Burns out tonight vs. Sharks; Four Wild Players on All-Star Ballot; Wild in Trouble, Lemaire says (UPDATED)
Posted on November 4th, 2008 – 10:41 AMBy Michael Russo
Don’t forget to vote today. If you walk into any Starbucks and tell them you voted, free coffee.
I plan to vote at least five or six times. 
Defenseman Brent Burns (upper body), who is still not walking well, is not playing tonight. Erik Reitz will play in his place. Reitz, by the way, is the Wild’s only American, hailing from Michigan. He voted absentee like this beat writer.
Also, Niklas Backstrom, Burns, Marian Gaborik and Mikko Koivu are on the All-Star ballot. Voting process is on the bottom of this blog.
The Wild is facing one of the NHL’s toughest teams tonight. Coach Jacques Lemaire all but conceded the game, as you’ll see by his comments below, because of the injuries to Burns, Gaborik and Owen Nolan (Nolan’s face by the way is still all over this city and he still owns a restaurant here called Brittania Arms, a great British pub I’ve spent a pretty penny in over the years).
Lemaire says this league is made up of Detroit and San Jose, then everybody else. Here’s Lemaire on tonight’s game:
“We can not turn the puck over to them in critical places. That is key No. 1.
Key No. 2 would be power play, special teams.
And Key No. 3 would be praying.”
“This is one of the top teams. There’s probably a lot of things we’ll be disappointed, or we’ll really be excited. They’re scoring, they play well defensively, they play a good game, always tough to win here. And us, we’re full of injuries. We’re playing against a team that is at its best and we’ve got half of our team out, so lets be a realistic a bit.
“If we can give a good game, stay in the game and play a tight game, it’s just going to be good for us – stay in the game as long as we can, keep the score tight as long as we can. That’s what we want. It’ll be good for them. It’ll be a great experience to be a part of a game that will be intense and playing against great players.
“I would love to have our whole team. I know we’re playing against a top nhl team. I’d like to see how far we are from that team. But I won’t see that tonight. I know we’re far. ”
Now watch the Wild win, eh?
As for the All-Star ballot, voting begins Nov. 12. Like today, vote early and often:
In a first for all major professional sports leagues, the NHL will
provide real-time All-Star fan balloting results online at NHL.com. From
Nov. 12 through Jan. 2, NHL fans will be able to vote as often as they like
to select the starting lineups for the 2009 NHL All-Star Game in Montreal.
Fans around the world can vote online via interactive English and French
ballots at Vote.NHL.com. Those in the U.S. and Canada also will be able to
cast their votes via text message using any wireless carrier. During the
voting period, real-time results will be available exclusively on
Vote.NHL.com/results. This marks the third consecutive year the All-Star
Balloting process is entirely digital.
Fans can vote for up to six Eastern Conference players and six
Western Conference players: three forwards, two defensemen and one
goaltender. For the first time, fans will be permitted to select as few as
one player — a balloted player or write-in — per online ballot at
Vote.NHL.com or via text message. The three forwards, two defensemen and
one goaltender from each Conference receiving the most votes will comprise
the starting lineups. Each of the 30 NHL clubs has at least two
representatives on the ballot.
93 Responses to "Burns out tonight vs. Sharks; Four Wild Players on All-Star Ballot; Wild in Trouble, Lemaire says (UPDATED)"
I plan to vote at least five or six times.
At how many different Starbucks?
You can also hit up Ben and Jerry’s for a free scoop today too.
I thought you could only vote that often in Chicago. QQ
I believe Wendy’s has a frosty thing going too. I’m going to have to write a list and plan an agenda.
Starbucks
B&J’s
Wendy’s
Anyone know of anywhere else giving away free stuff as a reward for doing something we should all be doing anyway?
Vote and get coffee or Die and get none.
Babeland in NYC is handing out adult toys! What a country…
free burrito at chipotle for I voted sticker
or so I have heard.
The b&j’s thing starts at 5, just so you dont go early and be dissapointed
MuN, Kolanos plays wing just fine.
Geez, so early voters get screwed, huh? Fine.
Wild.com under the game photo gallery from Phx have a pic of Veilleux’s kiss on Shepps helmet. Kinda funny.
Ms.C
B&J free offer available between 5-8 no one gets the shaft, you’ll just have to wait in another long ass line, that’s all.
Oh, and go to Minnesota…
And I keep seeing that as BJ. I bet that would get at least half the population voting, but someone’s definitely getting the shaft…
Interesting convergence of sports, politics and entertainment: Actors who have been presidents and athlete on screen. I forgot Tim (Bull Durham) Robbins was president in Austin Powers but I’d vote for Geena (Commander in Chief) Davis over him. Davis is a real athlete, an elite archer:
http://www.sportsfanlive.com/web/poll?pollId=6776775
Any of the twin cities bars have this kind of deal going on for a free beer? 
Vote and get drunk? Sounds like the right idea given the choices.
“And I keep seeing that as BJ. I bet that would get at least half the population voting, but someone’s definitely getting the shaft…”
Wow. That’s all I’ve got. Wow.
Sorry… I’m in this web-based training half the day and the participants are making me EDGY with their stupidity.
Ms. C…I completely agree.
Plus it’d ease the pain of sitting in line for hours and hours.
The free coffee starts at like 5:00 PM. Some deal that is
Russo- how many Starbucks will you visit today?
Will the Devils be able to stay afloat until March? Gotta belive losing Marty ain’t gonna be easy on the squad.
I gotta admit, I’m a little bit broken hearted about Brodeur being out for 4 months. I don’t really give a crap about the Devils, but man, I love that guy.
Alright, this made my day.
http://wild.nhl.tv/team/console.jsp?type=fvod&id=24330
I gotta admit, I’m a little bit broken hearted about Brodeur being out for 4 months. I don’t really give a crap about the Devils, but man, I love that guy.
+1
The Mr. and I rented NHL 2K9 for the Wii, tried it out last night. That is the hardest Wii game I have tried so far. I think if we could figure out what we are supposed to do that it could be really fun but it is frustrating right now because we haven’t fully figured it out. Anyone with a Wii though should get Wii Fit and have a buddy play it too. Makes for great competition and motivation to see if you can beat the other person’s high score.
Will the Devils be able to stay afloat until March?
they will be fine, they have that superstar brian rolston that the wild were too cheap to pay for.
I have NHL09 for the 360. video games were meant to be played while sitting on the couch.
Four months? Wow.
I prefer NHL09… the graphics are just so atrocious in the 2k9 Wii version. The game play is fun but I find myself wishing I was playing NHL09 instead when I’m playing it.
NHL09 available for Wii? We try to rent the games 1st to see if we like them. I have to agree that 2k9 graphics are atrocious.
Brodeur out 4 months, does Jeff Frazee get his cup of coffee in the NHL now (it would be spiked with Bailey’s, of course).
Ms C- thanks for the hot link. Very cool.
No, Kgoph, we have a 360, so it’s the NHL09 for that. If you only have a Wii, 2K9 is it for hockey games, AFAIK.
We were going to hold out for new version next year anyway so no big loss. Glad we rented it though and it didn’t buy it.
We have PS2 as well
“Puff Daddy says:
November 4th, 2008 at 11:10 am
Vote and get coffee or Die and get none.”
LOL
And double LOL for the Butch tv spot! Funny stuff!
I might have to hit up Wendy’s for lunch… or maybe Chipotle if the free burrito is true.
Ex-Gophers goalie Jeff Frazee is 1-2 with a 2.84 goals-against-average and .906 save percentage in four games for the Trenton (N.J.) Devils of the East Coast Hockey League. Frazee was nominated for the league’s goaltender of the week honors.
It looks like the wild have started to work with the the twins advertising company
Update above.
Gaby isn’t getting my vote.
“Obama Loss traced to Russo!”
http://www.cnnbcvideo.com/video.shtml?nid=reZfz6Gz_SJl5Nwhc35UzjE3NTQ4MQ–
Koivu and Backs will get mine along with writing in Burns
WTF? gaborik on the all-star ballot? he’s played in one game. maybe for him that is an amazing performance.
Hmmm….Harding for Huggy.
You heard it here first… 
Captain Lou Albano says:
November 4th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
Interesting convergence of sports, politics and entertainment: Actors who have been presidents and athlete on screen. I forgot Tim (Bull Durham) Robbins was president in Austin Powers but I’d vote for Geena (Commander in Chief) Davis over him. Davis is a real athlete, an elite archer:
http://www.sportsfanlive.com/web/poll?pollId=6776775
Yeah, but Tim Robbins is a hockey fan/player!
Ms.C, that spot is hilarious. The subtlety of Boogey being the one who gets to sleep in the bed!
Now kj, Leave Harding here. How about Gaby for Huggy? I don’t mind having Huggy back but not for Harding. I like the Backs/Hards duo this year and hopefully for several more years. They work well together, don’t mind sharing the net, don’t get huffy when they don’t start, shake it off when they have a bad game, and it gives Hards a little more time to grow (doesn’t every one say it takes goalies (and defensemen) longer to come in to their own?)
Plus Gaby and Huggy are both injured right now…
Didn’t say I want the trade but since kj was trying to trade for Huggy that was my suggestion to that.
Gaborik is on the ballot instead of Miettinen….
It suggests that the all-star game is more of a marketing/image thing than of actual merit now. Pretty sad.
My write-in vote will either be Miettinen or Boogaard then.
And wearing his number to bed. How cute is that? I’m feeling giggly like BG thinking about it…
Well, the fact that the voting starts about 3 minutes after the season opens tells you it’s not on actual merit. But aside from Gaby, I can’t complain about the Wild’s nominees at all. Suppose Gillies will get in the Young Stars game or whatever that is?
(I’m kidding.)
I don’t think I’m qualified to weigh in on the cuteness of Mr. Boogaard wearing numbered PJ’s.
Also, the fact that ‘fans’ are ecouraged to vote as many times as they want tends to place the all star election in the realm of ‘popularity contest’ rather than a skill based competition.
So, if Mr. Boogaard were to appear in an All Star skills competition, what events would he participate in?
Fastest skater inducer - who inpsires the skater to run away the fastest?
[…] Russo’s Rants – […]
I like Gaborik’s all-star odds, his ‘injury’ leaves fans wanting more is a surefire campaign strategy.
It’s cute. Trust me.
Gaborik is a wuss. He should be on an All-Star list of players who get injured playing hackey-sack, or taking out the garbage, or brushing their teeth, or…..pathetic.
Every so often the NHL tries so hard to impress people that they make themselves look stupid.
Moneybags on the ballot, that is insulting to every player who deserves to be on it, and to who ever isn’t on it because he is.
Ridiculous. Whoever had this idea needs to be fired.
Remember Sam Jacobson? Him and Gabby could start a support group for idiotic injuries. Soccer hacky-sack and videogames…
Fastest skater inducer - who inpsires the skater to run away the fastest?
Matt Cooke would win hands down.
MATT COOKE SUCKS!!!!!!
Yup, still feels good to say it.
BNAG, I meant the winner would be the player that inspires someone like Matt Cooke to skate back to their bench the fastest. The skater doesn’t actually win anything - well, they win by not getting pummeled. The competitors win either way! They either win the competition by having thier prey skate the fastest, or they win by getting to pummel their slow moving prey.
I meant running away from Boogie…. or really anyone else wanting to fight him. The puke.
Boogie looks very cute and giggle worthy in his PJ’s. I also like how PMB says excuse me in French the one time, poor Butch has to sleep in the bath tub. I wonder what the Mr would say if I said I wanted pj’s with “24″ on them…
Lol, that be like a staring contest.
I’m thinking Pouliot has the best chance of being in the Young Stars game.
When was the last time the Wild had a guy in the young stars thing? Or is that a relatively new event?
Tks MsC!
Now, WHY THE HELL IS GABORIK ON THE ALL STAR BALLOT????
Guy has played 2 games, has one goal. Jeff Finger has better stats.
It suggests that the all-star game is more of a marketing/image thing than of actual merit now. Pretty sad.
When has it not been a marketing/image thing?
When was the last time the Wild had a guy in the young stars thing?
PMB played when it was at the X
Burns was in the YoungStar game I thought?
Jeff Finger has better stats.
Best. UM. Post. Ever.
update
kj, he’s making half as much.
Nice to see a 1-2 record will get you nominated for goaltender of the week honors in the ECHL.
Names on an All-Star game ballot are chosen not only by what a player has done this year but also what a player has done since last year’s all star game. You can argue either way for Gaborik to be on or off the ballot but no player is on the ballat simply because of the 08/09 season’s performance thus far.
El G…
I know…Finger was the poster child for what is wrong with free agency.
Only fitting that he has better stats than Gho$t.
screw the coffee;trio in centerville free beer with i vote sticker.
no chance tonite; so the wild will probably get at least a point.
I would wager that #10 finishes with more points than Finger despite spotting him some games early. Any takers?
I forgot about Sam Jacobson’s video game injury…lol. That was even before WII!
By the way. We are about 1/4 of the way through the first HALF of the season. If you were putting together the allstar ballot before the year would you put an ex-allstar (Gabby) on there or Mittens???
Not to try to provide any perspective or anything…
Of course the All-Star game is a popularity contest! You guys are mad that Gaby made the ballot? How about Scott Nediemyer coming out of “retirement” and having a spot open for him for the All-Star game? Now that pissed me off.
as long as boogie kicks the crap out of shelly tonight-i wont care if they lose.
I don’t want to get into a political discussion… but how in teh world can CNN call a state won or lost when only 4% of the polls have reported? They showed one where McCain is down by 3% or so, and they called the state won for McCain already… how can they do that?
Oh, and Go Wild!
I finally got to see the PMB commercial! (earlier post was accidentally posted by Mr. ATX.) So funny!
Thanks Bud… I guess that helps clarify. I still don’t like how they do that.
AustinTXwildfan….
I have been wondering the same thing. NBC is calling senate seats and in the corner it says 0% of the results are in.
Looks like the media still has learned nothing from the coal miners being alive story that they told and found out they were all dead.
I will wait till Thursday, by then it might be official.
In the meantime…The Wild won tonight 6-2 even though the game has not been played.
Sharing a computer is tricky!
Cam, that is funny! I like the early game prediction!
Thanks to the Don for the update.
JL will not be the only person praying tonight for the team. The team has my prayers. Hopefully the hockey gods will hear us.
Question to the Don, is IJ going to be by you tonight and if so are you going to let him do the play by play? We would like some comments from IJ. Also, if you see him wish him speedy healing because we need him playing.
MTC, that is a great idea. Let Burns on the blog while he watches the game. He could chat with us and give us his opinion of the game! Only provision should be that his handle HAS TO BE Inglewood Jack.
The LA hockey media does exist:
Internet warnings went out recently that the Kings were interested in Minnesota Wild forward Marian Gaborik, who will be an unrestricted free agent after this season. A team source said that those talks amounted to little more than tire kicking, though the Kings may be in the market for a high-end offensive player and a second-line center down the line.
http://www.latimes.com/sports/hockey/nhl/la-sp-kingduckfyi5-2008nov05,0,80673.story
ARGH! When will this end!? Just when I was finally happy not to be seeing political commercials, now companies are trying to sell furniture based on the fact that it will make you comfortable for the next 4 years!? ENOUGH!
Take a few deep breaths Lemmi. It will all be over soon! Think happy thoughts, like Mikko going backhand top shelf on Nabokov!
Austin, that is a very happy thought… not as happy as the thought of being Boogies pillow but a happy thought none the less…. sorry, is my giggly girly side showing at the moment? My bad.
I hope I can stay awake long enough to watch the game. I had an early morning, and will have an early morning tomorrow as well.
hmmm. well with that advice I grabbed a beer and “Woooooosaaaaaaa” much better. I strongly recommend Deschutes Brewery’s Jubelale!
Lemmi, I recommend the Leinenkugel’s Fireside Nut Brown seasonal beer. It’s pretty tasty. Nothing goes with election night like BEER!
Just saw Gorg on the pre-game….maybe the dumbest person on television, including Keith Olbermann.
food
[…] Russo’s Rants – […]
