Lots of room to move around on the ice at Xcel Energy Center today. Coach Jacques Lemaire had planned to have the entire team participate in practice, but at the last second he decided to switch it up. The majority of the team just worked out - lifting weights and such. Only nine players - Pouliot, Mojzis, Kolanos, Boogaard, Bouchard, Gillies, Reitz, Weller and Harding - and the coaching staff actually took the ice.

Those on skates didn’t have too taxing of a day. Lots of shooting drills, and at the end it was a fun short-ice scrimmage setting up both goals on either end of one blue line. The coaches even got into the mix. Props to Mario Tremblay, who went as far as to put on a practice jersey and fit in well.

I’m told the second goalie on the ice, by the way, was a friend of Mike Ramsey. Backstrom did not put on the gear today; he was among those just working out. He was also seen checking out some new suit patterns from a sales rep stationed outside the Wild locker room.

As for injuries, well, we’re (not surprisingly) still in the dark. Did receive word from the team today that Gaborik (lower body injury), Nolan (lower body injury) and Burns (upper body injury) are all skating at times. There’s no timetable for Gaborik and Nolan; Burns is a possibility for Thursday’s game with Phoenix.

Lemaire today said he has no new information on these players, and frankly doesn’t want any. He doesn’t want to get stuck saying a certain player will be out for a set amount of time, only to have it not come true. That, he said, is what makes him mad. Only he didn’t use the word “mad” exactly - I’ll let you guess on that one.

That’s it for now. Maybe some news will come out of tomorrow’s practice. Until then, BYE!

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