Friday update: Koivu will travel
Posted on March 27th, 2009 – 11:37 AMBy Brian Stensaas
UPDATED AT 2:45 p.m. OK - just back from Wild practice and based on the last two hours here’s what I know:
James Sheppard has a nice cut under his right eye from his fight in New York. John Scott is kicking some tail in the players’ NCAA basketball pool. And Mikko Koivu will travel with the team to Alberta.
Hmmm. Maybe I should have listed that last one first …. 
Yes, Koivu practiced today fully with the team. He was pretty happy afterwards, about as upbeat as I’ve ever seen him. He will travel to Western Canada today and depending how he feels tomorrow morning, a decision then will be made whether or not he plays. Clearly this is a positive sign for a Wild team that needs all the help it can get. With teams all around it in the standings pulling out surprising victories (like Columbus shellacking Calgary and Nashville beating San Jose last night) Minnesota, too, needs to be one of those teams.
Considering the Wild has won three times in history at the Saddledome, any success at all will be considered an upset. An upset, though, is exactly what this team needs.
As far as practices go, today’s did seem a little more robust than normal. Guys definitely had a hop in their step. Perhaps seeing coach Jacques Lemaire use the line of Nolan-Koivu-Gaborik had a little something to do with that. Imagine the possibilities …. Will that line stay intact for tomorrow?
Russo has landed in Calgary (or at least he’s somewhere he can send/receive e-mail) and will have you covered through the weekend. He’ll also be on the airwaves at 6p.m. tonight for a special Friday edition of Russo Radio - don’t miss it!
One last final note (nothing surprising here) Brent Burns and Derek Boogaard will not make the trip.
49 Responses to "Friday update: Koivu will travel"
That’s what I like to here!
He was probably getting crap from Bruno and Nolan so…
http://communities.canada.com/calgaryherald/blogs/insideflames/default.aspx
Anybody else think this is just hilarious!
we’re comin we’re commmmmmin……
“Columbus police Sgt. Rich Weiner” why doesnt he go by Dick instead of Rich?
Backs,
Thats passion I guess…it is funny. One can only hope he made similar calls to Backstrom and the Wild to inspire them to their trip to Alberta. (Just kidding though)
Did anyone else quick skim Stencil’s post and read “Figure skating in all drills.”? 
Yeah!!! Good news, thanks.
goody, no. surprisingly, no. i always twist words around!
RUSSO-Is boogs going to play?
Oh captain, my captain
richard b, nice reference to dead poets’ society.
Dead Poet’s Society = Classic
50% Koivu > 100% Sheppard
Perhaps I’m the only one but…
Stencils’ blog title made me think of one of those hunting/fishing shows. I was picturing him crawling around the X in full camo using binoculars and talking in a hushed but super exicted manner about spotting a Koivu. Feel free to insert a fake Australian accent: “Wow. Just look at that Koivu gliding majestically over the ice. Incredible.”
Ok, so it’s probably just me. Maybe I should take a nap…
Please don’t get more injured Koivu!!!
Brian - thanks for the good news.
Koivu = Tough as Nails! He probably just spit on it and rubbed a little dirt into his knee. That’s why he’s wearing the C!
Maybe Mikko and Bruno can get a group rate on knee braces and then knee surgery… whatever. Shoot ‘em up and send ‘em out.
atta boy Mikko.
In other news: anyone who thinks Gaby will be going to the net like this if/after he signs a big contract is kidding himself.
For the Wild, for now, I’ll take it. But let’s not pretend like he’s come back as the reincarnation of Dino Ciccarelli.
Koivu appears to be taking a page out of the Bruno/Nolan book on how to play hockey!
When asked on whether he had read this book, Gabby said there weren’t enough pictures and didn’t talk about him enough for his liking!
ms.c
i heard nashville got terror threats that said there 2 big of hill billies to threaten ha ha ha
I’d be curious to see what Mr. Russo has to say about this discussion:
http://blogs.citypages.com/blotter/2009/03/wild_death_marc.php
JMP:
Kroikes! Just look at em’! Ah, he’s a big bloke. Wouldn’t want to mess with ‘im today!
RIP Steve Erwin.
nolan, gaby and koivu? that would be nice to see…at least for a period.
Stencils- great news.
Brian @ 2:56: agreed.
you can queue up questions at the Matt Thomas portion of am1500 site via email, etc.
Good for franchise, we’re going to need all the help we can get. Should be an exciting weekend!
Kj- thanks for stating the obvious, but that’s probably expected. Koivu’s got a few years on Sheppard.
Kj- thanks for stating the obvious, but that’s probably expected. Koivu’s got a few years on Sheppard.
Alert DR
Has it ever been said when/how Burns got concussed? I remember Russo noting that he was on the ice at the end of the SJ OT win and then he hasn’t played in any games since then. Did it happen during the game and he played through it?
The Brent Burns thing is curious. No report on what brought on these symptoms. I know it’s possible that something happened that didn’t seem obvious at the time is behind it, but I guess I would have expected Russo or Shipley to find out what and report something. Not that concussions aren’t serious, but I certainly hope it’s not anything more serious.
nice hockey fix with Russo radio… happy sigh…
I saw these mock drafts on nhl.com tonight http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=415494. 2 of the 3 guys have the Wild taking Jordan Schroeder with the 11th pick. Not worth a whole lot, but interesting to see some of the names none the less.
That a baby Koivu! Good to see players suck it up when the season is on the line. I dig your comment Instigator. I’m torn between not wanting to play Gabby and wanting to play him because I want the Wild to make the playoffs. It’s just a shame the guy turned his back on the team the way he did, in my opinion anyway. Putting the necessity of playing Gabby during the late season push, am I the only one who thinks we shouldn’t be allowing him to audition for a contract somewhere else? And, yes, I am assuming that he is done with the Wild as I have seen nothing to tell me otherwise, especially after the soap opera that went down earlier this season with people being axed from the X and his comments and attitude and what not.
EDIT: I meant putting the necessity of playing Gabby during the playoffs aside, am I the only one who thinks the Wild shouldn’t play him because he’s just auditioning for next year’s contract with a team other than the Wild?
[…] Russo’s Rants – […]
Go figure I learn something on a Friday night. Russo covered the Miami Heat during the NHL lockout.
Ok so figure this one. Isles just beat Wings 2-0 in Detroit?!
woodcock - really? no freaking way or what happened to the R-wings.
Michael - who won the prizes from last weekends contest? … why you don’t want to go to Detroit and what was up with the wireless connection at the chateau russo.
Who can figure the NHL. Isles look terrible against us at home and then beat Wings on the road.
sounds vaguely familiar…
Russo & Matt Thomas had some interesting thoughts about the Isles and some of their guys taking runs at Butch, Miets, Zids.
Hey, I resisted the brainwashing, didn’t do the Friday night drive through fast food to get the fish.
M03, what were these thoughts? Grease beating Quackers 2-1 but being outshot 15-4 at end of 1st.
We’re screwed. Why do we always seem to get the “just a player away” teams their very first game after a proper shellacking?? It would appear we get to be treated to another analyst somewhere saying: I wouldn’t want to have to play this team tonight…..
It will either be the usual saddledome rash, or a squeaker one goal…..
The latter being completly poachable though…..
M 03: “Give me that filet-o-fish,
Give me that fish…”
Anyhow…the Wild cannot catch a break from anyone else, can they? Anaheim sure rolled over and layed dead last night. Two Edmonton goals in a 9-second span? Both against J.S. Giguere? What’s up with that?
Isles 2, Detroit 0: May the Wild catch the Dead Things like that…I think the Islanders got a talking to after Wednesday’s game…
Just a few morning thoughts.
That was “Anaheim sure rolled over and played dead last night.”
And my fingers aren’t working like they should this morning!
I don’t know if I want to watch the game tonight. Of course I don’t know if I’ll be awake to watch the game tonight. 12 hr day today is not condusive for a 9:00 game start.
I’m glad Mikko’s skating and everything, but I just hope he doesn’t hurt it worse by playing on it.
random thought: the life is good - about 5 minutes from where I live, every Saturday morning [except the hot of summer], there are a group of guys that play shinny on two tennis courts. Sometimes they start early with multiple snowblowers to clear the surface or days like today, they probably hit the court running. Very nice.
WRT: hysterical. Thanks for the chuckle.
woodcock - re: Matt Thomas has an on-demand portion on the am1500 webpage with Russo radio segments available. They covered a bunch of topics and the diaglogue is terrific.
C’mon, Ms. C., you want to watch the train wreck tonight at 9 PM…you really do…
The am1500.com webpage did not have the Russo Radio bit when I looked earlier this morning. You telling me someone actually works at that station on weekends?
Uh, oh.
The Wild boys played a great game on Long Island and win going away. Then they have a good day-before practice (Calgary) on Friday with a lot of “hop” in their steps. This ain’t good folks. Those facts alone point to another “where was the team that practiced yesterday?”-type of game tonight in Calgary. How many times this year has that exact thing happened to this team? Answer: way, way, way too many times to count.
Not to mention, Calgary has lost 7 of 10 and has been shutout in it’s past two games. You don’t think they’ll come out flying against us tonight, do you. Yipes!!
Maybe JL and the coaching staff should be having the Wild guys watch some video of the UMD Bulldogs. Talk about a team that’s “getting it done”. Wow!! Go Dogs!!!
Going out on a limb here and predicting a ONE point weekend for our Wild, if we’re lucky.
i know we shouldn’t post anything from the competition, but did anyone else read this?
http://www.twincities.com/wild/ci_12013721
don russo, please tell me this isn’t true! i don’t have anything against harding, but aren’t we paying backstrom to be the starting goalie and not for a two goalie system?
