Kukla's Korner (Free subscription) | 11/08/2009
via Michael Russo of Russo’s Rants, Wild players all were talking about the hit this morning and how the league “better suspend” Ott. We will see. Unlike Derek Boogaard’s elbow last year on Brandon Prust, there wasn’t an outcry on this one in Canada… Well, Ott took a leaping elbow into the head on Sykora in my opinion. The league allegedly wants to rid head shots,...
Denver Post (Free subscription) | 11/07/2009
The next time Minnesota Wild enforcer Derek Boogaard scores a goal, the NHL should allow the game to be stopped for a ceremony. Boogaard's goalless streak has now reached an NHL- high 172 games. "I think it's getting close," teammate Cal Clutterbuck said. "I'm going to say he scores, hmmm . . . before Christmas." Boogaard's last goal was Jan. 7, 2006. It was so long ago, Brett Favre...
From The Rink (Free subscription) | 11/05/2009
More photos » by LM Otero - AP Browse more photos » If you haven't been stopping by stats man Gabe Desjardins's pad lately, you'd be well-served to do so. He's banging out some good stuff over there. The latest is a system of ranking fighters , one that comes up with Georges Laraque as the NHL's top heavyweight. Here's the list based on the past three seasons: Player Ft In Wt Fights W L...
Kukla's Korner (Free subscription) | 11/05/2009
from Michael Russo of the Star Tribune, The next time Derek Boogaard scores a goal, the NHL should allow the game to be stopped for a ceremony. The Hall of Fame should swoop in and collect Boogaard’s stick, gloves and skates. The beaten goaltender might want to consider early retirement. And if the Wild bruiser’s next goal comes at Xcel Energy Center, like maybe tonight against the Vancouver...
Kukla's Korner (Free subscription) | 10/29/2009
from Michael Russo of Russo’s Rants, Regarding scratching Petr Sykora last night, Richards said he was trying to put the best team on the ice. Still, he benched Sykora for Derek Boogaard, who only got five shifts. On Sykora: “He is a proven scorer, but there’s so much more that goes to playing the game of hockey than just finishing.” He said the coaches went over those areas...
Wild Puck Banter (Free subscription) | 10/19/2009
I am not a subscriber to the ESPN Insider service, but I did notice that they posted an article today that was titled "Wild Preparing for Fire Sale". It doesn't take rocket scientists or title insurance examiners to figure out that this may be the case sooner rather than later. If the team doesn't start playing better, GM Chuck Fletcher is going to start trading away players who will become...
Hockey Plumber (Free subscription) | 10/09/2009
While Canadiens coach Jacques Martin was audibly cursing on the bench last night, he must have been silently wondering if injured, star blueliner Andrei Markov could have made any difference in Vancouver's 7-1 drubbing of Montreal. In another Province, Maple Leafs coach Ron Wilson found a blessing in disguise. He no longer has to practice his "I don't make goaltending decisions to please the...
Dailydu Blog (Free subscription) | 10/06/2009
NHL Anaheim Ducks vs Minnesota Wild Live Streaming The Ducks and Wild split their four games last season, each team winning once in the other's building. Anaheim's Corey Perry had three goals and Bobby Ryan had two goals in four games, while Minnesota's Niklas Backstrom won twice in net. Andrew Brunette scored twice for Minnesota, as did the now-departed Stephane Veilleux. A highly-motivated San Jose...
Down Goes Brown (Free subscription) | 10/01/2009
As we count down the final days leading up to the 2009-10 regular season, let's take a look at each of the 30 teams with the official DGB Season Preview . Today, we look at the Northwest Division. Edmonton Oilers The good: At last count there were still at least 20 players in the NHL who don't have no-trade clauses, meaning Oilers can still field a complete roster. The bad: The leaking of the names...
Kukla's Korner (Free subscription) | 09/22/2009
from Michael Russo of the Star-Tribune, Wild coach Todd Richards admitted after Monday night’s 5-1 exhibition loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets that he’s worried about how he’s going to get his new team to perfect a brand-new system with a half-dozen or more injured players missing every day. Wild forwards Mikko Koivu, who practiced Monday, Andrew Brunette, James Sheppard, Derek Boogaard...
Wild Puck Banter (Free subscription) | 09/19/2009
cur- mudg -eon [ ker - muhj - uhn ] -noun- a bad tempered, difficult, cantankerous person. What have I become? I attended the Wild-Bluejackets game last night with the best seats I have had the opportunity to sit in. Fourth row in the corner. I could see Derek Boogaard's pores when he went in for a hit. I could see Brent Burns give sh*t to Clayton Stoner . And the best part is that I was able to buy...
The Peerless Prognosticator (Free subscription) | 09/15/2009
Matt Bradley Theme: "It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog." Mark Twain wrote that long before Matt Bradley strapped on a pair of skates, but Twain probably had someone like Bradley in mind when he penned those words. Bradley is not necessarily known as a fighter, but he is a stand-up guy (and he did have as many fights as Derek Boogaard last season)....
Kukla's Korner (Free subscription) | 08/30/2009
ST. PAUL/MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – The National Hockey League’s (NHL) Minnesota Wild today unveiled a new third jersey for the upcoming 2009-10 NHL season at a public event held at the Minnesota State Fair’s FAN Central building. After months of buzz and speculation among Wild fans, the new third jersey was finally revealed today by left wing Derek Boogaard. Based in the Wild’s Forest...
Wild Puck Banter (Free subscription) | 08/30/2009
The new 3rd jersey was unveiled today at the Minnesota State Fair. After showing off the new duds to the throngs of fairgoers, Derek Boogaard punched some fat guy in the mouth, took his plate of cheese curds and disappeared.
Crossword Bebop (Free subscription) | 07/13/2009
In Chapter 3 of America Alone, Mark Steyn contemplates a big idea that is worthy of further consideration in other, more scholarly, less snarky books to be written in the future: the social-democratic state, the welfare state, the cradle-to-grave nanny state, is hazardous to the character of its citizens. How is this so? It focuses the minds of citizens on secondary issues of enjoyment and pleasure,...
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