Koivu a maybe, with a lot of winks and caveats; Bouchard out with headache
Posted on March 28th, 2009 – 12:00 PMBy Michael Russo
This will be the most painful blog I’ve ever written. My finger tips are frozen, and heading toward the numb stage. For sportswriters, this is like a sprained MCL.
But like Mikko Koivu, I’ll just throw a brace on and try to give it a go because games are too important this time of year.
Koivu looked mighty good during today’s morning skate. He said it feels much better than he thought it would feel five days ago. He worked extra long on the ice today, which usually is an indication he wouldn’t play.
And coach Jacques Lemaire said if he’ll play this weekend, it’ll be tomorrow’s game at Edmonton rather than tonight because the team wouldn’t want him to play two games in two days.
But then he admitted Koivu “probably” didn’t know this was the team’s plan. I asked Lemaire if Koivu came to you and said he wants to play, would you change your mind, and he said, “I might,” before laughing.
So it’ll be up to Koivu, the trainers and oh yes, Dr. Sheldon Burns. Team doctors never travel until the playoffs, but whattayaknow, Dr. Burns is on the trip. Nobody’s saying why, but we can assume that the Wild wants to make sure Koivu’s taken care of and treated, and if he’s going to be playing, it’s Dr. Burns who is clearing him.
Koivu, with a ton of winks (maybe he just had something in his eye), said, “What do you think?” when asked if he wanted to play. When I asked if he’d be on the shelf a whole lot longer if it wasn’t this point of year, he said, “I don’t want to comment on that. You know how it is (with a wink).”
He said his knee feels steady and strong.
If Koivu doesn’t play, Calgary boy Craig Weller will. That’s because Pierre-Marc Bouchard, who has one career goal vs. Calgary, is out. He left the ice early with what the team is calling a headache. If Koivu plays, Weller won’t play.
It looked like John Scott’s in and Kurtis Foster is out.
As for the Flames, they are under the gun. Front page of the Calgary Sun: “TIME TO FIRE KEENAN?”
Just a tad absurd, even for the “Often Fired One.”
The Wild has come to Calgary umpteen times of the years with the Flames in the dumpster. And usually, the Wild is just what the doctor ordered for the sick Flames. I remember a few years ago the Wild came here in late October, and on the front page of one of the papers was a big panic button with the headline, “Is it time to press the panic button?” Flames beat the Wild, and then exploded onto a winning streak.
Obviously, the Wild cannot afford to be their medicine tonight. If so, it’ll be like a death blow. I truly believe the Wild has to win six of eight to make the playoffs — at least. It’s like they’re on a treadmill right now. Even if they win, they’re idle the next few days and wind up right back where they were. A win streak is going to be the only thing that saves this season.
Talked with Olli Jokinen for awhile today. He had a great line. I asked him about finally playing in a hockey market after years in Florida, and also places like L.A., Islanders and Phoenix. He said he went to the airport last night to pick up his family, and these kids came up to him. He thought they were going to ask for an autograph, and instead, they ripped into him for the way the teams been playing and that he hasn’t scored in a couple games.
42 Responses to "Koivu a maybe, with a lot of winks and caveats; Bouchard out with headache"
Probably safer for Butch to miss this game anyway. Phandoof would probably just take a cheapshot on him if he played.
Hey MRS. C
Can you explain how the AHL shootouts work? I was looking at the Aeros box score from last night, and it looks like each team got about 10-12 attempts, and it looks like Benny Poohbaah tried 3 times?
Are they able to resuse shooters before going thru the whole bench?
Must be carma.PMB’s play has made me sick all season after signing that fat deal, Should have traded him to the devils for Gionta when it was on the table.
Should have traded him to the devils for Gionta when it was on the table.
Does anyone else recall this?
WRT & others: I hope this works. 3/27 Russo radio posted up top and last week’s is at the bottom of the list. gimme that fish.
http://www.am1500.com/ondemand/od_mattthomas.shtml
Bouchard doesn’t show up against Calgary anyways, so I don’t see it as much of a loss.
Michael - you are the best. Thanks for the update. OJ story - very cool.
hope they all wear their big boy underwear tonight.
Remember: it was against the Flames that we clinched the division last year (granted it was in our building.)
Why does hope always spring eternal, anyway? 
Re: the two-goalie system article in the PP - http://www.twincities.com/wild/ci_12013721?nclick_check=1
As a DR ripper I have to admit this is savy - getting it out there for the public as well as other teams to understand that if you want to make an offer for Harding its going to have to be a good one. Not sure how much the Wild will have to qualify him for and how the contract will get ironed out (but we know Josh is a team player) but I guess there is a limit to how much the Wild can have tied up in goalies when were chasing goal scorers to come to Where Players Want To Play(TM).
SGS…is it Where Players Want To Play©?
PMB out and Koivu in is a bonus.
PMB out and Weller in is worth the same on the scoreboard.
6 of 8 may get them in, depending on which teams they beat.
Bouchard comes down with Saddledomitus.
- According to the good folks at LegalZoom.com, copyrights include literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works while TMs cover intellectual property such as titles, names, short phrases, and slogans as well as familiar symbols or designs. However, if you were suggesting that DR has evolved “Where Players Want To Play” to a work of art, than I tip my hat to your wit and wisdom 
- I say go all in on Weller tonight and give him minutes similar to Bouchard. If 6 of 8 only might get them in then its time to roll the dice.
So, 6GS, it should be a trade mark (TM) as opposed to a copyright symbol (C)?
Intobilvion: That’s a good’un! “Saddledomitus”…the inability to win hockey games in prestressed concrete structures near oil fields…I kinda like it! 
kj: You really believe the Wild will win 6 of their last 8? Really?
I didn’t think so, either…
2 days in a row? UNH ties the game with .3 seconds left.
Dampland - An AHL shootout is scheduled for five rounds. If it is tied after five shooters the coach must reuse the original five shooters but he can shuffle the order in which they shoot.
For example, here is the Aeros shootout line up from last night:
1st Round of Five
Morten Madsen
Corey Locke
Krys Kolanos
Marco Rosa
Benoit Pouliot
2nd Round of Five
Benoit Pouliot
Krys Kolanos
Corey Locke
Morten Madsen
Marco Rosa
3rd Round of Five
Krys Kolanos
Benoit Pouliot
Corey Locke
- I am going to with this for now: Where Players Want To Play(TM) - but I think it is open to debate
- The UNH goal was officially at 0.1 - as unbelievable as the UMB comeback last night
- UNH wins - later Sioux!!!!
If you have to play 4 games in 6 nights, would it be better to play 2 back-to-back game sets like the Wild or 1 b2b set then one every other night?
Russo, do you know how Burns got hurt? I know he finished the game but was there a specific hit that you know about?
Thanks Aaron. What he said. Nutty game last night. I want to give Dimples a hug.
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how about,…ya gotta want it (TM)
TIME TO FIRE KEENAN?
This just in…. newspaper editor for the Sun has madcow….
He thought they were going to ask for an autograph, and instead, they ripped into him for the way the teams been playing and that he hasn’t scored in a couple games.
Hey BRADEN! Why don’t you try winning a few games for a change huh?
Team doctors never travel until the playoffs, but whattayaknow, Dr. Burns is on the trip. Nobody’s saying why, but we can assume that the Wild wants to make sure Koivu’s taken care of and treated, and if he’s going to be playing, it’s Dr. Burns who is clearing him.
Thank you!!! Thank you!!! Thank you!!! Thank you!!! Thank you!!! Thank you!!! Thank you!!! Thank you!!! Thank you!!! Thank you Wild management!!!!
anyone watching the aero’s they play on fsn at 7pm
thanks for the reminder, wild1. I saw it earlier today on the schedule but forgot about it until you mentioned.
Somebody get Butch some advil. A headache deserves the night off. Come on!
Does anyone know how did B Burns get such a concussion?
Maybe he is due to score his second ever goal tonight. Perhaps the Wild are due to win at the Saddledome for a change as well.
I don’t think anyone knows how Burns was concussed and the team might not know either. Correct me if I am wrong but I think athletes have gone weeks before being diagnosed properly.
FYI, FSNorth has last night’s Aeros game on right now, if you want to see what 13 rounds of shootout looks like.
In Butch’s defense, perhaps it’s a migraine and not just a headache? I couldn’t imagine trying to play with a migraine… All those lights and the noise would just be brutal… And if he doesn’t play well against this team anyway, what’s the loss?
13 round’s wow
Ok SGS, you win:
Where Players Want To Play™
Flamers by 3 tonight.
Do we need that for this too?
GTRCMBSHP™
So Where Players Want To Play™ is a TM for now but could elevate to an art form and a (C) as soon as July 1
I hope i don’t have to type this all the time:
NiNY®
WRT©
SGS™
kj you say flames by 3 i hope not i hope it’s wild by 2
I hope PMB’s headache isn’t the start of any concussion-like symptoms. He was hit hard in the Isles game.
Anyone else gonna miss a critical game down the stretch?? BTW I still don’t recall when Burns was injured???
Mikko out tonight. I guess they’re already chalking this up as loss.
PMB’s out with a case of PMB-itis, sometimes referred to as un-professionalism and or unaccountability. Now’s not the time for this BS. Brunette? Can’t call him a ghost, he’s there with half as many knees as it takes the average person to climb the stairs.
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AARON,
Thanks for the shootout info.
After I posted, I actually got to watch the Aeros game on replay on FSN.
Too bad they lost that one, they seemed to dominate the 3rd and OT.
