So, it’s the morning after, and the new era of the Wild feels just a little more complete. GM and coach … in place.

Next up the Draft (and perhaps trades), and then free agency.

By the way, I’m not a Twitter guy yet, although you can follow this blog on there. But after seeing Wolves spokesman Kevin Love breaking the Kevin McHale news on Twitter just after midnight, I may have to scour the Twitter universe for Wild players.

First, here’s the coverage from Wednesday’s paper:

I wrote a Todd Richards profile in Tuesday’s paper, which quotes Richards’ mentor Claude Noel, his former teammate and agent Ben Hankinson and his former teammate Pat Micheletti.

So Wednesday’s main story was more focused on Richards and what he specifically sees from this team. Here’s that story

Here is the notebook on Tommy Thompson still working even with an uncertain job status, Fletcher talking about Gaborik and a note on the search for Richards’ coaching staff.

Here’s Jim Souhan’s column on Richards growing up in the State of Hockey.

After the news conference, Chuck Fletcher immediately turned his attention to the Draft, the trades that surround it and Marian Gaborik.

Fletcher planned to call agent Ron Salcer yesterday, and I’m not sure if that conversation took place. But Salcer is supposed to be back in the country by now. As you can see from Fletcher’s quotes in the paper, he still believes it’ll be a longshot to get Gaborik to stay this late in the game, but he’s certainly going to try.

During my lunch with Fletcher last Thursday, Fletcher said he was in the process on contacting every team in the league to discuss trades. Yesterday, he said that initial process was complete. He’s made some type of communication with all 29 teams.

Remember, Fletcher believes the trade market this summer will be greater than most summers because so many teams have cap issues. In fact, even after the first couple days of free agency is done, Fletcher is willing to go one player short for the first six weeks or so of the summer because he’s so sure you’re going to be able to commit highway robbery in a trade later in the summer.

The theory there: Since teams are allowed to go over the cap in the summer, teams will be forced to shed money, and even good, $3 million type players in late August and September. So Fletcher is willing to take that risk. But he also wants to try to make some moves at the Draft.

“I’ve had a lot of phone calls. I’ve initiated a lot of phone calls. I’ve had communications with every team in the league and probably spoken with the majority of them in terms of what their needs may be and what the interests are from us. That’ll intensify this week. There’s a lot of communication at the Draft, but I would like to maybe have a little more focused approach going into next week. You know, seeing where the fits will be.”

In other words, often times, trades are consummated right at the Draft or on Draft Day. Fletcher wants to have some frameworks in his mind going into Montreal week. So instead of dealing with a broad, 29-team frenzy next week, he’d prefer by Mondayish to have a more focused approach of a handful of teams he’s dealing with on specific ideas.

I’ll write more in specifics next week. Onward…

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I’ll be back on here later on this afternoon or early evening to discuss more in depth the Richards news conference, the nitty-gritty details of what was discussed in the post-press conference scrums (that’s where the most interesting news items or details always come from because that’s when we ask actual specifics) and a number of other items surrounding the Wild.

But I wanted to throw up the presser, as transcribed by Brian Stensaas (many thanks), and San Jose Sharks coach Todd McLellan, who did a conference call with myself and two other local writers. Remember, not only was McLellan Richard’s boss in San Jose, but he coached for a long time in the Wild organization in Houston. So he knows Koivu, Burns, Veilleux (likely gone), Boogaard, Bouchard, Harding from the Aeros and others like Schultz from training camp.

I also just got off the horn with Penguins coach Dan Bylsma, who was nice enough to call me back between Cup celebrations. I’ll throw that up later.

Here is Todd McLellan:

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Hello from Gate 1 of Xcel Energy Center. The last time I was here, sitting in this exact same setup, Chuck Fletcher was introduced as the new Wild GM. Now he’s running the show, having just introduced Todd Richards as the new coach of the franchise.

It’s a standing room only crowd here in the lobby, with Wild defenseman Brent Burns among those without chairs. Owner Craig Leipold is also standing in the back - don’t you think that he could get a seat?

In introducing Richards, Fletcher said he was “proud and excited” to do so.

“He’s a proven winner and an ideal fit for this franchise going forward,” Fletcher continued,. “He’s earned my trust and I’m confident he’s the right person to coach this franchise at this time.”

Just like Fletcher, Richards received a No. 09 Wild jersey and team cap upon being introduced.

“I am truly, truly excited and honored - and very humbled,” Richards said.

Our own Michael Russo - having some microphone issues - has opened the questioning.

Richards said as a kid growing up on metro area ponds, the Crystal native never dreamed of being a coach.

“The type of hockey we want to play is up-tempo, fast,” Richards said of his style. “You can watch teams that were in the (Stanley Cup) Finals this year and they both play the same style. We believe we have that foundation here. Defenseman have to be part of the rush. Forecheck as a group of five.”

The mics are not working, and I’m in back by the plug-ins so it’s kind of tough to hear. But I believe the topic of Richards having no NHL head coaching experience has come up.

“He’s certainly paid his dues,” Fletcher said, noting Richards’ six years in the AHL. “Talent is the most important thing. How you communicate.”

Said Richards: “In this business as coach, I’m trying to sell something to the players. And I think they’ll buy it.”

Richards’ two sons, 13 and 11 years old both play hockey. He was asked about possibly bringing Minnesota players to the Wild roster.

“Minnesota is rich in hockey players,” he said. “Playing (college) at Minnesota, there was pride in having a roster of all Minnesotans. Us (the Wild) as an organization, it’s about the best fit for the organization. If it happens to be a Minnesota player, that’s great.”

Of course, the Marian Gaborik situation came up. He’s an unrestricted free agent as of July 1.

“It’ll be nice to have a coach to present as a part of our package,” Fletcher said.

Richards has not gotten to talk with current Wild assistants or other possible candidates yet.

A good quote from Richards about receiving the final offer from Fletcher: “It wasn’t like I hung up the phone and said, ‘I have to think about this for a half hour.’”

He had his fingers crossed hoping he would be the one for the job.

Well, that’s it. Russo and columnist Jim Souhan will have it all covered in tomorrow’s paper.

For those fortunate enough to watch and/or listen to the presser live - what are your early thoughts on the new coach?

First, here is the Todd Richards story for Tuesday’s editions

And, here is the player reaction sidebar and Tom Lynn dismissal short (the Chuck Fletcher quote on Schultz was from a sitdown I had with him last Thursday). 

During the Wild’s month-long GM search, owner Craig Leipold had in-person interviewees give them a list of three coaching candidates they’d likely rank 1-2-3 if they had the opportunity to hire one in Minnesota (at least, this is what I’m told by sources).

As you know by my coverage, I talked to a horde of GM candidates over those several weeks, and I asked them the same question. Of the six or seven that did answer that question for me, Todd Richards was on at least five of the lists, including a few that actually got in-person interviews. He was considered that much of an up-and-comer in his incredible fast track from player (2002) to coach.

So you know Leipold heard this name a lot during that month and thus is very comfortable with this hire, and trust me, this was all Chuck Fletcher. As Leipold said at his news conference to introduce Fletcher, he gave the new GM full authority to build his own Stanley Cup-caliber team from top to bottom. That meant final authority on coaches, players and his hockey ops and scouting departments — as proven by today’s firing of longtime assistant GM Tom Lynn.

So, why Richards? I’ve talked to many of his friends and colleagues the last month because I was 100 percent positive he’d top Fletcher’s coaching search list in particular. So I feel I’ve gotten at least a little glimpse into what type of person he is and his personality (and by the way, everybody says he’s just a great guy with a lot of character). 

First and foremost,

Fletcher feels it imperative to have a close working relationship with the new coach (Fletcher’s going to be around the team every single game the first half of the season), and the two of them became very close and grew a mutual respect for each other after Fletcher hired him in Wilkes-Barre. In fact, Fletcher recommended that Richards stay in Wilkes-Barre instead of taking the San Jose job because he was so certain he’d soon be an NHL coach. Ironically, Michel Therrien was eventually fired by the Penguins, and Richards would have gotten the job in Pittsburgh instead of Dan Bylsma. Well, who would have thought, but Fletcher gets the Wild job and Richards get to return to his hometown.

Second, Richards is an offensive-minded coach. He believes in pursuing the puck and attacking with it. He believes in hard-nosed hockey, up-tempo hockey and an activating blue line. And whattyaknow, Fletcher believes in the same type of hockey. So there’s an immediate mesh.

Third, and this could be the most important,

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Yo MinnesOHta, Russo here about to get out into this weather.

If you didn’t see, here’s the Andrew Brunette story that appeared in Monday’s editions.

This was my favorite Brunette quote of the story: “I hear the cadaver they put in was from a guy with a really fast ACL, like maybe a sprinter.”

You’ve got to respect his always self-deprecating humor about his speed.

Just some other stuff from Brunette:

– He said he hasn’t felt any pain in three weeks. If he kneels down awkwardly or puts pressure near the scars, he feels a bit of a ting, but other than that, the operation went very well.

“It feels so good, you think you can go out and run or do whatever on it. But the reality is it’s still very weak. You have to remember that.”

In August, he’ll really start working on that right leg.

– Brunette said he’s been going stir crazy since the season. Unable to do much, Brunette watched literally almost every hockey game he could, some on TiVo. His favorite series’ were Jersey-Carolina, Anaheim-Detroit and the Finals.

“Too much hockey almost. I can’t turn it off,” he said before the playoffs concluded. “I always kind of pay attention, but now I can’t get my mind off hockey. It’s almost an overload. It’s addicting. I can’t turn it off.”

– On the new regime: “Everybody was in a shock period, then almost an uncertainty period. But then, the thought of change is good. With Chuck [Fletcher] here, the new regime here, you get the feeling of what’s going on, where they want to take this team. I think the excitement level of the players, the guys I’ve talked to, is pretty high. Nothing against what was here before. We were very successful with what they did for nine years. But sometimes for guys like Nick Schultz or Burnzie, guys that have been around for a long time, sometimes it’s a nice little break or change of scenery or breath of fresh air when you know everything’s going to be different. In some ways, familiarity is good and change, you’re a little nervous about it. But I think in this case, this is going to be good.”

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Oh, since we last spoke, a new Stanley Cup champion was crowned. What a Game 7!

Those who picked Pittsburgh couldn’t have felt too good about their pick after the Pens feel down 2-0 or dropped Game 5 by five goals. But the Pens are one deep, skilled team, and one that can clamp down defensively as well as anybody.

New Wild GM Chuck Fletcher, the Penguins’ assistant GM as of three-plus weeks ago, got to take in the game and festivities. I am told by people in Pittsburgh that Penguins GM Ray Shero is going to make sure Fletcher gets his name on the Cup and gets a Stanley Cup ring.

Fletcher’s been oh-so close many times. As Florida’s assistant GM in 1996, the third-year Panthers got swept in the Finals by Colorado. As Anaheim’s assistant GM in 2003, the Ducks lost in Game 7 of the Finals at New Jersey. Fletcher took the Pittsburgh job and in his first season in Pittsburgh, Anaheim wins it all. So he just missed that, and then the Pens lose in last year’s Stanley Cup Finals.

But this was a different story and the Pens feel Fletcher was a part of this even though he technically was employed by a different team the last three-plus weeks (he was around Calgary when the Flames won in ‘89 because his father, Cliff, was GM).

Now all Fletcher’s got to do is build a Cup-caliber team in Minnesota. Won’t be easy though. One thing the Finals proved is how far the Wild really are (is?). The Wild is severely short assets because of the fact it has had one second-round pick and no third-round picks the last three years (unless Fletcher picks up some picks this Draft) and has routinely allowed free agents to walk away for nothing.

It’ll take some patience peeps.

Speaking of patience, a new coach will be in place soon. 

So my phone rings this afternoon, I look at the caller id and it says, “Jacques Lemaire.”

I answered and Mssr. Lemaire proceeded to have a little fun with yours truly.

“Michael,” in that unmistakeable voice, “I got a job. I’m working again. I’ve got a scoop for you.”

Excitedly, I say, “Oh yeah,” while I quickly open my blog admin so I can literally publish what he says as he says it.

“Yeah, listen,” Lemaire said.

And all of a sudden, I hear unbelievably loudly, “Vrmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.”

I go, “What the hell was that?” He goes, “A bench saw. I’m building a basement closet,” before he HYSTERICALLY started laughing.

Evil. Just evil.

I thought I got the New Jersey Devils scoop and this guy’s “been put to work by my wife.”

Then Lemaire gave his trademark, “Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!” knowing that he got me.

I said, “Jacques, you better be careful. You already broke your elbow and shoulder this year.”

He said, “I’m watching my fingers. I won’t be able to shoot without them.”

I said, “How’s it possible to build a basement closet in Florida? I lived in Florida. You’re going to hit the ocean.”

He goes, “I’m in Montreal. If I was doing this in Florida, it’d be an entrance.” 

Have I mentioned Lemaire will be missed?

Lemaire was giving me a ring back from a few days ago when I called him about five minutes after Devils coach Brent Sutter quit.

Asked if he’s returning to the Devils as coach (he coached them from 93-98 and won a Cup there in 95), Lemaire said, “I can’t talk about that. There’s nothing done yet. There’s nothing that I can talk about right now.”

I told him I bet Brian Rolston wishes he comes there and Lemaire laughed and said, “Problem is he’s not the guy that decides.”

There’s no doubt though that Lemaire is interested in going back. He said he realized during the playoffs that instead of just taking any consulting job that came down the pike, maybe he does still want to coach in the right situation.

“That’s the thing I haven’t decided. After the season, I thought I was going consultant so I can be with the kids and the grandkids. But as I mentioned at that time, I’m not closing the door on coaching. I’ll look at the two options, and if I’m going to be busy, I’m going to be busy. So maybe I want to coach. We’ll see.”

The only other coaching job out there right now besides New Jersey and Minnesota is Calgary, and he’s not going to Calgary. 

If Lou Lamoriello calls Lemaire and the fit’s right, I bet he goes. Otherwise, he’ll take one of the consulting jobs.

He said he plans to come to stop by the Draft in Montreal “even if there’s nothing done, and then the Montreal press can speculate again. The day Jacques Martin was hired here, a radio station did a poll, who’d you rather have, Jacques Martin or Jacques Lemaire. Imagine that? Imagine that? Poor guy.”

Onward –

The Wild currently has the 12th overall pick (I bet they move down to try to gain more picks) in the June 26 Draft and assistant General Manager Tommy Thompson plans to bring five or six possible draft picks into Minnesota for tours of Xcel Energy Center and examinations by team orthopedist Joel Boyd. I’ll write more about this as the Draft approaches.

Three won’t have to come far though because they’re local – University of Minnesota’s Jordan Schroeder, Eden Prairie’s Nick Leddy and Edina’s Zach Budish.

“I’ve also invited myself into their homes for visits with their families,” Thompson said. “I’m not trying to make a moral judgment, but I want to see their personalities and their relationships with the parents.
“We don’t want any surprises.”

Also, I chatted with Chuck Fletcher for awhile today. He’s made significant progress in the coaching search, but he said he still has more work to do through the weekend and early next week. He said he’s not done interviewing candidates, and I think Red Wings assistant Paul MacLean will be one and it wouldn’t shock me if he called fired Dallas coach Dave Tippett, whose wife is from Minnesota and lives near Detroit Lakes. As I mentioned, Peter Laviolette is a top candidate.

But at the end of the day, I really believe it’s still going to be San Jose assistant Todd Richards. The more people I talk to about Richards, the better things I hear. He’s a very respected coach.