money the old way. there is not ‘cap’ as to how much the league can spend. If phoenix wanted to go $50mil in the hole, they could attempt to buy themselves an all-star team.
short term, which is all anyone looks at, it works for players. it does appear to be a detriment for the long term sustainability of the league. if you are a kid from slovakia and only plan to be in the US for another 5 to 7 years, do you care what happens to the league after you leave?
Fantasy Hockey question — so I have a record of 8-4-2 and ranked 3rd.
So will the winner be whoever is ranked #1 by the end of the season?
if you are playing roto yes, head to head, no.
I got to hold open the door to the X for Russo on Saturday before the game, heading into the door by the Hockey Lodge.
Didn’t want to bug him, he looked all business in his pink/salmon colored shirt!
Sunshine: there will be a playoff at the end of our regular season. We’re jockeying for seeding right now. Top six make it, bottom six get the losers bracket.
okay, thanks. I have to be more conscious about changing my lineup everyday to maximize my players.
Long-time reader, 1st time poster.
While I have no good/bad feelings for Mr. Skoula (unlike the rest of the board…), I did notice he was on the ice for at least 2 of the 3 Bruin goals….and I think he was on for all 3.
Doesn’t make me think it’s worth it for a couple of good bodychecks….
sunshine, you can go in on Monday and set up your team for the entire week and it will save the lineups for you. That way you don’t have to check every day if you don’t want to.
OK, Greenstar. Association management might be sympathetic to a CBA but maybe not individual members.
i don’t know if what i said was true or not but possible reasons for opening it back up. hypotheticals.
I just noticed that there are a couple of games this early afternoon. Why are they doing this when most people are at work?
It’s Thanksgiving Day in Canada so they’re off up there, I believe.
That is exactly right Ms. C. Thanksgiving. It’s like the football games here.
Oh, and Ms. C. You want to mail me my gold star, or what?
Ah… thanks for the info. I just found it strange but now makes sense.
misinformation by me on fantasy. that has nothing to do with roto. 9-4-2 is how many categories won-lost-tied vs opponent for week. those are summed over the season to create your win/loss record. so the number of cats you win each week is important. better to go 15-0 then 8-7 even though in both cases you beat your opponent.
RE: talk of other fabulous players on our team, I’m excited to see what Koivu, Veilleux, Burns and Bouchard bring this year. They’re already showing their stuff and it’s great to watch. Barring any malicious injuries like he experienced last year, Koivu could have an amazing season.
Frankly, another great thing about having Gaborik on the ice is the other teams focus on stopping him, allowing the guys I just mentioned to pot those goals.
SRV doesn’t pot goals unless it’s the preseason.
We’ve been fed!
Sunshine, FSN just replayed the Saturday Wild game. I watched who was on the ice for the last Boston goal.
I only caught four Wild numbers, but here is what I think they were 10-11-51-41.
With three forwards accounted for, you are probably correct that Koivu was not there.
Sharp eyes!
