Wild signs D Shane Hnidy; Bouchard looking more and more like No. 2 center; Boogey-Havlat to fight for No. 24?; Coaching staff set
Posted on July 3rd, 2009 – 12:53 PMBy Michael Russo
(updated)
How excited is “Sheriff” Shane Hnidy to be a member of the Minnesota Wild this afternoon? He’s in the bush of Northern Manitoba fishing. I called his home number, got his wife and she told me he was out of town until Sunday and virtually unreachable.
Next thing I know, I get a phone call two minutes later with about 17 numbers on the caller I.D.
It was Hnidy calling me from a satellite phone.
Hnidy, who lives eight hours north of here, feels like he just signed with his hometown team. He’s known throughout the league as a character, heart-and-soul, sandpaper guy. Hard hits, gets into a handul of fights a year.
Here’s a YouTube clip worth watching simply for the comical Jack Edwards absolutely losing his mind
So as expected, the Wild got its Nos. 4/5 and 6 with “hard” type defensemen (Greg Zanon and Hnidy) to complement the mobile, offensive types in the top-four.
This rounds out the top-seven. Barring a trade, the blue line will be Burns, Johnsson, Schultz, Zidlicky, Zanon, Hnidy, Scott.
Hnidy signed a one-year, $750,000 contract. He spent the last two years in Boston. In 477 NHL games, he has 14 goals, 57 points, is a plus-22 and 565 penalty minutes.
Also, it is looking more and more like Pierre-Marc Bouchard could be given the biggest look as the team’s No. 2 center. That, of course, is only if the Wild can’t sign Saku Koivu or can’t make a trade.
Chuck Fletcher again said today that Koivu is the only center-ice option minus a trade in free agency, and the team just continues to wait as he makes a decision. It’s up to him now, and like I said on the previous post, the team thinks he’s not signing here.
Todd Richards talked extensively today about how if the Wild doesn’t make another center pickup, he feels Bouchard “can be that guy.”
Winger Ruslan Fedotenko signed a one-year, $1.8 million deal to remain in Pittsburgh. He clearly just didn’t want to leave because I know for the fact the Wild and a number of other teams offered him multi-year deals.
Now, the Wild probably just waits until later in the summer to maybe sign another free agent or work on trades. Fletcher basically said today that Koivu is the one guy they’re still waiting on. I don’t sense a lot of interest in Alex Tanguay or Ales Kotalik. Again, you don’t build a team to sign players just for the sake of signing players. You build teams with the right guys, and to get stuck with a huge Tanguay contract when there could be better options before the season, into the season or even next summer, it just makes no sense.
So, if Koivu doesn’t sign here (and as mentioned on previous blog, it’s not looking good), I wouldn’t expect much news for a little while.
Marty Havlat was introduced to the media today. I bet my life last night to a couple buddles that Marian Gaborik already offered to sell his condo to Martin Havlat. I live!!!!!!!!!!
Also, Havlat’s first conversation was going to be with Derek Boogaard to see what he could do to entice No. 24 to leave his body. Boogaard had a good line to me, … which you can read in the paper 
Update: Boogaard won; Havlat will wear 14
Development camp next week. Tyler Cuma was in, looked great and said his knee feels great.
Also, Mike Ramsey, Dave Barr (old Colorado assistant), Matt Shaw and Bob Mason will make up next year’s coaching staff. Add: Strength coach Kirk Olson did not have his contract renewed.
Here’s a funny one for you, which explains a major typo in today’s paper. Wild can never sign or play Brian Boucher. When I write Boucher in my MS word, it automatically changes it to Bouchard.
Another thing that’s been on my mind the last few days? Wonder how Gaborik’s groins will react to by far the worst ice in the NHL — Madison Square Garden?
Add: Wild minor-leaguer Corey Locke signed with the Rangers.
All this and much more in Saturday’s paper.
244 Responses to "Wild signs D Shane Hnidy; Bouchard looking more and more like No. 2 center; Boogey-Havlat to fight for No. 24?; Coaching staff set"
Hmm… out of left field Russo or did you have an idea about this one?
wow Michael, thanks for the info.
KiPA & others: any insights on this?
Very curious what the cap hit is. Kind of makes or breaks these things.
Yeah, we need some East Coast info
KiPA… NiNY?
Is that Nik Backstrom I heard hollering:
WOOOOOO HOOOOOOO
This could help with Fedotenko.
Penguins re-signed Fedotenko.
From last post:
I should note for that record if I’ve ever called for firing Fletch I was doing so with complete facetiousness. Deadpan’s just too easy in text. :\
Fletch has already exhibited more confidence that I could have hoped for. Anyone calling for his head after only two months validates their own idiocy.
Yeah! I think I’m down with this signing! Looks like CF got that second Dman he planned on.
Hnidy’s cap number from last year: .757.
I don’t think this signing would preclude others…
CF now has a balanced d-core at a reasonable cap hit pending the Hnidy details. This is change I can believe in for me 
This likely pulls them out of the Francois Beauchemin race, huh?
Yikes…good for Pitt re: Fedotenko.
Just in case anyone forgot…we still need scoring…
Hnidy’s a tough SOB who was a reason Boston was good. Should be a solid signing.
Fedotenko’s contract is one year. Don’t know the amount yet.
Also, Mike Ramsey, Dave Barr (old Colorado assistant), Matt Shaw and Bob Mason will make up next year’s coaching staff.
Good to see Rammer sticking around
and Shaw and Mason for that matter
TANGUAY OR KOVALEV!
Wow. Tribune Review says Fedotenko signed for $1.8 million.
*stunned*
Sorry guys…
Michael - thanks for the coaching updates. So maybe something from the presser this afternoon or later?
FIGHT!!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TxKx2OP8xA
I’d say he’s a tough guy for sure - they call him “sheriff” Shane Hnidy. Just check out youtube, he’s all over the fights highlight reels.
TANGUAY OR KOVALEV!
… eh.
Well 750K sure won’t hurt the budget. Will he grab another D or figure that Scott, Falk or Stoner can be #7. He added a D at a cheaper price than I figured but then Hnidy is getting what he is worth.
AWESOME nickname.
Scott’s a one way deal so he’s #7, I wager.
Dave Edwards of NESN is going to miss his favorite talking point (Hnidy)…
This is our No. 4 ‘D’ that we’ve been discussing about. Another good move at a reasonable price by CF.
Also good that Ramsey and (especially) Bob Mason have agreed to stick around…
Nathan: Beauchemin is asking for $4.5M/year. Kinda pricey or…?
kjr: Just say ‘Nyet’ to Kovalev. Has that ‘taking a shift off’ attitude…great talent, just not a lot of work ethic behind it (an older B-b-b-Benny?)
How do you even pronounce that? Silent H?
Tenko for 1.8 mil? That seems extremely do-able. I bet we offered 2 mil and he took the discount to stay with Pitt. :\
I like it… We needed grit on the blue line bad. And I would say he fits the bill…
Great idea for an intro song for a player:
For Shane Hnidy:
“I Shot The Sheriff” - Eric Clapton
Solid signing! He’s a lot like Hill was back in his prime. Tough, positionally sound, and smart.
Yes, Ms. C., silent ‘H’
Yes, Ms.C. Kinda like the silent T in Audit . . . alright, I’m getting an Audi!
Let’s not get too excited over Hnidy–he is a 5 or 6–tough defensive D, no offense. Most goals scored in a season-5; most points–12. There is a reason he is getting 750K. Nice add at that price but not really a #4.
I think so, Ms. C. It’s like Hnidy night.
I just remember him throwing with Matt Niskanen during one of the scrums in the Ott-Avery crapfest game, and the announcer screaming that Niskanen wasn’t going to be a pretty little boy anymore. Dumbest thing I’d ever heard in my life. But that’s not Hnidy’s fault. I like the signing.
meh……solid…..not flashy to say the least….but cheap….
wont argue it…..that is for sure….
so the question now becomes what does tangay want….if it is more than 3.5 mil…..pass….
time to focus on trying to find that fabled player traded away for cap reasons…..
butch is our second line center now (unless koivu comes here….still hoping)
lala……calm down….there are 29 other teams in the league with the same goal…..obviously it is extremly difficult to get to the top of the mountain…..at least fletch is trying…..
and remember…it could be worse….you could be a new york islander fan……
Yeah, I finally figured that out. The heat is eating my brain.
Sheriff Shane!!!!!
Hnidy-NIght….does this affect Boogard’s status? Trade brewing maybe???
Well, wood, believe it or not, you do need defensemen who play defense too. He’s not signed for his offense.
And it’s “NI-dee” (rhymes with “sky-dee.”)
Forgive the lengthy cut and paste from Russo’s previous entry, but I have a question.
—–But as Mikko expressed in my story July 1, there are significant concerns there between the two brothers about playing together, and I think that is very, very real. This is Mikko’s team now, and these are two proud guys. If Saku isn’t the same player a year or two into the contract and he’s being taken to task, I think there is very real concern there how that would weigh on both of them.—
So help me with this. The above state of affairs did not just appear. Those have been the facts of life from the gitgo. If the above is true, why were they even looking at playing together and why have we even wasted any time working towards it.
And further, as long as Saku is a possibility, its nothing but good from CF and Russo, et al. But the minute things start to go south, its about why it probably wasn’t a good idea to begin with.
We’ve been reading articles for a year about the Saku/Mikko possibility.
I can find that kind of bait and switch at K-Mart.
Plus 22? I like it. Only $750K? That’s solid as well.
Now, as someone mentioned earlier, we need scoring. We seem to be weeelll under the cap now - would we roll for Kovalev? Seriously, we need someone to score
KiPA, I agree. I am just pointing out what he is–a 5 or 6 who is solid defensively and will throw a punch. But let’s not make him out to be something he is not. Zanon is more likely a 4 than Hnidy.
Has this been talked about yet:
Puck Daddy:
Mikael Samuelsson leaves [Detroit] for a three-year deal with the Vancouver Canucks, the team reported today. Elliotte Friedman of CBC Sports had it at $7.5 million total, or a $2.5 million cap hit
A little more sandpaper on the back end and Mason returns for Backstroms sanity. Sounding good.
wood: I beg to differ with you. Hnidy is a No. 4 ‘D’, he possibly would play alongside Johnsson or Zidlicky (until Zids is shown the door)..
Does anybody think we could still use a guy like MAB?
14 goals
18 Assists
32 Points
Little man has a cannon from the point as well. I really do not see these D signings helping us out offensively. Unless Fletch feels like Johnnson is going to step up his point production, which I feel will not happen.
Basically, we are stuck with Z and Burnsy putting up some numbers. I really think MAB should re-signed. Despite his lack of size, he is still a talented player. Thoughts?
Seriously, we need someone to score
Isn’t that why we got Havlat?
until Zids is shown the door
Oh happy day!
tangay is the only one left on the market…aside from maybe afenigenov….that can score…..at this point I’m willing to wait to find some shocking player available later….
maybe sign tangay, making butch expendable….sorry atx….for a trade…..
Backs, I’m not so sure we want him. From what I understand, Richard’s system will be much less reliant on offense starting at the blue line than JL’s.
WRT, If he really is a 4 he would have commanded more than 750K. Zanon has more upside and is more of a 4 which is why he commanded more dough. I am not arguing with the signing. It was perfectly reasonable value and adds grit to the team. Just let’s not imagine he is more than he is.
Tweet: TheFourthPeriod With Fedotenko staying in Pittsburgh… I wonder if Minnesota makes bigger play for Tanguay
So now that Skouloa’s gone, is Zids the new default punching bag?
Where are you seeing that Fedotenko signed? I cant find it on ESPN or TSN. You would think Russo would report/twitter it too
Also, if you really think he is your #4 you sign him for more than one year.
no bergeron……no…..he played no defense….I thought he would be solid…..but he made skoula look like freaking lidstrom….
Backs32: We have our six ‘D’…
Burns
Schultz
Johnsson
Zanon
Zidlicky
Hnidy
and ‘Big John’ Scott as the No. 7 ‘D’.
Sorry, but MAB is G-O-N-E…
I’d like more than one option (Havlat), thank you. I don’t expect more from Nolan than what he gave us last year, Brunette isn’t getting younger and is coming off knee surgery, PMB is PMB, so yeah, like I said, we need scoring.
I like Havlat, but I don’t think of him as a one man game-changer like Gaborik was/is.
Anybody think we’d be interested in Maxim Afinogenov? Could score once upon a time and should be dirt cheap with his recent…success. Maybe Richards could light a fire under him.
Zids has always been a bigger punching bag to me. Guy makes me crazy. In a bad way.
I’m not forgetting Koivu - more than one line option, I should have said.
Afinogenov is like butch… good moves, but can’t finish.
Wood, if you’re just saying don’t expect Hnidy to be a top three defenseman or “the missing piece” then I get what you’re saying. It’s a solid signing, not “flashy” but necessary.
wood: OK, you might have me there. see the above post. Hnidy is No. 6, Zanon is No. 4 (for now, anyways)
zids is defacto punching bag 1….DR is still no. 2…..shep is no. 3….even though he has been playing a while now….pouliot is no. 4…….and MKVN is no. 5
WRT, I think the order you listed our D is about how it will go. Zids, if he is not traded, will play PP but likely in 3d pairing with Hnidy.
Like PMB but even softer on the puck. But if the price is right
With Fedo gone, I think getting Tanguay would be the last FA I would go for at this point, provided his asking price isn’t too high.
Stil makes for some interesting lines!
Havlat-Koivu-Brunette
Nolan-PMB-Tanguay
Mittens-Shep-Clutter
Brodziak-Bela-Weller/Boogie
KiPA, that is precisely what I am saying–solid signing at a cheap price that still leaves us flexibility. But a most likely a 3d pairing D.
zids or kimmy are trade bait for defensiveman…..
bela….nolan…..boogard are trade bait for forwards…..
If Zids was shown the door and a puck was coming towards it, the puck would go through the door and by him. :\
Shockingly, the Penguins’ web site was the first place the story broke about Fedotenko.
Probably not Nolan but I agree the other 4 are likely to be waved around–maybe Miettinen also altho he could come to life with Richards.
ms.conduct says:
How do you even pronounce that? Silent H?
yes ms. c like the p in swimming
am I the only one who likes the bruno-koivu-mittens line from last year still?
Bruno-Koivu-Mittens
Tanguay-butch-Havlat
Nolan-Sheppard-Butter@#$&
Brodz-bella-other
With no Skoula to kick around we are quickly on Zids. Of course defensively he does deserve it–he had problems last year.
At least Zids could score a goal occasionally. If he has a three-year history of being one of the worst defensemen statiscally in the NHL, then I’ll rip away on Zids.
argon: I liked the line… for last year’s team. But with a new regime, you don’t pick up a guy like Havlat to play on the second line. Place who ever you want on the other wing, but I am 99% sure opening night the first line will be Havlat and Mikko.
Hey Wood. Thanks for setting Mr. Non-linear straight. How you take a 7-8 guy from Boston for 750K and make him our 4 defies my sense of logic.
Im with you Gun; sign Tanguay and you would have to give Fletch at least an A- for the week.And the longer this saku saga drags on im getting the feeling we may be still a little more in the mix that everyone is thinking right now.
We need another forward. Havlat could put us in the same position as Gaborik if he gets hurt again. We will have to rely on Koivu to score goals? Not gonna happen. They better pick someone up or trade SOON or we are looking at missing the playoffs AGAIN!
WRT
I realize we have 6 d-men and possibly 7 with BIG JOHN SCOTT (quit calling him that, we get it, he is big). Also, you sound like Greenlay and now I have his voice in my head. Thanks a lot.
All I am saying is, we are going to miss that big shot from the blue line this year. We have been spoiled the last 4 years with MAB and Rolston.
Stoned, May have to have a drink with you before one of the games!
BJS–take a drink.
Great. Ruslan Fedotenko just re signed with Pittsburgh. Makes Koivu more important now.
Of the guys that are left, Koivu fits our needs better than anyone.
However, there’s some good players left:
Kovalev: Even at his age, he’s as talented as Havlat. The knock against him is his desire, and effort. Would most certainly make Butch the #2 C.
Tanguay: Solid first line winger, scored nearly 80 pts 3 years in a row, but fell off last year, and bothered by injury this year. With a good C, still capable of 75 pts.
Afinogenov: Fast, dynamic skater. Languished in Buffalo last 2 years with no real centerman to play with. Nagging injury problems limit his time. Work ethic has been questioned before.
Lang: Vet presence on and off the ice, he can still make things happen. Great work ethic, but not the player he was. Might be a good 1 yr guy as a #2 center.
Interesting that Fedotenko signed for one year.
Encrimson’d @1:48 pm: great timing! … thought russoville would have to wait until the regular season to partake in the drinking activity.
So, Encrimson’d, do you REALLY believe we’re a better team now than last year, when healthy??? Perhaps idiocy should be YOUR moniker. This is a nothing signing. It means little. Weren’t we supposed to be getting OFFENSIVE? Yet, two of the three players we’ve signed are defenseman (DEFENSIVE defenseman nonetheless) and our first round draft choice is a defenseman.
Fletcher has shown nothing yet. Other than Havlat, he’s done nothing Risebrough didn’t–except perhaps make us believe that we might actually field a winner with all his “I’m going to wheel and deal” hype.
I certainly don’t want the guy gone, but he really hasn’t done half of what he claimed he’d do to this point. That’s a fact. If he signs another scorer, then that’ll change. But right now, we’ve just changed out Begeron for this guy, Gabby for Havlat, and Skoula for Zanon. We’re no better yet.
crud, the russo radio gig from last night is not posted on the am1500 MT on demand.
How much under the cap are we, anyway?
C’mom Wild…..where is the scoring????? And despite everyone saying plus minus is meaningless (Skoula is a notorious minus) I think the stat is relevant and this is a good pickup.
Where’s DB when we need him? I want to hear his take on this so far.
the second line was the no. 1 line for scoring……the koivu line starts the game against the other teams top line….then throwing butch, tangay, and havlatt out there with Zids and Hnidy (you need a little toughness out there!) against their second line…..that is kind of a frightening line scoring wise….
that just means you have more palpable line options……
it is all speculation at this point…..come on saku….we still want you in Minny!!!!
Frankly, I was more happy about the coaching announcement than the D guy. I’m sure Hnidy will fit in, but Rammer, Mason and Shaw back in the fold sure makes me pretty happy.
Fedotenko took a one-year deal with the Penguins? We couldn’t top that???
wow lala…..trades aren’t as easy as that……there was ONE trade at the draft…..ONE…..fletch was extremly active, but no one was taking the bait……there are a lot of teams in financial hell right now……
that is where the trading will commence…..
you can’t just snap your fingers and make things happen….it takes a couple of days…if not months to acheive….
and yes….as of right now this team isn’t better than last years team…but there is still at least one more signing, and one more trade coming down the pipes…..the young guys will improve….and the system is changing…..
quite frankly we won’t know until next december weither this team is better or worse…..calm…..down…..
I have to go to work….you guys have fun…..here’s to hoping saku is a wild player when I return later……
Dammit! Hossa @ 5.16/yr and we couldn’t top that??? OMG fire the whole staff now! Cancel your season tickets! Burn your sweaters! The team will finish last! Chicken Little is right! I’m gaining weight! The DOW is falling!
The top two forwards that signed chose the destination based on its location and team condition. Hossa chose the Hawks and Gaborik chose anything other than the Wild. If it takes Fletcher two seasons to rebuild this team into what he wants, that is okay with me. Remember, DR screwed this franchise by thinking everyone should give a discount to play here and that it was ok to let stars walk away for nothing. You can’t fix this in just one season.
Interesting that Fedotenko signed for one year.
What’s interesting about it is it’s for only $1.8 million. When I first saw the amount, I thought it was a typo and that it should’ve been 2.8. I’m still finding it hard to believe. I expected a one- or multi-year deal around $2.5 or so, not one year for under $2M, which is a pay cut for him.
Fedotenko turned down some two- and three-year offers. So it’s not like other teams didn’t try to sign him or offer more money. (Hint hint, Fletcher naysayers. Can’t force a guy to accept your offer.)
Okay, for you Fletcher apologists, while we can’t force top quality players to sign with us, what can we do to make the team better???
I know what will make the team better: complaining on a blog!
So is the Skoula era officially over? It’s a sad day in the State of Hockey. Perhaps he will follow Gabby to NYR.
Fedotenko obviously likes it in PA.
Hnidy was a 5 or 6 in beantown. He may get those minutes here too. But he is nasty. Something only Zanon might approach.
A missing piece.
what can we do to make the team better???
Not trade away draft picks RisebroughRox
KiPA, yeah the combo surprised me–1.8M/1 yr. I would have thought he would get something better. Wants another ring?
Fletcher never said we would make the playoffs, that we would be a playoff contender, that we would go to the cup, etc. What he said was he is going to change the style the wild play; the wild will play a more up-tempo offensive style. He never said he would sign every free agent and choke ourselves for latter years, which is good because the Wild are not a stanley cup contending team. It makes sense to let change happen over time. If any of you impatient people have season tickets, or partial season tickets that you want to get rid of, please let me know.
what can we do to make the team better???
Draft and develop well. Let players grow on their own, don’t shoehorn them into roles they’re not prepared for yet. Sign what free agents you can for prices that won’t break the bank. Don’t make panic moves (or do you want to pay someone like Maxim Afinogenov $4.5 million annually just so you can say, “Look, we made a big move and we’re spending money!”)
It’s not going to be a one-year solution. Look how often the Rangers make a splash in the free agency department and look what it’s gotten them in the last 15 years.
Hnidy is a solid pick up, especially at 750k. I like that guy’s style.
Maybe not more offence yet, but i like our defence better. Less goals against.
Kevin: Preaching patience clearly doesn’t do it for these people. I haven’t seen any examples, but apparently there are examples in the NHL where a new GM and coach go to the playoffs in the first year, all while revamping the way the players play and think about the game.
Trade draft picks….AGREE. Shameful how we went into this years draft with limited picks….and what did we have to show for it?
Somehow this just points out how Risebrough was clueless. Remember when he stated over and over again how players would LOVE to come to Minny. I think the firing of Risebrough happened a couple of years too late.
Patience = 10 year plan…then I am not patient. I think we should have a goal to make the playoffs this year. If management expects anything less, then management should discount ticket prices.
KiPA, what’s the take on Sykora? Is he waiting for an offer from the Pens?
Wants another ring?
Guess so, and supposedly he settled for a one-year deal because he figured he’d be a prime candidate to be traded near the end of his second year.
Preaching patience clearly doesn’t do it for these people
Then these people are welcome to be as miserable as possible without seeing the big picture.
MuN: Good question. Shero says they’ll pick up talks next week, but…I don’t see them giving Sykora anything more than one year, and I’m leery of them giving even that much. His skills are declining. Now he played much of the end of the year with a bad shoulder, but I’m not sure I want him back. If he wants two years, he probably has to go elsewhere. I’m not sure if he’s willing to take just one year. I could handle them bringing him back but at this point I think they need to look to adding a defenseman and a backup goalie rather than a forward.
I’m not sure about CF’s decisions on D. I’ll wait to see and give his crew the benefit of the doubt, but I truly liked both Foster and MAB. They can PUT UP NUMBERS!
And who’s caping on Zidlicky here?! He was our best defenseman last year. Best offseason acquisition other than Nolan.
Risebrough: The firing definitely came late. The damage is done, however, and now we need to let Fletch sort it out and get us out of the mess. 10 years? Haven’t heard that. If any of the regime said that, and I don’t think they have, then I would be extremely disappointed too. Realistically, I don’t see us being a true stanley cup contending team for 3 years. I think we’ll have a shot at the playoffs this year but a better one next year. The pieces are falling into place. Of course the goal is to make the playoffs, but we can’t expect and shouldn’t want managment to button hook us for the future just to get there this year.
The Wild website has Zanon wearing #6, and Brodziak in #21. No Havlat listed yet, maybe trying to get #24 from Boogey?
ctillhockey: If things work out right, and the guys gel in the new system, we have three offensive minded D in Zid, Burns, and Kimmy. I’m also a fan of Foster but his signing will come later, if at all.
JEFFS468, I actually expect we will give up more goals because our style will change. And not sure our D is better–just different. I think the D will be fine in part because I think Burns will pick up where he left off 2 years ago. He has the capability of becoming an All-Star D, probably not this year but I do expect big steps forward from him.
If you guys are lucky, Burns becomes the next Mike Green, who didn’t realize his scoring potential until Washington hired Bruce Boudreau, who coaches a much more open style than his predecessor.
It seems that a guy like Sykora, who at 32 is starting to show his age, might still be able to put up 40-50 points, and chip in 25 goals. For 2.5M or so, that’d be a steal compared to what we’re paying for and getting out of Mittens.
Then again, Saku is going to produce in the same ballpark, maybe another 10-15 points, but will undoubtedly cost upwards of 3.75.
I think the most attractive would be Kovalev and Tanguay. Kovi for 2 yrs @ 4M per would be a stellar move, in terms of sheer points per dollar. Tanguay not far behind either, but he’ll probably want 5m+ again, and I don’t think anyone is going to pay that for his production. If he was turning 80 pts a year, sure.
In an uptempo, attacking system, any of the above would be good choices, but my personal bang for the buck would be Kovi.
..and in the “wishful lines” category.. Imagine Mikko centering Havlat and Kovalev. 3 guys who can skate, stickhandle, pass, and score.
I think he will be the next Mike Green–except I hope he doesn’t disappear in the playoffs!
Looking toward next summer, Johnsson, Nolan and Zidlicky come off the books, freeing up almost 11M.
Very cool Boogaard/Scott article.
http://www.sctimes.com/article/20090625/SPORTS/106250022/1002/Wild-Road-Tour-hits-St.-Cloud
side bar. MT twitter:”At Havlet presser, 3 male reporters wearing open toed shoes. Not a good look.” just a copy and paste, kind of crazy.
FYI - Multi-year deal keeps Clowe in San Jose
After the update…if someone calls YOU from a satellite phone, it say something about you, doesn’t it??
Now you all know why Russo is considered one of the best in the business.
Note to Martin Havlat: you may want to re-negotiate the condo price if the F1 Simulator is still in the place. After all, it’s been known to aggravate groins and hips. 
So glad Rammers staying.
Michael - awesome information! Hysterical about MG’s condo and your bet. Hope the luck stays with you in LV.
WRT: +1.
As for Boogaard vs. Havlat…No. 24, meet No. 42.
Take the hint, Marty. Don’t get on Boogaard’s bad side.
Ask Shawn Horcoff. Jody Shelley. Brian McGrattan. Todd Fedoruk. And on, and on…
It seems that a guy like Sykora, who at 32 is starting to show his age, might still be able to put up 40-50 points, and chip in 25 goals
Yeah. He might.
Great FA pickups for the Wild, tough character defensemen, 1 scoring forward, Rammer & Snowman are back in the saddle. Gabby gonzo for nothing, I don’t think that will be happening again here. It will be great to watch the new talent comming up from Houston, I would love to see the Wild have the patience that Detriot has in developing their players.
Russo, you need a break,
You are the reason I subscribe to the Strib and also why my wife thinks I’m looking at porn! Im’ spending to much time on the computer. great job!
Thanks for the update!
This will peg me as a huge grammar dork, but I don’t care. I’m totally loling at the irony that in the paragraph explaining the typo with Boucher/Bouchard, that there’s a typo, and the misspelled word is none other than “type” for “typo!” It’s too perfect to make up–or Russo’s a clever genius. 
Encrimson’d: I totally missed that “typo” thing when I read that paragraph.
Hehe. I really hope that I didn’t come off as d!ckish, though. Trust me, I feel so ashamed that silly stuff like that makes me happy. I. Need. Help.
I think it’s great. Russo will get a kick out of it anyway. If he couldn’t poke fun at himself, he wouldn’t have told us the story.
yeah, yeah, yeah…I am definitely not a clever genius. … fixed…with another nugget added
Didn’t you steal that nugget from WRT? Thought I saw him voice the same thought yesterday.
Russo can totally edit his own comments (not the blog posts, the comments.) I wish we had that ability.
I brought up the MSG ice and Gaborik’s groins issue last night (about 3-4 threads ago).
Good luck with that ice, Gaby. You’re never going to get used to it (Rangers generally take game day skates at their practice facility in Rye, NY, not at the Garden; as it is generally getting changed over from the previous night’s event).
Thanks for the backup, Kevin.
Word.
The good ones steal, the great ones plagiarize. Thus, Russo is great.
(No, he didn’t pay me anything to say that.)
Minor tidbit–our 7th round pick–Anthony Hamburg is headed to Colgate for the 2010 season.
Whats with PMB playing C? Dude is so small and weak people will just run him over. He needs to be part of a trade. What good is a guy who is 5′ 8″ and puck handle by himself all day long?
Seems to work for Gionta and Cammalleri
Aww! You fixed it, Russo? You should’ve just admitted to the clever genius part. No one would’ve have called shenagigans.
It’s very true about the ice, though. I’m pretty sure the warming house at Oak Hill in St. Louis Park has better ice than MSG–octagonal boards and all.
Great FA Pickups for the Wild? Are you serious. We lost Gabby, and Havlat is no direct replacement. We need to add scorers….but I see the koolaid drinkers who defended Risebrough last year until they missed the playoffs yet again are out in full force. It is okay to be optimistic, but right now the team has less scoring than it had last year…and last year sucked offensively.
Who’s going to the developmental camp! I can’t think of anything else to do on my bday so why not watch some hockey!
Glad to see the team add some grit to the defense.
Hopefully they can somehow still end up with Koivu, but I’ll still cheer for the guy no matter where he ends up. After what he’s been through the guy could probably use some California winters.
WRT, sorry, I didn’t read the comments the last few days. As usual, great minds think alike.
I didn’t read the comments the last few days
Slacker. Like you have anything else to do.
So Oilers press conf that is only a media update about to start. RS why not change to FS? No one knows what this team will be like yet until opening day. There may still be moves to be made.
Aw Michael you missed my early catch on the Brian Bouchard gaffe.
Bummer on Saku if true but still holding out hope. I think PMB could make it as a C in this system, I may be wrong but have to give him a shot if Saku falls through, no other choice unless we can pick one up in a Harding trade which is now looking like a deadline deal unless someone goes down in camp. I don’t know much about Hnidy but he’s cheap and only one yr, sounds solid. Could still use another winger and maybe we steal one later on. Happy for Rammer and Mason.!
RisebroughSux says:
July 3rd, 2009 at 4:33 pm
Great FA Pickups for the Wild? Are you serious. We lost Gabby, and Havlat is no direct replacement. We need to add scorers….but I see the koolaid drinkers who defended Risebrough last year until they missed the playoffs yet again are out in full force. It is okay to be optimistic, but right now the team has less scoring than it had last year…and last year sucked offensively
Would you rather us all be pessimistic miserable losers like yourself and AngryWildFan. Get laid or something.
That’s OK, Michael, I can understand. You’ve had a full plate lately!
wood: Sounds like it’s going to be the Grease’s spin on the Heatley deal falling through from Tambellini, the Edmonton presser starting momentarily…
I must say I am disappointed in the wild pick-up so far in FA - the guys they got are fine. I was expecting more to really round out the team. As it stands right now they only have one solid line that can put the puck in the net. Does this team sell tickets? Do we have the players to believe we will get into the playoffs? I don’t think so and I have been a season ticket holder since the first year…..again disappointed.
WRT, that’s what I am assuming.
Woodcock, you should have seen my reaction when I noticed it in the clips when I got to the rink today. I got home from the presser and first thing I did was type it again, and boop — Boucher became Bouchard. Pretty humiliating when it winds up in the paper.
Michael, on my Berry every time I type MN it comes out minutes–sheesh.
You should see the list of words I’ve added to my MS Word’s dictionary. It’s mostly made up of hockey terms, Star Wars and Lord of the Rings references, and unsavory curses. :\
Don’t feel so bad Michael…There’s an oopsie in Sid’s column on a weekly basis.
If Saku is all we have left to sign, and if he doesn’t sign here, they are signing no one in terms of a center, can Fletcher at least take a cap hit (since he is not going to be near it anyway), and get rid of the roster space being taken up by useless Boogaard? He has absolutely zero value in the current NHL.
Havlat should have gotten 24. After all, why would Boogaard care, he only gets 2 shifts/game.
Hopefully Boogaard will only be wearing 24 for the Wild the 1st week of training camp, then it will be Havlat’s. Boogaard has got to go!
What on Earth is Saku Koivu waiting for?
Saku, DO WHAT YOUR MOTHER TELLS YOU TO DO.
If we were to sign him, I’d be very, very happy. As of right now, I too have the feeling we’ve swapped out a lot of what we used to have for essentially the same parts.
I still want (at least) one more guy I’d consider an upgrade.
As for the Havlat/Boogaard #24 issue, I’d defer to the man who can do this…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6durSgm6Y0
and this
I agree. Watching Boogaard skate is like watching grainy slo-mo video of Bigfoot. I thought after his workouts with Burnsie last year he was supposed to improve his skating.
I don’t know how Boogaard will fit into the new system, but I do know they won’t cut him.
You can’t just let assets walk away for nothing…
With Gaby out and still stuck with Bergeron, etc., this team definitely is not impressive.
Bergeron is a UFA so we aren’t stuck with him. Pay attention.
I’m hopeful for this season ,but after watching Foster at the end of last year he still seems to tentative around traffic. Especially in the corners. If he can’t get past that by training camp I think he has got to go. Sorry to say.
He is also a UFA and unlikely to be signed. Is anyone paying attention here?
I guess not!
Off to the Twins game. Maybe someone will now say they don’t think Sekeras will be very good for us this year. But, I will be gone, whew.
Seriously, like the Wild are going to be improved this year? Ufr and no fn way. Hate to say it but, dump Backstrom. He’s an asset and by doing so, we secure our future. Obviously,there are many disposable assets on the Wild but, easily, Backs would be most valued by other teams. Thanks DR. Wonderful freakin job. Can I get a job that pays like that? What world do these ppl live in? IFR
Ummm, Backs has a no trade clause, so good luck with that.
So, after all the talk of “wheeling and dealing” in this paper, in reference to Fletcher’s offseason plans, here we sit, with no personnel upgrade whatsoever, and we still hold guys like Boogard (useless in this system), Belanger (a defensive forward that serves no purpose), and Harding, while we’re light on wings and quality centers.
Why would anyone follow this team. New regime, same old crap.
Has anyone listened to the Havlat interview on Wild.com yet? I think more than half the time Havlat is saying “and um” and “um”, it’s kinda funny.
Nash signs eight-year extension with Columbus worth $62.4 million.
I disagree with the comment about Havlat not being a good replacement for Gaborik. Gabby was an enormous talent here, no doubt, but he was only truly dominant when he could use his speed on the rush and get that lethal wrist shot away while backing the goalie off on the rush. Havlat is a more creative player and can hurt you in many more ways. His shot is nothing to be disappointed about, either. I don’t want CF to rush things just to be a fringe playoff team. The absolute worst fate for an NHL team is to be the team that’s always either barely in the playoffs or barely missing them. You rarely get deep playoff runs, and you never get elite talent in the draft. That said, there’s nothing wrong at all with the players Fletcher has brought in here - smartest FA additions in the history of the franchise by a mile, IMO. The problem is many of the players that are still here - overpaid, slow, one dimensional guys that are eating up cap space. Get those guys off the books and that’s when this team can start thinking about real success.
Yeah, but can they afford anyone to play with him? That eats a pretty good chunk of cap space.
I haven’t been paying attention for awhile, but we should totally sign Gaborik before he becomes a free agent!
Too funny!
Lala,
Have a LITTLE patience, buddy. Considering that the offseason basically kicks off at the draft, Fletcher has added four players that all fill needs (be they faceoffs, toughness and nastiness in the d zone, or upper echelon scoring talent) in the span of two weeks. As far as trades go, it takes two to tango. He’s been actively pursuing players through trade (including superstar talent like Heatley) but the tricky thing is getting the other GM to want what you’re trying to get rid of. It’s not nearly as easy as a lot of us would like to believe. I think we all kind of expect trading to be as easy as it is on NHL 09, and the fact is that it’s not.
You should see the list of words I’ve added to my MS Word’s dictionary. It’s mostly made up of hockey terms, Star Wars and Lord of the Rings references, and unsavory curses. :\
I like you.
[…] Defenseman Shane Hnidy has left the Boston Bruins as an unrestricted free agent today to sign with the Minnesota Wild, according to Russo’s Rants. […]
At least part of the coaching staff is coming back. Hopefully their familiarity with the players helps them transition a little quicker than a full coaching change would be expected to. Honestly, how long will it take them to figure out a new system? One month? One year? My guess is, they learn everything by the second week of the season, but take two to three months to really click. It will be interesting to watch the process.
Lots of people say next years free agency is going to be a lot deeper than this years. The old regime would have never gone after Havlat. That deal could be the steal of the draft. You talk about signing a guy who could be a point a game player if not more for 5M a season, great signing. Zanon is basically another version of Scuderi, maybe Scuderi is a little better, but not much. Both are defensive defensemen. And Scuderi got around 3.9M per year while Zanon 2M less for 1.93M a year. I think the Scuderi signing was the worst signing of free agency so far. Almsot 4M per for a defensive defenseman? Hnidy is a nice affordable signing. There really wasnt a crop of top tier defensemen out there to go after. I think so far Fletch has done a great job. Its just too bad DR screwed up the Gabby situation. As soon as Gabby turned down that 10 year offer with tons of money attached to it, DR should have traded him right then and there. He was coming off of a 40 goal season, looked healthy, trade value at its highest. Instead he waited, Gabby got injured first day of training camp and we all know how the rest went.
My bad on Foster for some weird reason I thought he was a RFA. Completely forgot last year was a one year. I’ll try to not make baseless comments when I should be working!
Really off topic question here but I just thought of it while watching the Twins game…..does anyone know if FSN is going to start broadcasting a lot more games in HD this year? When I was living in Boston for a year, it seemed every B’s game was on NESN HD.
Geez, Saku…sh*t or get off the pot.
I saw that Corey Locke signed with the NYR. Eeeeek!!! I wonder what we’re going to do for offense now?? Anthony Stewart on two way deal? Maybe olvecky will return?
Ms. C, that’s one for the record books! Must have been the first time any girl has told that to a guy after he admitted such dorky things.
Encrimson’d: you’re blushing.
Russo - great cameo, the Havlat presser.
Jeff, they’re gonna put the extra goalie in at forward. I’m sure Brusty can score. (Take it away, boys.)
Encrimson’d, I’m nothing if not a cussing, nerdy (just a different variety), hockey freak who hates when MS accuses me of misspelling a perfectly fine word just because its dictionary is weak.
Dorky, please. That is child’s play. Tell me, what is your best Magic Card? Here is dork for ya! Oh yeah, I really like all the things in the previous posts too. Yea for cussing!
Smyth to Kings says TSN. For what unknown
Conn?????
Updated to Smyth for Kyle Quincey, Tom Preissing and a fifth-round pick.
Into: are you sure there isn’t a goalie headed to Colorado as well?
TSN reports Selanne says this year is his last. Maybe that makes the Ducks slightly less attractive to Saku?
Grasping at straws here…
Nope, no goalie. Surprised they gave up Quincey.
Read a *NEWSPAPER*?. Sorry; not going to happen.Not even for exclusives. Tell your supervisor- better to innovate in a free enterprise economy; than to try cattle herding using a Strib-tease. ;P
16 innings and I stayed for the whole game. Sheesh. Was planning on dinner after the game. Never figured that was 12:45 AM.
Umm… RE: Sudden, Potential UFAs out of Chicago:
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=283634
Dibs on Versteeg!
Nash out-contracts Gaborik; 8 years @ 7.8m. Wow.
Of course, Gabby only plays half of them so he still wins the $/game breakdown
Not so fast– remember that DR offered Gaborik between $78-80 million/10 deal year last fall, which is a lot more than Nash’s contract. And this is for a player who played less games and probably earned less points than Nash in the same period.
The market changed.
We all thank god that Gaborik didn’t sign that deal because it would’ve hampered what the Fletcher could’ve done this off-season.
ryan smyth pretty damn cheap; chuck!
smyth to kings…..interesting….
chicago possible f/a’s…..interesting….
nash signing…..interesting….
can’t sleep…..must sleep…..can’t sleep…..
come on saku……come to st. paul…..we have cookies!
JMO: Would Fletcher have taken the GM’s job with the Wild had Gaborik had signed that 10-yr, $78M deal DR had put on the table the year before?
Interesting, in hindsight.
kjr: Say what you will, but the Smyth-to-LA deal shows what you can do when you have draft picks, something that DR doled out like he was a drunken sailor at a strip club. Remember, Fletcher had no second or third round draft pick this year, and the Wild had no second or third round pick the last three seasons.
LA Kings, under the Dean Lombardi regime, have kept their draft picks, and have parlayed them well, IMO, except for the area of goaltending, where they have not done well. The Kings were totally in the tank when Lombardi took over in 2006.
WRT, the Kings dealt a 5th. We generally had those. I agree that DR dealt them away too easily but it was the 2d and 3rd’s that were the problem. The trade was really to pick up two D’s, including a pretty promising one in Quincey. The 5th was just a throw-in.
wood: I knew if I said the wrong thing someone would let me know…
What I meant is that Quincey was a Kings-developed player (so was Preissing, I think) and if the Wild had developed their talent like other successful NHL teams, instead of trading it away just to move up one or two spaces in the same round of the draft, who knows where this team would be right now.
Instead, we have draft busts to be (Pouliot), draft busts that were (Thelen) and unproven draftees (Sheppard, Gillies) and precious little to keep Ms. C. happy on the farm…
Neither Quincey nor Pressing came up thru Kings system.. I agree that we gave away too many picks and that Thelen was a bust. But we also produced a number of good players–Gaby, Burns, Koivu, Butch et al. Our problem has been that we gave away draft picks and let too many good FA’s walk.
If DR was able to sign Gabby last fall, it’s possible that he would still be GM and Chuckie wouldn’t be concerned about how it limits us.
Advantage woodcock. Again. This is getting to be like Federer at Wimbledon.
kjr…the Smyth deal was pretty cheap and a nice pick up. LA needed a veteran leader type to add to their homegrown young core. The Wild have two veteran leader types in Brunette and Nolan already and need to get back to growing their home grown youthful core after a few years of neglect. LA also has a stock pile of assets that they could move. The Wild are not in that canoe.
wood: You are correct. Quincey was originally Detroit property, and Preissing was originally drafted by San Jose. But, as I said, too many draft busts (or no draftees at all) have weakened the Wild.
Jaromir: You assume that DR would still be around had Gaborik been signed. I really doubt that DR would have stayed if JL had not been coaching, regardless of Managed Expectations™ or not.
SotB, Thanks but not really a competition and other than his blind hatred for Skoula, WRT is generally pretty sound. I do get frustrated, however, with the raving, unsupportable statements some make here. More later on that. We can all disagree on opinions, e.g., Skoula, but when we make a statement that is factually wrong that is irritating.
Tom Preissing learned his game in Rosemount, MN… It will be fun to see him more often.
WRT…Smug was blindsided by his firing. He thought because he was so good at his job (Managing Expecations™) that he would be here forever.
Had Gho$t signed that contract, there are many, many cascading changes that probably wouldn’t have occurred.
So, we really owe Gho$t a monument or something.
Yeah my son actually played against Preissing, Toby Petersen, Goehring, Westrum in youth hockey–kind of fun.
So, we really owe Gho$t a monument or something.
+1 with assists to Demo and Rolston
wood…I was a coach during that time in Rosemount. And you’re right…it was a lot of fun to see all those talented kids.
SotB: OK, so I don’t hit a home run every time I step up to the plate. And, Martin S. is history now, so we won’t go down that road. Unless, of course, you want to!
At least I will admit that I am not infallible, unlike others on here who think they are indefatigable, regardless of anything to back it up.
Let’s see…the Gho$t monument…how about a large, green “$10″ in the Gate 1 lobby at the ‘X’?
Gee, it’s the week’s end and no decision yet….Why am I not surprised. Being today is a holiday, I doubt anything will be decided.
I wasnt aware that the 4th of July is a major holiday in Finland
—At least I will admit that I am not infallible—
I’ll keep that on file. Ya never know, Skoula may end up as NHL Dman of the month. Don’t think I’d let that pass
WRT, you are indefatigable but not infallible. None of us are infallible and good honest differences of opinion are what make blogs fun. What bothers me are either the hyperbolic invectives that are so out of proportion (e.g., Skoula couldn’t even make the 2d pairing on an AHL team or other rantings about certain players or DR) that make the opinions immediately suspect.
Or, the bold assertions that are actually contrary to fact.
First example is from the recent free agent frenzy–”we don’t want Camallerri, he had one monster year that he will never repeat”–except in his last full season prior to this past year he had 80 points–2 fewer than this past year.
Another from earlier in the year–”players like PMB can never be effective in the playoffs”–except in our last playoff in 6 games he had 2g, 2a, +1 and a GWG. If all our forwards had been as ineffective as that we would have beaten the Avs.
Another, “teams in our division don’t fear our PP so they beat us up and put us on the PP”–except we had by far the best PP% in our division and therefore other than the Avs, the fewest opportunities on the PP.
Was surprised to see Olson was let go, but I did read somewhere yesterday about the guy Richards is bringing in.
SotB: If Skoula becomes NHL defensive player of the month, I’d note that, also. (I don’t think that will ever happen, but…).
wood: I never said any of that. I never would. (At least, I don’t think I did).
Hmmm…
Ms. C.: I don’t know much about the new guy they are bringing in. Hope he does well.
WRT, I never said you did. As I mentioned other than your blind hatred of Skoula you are generally pretty sound–in my humble view. I was speaking of some who post on this blog.
I may have missed it because i skip long comments. But great link by Russo. He showed a Minnesotan getting his butt pummeled by a canadian who is a new teammate of the wild. Go wild!
food
So here’s some latest news about Saku’s situation… A finnish newspaper interviewed him and Saku Koivu was quoted saying:
“I’ve got a few offers and with some of them I’ve been negotiating. Negotiations have gone well and things look good. I still wanna take it easy and consider my options.”
“The most important (in new team) thing is that I wanna go to a ready organization, not to one still in building process. At this stage of my career I wanna play for a team that can really succeed. Of course family reasons are important, but most of all I want to achieve something.”
I hope that he’d join Wild, but it sure doens’t look too good.. Maybe Mikko will talk him into it.
There’s the game. Time to trade for a center. Happy 4th everyone.
Screw him…I want someone who wants to be here….not someone who was talked into being here. You either want to be here, or you don’t….MOVE ON!
