Saturday update
Posted on December 27th, 2008 – 2:15 PMBy Brian Stensaas
Jacques Lemaire was right. The Wild coach felt today’s practice was sluggish compared to yesterday’s - the first after the two-day Christmas break.
“It is what I thought,” Lemaire told reporters after this morning’s skate. “Oh, my Lord. Anyway. What else?”
As far as practice goes, the “what else” other than Lemaire’s correct prognostication I wrote about in yesterday’s post was a lot of odd-man rush situations. Two-on-ones, three-on-twos … you name it. Lots of time spent on this today.
There was also an extended period of scrimmages (it was a longer-than-usual practice, that’s for sure). During that time, Erik Reitz caught either a stick or a puck to the left side of his face (he will be fine) and Marek “Pele” Zidlicky kicked a wayward puck across the blue line to Kim Johnsson, who further kept the play alive.
Yup, there’s your action for the day.
From the personnel files, Marian Gaborik again did not skate and he is not on the list of players scheduled to take the ice tomorrow morning. Lemaire said Gaborik likely will not skate again until Wednesday.
The Wild is treating tomorrow’s game with Chicago (a 5pm start) like that of a back-to-back situation. There will not be a formal team-wide morning skate. Only nine players (Harding, Nolan, Foster, Pouliot, Kolanos, Weller, Boogaard, Gillies and Reitz) are scheduled to skate in the morning. The others will wait until just before warm-ups to lace ‘em up.
I’m on for tomorrow’s game while Russo travels to Calgary. So you’ll be hearing from me yet again tomorrow.
I’ll leave you today with line combinations from this morning’s practice, and a studious quote from Lemaire on his plan for tomorrow night.
Miettinen-Koivu-Brunette
Veilleux-Belanger-Clutterbuck
Gillies-Sheppard-Bouchard
Boogaard-Pouliot-Weller-Kolanos
“We have to check. Check, check, check, check, check, check. A lot of checking.”
95 Responses to "Saturday update"
Look at those lines. What a hideous roster. We need a new GM badly, and a new head coach so we can get real free agents in here too.
^^^ *Laughs out loud* at seeing Butch on the “3rd line.”
My, does that roster look mighty weak. I certainly hope the ‘Hawks don’t murder us tomorrow. They are on a roll. 
That should really help Poo-Bah snap out of his slump, centering Boogie and Weller.
It’s not a slump, DB. It’s just Pouliot.
Buddha says: >>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.<<
I guess I have to disagree on all points except accuracy. The guys winning hardest shot comps now are right about the same speed (100 mph)as the Iafrate’s and MacInnis’ were with wood sticks. Hull was supposedly clocked at 118 although I question the validity of the measurement technique at that time.
I would posit that there is no more need for composite sticks in hockey than there is for composite/aluminum bats in baseball. Technology is wonderful but not always necessary. Take away composite sticks in hockey and I doubt there would be any discernible difference in the entertainment and performance value of the game.
It’s pretty simple marketing for Easton. You give away boatloads of snappy looking sticks to the NHL players and before you know it, 8 yr olds have to have $200 hockey sticks. Truth be told…..by making hockey so expensive to play, there is a good chance that we may never get to see the world’s best future hockey player. Sticks and equipment were too expensive so he gave it up for a different game.
The whole youth sports model is driven by sports equipment marketing including weekend tourneys, equipment, etc. There are much better ways to run youth sports, but they don’t generate enough revenue for the Eastons, Reeboks, Nikes of the world.
DB you are exactly right. Centering Boogie and Weller, two players with little to no playmaking ability. In order for someone like Pouliot to produce, you need to pair him with credible playmakers.
ms.conduct says:
December 27th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
It’s not a slump, DB. It’s just Pouliot
I’m going to have to disagree. Other then Burns, Koivu, and Gaborik, there is no more talented guy on the team and it’s his consistent dose of terrible linemates that is resulting in his lack of offense. It’s Jacques fault.
would posit that there is no more need for composite sticks in hockey than there is for composite/aluminum bats in baseball
i was under the impression that it wasn’t necessarily slappers that were faster but a player with a composite stick could get faster wristers off quicker. that was the benefit.
What the aluminum bat does for hitting is enlarge the sweet spot. This means you don’t have to be that good of a hitter to still hit the ball well. Also means that it’s no surprise when a kid that hit 400 in college can’t hit his weight in the minors. you no longer get balls to the outfield when you get jammed with a wood bat. you end up with a broken bat dribbler to the shortstop and your hands sting for 15 minutes.
i don’t get the man love for puliot here. no doubt he has talent. but talent alone will not sustain you in the NHL. If he showed the effort and hard work it takes at this level, i’m sure he would get better assignments.
In order for someone like Pouliot to produce, you need to pair him with credible playmakers.
And play him (Benny) at wing.
Poor Parrish still getting bumped by the youngsters in Dallas. I feel for the guy.
And people like “Hockey Guru” Dan told us that JL was the only coach in the NHL dumb enough to bench Parrish.
G*… exactly. When he was playing well with Boogie and Cal on his wings, he was getting chances on better lines. But he dropped back to his gutless ways.
I’m not just making this stuff up, guys. I love my teams, I love my players, I love them a little too much and give them credit where it’s not due at times, so when I’m down on a guy, he has seriously earned it.
But I understand the need to believe we have a savior under our noses. So, carry on.
he was getting PP time but hasn’t done much with it. so this idea that he can’t show his talent because of playing with DB is bunk.
Did lemaire actually say check check check! that fricken idiot should have said that 8yrs ago. Start with his bu$$ buddy skoula. biggest chicken sH*^ in the nhl.
obviously snowman doesn’t know what check means…
You dont know what check means greenstar-look at your comments- you havent a clue!
Ah, the 8 yr olds from wild.com boards are infiltrating.
Ms C.. some just don’t get it. I prefer to call them “fanbois”.
i’m looking but i don’t see anything.
I doubt they’d be an offensive force, but I’d like to see a line of Locke-Kolanos-Pouliot and see what happens.
Me either. I thought there might have been a problem with the language barrier, but, oh well.
I know, MuN. I’m just a sucker for arguing on that topic. I rarely feel so utterly resolute and authoritative on something as I do about that.
I literally laughed out loud at that, Dan. I’d like it in Houston because defensemen are so much worse in the AHL, but in the NHL? No way.
If JL ever puts Butch/Kolanos/Pouliot on the same line, that’s about what it would be like. Just with less hair.
I’d like to see a line of Locke-Kolanos-Pouliot
lots of goals against
seriously, has kolanos done anything since being called up?
G*, he’s just been on a bad line. 
Oh, I know! He made it possible to sit Ben!
But he is much more useful to the organization in Houston. And I say that with nothing but selfishness in my heart.
Yay! The cold front is here! Thank you Canada!
>>seriously, has kolanos done anything since being called up?<<
He did take that 4 minute double minor that led to the awe-inspiring 5 on 3 kill. That may end up being the highlight of the season.
lol yeah, let’s berate the mgmt for not calling up ____________, because he’ll tear it up in the NHL and is so much better than other veterans.
Then when he is called up and doesn’t produce, let’s blame it on his linemates.
Or ice time.
Or the coach.
Or the situations he plays.
Or he’s having his period.
Or he didn’t get his Wheaties.
It’s too bad that career minor leaguers are the best options for a call up, and not much of an option at that. I don’t mean to beat a dead horse, but outside of the first round the Wild are easily one of the worst teams in the league at drafting and developing talent
ALL I CAN SAY IS TAVARES WITH TH 1ST PICK
GreenStar says:
December 27th, 2008 at 4:29 pm
I’d like to see a line of Locke-Kolanos-Pouliot
lots of goals against
seriously, has kolanos done anything since being called up?
he made a solid play a few games back that resulted in a goal and a Wild win.
Bear72 says:
December 27th, 2008 at 5:43 pm
ALL I CAN SAY IS TAVARES WITH TH 1ST PICK
you get the first pick you’d be a fool not to take the D-man.
BUT WE HAVE D KNOW ONE TO PUT THE PUCK IN THE NET
WITH GABE GONE YOU WILL NEED A STAR
MR RUSSO WITH THE 1ST PICK WHO YOU GET
Oh my.
Ahh poor Benny.
Only a blind homer could not see he just doesn’t have what it takes to make it in the NHL.
He should start looking here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Wa_balls
I think that if you have a shot at the one or two elite defensemen in a draft, you have to take one. Outside of that I would follow a simple rule. Defense can be taught, goal scoring cannot.
This is a new featue on Russoville: Dan’s People. Staring:
Dan
Brainfreeze
Bear72
puckit
snowman
And many more to come!
I forgot the one exception to that rule. A big nasty defenseman with a mean streak. If you can find one later in the draft. That of course does not include the Wild, because they never seem interested in physical defensemen for some reason.
Everyone keep me in your prayers tonight… having my bachelor party this evening.
I dont think that I am quite as negative as Dan, I do agree with him on some things, but I don’t think that Lemaire is an idiot. I dont resort to name calling or calling anyone out on here. I just give my own opinion. If you want to be a d@ck dont drag me into it.
- Congrats Buddha!
- Brainfreeze: you don’t have to be one of “Dan’s People” if you don’t want to. Hell, I agree with him some of the time too (i.e. I am not a DR guy*)
* The evaluation is complicated by working for 2 owners.
As some things change, Matt Cooke remains the same -
http://www.tampabay.com/sports/hockey/lightning/article950518.ece
Dan the Guru, I am wondering if JL or DR stiffed you for a tip when you served them at Burger King? I cannot think of any other reason to continue to rail against them.
A guy like Benny gets called up to the NHL, he has an opportunity. But, if he does not put forth consistant effort, then he will languish in whatever system he is in. No team has the luxury of suiting guys who might play hard tonight or not.
The player must figure that out for themselves. They all need to remember that Hockey is played on two ends of the ice.
Any guy who is a defensive liability is because of attitude more than lack of ability because like Brainfreeze points out defense can be taught.
The sad truth is that if a player does not take care of his defensive responsibilities his team can’t afford to play them in the NHL.
As far as Dimetra and now Poulliot not playing “C”, perhaps Mikko and Belanger could play another ten minutes a game … then they would need only two centers so Poulliot and anyone else could play wing.
A player shoots much quicker with a lighter stick.
There was a short TV special, comparing wood sticks to composite, within the last two weeks or so. I think it was on Discovery Channel.
I cannot say for sure that I remember the results correctly, but I think the speed of the puck was essentially the same.
Nice. My boy Cal made HNIC.
ms.conduct said:
Nice. My boy Cal made HNIC.
Did you get the impression that Don Cherry likes the kid? I sure did.
Composite sticks make it easier to handle the puck because there is relatively no weight in a composite stick. Wrist shots and shap shots are much more stronger due to the “whip” factor you get with a composite. Slap shot speed are a wash. High end slappers will top out around 100 mph, give or take a couple mph. The main difference is you can break a composite with a mean glare, whereas the wood sticks are much more durable. Composites have also attributed to a higher number of slashing penalities being called. A player carrying the puck gets a light slash on the stick and the composites are much more likely to snap than a wood stick, which, in turn, is gonna cause Mr. Stripes to go up with the right arm.
does anyone know the wilds practice schedule? When do they practice at Parade Ice Garden?
Yeah, Spams… I was waiting for Grapes to go off on him for “leaving his visor on” and it was going to leave me PO’d for the evening. But he actually seemed pretty unsympathetic to TGO.
To all Pouliot haters… Sheppard is effinf AWESOME… he went 48 games with out a goal. Sheppard rules..
I’m going to have to disagree. Other then Burns, Koivu, and Gaborik, there is no more talented guy on the team and it’s his consistent dose of terrible linemates that is resulting in his lack of offense. It’s Jacques fault.
I agree, Dano, but don’t tell Lemaire, Risebrough and the STrib & PP bo-bos that. They all think BP is crap.
Iceman, you’re an idiot. Any fool can see that Pouliot spends a lot of time in the defensive end and doesn’t let “his player” wander like alleged defensive specialists Veilleux and Belanger tend to do.
OMG, the “but Shep’s underachieving, too” argument. My favorite. As though one player sucking somehow excuses the other from criticism.
When Shep comes down to Houston and gives about 50% of himself on a team desperate for his talents for 2 long years, I’ll rag on Shep.
GOOD LUCK BUDDHA
Amen Ms C!
I agree with Dan - Lemaire and DR probably need to go bye bye - look at how far we have slipped since 2004…….we havent gotten better, we have gotten worse or stayed the same…..lemaires system is antiquated and boring - bill mahoney did it here in 84 with the stars…..JL never lets players play to theor strengths - see gaborik, see pouliot see parrish even. DR is to blame for signing a homer to a huge contract to begin with - plus 6 mil a year for Johnnson?>?> was DR smoking BC budz when he inked these 2 deals?
I am still thinking we miss players like Voros and Fedoruk this year - Demitra would have been a hell of a bonus on the ice with Gaby out……
if JL’s meeting with DR in florida last spring had JL’s laundry list of get rid of all of the above - then they both should go bye bye NOW!!!
wow, i have read all the above and i have to say: Koivo rocks. Gaborik should remain a Wild player. Sheppard is still struggling. Benny is full of talent and needs to be left alone so he can grow into it! Burns is way better on D…that is it for now…
He’s full of something alright.
I am going to reply to some interesting comments from the locals. I am going to start with Hockey Guru Dan. His post is located below mine
Daniel,
When you purchase company stock you study the management of that company to determine if you want to buy stock in the company. If you were buying stock with the Minnesota Wild you would do the same.
Before you call for dooms day as your predictions show, why dont you consider a look at the management.
I dont think that this management will let the team go in the tank
Here is my prediction Guru. We will see who is closer to being right. I say the Wild get 17 points from Dec-28 to Jan 19.. Daniel you have the Wild getting 6 points. We will see who is right
Dec 28: v CHI…(Win by two goals)
Dec 29: @ CGY…Loss in OT
Dec 31: v SJS… Win in OT
Jan 3: v DET…. Win
Jan 4: @ COL…. Win
Jan 6: @ BOS….Loss in OT
Jan 8: @ PHI…. Loss
Jan 10: @ CLS… Win
Jan 13: v PHO… Win
Jan 15: v EDM… Loss in OT
Jan 17: v ANA… Win
Jan 19: @ CHI Loss
Hockey Guru Dan says:
December 26th, 2008 at 10:25 pm
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
Sorry MKIA but I have to lean towards Dan on this one. Calgary, Vancouver, Avs and Oil are all playing better as the season moves along-we are going the wrong way and are at least a few notches below both Flamers and Knuckleheads. Our quick start had two things going for it that has disappeared now- Miettinen on fire and a creampuff schedule. Now, the real season begins against tough NW Div. opponents and other top ten teams in the league. Miettinen is basically AWOL and Backstrom has leveled off-still a great goalie but he can’t win 2-1 every night, especially when we seen to give up 35-40 shots most nights. I think January is going to be one hellacious month for the boys and will expose our soft underbelly by the time Feb. rolls around.. ( no grit, stick-checking D-men, very little “O”, lousy 5 on 5 play, etc).
So everyone understands what I mean by playoff roster. Here is Russos clipping of the game today
RW Patrick Kane, last year’s Rookie of the Year, leads the Blackhawks with 41 points and has at least one point in 25 of 32 games
Kane Will be lucky if he gets 1 point in an entire playoff series. Yes Kane can help then get to the playoffs, but that is it. When they drafted him I was saying, why do you draft a guy 5-9 1st overall if your objective is to win the cup ?
Mister Know it all
Bork Bork Bork!
Flames are gonna kill us.
Knight 63. It is true what you say If Lemaire is not the coach. You have to look at the people in management. They have a terrfic history of winning and holding it together. I would buy stock in the club. I feel this roster can go far in the playoffs. But they have to get to them first
Misconduct, that game will be physical. Remember what Boogy did to Bork
Physical doesn’t = win when you can’t score.
You just like typing Bork.
Indeed Ms. C. Flames will skate circles around us. Monday is going to be a LONG night in Alberta.
My next posting I would like to comment on is Russo and his evil Twin. I like his post, but I must respond.
Subject 1: Tom Lynn
My guess in probably accurate. He is full of himself. I think he puts himself above others. His job title is his greatest accomplishment, and if he lost his job title, he might be up in section 200 with the Wild Road Tripper. This is my guess from his interviews and how he respects all fans
Subject 2: If your right on Gaby, then how could I guy like that ever be the key guy for your franchise. Great talent, but hockey is a kids game. He conducts himself with too much business is business type attitude. Hockey players cant do that and have your heart with the team at the same time
Russo’s Evil Twin says:
December 26th, 2008 at 7:35 pm
Subject #1: I will not comment on whether or not Tom Lynn has a bubbly personality and gives Wild employees hugs on a regular basis. I’ll leave that up to you all to guess. I will say, however, that the man is very, very smart. After getting his law degree and working at a prestigious NYC law firm, he worked for the NHL (representing them in league matters). He was then hired by the Wild to negotiate contracts, among other things.
Sublect #2: The next NHL contract Gaby signs will be his last NHL contract. Gaby wants to go to LA. He’ll probably end up signing with one of the southern Cal teams for roughly 5 years. You will not see him signing a 8-10 year deal, unless he has an opt out clause (which a guy in his position almost certainly would). He likes southern cal. He isn’t crazy about much else in North America. Never has been. Mark my words; he will return to the earthly oasis that is Trencin(insert joke here) sooner rather than later. Maybe play in the Russian league. Maybe give up hockey all together. Maybe buy off all the local Slovak cops and take the Batmobile out for a spin on the country roads (the heck with the F1 simulator, I can race through Trencin at 200 MPH!). Maybe just hang out at the local arena. MG Arena. I wonder if he gets free refreshments there? Anyhow, Gaby will walk away from the game long before the game tells him to leave. Unless, of course, his groin has any say in it
Knight if your going to the game tomorrow night I will bet you on the Calgary game. I am not saying they are going to win but I do think it will be very close. I think we can get a point
Great read Mr. Know it all!! I enjoyed it!
MKIA- I was thinking about taking my oldest daughter but other factors got in the way. I would take you up on that if I was goin’ tomorrow. They lose 4-1 Monday.
Whats with all the doom and gloom when it comes to calgary? the way I see it they are ready for a regulation loss which they havent had since dec 2nd. And the wild will be there to feast on the kipper!
You just like typing Bork.
So true. Any chance we can get BORK! on our team? That would be awesome.
BORK!!!!
But I still think CAL-gary slaughters us.
Max- Check the #’s vs. Calgary-especially up there. We have been dreadful up there. I believe the record up there over the last 4-5 yrs. is something like 1-11-2 or close to that. That’s where the doom and gloom comes from. I have watched alot of them lately on Center Ice and they are rolling right now in all phases of the game. We are rolling as well (the other way).
By the way-Kipper-snacks is unconscious against us as well-something like 22-5 I believe. More doom and gloom for ya, Max.
If I were a betting woman, the Calgary game is one I’d definitely put all my money on Calgary.
BORK!
Ok I’m gonna put an end to the wooden stick vs. composite stick theory. In my business, we manufacture a product that depends on the concept of ’storing energy’ in a material by bending it. Hockey sticks are made of the same raw materials, but the function is the same no matter what you use.
A material will store energy to a point. For example, if you take a pencil, hold it at either end, and bend it - the pencil will “snap” back to it’s original straight shape - hopefully. The material it’s made of is storing up the force you used to bend it, and using that force you can transfer it to something else.
Wood can store and transfer energy, however the amount of energy it can store before breaking is much less than the materials used in sticks: Carbon fiber, glass fiber, and PVE foam.
Carbon fiber is one of the best materials for storing energy. A good fiber can store something in the neighborhood of 400-500 Gigapascals of energy over a square centimeter, by bending it by an inch in total deflection. Wood by contrast varies by the type of wood, and what filler it might have. I looked to see if I could find some specs on Ash, and I couldn’t come up with any, but suffice to say it’s capacity for energy storage is much less than carbon or glass fiber.
So, when you swing the stick, it flexes - and it’s storing energy. When you contact the puck and the ice, it stores more. When your shot gets to the apex, there is no more resistance on the shaft, and all that stored energy is combined with your own force pushing the stick, and you get MORE power behind the shot, as the shaft releases it’s energy by straightening out.
You get accuracy when it straightens the exact same way each time, because you’ve lined up the carbon and glass fibers in a way that conducts them in only one axis.
So, new sticks will outperform old ones in power, and accuracy, but you still shouldn’t buy one for an 8 yr old. They can’t generate enough power to make it more effective for them.
By the way, anyone gonna be at McGoverns beforehand today?
That was super nerdy, MuN.
Well, really more geeky. Which is a good thing.
Bork!
Some times I wish Lemaire would change the style of hockey to more wide open. And I do hope they decide to hang on to Gabby. And pick up some decent free-agents that were/are/going to be out there. I know they have the money because the X is packed every home game.
If Lemaire had enough Ovechkin type players maybe he would change his style Proctor.
I forgot, aren’t the Wild essentially spending to the cap (less a contingency fund)?
Misconduct- please look at the link, and tell me what you think of Bork now !
My six year old nephew can load his stick pretty good already. Probably not typical. I always forget how young he is when I see him goof around.
The other thing I would add in the OPS vs wood is that wood sticks go dead much faster. Or as MuN might put it, they lose their ability to store energy faster. There’s really no need for most players to get the latest and greatest model that runs in the $150+ range. Get a prior year model for <$100 and unless you get unlucky and snap one (usually because of a weak spot created by a hack) it’s more economical in the long run.
But not for an 8 year old. Unless he’s really good.
Man- this deserves another link. My goodness this is a hit on BORK. Misconduct this might curve your thinking on your boy
heh MsC, if you want, I can post a link to a picture with the actual formulas for calculating tensile loading!
Oh, that may be crossing a geekiness line, MuN…
MKIA, Boogie may have won that hit, but Calgary sure won that game.
Bork! has been having a really good season so far.
Misconduct: Let me tell you the story behind that hit. Calgary has been abusing Minnesota star player Gaborik for years now. The most famous abuse I can remember was lifting the skates out from underneath Gabys and having him end up on his back.
This is not honest hockey but a type of hockey employed by Calgary/Keenan. Boogy does not make the hit on Bork the skill player if Calgary does not have the history
Note: clean hit by Boogy, and not a clean history by Calgary
Never the less, MKIA… Scoreboard.
Snacktime kiddies.
I made it through the party last night. It was touch and go for a bit, but somehow, I did it.
And… did I see the word gigapascals in MuNs post? Really? Gigapascals?
