Friday update
Posted on October 31st, 2008 – 3:40 PMBy Michael Russo
Marian Gaborik and Owen Nolan are not on the trip.
Assistant GM Tom Lynn said Nolan is out for tomorrow’s game against Phoenix and will be re-evaluated Monday to see if he can meet the team in San Jose. Lynn said Gaborik is out longer. He said he’ll be re-evaluated next week. He said the team decided to have Gaborik skated with the team yesterday morning as a “trial balloon.” It did not go well, Lynn said, and it’s been decided more rest is needed for Gaborik.
Antti Miettinen missed today’s practice with a “lower body” injury but is probably against the Coyotes.
As reported the other day, Mikko Koivu retained the Captain’s ‘C’ for the month of November.
Funny story from PR guy Ryan Stanzel, but the flight attendants on the team’s charter dressed as Stephane Veilleux, Brent Burns and Josh Harding. Burns’ costume was accurate right down to the missing tooth.
I still miss my Blackberry. Ok, gotta right. Already 6:45 back in your neck of the woods.
95 Responses to "Friday update"
Phone numbers come and go. Brickbreaker records are forever 
my Blackberry — one that has served me well for some time — has rolled over and died
My sincere condolences.
ouch. I’ve heard it’s rough having to quit Blackberry cold turkey, too.
Oh, no! Not the Brickbreaker record. Who is going to believe you now without proof.
Now if you had said you lost the Wild key to solving their PP problems I would have been really upset. 
Now that the pithy comment period has come and gone, do you think the fact that Gaby and Salcer will look at the number that through the team’s first 20 games this yearm including preseason, Gaby will have been on the ice for 1 (assuming he doesn’t play on this trip since he didn’t make the trip). Armed with that knowledge, you would think that the asking price from said player/agent would decrease slightly. Knowing that, would Gaby be more apt to look for years at less dollars? While many people in Russoville want Gaby gone, it is becoming obvious that we need a second legit scoring line if we want to be taken seriously in the spring. Even if Franchise, Mittens and Bruno can stay hot all year, a big “if” considering they will draw the opposing team’s top checkers, the 5-on-5 struggles should not be ignored and there simply is nobody else on the roster that has “done it” in the past, aside from Gaby. Might not hurt to see Gaby and Olden actually stay healthy for a game or two so we can see what a full compliment of forwards is capable of, but it seems clear the team needs a second consistant legit scoring line and PMB/Belanger/Gillies, etc, ain’t it.
if Gaby comes back, wouldn’t it be TO the second line at this point? Can you argue with Mikko, Mittens and Bruno being the top line?
If Gab isn’t on the trip, that can only mean one thing…trade coming!
Come on Gab for Frolov. Or Gab + Belanger for both Sedins. Or Gab for Saku Koivu + Higgins (because Habs signed Sundin). Or Gab to any team in the league as long was we get back a +25 goal scorer.
DB: Including preseason, Gaby’s been in 4 games or 1/5th.
So whichever line draws the top defensemen pairing and top checking line is the top line? So if Gaby plays on the 4th line and draws these two, does that make him on the top line?
yeah, the team really does need more than 4 forwards on it that can contribute offensively. that is going to be an issue. great checking forwards are great to have, but this team is ridiculous.
Forgive me for repeating myself, but the longer this goes the less I think it’s about the money and the more I think it’s about Gaby wanting a change of scenery. So my answer to your question is…..No, Gaby/Salcers price will not go down because they have no intention of re-upping with the Wild regardless of dollar amount. He wants to move on. We will trade him. Not ‘if’, but ‘when’. And he will be overpaid by another team. This was reinforced when I overheard an Assistant GM from another team say Gaby is considered a top 10-15 player by most teams, and even with his injury issues some team will take that chance and pay him top dollar.
What moves did the Habs make? I hadn’t heard they signed Mats. They only had 1 mil in cap space. If they signed Sundin to any significant amount, they had to have dumped alot of salary.
They traded for Robert Lang since they were tired of waiting for Sundin.
Brickbreaker: It never ceases to amaze me how badly I suck at what should be such an easy game.
Sorry about your blackburrrrry…
On another board someone suggested that we trade gaborik to the cancucks for the sedin twins.
Would you be open minded about this or shoot yourself in the head before watching those two for 42 home games at the X.
I really don’t know if I could stand watching the sisters in Wild uniforms, espcially since they would demand #22 and #33, like they do in Vancouver…
Russo: Sorry to hear about your Blackberry. Hopefully, they can fix it in Silicon Valley on Monday, while you’re in San Jose.
Now, if you had said the Gaborik and/or $alcer had rolled over and died, we might be a bit more skeptical…
WRT…
that would be wishful thinking
If/when Gaby comes back, I don’t care if you consider his line the #1 line or the #27 line. The fact remains that while he is out, we have exactly one line that is producing, for now. Put Gaby back on the ice and, as long as JL doesn’t have him out there with SRV and Weller, we will have two lines that need to be looked at by opposing teams. As it stands, teams look at this lineup and think that if they shutdown or contain Franchise/Mittens/Bruno, the Wild will score most likely no more than a goal or two. As far as Gaby wanting a change, during the meetings he and Ballgame had this summer/fall, don’t you suspect the topic of JL’s coaching stint came up? At 62, do we think JL has more than a year or two left behind the bench, provided he stays healthy? Seems like the last couple of off seasons it has been “IS JL coming back? Does he want to coach anymore?” That kind of indecision behind the bench cannot help longterm if we expect to try and attrack any kind of substantial UFAs.
Enjoy your Halloweeen…..
Mister Know it all does not like the coaching staff at the moment. Why Backstrom did not play against the Canaidians must have had a reason like tired or something.
The players look ok, but this looks like coaching
So the wife and I finally got a chance to watch the game (we had a work function last night >_< ). The PP looked tired, and the MTL pk looked strong. They were in the way on pretty much every shot, and they did not let any passes through clean. Even when the boys were skating and moving the puck well, MTL always seemed to be in the right spot. Definitely a better effort than that loss in Dallas the other night, but still disappointing. We will see what this team is all about on this upcoming road trip.
[…] Russo’s Rants – […]
Updated kibble at the top….
The Mr thinks the players would have appreciated costumed flight attendants more if they had been like the ones at the beginning of Iron Man. A kid just came to the door dressed as Rolston, he even had Roli written on his gloves.
Does anyone else find it amusing that this awful “lower body injury” that Gaby has is from playing hackysack?! (wink-wink).
I think Gho$t’$ injury hurts the Wild most.
They gotta pay him.
They cannot get anywhere close to value for him in a trade.
He’s not helping the team in the ice.
$alcer will still get his pile of money, albeit, a little smaller.
UM will still get his pile of money, albeit, a little smaller.
We get to drone on and on withour meaningless speculation.
And the other NW teams keep winning.
gotta right
????
They gotta pay him
what is the value in paying him? not saying its right or wrong but if his trade value is decreasing, his resignability has to be decreasing as well.
Bandgeek: Did the Rolston-dressed kid have a lot of rocks in his/her bag?? 
As I said, does anyone really care about the relevance of Uncle Moneybags and $alcer right now?
By now, even Little Sir Greedy realizes that he isn’t getting his $10M/year deal, and that evry day he is out ofthe line-up, he loses that much more bargaining power. How can any GM (save for maybe Dave Nonis in Vancouver) justif paying hyper-cash for a player — ANY player — who only is available 20% of the time??
BTW: Neiter team is televising the Wild-’Yotes game tomorrow night. The game will not even be available on NHL Center Ice.
How do you not televise a game? I don’t get it. I guess there’ll be nothing to distract me from Texas Tech dropping a bomb on Texas tomorrow night. Let the tortillas fly…
Weird Aeros game tonight. Not sure if it’s because the last live game I saw was Dallas, but I think it’s weird on its own. The play seems kinda mellow somehow. Kind of emotionless, yet it isn’t hurting either team. Shots are nearly even, score is even at 2 each. Just a strange one.
Everybody check your candy for razor blades, ya know… 
I can’t help thinking that Gaby is worth $9-10 mil only if he plays 70+ games a season. But if you sign him for 10 years how many of those seasons does he play fewer than 70 games? I just think we’re seeing the biggest reason why he’s not the future of our team, he is an elite talent with injury problems that make him less than elite.
The Gaborik situation is way beyond speculation at this point. Even someone like Mister Know it all is at a loss for words. The best speculation that I can come up with is that the Wild just focus on bringing him back from his injury and see what happens. I think that it would be very selfish of Gaby to let the Wild organization get nothing for him, hopefuly it does not come to that
ms. c: Tomorrow night’s Wild game is the only one not televised by some entity, and will be the only one not on Center Ice.
Green*…let me clarify.
They gotta pay him = While he is sitting out, they’re paying him his 7.5 mil for this year.
To me, that’s the worst part of all.
He never gets 97% or 93% or 82% of his pay.
kj: That’s the part that really sucks. UM’s making more nursing his groin that you and I are combined risking life and limb in the modern world…
I think the coaching stunk the last two games for the Wild.. Why
Backstrom had to have personal problems for JL not to play him. You make Backstrom your starter and treat him that way. Fine you pull him against Dallas, but bring him back against Montreal. I would have thought JL would have learned from last year. Dont magnify his problems he had last year by sitting him. He is your starter show him that he is. I cant believe JL made that move, and the only way I see that it makes any sense is if Backstrom must have been sick or something.
I was just shocked at JLs move, and hey they did lose the Montreal game.I think JL did not coach a good game
Mister Know it all. I cant disagree
What is the point of Gaby playing. Can they win the cup if he plays ?
MKiA…I won’t go as far as you did, but I think if JL wanted Backstrom to play, he would have.
JL messes with everyone’s head. Including Russo’s…
Peggy
I think they can win more then they lose with him
kj,
I agree with you, but messing with somebodys head can work sometimes, and it can backfire as well. I think JL lost the Wild that game
JL steared Backstrom wrong last year in the same situation. A siuation must have existed for JL to make the same error again. Maybe Backstrom was tripping the night before
The Wild goes to Phoenix KJ and I dont think they win. If they get a point they will be lucky. I dont like how the team looks right now and how they are being coached
You have Butch doing nothing now- Its obvious that he should be with Gaby. I see gabys point- Velliux is not a Butch
let me clarify
got it and agree
Didn’t realize hacky-sack was such a dangerous sport?
What the eff is with the game not being on tv tonight?
Wow, the Goofs look awful against NW… I stopped watching when the QB just ran for 25 yards and broke a tackle in the process.
Why isn’t the Wild gam on TV? That blows!
Live Blog this sucker, will ya, Russo?
Might I suggest NHL.com’s Real Time play-by-play gizmo.
Hey Russo…whats the latest with mr. Foster these days?
Yeah, KiPA, I’ll have that up but it gives no “flava” …
Yeah, KiPA, I’ll have that up but it gives no “flava”
Agreed. It’s just not the same.
Agreed, but it’s better than nothing, and we don’t know if Russo would be able to give live commentary.
Just asking, not demanding.
It is better than nothing…
I’ll just settle for Kurtz & Reid on the radio while watching the Flames-Kings HNIC game on the NHL network…Wild.com will have that also.
I know this is off topic, but did anyone see Vancouver-Anaheim last night? Ducks were leading 2-0, then Canucks were leading 5-2, then it tied 6-6 and went to a shootout. The shootout went to 13 rounds (26 shooters) before it was finished. KRAZ-E!
I am amazed at how fast all the fans turn on a team. Yes they lost two in a row, and looked bad doing it, but every team will have it’s ups and downs. The Gaborik situation should simply be dropped untill the trade deadline nears, he will not come back and some fans don’t want him back. Since his value is nothing if injured at the deadline, sit him out as long as you need to to get him 100%.
As far as the offensive production, I think the “Kids” will come into thier own, Sheppard should be the first, but this team needs the young players to produce, just like any other team in the salary cap NHL. Have faith wild faithful, the team will be better than 500 on this road trip.
Its quite simple
If Gaborik leaves and allows the Wild to get nothing for him in return. He would be considered selfish, and would be owed all the hate mail he can handle from Minnesota
Know it all, I think that what Backstrom was tripping was the same stuff as what kj trips on when he is the band
The term lower body injury has been bandied about all season does this mean the league will not tell us exactly what is wrong???
B72-For Gabby it means “groin”. For everyone else, who knows? This “LBI” stuff is a joke.
Michael- does Todd Fedorok still have the lawn gnome? That was my favorite thread/storyline from the summer road trip.
S106R6, I like that kind of optimism! Let’s go Wild! Still lame that the game is not on TV though… crap.
It doesn’t help that Pitt appears as though they might lose to Notre Dame AGAIN… this always happens. Lame.
MKIA: Uh, I’m not sure if you know this or not, but Gaby is not the GM of the Wild. If he leaves after the season is over and signs with another team, it will not be his fault, it will be Ballgame’s. He has earned the right to explore free agency. If Ballgame is convinced that he cannot sign Gaby to an extension, it is on Ballgame to trade him before the deadline. If he doesn’t, the hate mail should be directed at the GM. Unless of course, between now and the trade deadline, the NHL Board of Governors changes the bylaws in the NHLPA collective bargaining agreement and allows players to trade themselves.
Seems our dear Tyler Cuma got the crap beat out of him last night and didn’t return to the game afterward. Grr.
Wow ms.c, I just found it on you tube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1i1FWoQRUrI
That is crazy. that kid should be suspended.
WTF? Psycho…
Yeah, it looks like he just went nuts on him. I dunno what set him off. Cuma obviously didn’t want any part of it.
It didn’t look like The Cumanator did anything to start it. I’d love to see the next time those teams meet up… assuming the 67s have a big, mean enforcer, I hope that kid gets what’s coming to him.
Zac Rinaldo was drafted by Philadelphia - ’nuff said.
Ah. There you have it. Well, at least he’ll be in the east in the AHL…
Ouch…that’s an ass kicking…hope TC’s okay
I’ve got a Google Alert set on him so I’ll be sure and post it here when I see something come across.
Here is the penalty summary from that incident. How do you give Cuma 5 minutes for fighting.
Cuma was on the other end of the “Inglewood Jack”…not exactly fighting.
2 - MISS Rinaldo, 19:28 - Instigator , 2 min (PP)
2 - MISS Rinaldo, 19:28 - Cross Checking , 2 min (PP)
2 - MISS Rinaldo, 19:28 - Fighting , 5 min
2 - MISS Rinaldo, 19:28 - 10-Minute Misconduct , 0 min
2 - OTT Cuma, 19:28 - Fighting , 5 min
I dunno. That doesn’t make sense. 5 for meagerly defending against an ambush?
I guess dropping your gloves gets you 5 in the OHL.
Wow.
That’s a big an ass kickin’ as I have seen in a while. TC must learn to turtle. Maybe the Wild can consult with noted turtle Matt Cooke? Make it part of a deal for Gho$t…
MISS Rinaldo
unintentional funny
From youtube it appears that fighting is what rinaldo figures will get him to the NHL.
Okay, I officially miss Russo’s blackberry now, too.
How is it that this game isn’t on TV? Doesn’t Gretzky add any value at all to the equation?
They aren’t the worst team in the league.
I’ve got Gophers and Bovines on Fox College Sports as a consolation prize.
And I’m packing, for an early flight tomorrow.
No Wild on TV sucks.
So Brodeur gets hurt tonight, and DiPietro has surgery and is out 4-6 weeks.
Fatso’s hurt??
I’m having a bad sports day. These tortilla-tossing MFers are skunking my Horns.
NiNY, I’m watching it too. Last night was miserable, and tonite looks to be worse.
I’ve never seen such an inept power play. I’ve seen high school teams with a better PP. 31 minutes of man advantage last night, and they gave the Mavs the gift of a 3-3 tie.
MN in AL: I’d say Wild vs. Canadiens, 10/30/08 is a pretty good example of a bad PP…
Damn, poor kid. I think Cuma needs some quality time at Boogaard’s fight camp.
NiNY, I wasn’t going to drag them through the mud on game day. But JL’s power play is missing without Ralston.
The one thing Ricky D has is time…not to worry, Isle fans…
/sarcasm
wow anyone watching the Isles-Habs game?
I wish, Lemmi…
Lemmi: I switched over for the last 40 seconds…those retro Isles sweaters are sweet.
The Isles blew a 3 goal lead in the third?
Where have you gone, Bryan Trot-tee-ay…an island turned it’s lonely eyes to you….woo woo woo…
Habs score 4 in the 3rd to take it….and the Dallas-Boston game is pretty good too….Ms. C’s buddy Avery laid a hit on Lucic and 5 Bruins immediately were on top of him
Gophers have a 5-on-3 for 1:18. I predict a short-hander for the Mavs.
Lucic is my boy.
Avery is not.
Happily, I’m wrong. It’s about time they scored.
my God…are BOTH Campion and Anderson reffing this game? Did Lucia lose a bet with God??
Food
3 goals on 3 power plays. I’m glad they heard me and adjusted.
