OK, suddenly a ton of news here in Edmonton. 

Left wing Derek Boogaard has been suspended five games for his elbow on Brandon Prust last night. Boogaard was assessed a two-minute minor for boarding. This is the first suspension of his career. He’ll miss the rest of the road trip.

The suspension hasn’t been officially announced yet, so my rough math says Boogaard will be fined $23,521. That’s five days prorated off his $875,000 salary-cap hit. Pretty sure that’s accurate.

Prust, who is coming back from a broken jaw, is out with a concussion.

GM Doug Risebrough wouldn’t comment on the suspension other than to say, “Obviously the league saw it differently than the concussion [Edmonton’s Sheldon] Souray inflicted on [Craig] Weller with the plastic [wrist] guard.”

I emailed NHL discipline czar Colie Campbell about the suspension and the inconsistency with Souray on Weller (he missed 13 games): “The hit was late and there was distinct contact to the head of Brandon Prust by Derek Boogaard with his elbow. Prust has suffered a concussion from this incident. I have dealt with the Edmonton organization regarding Sheldon Souray’s wrist guard and his future involvement in any fisticuffs.”

Campbell warned Souray about the huge wrist guard at the All-Star Game. A replay discovered earlier this month showing Souray blatantly turning and nailing Weller with the guard. The team turned the video into the league, and nothing came of it.

The thing that surprises me the most about this suspension is the suspension on Brendan Witt a few days ago. The Islanders defenseman got the same five games for elbowing Nik Hagman in the head the other night. It was pretty disgusting. The intent was clear. It was a blatant flying elbow. But Witt is a repeat offender. This is Boogaard’s first phone call with Colie Campbell in his career. 

Mike Keenan also questioned why Lemaire had Boogaard on the ice with 1:12 left. I asked Lemaire about this, and he said, “I don’t know why he questions that. He played a regular shift the whole game. If he wouldn’t have played, that’s different. He wouldn’t have been there at the end.”

Boogaard is very disappointed. He admits the hit was late, but he said if he was concussed, it had to be the boards, ice or glass. Apparently, the players’ union said there’s a TV angle that shows Prust’s head hitting the glass.

In other news, according to sources, the Wild has placed winger Craig Weller on waivers. Because its the weekend, he wouldn’t clear or get claimed until Monday. This comes as a surprise. One has to think something’s brewing because the Wild has a free spot and could just put Owen Nolan on IR if it needed roster space.

It’s believed the Wild has talked to other teams about Weller and is trying to get to take his contract, which he’s got another year left. If he clears, the Wild could send him to the minors, which gives it flexibility going into the trade deadline to make a trade to add some players and be able to clear a roster spot if it quickly needs to.

Weller was told by assistant coach Mike Ramsey, and is very disappointed and confused by the whole thing. Interestingly, the Wild didn’t know about the Boogaard suspension when it made this decision, so if Weller does get claimed, the team will be without a fighter the next four games.

Weller will play tonight. Colton Gillies will play for Boogaard.

Lemaire said the Wild is considering playing Kurtis Foster tonight, but hasn’t made a decision. He skated for a long time this morning. He was told to come to the rink ready to play just in case.

Lemaire had a long, long conversation with Marek Zidlicky today. He said Zidlicky is struggling, still having trouble adjusting to the Wild’s system from Nashville’s. More on that tomorrow or later in the week.

I was talking to Marc Crawford, Scott Oake and the rest of the CBC guys this morning. They are excited for the game because they believe two very desperate teams should make for a very good game.

Lemaire joked that he plans to have a flashing URGENT sign on his forehead to remind his players of the importance of the game and all the games from here on out.

“We’ve got a game tonight. We’re lucky it’s at 8 o’clock. An hour more to prepare,” he quipped.

Also, “We’re very pleased to still be in the running in the playoffs, but I know one thing, if we don’t wake up, it won’t last long.”

Good day back in the Cities.

Bad news. Miikka Kiprusoff was in the zone this morning. You would not believe some of the saves he was making. Jarome Iginla had an open-net one-timer from the left circle. Kiprusoff had to be two feet to the left of the far post. Iginla got every ounce of the puck, and Kiprusoff sprawled out of nowhere with his blocker to punch the puck into the netting.

Doug Risebrough and Flames GM Darryl Sutter watched the Flames’ skate together this morning. I’m hearing Dion Phaneuf for Marian Gaborik is imminent.

Wild draft picks Carson McMillan and Cody Almond have been hanging around the Wild practices the past few days. They match up against each other in a massive WHL game between the Calgary Hitmen and Kelowna Rockets tomorrow. McMillan, who will be attending tonight’s Wild-Flames game, plays for Calgary; Almond for Kelowna. Almond won’t be at tonight’s game because the Rockets play at Red Deer tonight.

Brent Burns is feeling A-OK. I don’t know if he was really sick or we were getting bad information because every time he came within a foot of me today, he fake coughed. But he’s in for sure.

Same lineup tonight, Jacques Lemaire says, meaning Colton Gillies and Kurtis Foster out.

I’ve gotten a couple emails on cap hits at the deadline, so I figured I’d give you a quick tutoring.

Want to know how much money your favorite team can add by Wednesday’s trade deadline? Go to nhlnumbers.com to find out how much your team is under the cap (this is not 100 percent accurate, but they do a good job). Then take a player and prorate his salary-cap hit.
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For example – and this is only an example, if a team wanted Marian Gaborik. His cap hit is 6.33 million. There are 186 days in a season. On March 4, there is 40 days left in the season. So you take 6,333,333 and divide it by 186. You get roughly $34,050. Multiply that by 40, and a team would have to fit $1.362 under the cap to trade for Gaborik.

Since about half the league’s within the ceiling and $2 million under the cap, now you know why it’s so hard to make trades. Plus, remember, all (OK, most) teams have budgets, too, as in real dollars they can spend.

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Log on to startribune.com before 3 p.m. and I’ll be hosting a live chat revolving anything NHL/Wild-related that’s on your mind. Here’s the link, I think.

Andrew Brunette, who’s got a knee injury, declared himself good to go this morning, although it’s clear he’s playing with a fairly serious injury again and admits it’s “day-to-day,” meaning let’s see if it holds up.

Boy, it’s good to be back at work. I got razzed a lot from a couple players for not being near the team the last few days while it was winning. The thing I missed the most? Listening to Derek Boogaard and Cal Clutterbuck shoot the breeze at their locker stalls. It should be a sitcom or reality show or SNL skit or something. The stuff that flies from their mouths is laugh-out-loud funny.

By the way, I did a Sports Illustrated Q&A with Boogey last week, so get last Thursday’s S&I and you’ll see some funny answers to questions. He takes some slapshots at guys like Clutterbuck and Josh Harding.

Speaking of laugh-out-loud funny, I’ve neglected to mention, I’ve had an ear infection the past 10 days. It just won’t go away. Try flying with an ear infection, by the way. I’d rather sit in the Nicollet Mall during an ice storm than experience again what I’ve experienced the past two flights.

So because of this, and probably the heavy medication I’m on, my balance is let’s just say, a little out of sorts. I’m bumping into furniture, street signs, flight attendants, Wild players. Heck, I was just in the skyway in downtown Minny and bumped into random people walking. It’s a little embarrassing, although I did snag one guy’s wallet between you and me.

OK, I’m exaggerating a little, but not with this story. So I went to get a coffee this morning and the woman gives me the cup. In my mind, I put my hand around the cup. In reality, I put my ring and middle fingers in the middle of the scalding hot coffee and my thumb on the outside. My reaction?

Not only did I spill the coffee, I lofted it airborne. And I mean airborne. Like Marian Gaborik flipping over Dominik Hasek airborne. I got real good flight on that cup. Real good flight. It took about seven white rags to get it all up. I wanted to run for cover.

Soooooo, I leave town and the Wild resurrects itself under the watchful eye of Stensaation. I’m not sold.

If the Wild wins tonight, I’ll be sold. Remember, last month, the Wild had a big win in Chicago and returned home only to lay an egg to the L.A. Kings. Mssr. Jacques Lemaire remembers that game, and he is trying to avoid it by reminding his squad it better not take the Kings lightly again. After all, it’s the Wild, not the Kings, that are 0-2 in this season’s meeting.

Cue Mssr. Lemaire: “We haven’t been consistent all year. This is what we talk everyday – trying to repeat the good games we had. It’s like we played Detroit, we had a great game, and then we go to Chicago and didn’t have a good game. We won, but didn’t have a good game. So it’s important for us to bounce back tonight because of the fact that we’re not consistent. We’ll go on the road now, and it’s all three games, four nights. And if you’re not consistent, forget it. You’re going to have a hard time to win games. It’s the effort, it’s how we play, it’s how many players will have a day off. It’s all that. Getting prepared to play the best you can.”

Other stuff?

Wild is about to embark on a six-game, 12-day trip. I cannot convey to you how much I’m looking forward to it.

Asked if he’s looking forward to it, Lemaire quipped, “I’ll let you know after the road trip if I look forward to the trip. Inside of me, I’m looking forward to it. First of all, it’ll be good for the guys. I think we get more prepared when we play on the road. It’ll give us a good idea of our team.”

Colton Gillies, coming off a nasty stomach bug (and nasty, I got all the details from him), and Kurtis Foster, coming off a six-point, 6-0 stint in Houston, are the healthy scratches, it appears. Nik Backstrom back in the pipes.

OK, work time. Remember, live chat at 3 p.m. unless you’re going to get at trouble from work (I am not responsible). Also, Russo Radio tonight at 6 p.m.

I’m back. Finally.

Six-and-a-half-hour delay in Ft. Lauderdale yesterday before a four-hour flight home. Another full day of …. yada, yada. 

So to recap, of my last six travel days, I had an 11-hour delay in Edmonton, a three-hour delay in Seattle and a six-hour delay in Ft. Lauderdale — all three of which coming after we twice pulled back from the gate. And, on one of the others, I had to fly through Atlanta to get to Detroit.

I starve for the days of one-hour delays. I can not wait ’til Thursday’s start to a 12-day road trip. We can chat live about all this and more today at 3 p.m. At some point this morning there will be a link on www.startribune.com, www.startribune.com/wild and www.startribune.com/sports that will make instructions clearer.

Looking forward to the chat about the sudden rebirth of the Minnesota Wild, and the NHL in general. Lots of stuff going on with recent firings of Tom Renney in New York and Michel Therrien in Pittsburgh, and the Ottawa trade that could get the trade-deadline puck bouncing.

Also, some housekeeping items, but “Russo Radio” on KSTP that usually broadcasts at 6 p.m. on Wednesdays will actually be tonight on KSTP. The Twins play Wednesday night and the Wild has a late practice Thursday, so the show will air tonight live, so be sure to give it a listen and/or call in.

I’ll be back on here with an update after the morning skates. I see Kings captain Dustin Brown, who has absolutely annihilated the Wild in the Kings’ two victories, is back home because his wife is giving birth to their second child.

If the Wild wins, the team should send Mr. and Mrs. Brown a year’s supply of diapers.

(updated at 11:30 a.m.)
Forward Andrew Brunette (”lower body” injury) skated this morning at Xcel Energy Center, meaning all signs point to him being in the lineup for the 510th straight time tonight. Officially, though, he is not listed as in. Coach Jacques Lemaire said it will depend on how Brunette feels as the day goes on. Brunette declined to talk with the media, so we’ll all find out together around 6:30 when the team takes its pregame warm-ups.
It was a pretty uneventful morning skate for the Wild, as they tend to be. Four players (Gillies, Olvecky, Boogaard and Weller) stayed on the ice extra today, so I really don’t have a feel for who sits this one out. Of course, if Brunette doesn’t go it’s a whole different story.
In an uncharacteristic move, Lemaire has already stated that Niklas Backstrom will be in between the pipes tonight. He’ll face off down the rink from Jimmy Howard, who will make his season debut tonight for the Red Wings. Detroit called up Howard from Grand Rapids, giving Chris Osgood a 10-day respite.
The Wings - well, seven of them at least - are on the ice now going through a light workout.
There’s a ton of tours going on at the X today. I’m wondering if leaving my laptop here while I go grab lunch is a good idea or not. I have it on good authority that already game notes, media guides and game programs are being lifted from the press box by greedy fans. Hmmm ….
If I still have a computer later, I’ll come back on here pregame to give you the lineup updates. Until then, good Saturday.

(updated)

Back from the Wild’s skate. Looks like Derek Boogaard’s illness cost him a spot tonight. He skated, but he was off the ice way late and Colton Gillies was off way early. 

Funny back and forth today between Jacques Lemaire and Calgary Flames Hall of Fame broadcaster Peter Maher. Maher asked about the last game, a blown 3-0 lead, and Lemaire jokingly said, “Why you bring that up? Read the papers.”

Lemaire: “Well, what was the question?”

Maher: “How often has that happened since you’ve been here? Has that ever happened before?”

Russo (who couldn’t help but blurt in): “Calgary.”

Lemaire: “Yes, Calgary. And I think, iiinnnnn Calgary. That was good, too. Really enjoyed that one. So you know how it went? In Calgary, you were there. Same thing. OK, next question. Anything happy you can tell me?”

As usual, with Lemaire, you have to listen to the audio. Lots of laughter and sarcasm.

Lastly, two things to whet your appetite:

If you didn’t see, Willie Mitchell was accused of using too long of a stick by Calgary coach Mike Keenan during the morning skate a few days ago, so during pregame warmups, Mitchell taped two sticks together and jokingly used this one. Here’s the link.

(Editors note: Mitchell’s stick is too long. That’s what I believe. I used to hear it all the time when I covered him in Minnesota. Max is 63 inches unless you have an exemption because you’re absurdly tall, like a Zdeno Chara. Speaking of this, anybody notice Jason Spezza’s banana blade the other night? I guarantee that this was illegal even with the new curve limit, and at the very least, the edge of his blade was illegal. It almost turned into an arrow at the end.)

Also, here’s Yahoo’s PuckDaddy on the Rangers’ Aaron Voros. Voros’ downward season in New York is pretty much identical to last season here. Also, watch the fight between he and Cam Janssen. Yikes. As somebody said to me recently (and I really can’t remember who), few players love fighting more and is worse at it than Aaron Voros.

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I just wrestled the blog back from Stensaas, but only temporarily.

Tomorrow morning, I’m heading down to South Florida for the weekend for a friend’s wedding. Check out the weather report down there this weekend. I will (maybe) return Monday, so Stensaation is on the team and the blog for both weekend games and Friday’s practice.

Then it’s all me the rest of the way pretty much, at least on all 14 road games (Marriott points) during this upcoming stretch.

I figured I’d toss up an early blog this morning since I haven’t blogged since Monday.

It’s been a tough 24 hours.

Yesterday, I watched Shea Stadium go up in smoke. I spent many a summer day at Shea as a kid. I actually was an Expos fan, believe it or not, but I didn’t live in Montreal, so Shea it was.

My brother was the biggest Mookie Wilson fan ever. I liked Rusty Staub and Gary Carter, probably because they were former Expos. In fact, one of my biggest thrills as an early sportswriter was writing a father-daughter story about Gary Carter and his daughter, Kimmy, who was a star high school softball player in West Palm Beach.

Between you and me, I was a big Ron Gardenhire fan, too. I think my brother liked Rafael Santana – Gardenhire’s competition at short.

Hey, at least Nassau Coliseum still exists. That place is a palace.

As for some hockey stuff, just wanted to share with you a couple emails I’ve received in the last couple days:

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