Friday update: Wild back on the ice; Nolan out until after New Year’s; Gaborik, too?
Posted on December 26th, 2008 – 2:46 PMBy Brian Stensaas
Greetings everyone! The Wild returned to the ice this morning after having the past two days off for Christmas. Coach Jacques Lemaire, who earlier this week expressed his frustration over not being able to hold practice Dec. 24 or 25 said after today’s practice he was pleased with the way the guys came back. However, he is not optimistic about Saturday morning’s practice.
“I think tomorrow will be worse,” Lemaire said after putting a “not bad” label on today’s session. ”Usually, that’s how it goes.”
More on this in tomorrow’s paper.
As for news, Lemaire said Owen Nolan skated on his own today. Nolan left the Dec. 5 game against Vancouver with a leg injury and has not been back since. He will resume practicing with the team after Wednesday’s game against San Jose, meaning Nolan will not be back before the New Year.
Also, it is officially known Marian Gaborik will sit the next two games. Lemaire, though, said today, “Or three.” We’ll keep an eye on this one.
Nothing too interesting happened today on the ice. Not surprisingly, Nolan, Gaborik, Kurtis Foster and Marc-Andre Bergeron were missing. Everyone else was accounted for. All told, I actually saw everyone but Nolan.
During drills, any play that the coaching staff deemed a penalty resulted in a penalty shot. I’ve seent this a few other times during practices. Today, it happened a handful of times, and so far as I could tell no one converted. Then again, most of the drills were being conducted inside the blue line. Gotta love that hash mark-to-crease window of opportunity.
That’s about all. Still another full day off before the Wild again plays: Sunday at home against the young and talented Blackhawks. It’s a 5pm start in case you forgot.
Hope everyone had a happy holiday! Back tomorrow with another update.
35 Responses to "Friday update: Wild back on the ice; Nolan out until after New Year’s; Gaborik, too?"
Thanks for the update Brian… going through withdrawls without my fix.
Sorry about the spelling, Ms C. I was copying someone else’s work and not paying attention. Come to think of it, I used to get detention for that 
Hey, DB..Speaking of old school games, did you ever have Pong on the original Atari?
Anyone else out there watching the juniors on NHL network?
Got my HD all revved up… anyone who may be questioning the value of HD… stop. It’s worth it. This is sweet.
Welcome to HD, Buddha. Are the WJ games in HD? I haven’t caught them yet. With Cuma out of it, I’m less interested.
Yeah, they are. At least this one is. It is really sweet.
[…] Russo’s Rants – […]
Is there even a need for other channels once you get the NHL network?
Apart from Bravo and Center Ice, I don’t watch anything else. At some point you do get quite tired of the commercials on NHLN. And I mean QUITE TIRED.
Randomness I thought only this blog could appreciate…
So I started a franchise as the Wild on my new NHL2k9 game for the Wii today. Amazingly, the brass at 2kSports believe that one Joe Mauer (as well as Corey Koske) is a minor league player on the Wild. His player profile on the game reads: 6′5″, 230 lbs, and shoots Left.
I just checked the Twins website… player profile: 6′5″, 203, bats Left.
Heh. Little easter egg there for ya, maybe?
I’ve found the last two seasons that my problem with those games is that if I play as the Aeros or the Wild, I feel like I’m jinxing them. I can only play in the summer.
6′5″ 203? Give him a hamburger…
That was supposed to be 230 
Alright, I’m 6′ 2″, about 210… can I get a hamburger? It really does sound good…
“$190 dollar hockey stick for an 8-yr-old”
Hopefully the eigth yr old doesn’t break the stick the way the pro’s break a couple sticks each game. Not quite the same as buying Northland Blue Dot’s for $10 each. Or Christian Bros. Flex for $12 each.
I broke my Easton shaft last year and my back up stick is a wood/fiberglass JOFA I bought about 15 years ago. It’s like skating around with a two by four compared to the composite stick.
heh. My daughter played with an Easton bubble for 2 years, then picked up my Christian Bros featherlite and switched immediately. She said it was far easier with a genuine wood stick that could bend like that.
As far as the $180 sticks for youngsters… I think you should have your head examined if you’re even considering it. The stick doesn’t make them any better at that age.
Now when you’re 15-16, and switch to a composite to get better oomph on the shot, fine. But in Squirts? That’s just dumb.
By the way, wonderin in there’s another town meeting on Sunday. Missed the last one, but will be down for the game Sunday, and have time to spare.
But I do have a bone to pick with the townies who decided on McGoverns. Why, oh why are you not meeting up at Tom Reid’s?
It’s hockey-themed, you can chat with the Reidster and other hockey type folks, and most importantly, it’s within stumbling distance of the X. Mc Govern’s is a couple blocks down.
Canada destroying Czech in the WJC… 7-0 with 10 1/2 left in the third…
Ouch
Ugh, feels like the Czech Republic here at the Toyota Center tonight… 5-1 San Antonio. Brust got pulled, then Schafer got pulled. Not sure who will start the third. Sheesh. They may put me in next…
Silly Mun…
McGoverns is c-l-o-s-e-r to the X.
We’ve been to Reid’s before. Just not the last couple of times.
they can look as good as they want in practice, but it means absolutely nothing. This upcoming stretch they are going to continue their 3-8 losing streak.
Dec 28: v CHI…L
Dec 29: @ CGY…L
Dec 31: v SJS…L
Jan 3: v DET….L
Jan 4: @ COL….toss up
Jan 6: @ BOS….L
Jan 8: @ PHI….L
Jan 10: @ CLS…toss up
Jan 13: v PHO…W
Jan 15: v EDM…toss up
Jan 17: v ANA…L
Jan 19: @ CHI…L
MissConduct, the other Twin Cities paper, fellow by name of Bruce Brothers quoted Lynn as saying Irmen was looking good in Houston.
Is that your take too?
Or, did he mean he looks so good in Houston he will be there for awhile?
Better take your money to Los Vegas if you know how these games are going to turn out Danny the guru.
Irmen has never looked good! Too small, too slow, bad hands … but hey, he’s a hard worker and “brings energy!”
Wow. Iceman. No. He gets worse every year. Total warm body this year. He’s just spinning his wheels and needs a change of scenery worse than anybody in the system, I’d say.
KJ.. Good point. I guess in my stupor I thought that was a farther walk lol!
MuN…a stupor…well, that ’splains everything… 
Either one is close enough to crawl to the X.
We gave away our tix for Sunday to my brother coming in from South Carolina.
WRT…make sure you’re nice to him…
Ms. C… I give up on the AHL. Now the Phantoms are leaving Philly? Yeah, because that must suck having your AHL affiliate across the street…
Why not move them to Hersey, or New Jersey? That will definatley save money…
Really? I hadn’t heard that Buddha… just rumblings that they might. I thought they had a pretty good fan base though and didn’t really see them going anywhere.
I see. Yeah, it looks like we’re in for some more musical chairs in the A. But Edmonton has to have some place to stick their AHL players. If Calgary moves from QC to Abbotsford, BC, that would leave a rink and fan base in QC. Further Dallas doesn’t actually own a franchise yet. I dunno. Should be interesting to see how it shakes out. I’m glad the Aeros are set for the next 5 years here so I don’t have to sweat it, but I feel bad for cities losing their teams.
MuNo: The “Pong” was my first video game. Thought it was the second coming. I remember you could switch to “difficult” mode and they would shrink your white bar of light that acted as a paddle.
As for the $180 Reebok “O” stick, the only thing that disappoints me is that my parents are spending my inheritance on hockey sticks for my Supermite. I remember when he first started three years ago, we were plunkin’ down 13 bucks for a wood stick. Now his assortment of hockey sticks is worth more, in real dollars, than my set of golf clubs. Cripes!
I bought a few composites for the kids when they were playing, but I was long retired before they came along. What are the advantages? I don’t see anybody shooting the puck much harder than the wood sticked Hull or MacInnis. Personally, I see it mostly as a profitable marketing racket for the manufacturers, but not much else.
SotB… the shots are much, much harder. Much faster, much more accurate. The shots from Hull et all may look as hard, but they aren’t.
It isn’t the National Conspiracy League. If the sticks weren’t better, they wouldn’t use them.
DB, even more reason for you to squash your parent’s spending of your inheritance! Nip it quick, or it’ll get worse!
Buddha, sure they would. Anyone will put a logo on their shirt for a price. Why is the “X” named as it is? Why did Reebok get the contract for the new sweaters? Why are some players not included in EA’s NHL games series?
Money. It’s all about who pays you.
As for the sticks, I can surely get a better shot off with a new 1-piece composite. It’s more forgiving if I don’t hit it just perfectly, and it helps both in accuracy and speed. If I were playing professionally where every edge counted, I’d use one too.
But pickup games and driveway hockey require a much more prudent investment lol!
Should I play Kipper v. Otterwa or Smitty v. Florida? (WMB league so no conflict of interest asking here)
