Wednesday update
Posted on April 1st, 2009 – 1:17 PMBy Brian Stensaas
Every last member of the Minnesota Wild was on the ice today - including the injured Derek Boogaard, Pierre-Marc Bouchard and Brent Burns. But before you go thinking this was some sort of April Fool’s Day joke, it was only because today was team picture day. Not that it wasn’t without some follies. John Scott’s jersey was about three sizes too big. And Burns wore just his jersey, breezers and skates. He looked pretty funny with bare legs skating to the photo risers.
Wearing the road whites, players gathered with coaches, management and staff to say cheese for about 40 seconds (and laugh through some fake flatulence) then scattered to continue on with their Wednesdays - which was an off day for most. Just seven players returned to the ice for practice, which was run by Mario Tremblay. Coach Jacques Lemaire was the quickest to leave (I never even saw him downstairs) followed by Owen Nolan. He was plotting with Tom Reid (welcome back!) on where to catch some European Soccer matches this afternoon in St. Paul.
Eric Belanger stuck around the longest, but not by choice. Someone got him good today by filling his black Mercedes with Styrofoam packing peanuts. And when I say filled - I mean filled. He was not a happy camper, and was supposedly looking around for security tapes to catch the culprit(s).
Tremblay also tried an April Fool’s Day joke by filling his hand with some sort of goop and attempted to shake hands with people after practice. Young Colton Gillies was the only one who fell for it.
As you’ll read more about in tomorrow’s paper, this is clearly a group that is not letting last night’s loss get them too bad. Sure, they’re not happy with the overtime loss. But what good does it do to sulk? Though it has the deck stacked against it, the team is not out of the playoff race officially.
Next up, however, is a game Friday with Calgary (the Flames will no doubt be out for blood as they attempt to reclaim the Northwest Division lead) then a trip to defending champion Detroit. Easy? Hardly.
Russo’s back with you for that stretch, beginning with practice tomorrow morning.
77 Responses to "Wednesday update"
How do you get too big of a jersey for Big John Scott? Was it a goalie cut?
Nice prank on Bela.
Oh, sweet Colton.
I would be pissed if I was Bela also. You can never fully get rid of packing peanuts, just like that plastic Easter grass, he’ll be finding it even when he goes to trade in that car for something new.
>>>this is clearly a group that is not letting last night’s loss get them too bad.<<<
Perspective. These are young men making spitwads of money playing a kid’s game. It’s not like they are the mass of men and women leading lives of quiet desperation who attempt to escape from reality and quell the emptiness in their otherwise pathetic lives by vicariously living out their fantasies as fans and groupies.
That lengthy post in the last thread about covered it. I know others will disagree, but I do think SRV deserves better. He has been a hard working solid team player since Day 1. You developed him from a pup and now you tell him to take a hike over a few hundred K.
Perhaps Gaby’s departure and resulting salary cap relief will be mostly used to sop up the cut that is coming in the cap. Hope that is not the case.
>>>I would be pissed if I was Bela also.<<<
OH please. It’s packing peanuts. He’ll drop it by his auto detailer and it will be good as new.
Otoh, these boys will be boys pranks are half of what is great about being part of a team. Yanking a teammate’s chain is the highest form of flattery and manlove.
Colton must really be that slow in the head. I believe it was him that put “Yukon” down on his bracket.
Aww, he’s a pup, richard… be nice. He’s got plenty of years left to become cagey and cynical.
True, and he is Canadien. Nothing wrong with that, but that’s probably the reason he doesn’t know what basketball is.
I’m still finding packing peanuts from Christmas 2 years ago. I found some stuck to a pair of shoes I haven’t worn since the card store I worked at closed over a year ago. I’m cranky today Stoned so my first reaction was to tell you to bite me. But you’ll have to excuse me, the only pranks I experienced as part of a team were part of a vindictive plan to get me to quit so a more suitable (i.e. thinner, prettier) girl could have my spot. I only wish the pranks I put up with were just someone yanking my chain, girls aren’t like that in my experience, at least not teenage ones, it’s why all my close friends were and are (except for H.) guys. So I just don’t understand or like pranks, they usually left me crying in a band practice room, pretending to be teaching myself piano.
Sorry to get up on my soap box but the high school girls we had go through on tour today made me so angry the way they were picking on this other girl before the tour started. Reminded me a lot of my high school days, before I said smurf it and joined band with the Mr and my other friends (again mostly guys).
[…] Generation Bubble put an intriguing blog post on Wednesday updateHere’s a quick excerptHe was plotting with Tom Reid (welcome back!) on where to catch some European Soccer matches this afternoon in St. Paul. […]
The local sports radio station here in Vancouver this morning announced that Pavel Bure was returning to the Canucks. And they even interviewed him over the phone and he backed it up. They ran with it all morning until they revealed it was all an April fools joke. Pavel Bure hasn’t played in 6 years yet tons of people believed them and were all excited. Oh, April’s fools!
van Riemsdyk has officially signed a deal with the Flyers.
Alan…be gone. You’re ‘old’ news. We need to focus our hatred on Cowtown… 
Hey wild players - who wants to golf in april - get your tee times ready, becuase after friday you aint going to no stinking playoffs!
Alan, do you really want that getting out. It doesn’t say much for the intelligence of Nucks fans if they believe that one. 
Now if you want to be productive, help us send bad joujou towards the Cows.
Those of you still clinging to the hope of the playoffs need to be cheering on Chicago tonight against the Blues.
those of us hoping for the playoffs should be looking forward to next season!
NETminder1 says:
April 1st, 2009 at 3:53 pm
those of us hoping for the playoffs should be looking forward to next season!
Or maybe a stiff drink…
Russo Radio soon.
http://www.am1500.com/cf/emailTheBooth.cfm queue up Matt Thomas
CO and NYI are in the Tavares hunt.
Hey no picking on Gillies. He’s still a pup.
Or maybe a stiff drink…
Or a grip on reality.
My sources from the X tell me that the culprits were Boogard and Clutterbuck.
Don’t worry, I’m not outing them.
Apparently one of the security guards spilled the beans when a pissed Belanger came calling.
Video exists. It’d be cool if someone could get a copy.
SRV was virtually non-existent most of this season, and only recently (when the reality of his impending UFA status began creeping into his consciousness?) did he start scoring with any regularity. He doesn’t do anything unique.
I have nothing against him. But let’s not pretend he’s the second coming of Wes Walz.
also, and I’m truly sorry for the second straight negative post tonight, it seems like every time the boys are loose in practice this season they come out and take a big steamin’ dump on the ice in their next game.
I liked their effort last night. But there’s a difference between not letting the loss distract them from their laser-like focus on making the playoffs and not letting the loss bum them out. I hope it’s the former.
Ha! The only bad thing is that Bela wasn’t packed in there and shipped to another team…..Maybe we can put Him, Johnsson (See last night’s game winner) Zidlicky and bergeron in an SUV filled with Packing peanuts and send them far away.
- My email got on Russo Radio! But it was not as much of a talker as I hoped.
- The pending split between SRV and the Wild will join the Pascal Dupuis trade on the positive mutual break up list. With Fritchie, Mittens and Cal, I don’t know how you could even miss #19.
It’s far too easy to let life overtake you without stopping from time to time to regain perspective. We honor our grandparents, and the generations that preceded us, by striving to live by the principles they taught us. By instilling those principles in our children so their sacrifices are not forgotten. R.I.P Grandpa Herzog. Love always.
Pending split between SRV and the Wild? Another April Fools?
SGS: woo hoo! - I heard the name and said a Russoville faithful.
IceMan: Russo has been saying that for a month or more.
KW: condolences on Grandpa Herzog.
The Mr has found a new use for the swiffer duster handle, he’s discovered it will slide down into his cast so he can scratch his leg. Remind me not to use it to clean the house with.
I don’t even know what to say about this season. We have guys with talent, we just don’t have top scoring line.
Anybody know a Voodoo Priestess to send bad joujou toward the Cows? Anybody?
Bela, Zidlickikikikey, Johnsson, Skoula, Bergeron…..and the list goes on and on and on! Let’s not forget Dougie!!!
kj: when/where are the next few appearances for the house band supreme of Russoville?
Thanks for the information M 03. I like SRV, he gives all he has to give the team.
Now, if you were going to get a premium wing and needed his position then I suppose it makes sense.
The thing about professional sports is that the a team nearly turns over in ten years give or take. Some guys are like Nolan and can play on a high level well beyond the norm.
IceMan: Thanks. SRV is a team guy. Russo’s take is #22 is younger and less $ than #19.
Hawks up 2-0 on St. Louis after 2.
BG: Don’t be afraid of the Swiffer handle; just think of it as one more thing he can do by himself.
Martin Skoula: ‘Scoring machine’?
As you can tell, I got nothin’ tonight.
CHI vs. STL 3-0, nice!
M03…our debut of the ‘new’ lineup is April 24th @ Black Dawg in Burnsville.
May 30th @ The Blue Fox
June 26th @ Minnesota Music Cafe
Plenty of opportunities for the Russoville faithful to catch up with Full Circle…
If i were driving a Mercedes, and someone were to play an April Fool’s day joke on me, I think packing peanuts wouldn’t be very bad at all.
I could think of (and have seen) way, way worse.
Here’s to the Wild. I kind of wish, however, that, i believe the phrase goes, go or get off the crapper. I just wish they would either clinch, or get knocked out. None of this waiting till the last moment stuff.
I suppose it could lead to some exciting play in the last few games here…
That’s pretty nice about them including the fill-in practice goalie in some of the team photos. Pretty cool of ol’ Dougie there.
I truely believe if we win these last 5 games that we will make the playoffs. You never know. Columbus might not win another game, that could make three spots open. You can look at odds all you want but nothing can predict what will happen. Its not going to be easy but its there for the taking, we still control our fate. The good thing is all the bubble teams are playing the top teams and eachother so its really up to them. Time to put together the last few games bhoys or hit the fairways.
Columbus will not lose all of their remaining games; they still play both Nashville and St. Louis, and the BJ’s should win those. In addition, they beat the Hawks twice back-to-back three weeks ago.
The teams you should be looking at are St. Louis and Nashville; St. Louis is in the middle of a 5-game road trip, and Nashville has a lot of injuries right now.
This assumes the Wild win out, which given their history this season, is not a good assumption to make.
A race to the bitter end with the playoff’s at stake and the fans just wish it would be over?
I think it is great that every game is meaningful. If they ultimately lose out, so what?
wild win 5 anahiem loses two
and nashville loses two and edmonton 2 we are in
Mark: “wild win 5″
You can stop right there.
A cynic would stop at ‘wild win’…
Wild has 3 home games left.
The team has NOT WON 3 IN A ROW AT HOME ALL *&^%$ SEASON!
did you know???
there are only 21 players with 30 or more goals in the NHL right now.
29 players and the Wild has none of them.
29 is correct. TSN just updated.
seems like netting 30 is like batting 300 in baseball
Probably the main reason that Boogey and CC, allegedly…that is, filled Bella’s Mez with packing peanuts was that they knew exactly what would happen when he saw it!! His reaction was quite predictable, given his personality.
Given the fact that this season and the Wild’s playoff “hopes” are indeed over, whether the Kool-Aid sippers and gulpers want to actually admit it to themselves or not, I am now throwing my support for the Division title to Calgary. Yes, that’s right….Calgary. The reason for this is purely personal, and quite simple actually. Other than the Green Bay Packers and their fans, and the NoDak Souix and their fans, probably THE team and group of fans I dispise the most is the Canucks. The reason for my disdain for all three is the on-going, never-ending, omni-present, off-the-charts obnoxiousness they display 24/7/365, whether at home, on the road, during the season, in the off-season, or in the freakin’ john, for goodness’ sake!! So to that end, I definitely do not want to see Van beat out the Flames for the NWest this season.
I will enjoy the game as usual tomorrow night, but will not be all-that-upset should our Wild come out and lay another turkey “load” on the ice, which is of course VERY likely given the great effort put forth on Tuesday, and the fact that they pretty much seem to have acknowledged / accepted the inevitable after the loss against Van. At least that’s the “word on the street”, so to speak.
And remember, Calgary plays tonight in Dallas, so that all but assures that the Wild will get smoked tomorrow night.
Even more so if the Flames play their back-up goaltender against us. Anyone wanna look up what the Wild’s record is this season against other teams backups. It’s BAD, really BAD….
>>>>SRV is a team guy. Russo’s take is #22 is younger and less $ than #19.<<<<
I understand the dollars motivation, but SRV is in the line up every night, works hard and does what he is asked to do. The fact that he isn’t on the score sheet more is because of his role.
What SRV wanted was a 3 year deal and a million bucks a year. He is a draft choice. You are going to cut him loose over a couple hundred K a year and a longer term commitment?
He’ll likely end up making more money on a better team. I guess that would temper my disappointment at seeing him leave.
Agreed. Can’t cheer for the Nux, but not sure yet if I can support a team coached by Keenan.
WRT: re.. the swiffer handle, it’s not so much the handle I fear, but the ooky things growing on his leg in the cast. I was helping him clean his toes on that leg the other day and I almost blew chuncks from the stench of his “hasn’t been washed since surgery” leg. It got cleaned up a bit when they changed the cast but otherwise it’s just a festering pool of yuck wrapped in red fiber glass. He finaly let me draw on the cast, since the niece and nephew wanted to sign it when he went down with his mom for their birthday he let me draw on it also. The dogs signed it and I wrote “Ya can’t spell calder with out Cal!” on it. We now have my sisters boys Flat Stanley, Stans gonna sign it and help “take care” of the Mr in some pictures. Stan also gets to go to the game with H. and I next Tuesday. Lunch almost over so I better go.
>>>van Riemsdyk has officially signed a deal with the Flyers.<<<
With a name like that, I still say he is passing up a lucrative and less injury prone career as an adult film star. Who knows. Maybe he is more physically suited to being a hockey player. Of course, no one is saying he can’t pursue it after he hangs up the blades. Van Reimsdyk starring in “Put the Biscuit in the Basket”
As a warning Bandgeek. I used a bent coat hanger to scratch my itch when I had a cast. Maybe the doc told you this, but if he scratches too hard under the cast and cuts himself, it is an environment very prone to infection.
The Wild need a player like SRV. Do they need 10 - NO, but they certainly need a few and SRV & Clutz fill that role.
Is he the second coming of Walz or any other great grinder? No, but it is pretty obvious that a lot of people totally underestimate what he contributes to the team.
But at the same time there is no need to over pay for him.
Van Reimsdyk starring in “Put the Biscuit in the Basket”
lawls! That is classic!
As far as the SRV talk goes. I like the dude. He works hard. But Fritzy is faster (a lot faster… I am continually surprised how quick he actually is) and better than SRV. C-Buck is a more efficient checker than SRV ever was. He is a good dood, but I wouldn’t be crushed to see him go. As long as when he goes, he finds another home in the NHL and not in some Swiss D-League I have never heard of.
Stoned, that’s why he likes the swiffer handle, smooth plastic is much less likely to cut him than a coat hanger.
Now you guys have made me all sick minded… must not laugh out loud at adult film jokes… must not draw attention to the fact I’m not doing my work….
i like SRV and he has done everything asked of him without complaining but that doesn’t exactly mean the team owes him anything.
i understand stoned’s point that it is only a couple hundred thousand but at his level, that is a lot of money.
WILD WILL WIN 5 IN A ROW I JUST THINK THEY WILL WIN DESPITE THE COACHING TACTICS OF THAT FOOL LEMAIRE.HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN GONE A LONG TIME AGO HAS DONE NOTHING SICNCE DAY ONE.
NASHVILLE AND ANAHIEM BOTH WILL LOSE TWO MORE TIMES AND THE OILERS WELL ENOUGH SIAD THE BLUES AND WILD WILL BE 7 AND 8
It’s still anybody’s guess whether Marian Gaborik will return to the Minnesota Wild next season.
Two top NHL management officials — not with the Wild — were asked this week where they thought Gaborik, 27, who can become an unrestricted free agent after the season, would end up. One said Gaborik would remain in Minnesota “because that’s where he belongs.”
The other said there was no chance “because it’s become a (lost) relationship deal now.”
See, I think people underestimate what Belanger brings to the team.
SRV is a dime-a-dozen checking winger. If he thinks he’s worth more than the other dime-a-dozen checking wingers already on the roster - and I’m not saying he does because I don’t know - then you move on. If he wants to play ball then play ball.
gabby brunu nolan and koivo will lead us to the promised land i am predicting a stanley cup for the first time here in minny this year all agee say IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!
gaborik will be back in a wild sweater next year after we win the cup this year he will see its him and the others around him (except lemaire )lemaire will be the one gone THANK GOD and bring in new blood thats wants to score and keep the cup here for around 3 years in a row GO WILD still believe in ya
Austin TX,
I hear what you say about Fritz, but I actually think he has the ability to progress up into more of a scorer than banger. More of a Bella role, instead of a an SRV role.
As far as the roster for next year, I think the following guys will be gone as FA or cut (assuming they are FA, and I am not sure about all of them)
MAB - Terrible on Defense and Zids is just as good on Offense.
Gabby - we all know he is gone $$$$$
Weller - never really showed up all season.
Boogie - We can no longer afford to pay a guy who plays 4 minutes a game, and misses 20-30 games a year because of injury or match ups
Foster - He was a 6th defenseman before the injury, and J. Scott shows more promise at this point.
Plus I think Gilles needs to play regular, and next year he should hit the AHL, play 20 minutes a night, and be ready for a call up in 2011. The kid will be good, he just needs time to develop.
That leaves
Centers: Mikko, Bella, Shep, Fritz
RW: Nolan, Butch, Mitts, Clutz
LW: Bruno, SRV, *FA signing*, and either Benny, Kolanos or Olvecky.
Defense:
Burns, Yawnson, Zids, Shultz, J. Scott, and a resigned Skoula. Or we let Skoula go, and bring up Cuma.
Offseason goals - Sign Cammellari from Calgary, and find another top winger to bring in.
Oh yeah, and draft center Scott Glennie with our 10-12th pick in the first round.
I would not like to make decisions decisions not to sign guys like SRV.
He came up through the system, has given all he has to give every night. He plays pretty much injury free and apparently a good team guy.
Yet, a team needs to create a roster spot for a proven scorer if they are to get better.
One said Gaborik would remain in Minnesota “because that’s where he belongs.”
The other said there was no chance “because it’s become a (lost) relationship deal now
- I am going to take the second management official for the win Charley 
- Damp - I think it is safe to guess that Belanger is traded and Saku finally gives the Wild two legit centers even if one of them is getting up there in years. The Wild’s second line next year could be sponsored by Geritol - Bruno/Saku/Nolen
Sounds like a team that will get pushed around, Damp.
Toivo,
I agree it is not a playoff caliber looking roster. But I think that is what we will end up with.
Our OVERsigning of Backstrom & PMB the last two years has drastically hurt our chances of bringing in the 2-3 scorers this team so drastically needs.
SGS - I guess I wasn’t aware Bella was on teh chopping block, and I don’t think the Wild can afford to get Saku unless he takes a significant pay cut.
damp: I’m not saying DR didn’t have to overpay Backstrom, but, at $6M, we might be talking about only $1M or so more than what DR could have signed him for if he’d pulled his head out of his butt sooner.
So, DR overpaid, but only by Kurtis Foster.
Damp - Gaborik + Veilleux + Skoula + MAB = 10.1 million in cap space and you would think Saku’s next contract will have a cap hit under the current $4.8 million.
I bet Skoula has earned himself another contract from the Wild this season.
I don’t disagree on Skoula but part of the Wild’s problem has been that Skoula, Schultz and Johnsson kind of play the same game. What Scott lacks in expereince and skating ability, he makes up with in the physical play that the Wild lacks outside of the complete Mr. Burns. With Zids and maybe Cuma in the mix, is there room for Skoula next year?
where’s stencils? i’m bored…need some new food.
Ax and you shall receive. Food.
If JL returns, Skoula returns.
Cuma needs to be a stud, we gave up a 3rd rounder to move up one spot to get him.
I predict we end up trading the negotiating rights to Gabby to NJ for the 3rd rounder we gave up for the right to draft Cuma, essentially trading Gabby for the right to draft Cuma. How would that go over?
Pfffffffffffffffffffffft.
It’s so nice seeing these teams with 20+ goal scorers visiting the X. How the heck do they manage signing such forces of nature?
