Nolan off injured reserve, Kolanos sent down; Burns to play forward; Gretzky: Huge test tonight against the Wild
Posted on November 13th, 2008 – 10:30 AMBy Michael Russo
I just wrote about a 100-inch blog and it disappeared, so considering the fact I’m fuming right now, this definitely won’t be as good or as long for that matter.
Owen Nolan has been activated off injured reserve as expected. To make room, Krys Kolanos has been sent down to Houston. He will meet the Aeros in CLEVELAND!!!!!
Brent Burns was dressed like a defenseman in the morning skate, but he’s playing wing. He was only up front because he hasn’t practiced as a defenseman all week and Jacques wanted him to get used to it again since he’ll play both positions tonight.
But the Wild plans to scratch two forwards, meaning Burns has to play wing. Those forwards appear to be Colton Gillies and ex-Coyote Craig Weller. Defenseman Tomas Mojzis will also be scratched.
Jacques was funny when it came to Burns. He said his shot is missing and he watched him swing and miss on two attempts, which he can get away with at forward and not at defenseman.
Jacques went on and on about how good the Coyotes are defensively. This is a battle of the first- and third-best defensive teams in the West (the Wild has given up 2.15 goals per game, Phoenix 2.43). So yes, for all the people out there that thinks Jacques is the only defensive coach in the NHL, here’s Wayne Gretzky, the most gifted offensive player in NHL history, coaching defensive hockey.
Gretzky was great on the subject this morning, so you’ll read more about this in tomorrow’s paper. In fact, Gretzky was great on about 15 subjects this morning, so you’ll probably be reading endless Gretzky quotes in the Strib until mid 2009.
By the way, the Wild has dominated the Coyotes the last two years, and the Coyotes are one point behind Minnesota in the standings. So Gretz said this is a huge test for the Coyotes tonight.
Here Gretzky is on that subject: “Teams in the West, when you go on the road especially with a young group, you always kind of say, ‘It was a nice trip. .500.’ So we’ve won the first game [in Columbus] and we can have that sort of thought process tonight after the game.
“But I told the guys, ‘we want to go home saying we’re 2-0. If we want to have any chance of making the playoffs, we have to win these four-point games. Minnesota’s beaten us [eight] times in a row. If we’re going to compete or be at any kind of level they’re at, we have to start winning games against Minnesota.’ Tonight is a huge game for us when it comes to standings and playoffs and the credibility of our younger guys and the experience of getting better and learning how to win tough games. This is a tough building to win in, it’s a tough team to play against and they’ve got good goaltending. So this is really a test for us. The season’s not going to be over if we don’t win, but it’s a good test for us as far as it’s being a real important game for our organization to respond as a team.”
Lemaire went on and on about how good everybody in the league is defensively. He was almost bemoaning the fact that goals are so tough to come by, which is always funny to hear from the master of defensive hockey. But he said years ago when he was one of only a few coaches who taught defensive hockey, he was proud of it. Now everybody’s copied him and it’s not as fun.
Heck, since he’s such a hockey genius, maybe it’s time he invents a type of offensive hockey that everybody will emulate.
Funny moment came when Lemaire said the only way to get more offense is to make the nets bigger or the goalies smaller. Darren Pang, the former tiny goalie with Chicago who now is the Coyotes’ TV analyst, said, “Oh, I’ve still got a chance.”
He then looked at the bigger former goalie Mike Greenlay, the Wild’s TV color analyst who used to tend goal for Edmonton and won an IHL title with the Atlanta Knights, “You don’t have a chance.”
Mario Tremblay, the Wild’s assistant, took the morning skate off. Jacques joked, “Upper body, like above the eyes.”
As in brain,
Ha Ha Ha!
OK, that’s it. There’s no way I can write everything else that disappeared.
If this erases, you’ll get nothing and you’ll like it!!!
68 Responses to "Nolan off injured reserve, Kolanos sent down; Burns to play forward; Gretzky: Huge test tonight against the Wild"
Was Mittens just a flash in the pan? I do not believe that he will be a real threat on any other line.
Whats for lunch everyone?
Hopefully, Mr. Nolan can stay healthy. His skills in front of the net have been missed.
No, he’s no flash in the pan. Missed-da-net-again will get his 12-15 goals this year. Don’t worry.
Sluggish start after the long layoff?
Yotes come out flying after their big win? Outshoot the Wild like 15-5 in the first period?
Wild rope-a-dopes until the Desert Dogs tire and then pounce?
Big nights from Mueller and Sauer, both local boys made good?
??
Win one for Lori, boys!
From the last thread:
The way I see it, Wall, is that sometimes the reality of the dream isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. I find it difficult to believe that all pro athletes should either be high on life or are otherwise miserable people. Life is life, regardless of your money and fame.
Oh, no offense it all, Tom! I spend so much time around men, I’m always trying to figure y’all out. “Yeah baby” is like, “My head would swivel right off my neck if I walked past her down the street.” And I wasn’t getting that from her. She does seem sweet though. If you like sweet.
From this thread:
YAAAAAAAY!!!!!!!! Kolanos is back!!!! Maybe we can score now!
I’m predicting a 3-2 Wild win, with Wild coming on strong and giving up a late goal to have the ‘Yotes still in the game.
Nolan will have a tough time getting back into the game…no points for him tonight.
Why would Kolanos go to Houston? The team is in Cleveland for another 2 days. Would be awfully nice to have him back for the final road game of this trip.
10 of next 12 at the “X”. Time to step up boys. 19 goals in last 10 games isn’t gonna cut it. Looking at the 10 home games, it’s not like the scheduled is littered with the likes of Detroilet, Fowl, Blueshirts, Sharks, etc, etc. Would appreciate a little energy from the boys out of the gate tonight. After sitting idle from game action for the past 4+ days, you would think the team would be more than ready to play.
Either that or too rested and come out lazy.
Yep, that seems like how it usually works. Too many days off and, as KC said, You forget how hard it is to be successful.
If Mittens plays more with Koivu this year, it would continue to produce, but it won’t be on the point/game pace he’s been on.
If Gab ever comes back, teams will have to check him instead of the Bruno-Koivu-Mittens line. That means that line will produce much better than the last few games.
I just hope Bouchard and Nolan start playing off each out well, so we can get some scoring on that front too.
Coming out lazy shouldn’t be a problem for the duration of 10-of-12 at home stretch, since the team has more than 1 day off between games only one time during the entire stretch. May be willing to give them a bit of a pass for the first 10 minutes of the game tonight to account for any “rust” or “malaise”, but after that, they should be ready to go for the next dozen.
I was gonna ask this morning when I read the other post who would be sent down. I forgot by the time I got caught up reading comments. Let’s hope that Kolanos has learned from his time up here and goes back knowing what he needs to do to be prepared next time he’s got the chance to be up.
Oh, and from the last one: A big thank you to the Don, Carney and Burnsie for the fact that I’ve been singing in my head all morning…
Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?
Agreed that this is an important stretch. 10 of 12 at home, not a brutal schedule…getting 16-18 points out of this stretch should be the expectation.
I saw the past six games as a potential 0-6 pothole, and they managed to get four points out of it. But that horrible March stretch is out there boys…got to make some hay while the sun shines!
sponge! bob! square! pants!
Nice jimlove. Burns should take that tradition over from Carney and start singing that song on the bench
The way Nolan has been this year, he’ll be on IR again, so Krys Kolanos will be back on the club in no time. I thought he was actually playing good while he was with the big club.
Krys going down pretty much means Pouls is stuck as the 4th line center again with 7 mins of playing time.
Gaborik’s trade value is dropping more than the US stock market
*rim shot*
anyone?? beuller?
What a joke. Cut Boogaard or Weller and keep Kolanos around. The Wild need goals, not 4 minute a game goons that can’t score and offer no offensive upside.
Cutting Boogaard would be amazingly stupid.
Keep Boogaard and Weller and send Clutterbuck back down. Yeah, he’s a banger, but he doesn’t pot goals. IMO we should have kept Kolanos and sent CC back down.
That’s just my opinion, I like CC for what he does; he’s just not a scorer and we need goals.
Worked out just like I wanted. I dunno what you all are on about. 
Richard, what did the team do for the 4th line center in Vancouver? Kolanos was scratched.
I’m just guessing that if you tried to send Boogaard through waivers, he’d not make it. I’d think maybe a team with struggling ticket sales and cap room would love to have Boogaard on the ice for them on a regular basis. I don’t know that we need him dressed every night, but he’s too handy to have around when you need him to let him go. Besides, would you want to be the one to tell him he’s been sent down? 
Get Fridge to do it, since he’s in town. And he’s had that talk a few times before. 
What, the sent down talk or the potential response or both?
I’d guess he’d rather not see that side of Boogaard again.
I just wrote about a 100-inch blog and it disappeared
That’s what she said!
Boogaard would get claimed in a second. If guys like Boulerice are getting claimed, Boogaard is a shoe in. He’s also a fan favorite, has more points than Clutterbuck, and is on the plus side.
He fills a niche nobody else in the organization fills. Why have another generic player that fills the same spot as about 4 other guys on the team?
I don’t know why people are getting so upset about sending down Kolanos.
The Wild’s offensive problems are not because the fourth line can’t score. It’s because the first THREE can’t.
With Boogaard’s cap hit at only $.95M I’m sure there are many organizations that would claim him.
Now now, Russo, it’s not how long your blog is that matters most…
Wallshot - agreed. It seems that to begin with many teams may not have ‘respected’ the AMA line. Now a few more games into the season the other teams know that is the line to shut down. Hopefully JL’s lines switcheroo will not hinder our players and at the same time confuse the focus of the other team. Hopefully Burns at wing will do the same.
I don’t know major, you know what they say about chicks digging the long blog…
For once, I’m just gonna avoid the temptation.
C’mon, Ms.C - stoop to our level!
Nah, I’m gonna make like Jessica Schultz and be classy.
(Just teasing… I really just couldn’t think of a zinger worthy of the moment, so I’m playing the girl card.)
Goody:
I find I’m so excited, I can barely sit still or hold a thought in my head. I think it’s the excitement only a hockey man can feel, a hockey man at the start of a ten-of-twelve-at-home journey whose conclusion is uncertain. I hope they can make it into the playoffs. I hope to see my friend Stanley, and shake his hand. I hope the Cup is as silver as it has been in my dreams. I hope.
Get rid of Boogaard to keep Kalanos up and have him solve our offensive struggles? I’m sorry, that just sounds funny to even say.
How about putting Benny and Shep in better situations to take the next step, offensive progression wise? Instead of celebrating their defensive games (which is clearly there, especially Sheps) and not moving them from the 3rd/4th lines. Especially Benny. Get the kids goal scoring juices flowing and put him on a line with Butch and Bruno, not just on the PP.
Nick, exactly.
Though realistically, I’d expect JL’s juggling to screw with our players for a bit then when they might start figuring out their new linemates he’ll juggle them again thus negating the need for the other team to really figure them out as none of our lines will pose enough of a threat to bother.
My, aren’t I bipolar!
Is the Schultz cooking show someone on the net to watch? If so, got a link?? Thanks!
Someone posted a link somewhere in the comments for the Don’s last post.
Here you go WildLover, thanks to Nick in NY.
So what is the situation with Clutterbuck now? Someone please fill me in on the type of his contract. Is there some threshold of games that if he plays that many, he can no longer be sent down without having to clear waivers?
Hopefully the kid stays, but when Gaborik gets back, I guess the chopping block would be Clutterbuck/Weller/Mojzis/Reitz.
pfft. “former goalie Mike Greenlay who used to tend goal for Edmonton.” sure, 20 ENTIRE MINUTES for Edmonton. I’m sorry, I’m not impressed.
Greenlay and and Kevin “eyebrows” Gorg need to be taken off the TV. The face-off is the most obnoxious thing I’ve ever seen….PTI is bad enough, we don’t need a rip off of it.
richardb….don’t you mean IF gaby gets back?
Is it just me, or is Shep not looking good at all this year?
ho-kay…quittin’ time in the eastern time zone. See y’all at game time.
Shaking up the lines a bit may help. There hasn’t been much scoring happening anyway. It will probably be another close game. I expect Carcillo will agitate and try to fire up his teammates. He could use a dose of
Boogie. I’m not sure why, but there seems to be a good rivalry developing between these 2 teams.
So Russo, is the AP assuming (albeit correctly) or did DR let something slip?
ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Wild activated right winger Owen Nolan from injured reserve on Thursday.
Nolan missed eight of the last 11 games with a leg injury. He has one goal and three assists in five games this season.
To make room for Nolan, the Wild sent center Krys Kolanos to their AHL affiliate in Houston. Kolanos scored one goal in two games while filling in for Nolan.
The Wild are still without star Marian Gaborik. His injured groin has kept him off the ice for 12 straight games.
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press
Source: ESPN
Thanks for the link hunnies…gotta be good!
I missed bolding Nolan’s “leg injury”
[…] Russo’s Rants – […]
If the Wild were willing to trade something for Chris Simon I’m sure the Wild could get something for Derek Boogaard. I’m not saying they should trade him, just that there is probably a better option than waiving him or buying out his contract.
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!!! GOT MY 6 Page Architectural History research paper done! Ready to get drunk and eat and watch some hockey….oh and maybe sleep.
No Beer, No Sleep, No Food, and No Hockey make Lemmi something, something….
crazy?
I’m not sure why, but there seems to be a good rivalry developing between these 2 teams.
I think it’s because both teams are mired in the dull slog of trap hockey.
Which explains why every single game is 3-2
Congrats Lemmi!
I’m putting up the Christmas tree while I watch tonight. We’ll see whether that drives me to drink or not.
Richard, that was exactly my prediction for the game tonight.
CLEVELAND!!!, Mike? CLEVELAND!!!!
Mister Know it all is predicting Phoenix to win tonight 3-2. Below is my rational. You can take this pick to the bank. The Wild are favored by 1 to 1 1/2 goals. The only guy on the ice that can change fate is Nik Backstrom
Mister Know it all is pointing out that Phoenix won last night. Look for the Coyotes to storm the Wild in the first period. Lets call the first period tomorrow night Phoneix 2 the Wild 0 and lets call the final Phoenix 3 and the Wild 2.
I am saying that the Will lose tomorrow night, and I am saying that if I was in Vegas, I would lay the honeybee on the Coyotes. That is right KJ, no roadkill for the Wild tomorrow night !
The only way that the Wild win is if Backstrom plays in sane in the first period, and he shuts the Wiley Coyotes out. The key is the first period
FINAL 1 2 3 T
Phoenix 1 1 3 5
Columbus 0 0 2 2
Danial, Boogy and Weller defined their value against Vancouver. They dont have to justify anything after that game
J’aime les blagues de JL.
I’m down with a Brent Burns Book Club portion of Russoville.
[(There prolly already is one but these dicks ignore me all the time.)
Yeah, I wrote it.]
Scratches tonight? Anyone? Bueller?… Bueller?
Moses, weller and gillies
And a piece of broken glass
Rayray, don’t be like that. We’ve got your back.
ms.c: x-mas tree? It’s like, two weeks to Thanksgiving, bud. My wife is nutso about the holidays, but that’s HARDCORE!
game time buffet is served above
[…] -The Wild activated forward Owen Nolan from injured reserve while former Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins forwad Krys Kolanos was demoted to Houston of the AHL. […]
