Minnesota Wild Season End

The Minnesota Wild Season End is bittersweet on many levels.

We won the last game of the season 6-3 and we were on a winning streak and probably playing some of the best hockey all season, but it was just too late. The Wild barely missed the playoffs. I just keep thinking if we would have played better in just one other game (like the Feb. 14 home loss after a three goal lead) it could have changed the whole season. I know you can’t go around wondering what if and chasing points, it will drive you crazy, but it sure would have been nice to make the playoffs…but then the question is did they even deserve to make the playoffs? The win one lose one team of the last few months certainly did not.

It’s also a closing of the Jacques Lemaire chapter. He and I have a love hate relationship so I am looking forward to the next era in Minnesota Wild hockey. Are you?

p.s. All the press conferences seem like Jacques made the choice to leave, but a source of mine at the Xcel Center said he was forced to leave. Hmmmmm….either way, Jacques Lemaire is gone and a new chapter will begin.

Gaboriks Popularity at All Time Low

Let’s face it, if they posted approval ratings for NHL players, Marian Gaboriks would be at an all time low. Fans are sick of him, the press is sick of him, the coaches are sick of him. Need proof? Read my past blog entries where I state how disgusted I am with Marian Gaborik and his lack of toughness. OR just read the paper today – When asked about Marian Gaborik, head coach Jacques Lemaire:

“rolled his eyes….then he thought for a minute.
‘I guess if he feels like skating, he'll skate,’ he said. ‘If he wakes up and feels like skating will be a part of his day, it will be. If he doesn't, it won't.’”

Rolled his eyes? Wow – approval rating = zero. If he feels like skating, he’ll skate – sounds very Randy Mossish. The Minnesota Wild doesn’t need a diva, they need a hockey player who wants to play, wants to score, and wants to win.

Wild play in Colorado tonight – two points are needed – plain and simple.

Lemaire Over Coaches in Loss

In last night's defeat by the Buffalo Sabres, it became even more evident that there are times when Jacques lemaire over thinks, over scrutinizes and over coaches. With around six minutes remaining in the game and the Minnesota Wild having played great hockey in the second and the beginning of the third period, Lemaire called a time out and instructed his players on what to do the last six minutes of the game. Unfortunately, that moment was the beginning of the end.

The Minnesota Wild proceeded to play the rest of the game tight, unfocused and tentative. The Sabres scored three goals, one of which was the game winner in overtime, in less than five minutes. That left me, and by the looks on the faces of everyone at the Xcel Energy Center who bought Wild Tickets, shell shocked!

I hope that Jacques Lemaire just lets the Wild play next time they are playing well and up by two goals with less than six minutes remaining in the game. I am sure that it will result in a different outcome.

What Happened to the Wild?

Can someone please email me and give me some sort of explanation as to what happened to the Minnesota Wild. They played one of their best ten minutes of hockey this year last night during the overtime period versus the Colorado Avalanche. They played with crazy amounts of intensity and completely outplayed Joe Sakic and the Colorado Avalanche. Tonight they seem to have decided that the series was already won and the have plated flat and on their heels while giving up three first period goals to the Avalanche. How does this team come out flat in the NHL Playoffs and why didn't Jacques Lemaire call a timeout after the second goal? More importantly, what the hell is going on with my favorite NHL team?

What's with the Wild?

After watching tonight's Minnesota Wild vs. San Jose Sharks game, I was left wondering what has happened to my favorite NHL Team. It appears to me that they have completely lost their moxie and have absolutely no confidence. I can't help but wonder if Jacques Lemaire is to blame. It feels like the constant line changing and the calling out of his players has had a negative affect on the Minnesota Wild. I think that we are at a crucial juncture this season and it may be time to simply stick to the lines that were effective at the beginning of the year and let them play. Maybe this would allow the Minnesota Wild to play less tight and let their talent lead them to victories. It can't get much worse than it has been the last week?

Wild Play Well against Red Wings

The Minnesota Wild lost to the Detroit Red Wings at the Xcel Energy Center last night. It was a tight match-up and the Wild lost in overtime 3-2. The fluky goal that sent the game into overtime must have hit a players skate and then one of Backstroms pads. I still don’t know how it went in. The Wild skated extra hard against the NHL leading Red Wings and despite the loss, coach Jacques Lemaire had this to say:

"I thought we played our best game of the year," said Lemaire, "I'm really happy the way our players played. We played hard. We got a point."

Up next for the Wild is another home game against the Dallas Stars tomorrow night. The game is sold out through the Wild and it looks like it is a hot game for ticket brokers as well. Ticket King has Wild tickets starting out at $70 each for the Wild vs Stars game. I guess Minnesota fans are still excited to see Mike Modano and the old North Stars take the ice.

Let’s go Wild!

Wild Sign Sean Hill

The Minnesota Wild signed Duluth, Minnesota native and 37 year old defenseman Sean Hill last week. Hill had one goal and 24 assists in 81 games for the New York Islanders last season and was also the first NHL player suspended for violating the league's drug policy. Hill was suspended hours before the Islanders playoff loss to the Buffalo Sabres due to a positive test for the anabolic steroid boldenone, which is banned by the NHL. Hill received a twenty game suspension and will miss the first nineteen games of the new 2007/08 season. The Wild said Hill acknowledged using a doctor-prescribed testosterone booster approved by the NHL, but told the team he did not knowingly take boldenone and is unsure how it got in his system.

As an eighth-round pick of Montreal in the 1988 draft, Sean Hill has also played for the Anaheim Mighty Ducks, Ottawa Senators, Carolina Hurricanes and the St. Louis Blues. This hard-nosed Minnesota native ranked third in the NHL in hits and sixth in blocked shots last season which is probably why the Wild signed him to the one year deal. Minnesota Wild fans look forward to Hill helping beef up Minnesota Wild defense and Wild fans certainly hope that the Sean Hills next drug test turns out clean because every one knows head coach Jacques Lemaire doesn't mess around with troubled players.

Stanley Cup Championship On Horizon

I was just thinking about the NHL Playoffs and the fact that the Minnesota Wild only have to win 16 more games this year in order to raise the Stanley Cup for the State of Hockey. I am sure that Jacques Lemaire and the rest of the Minnesota Wild coaching staff have made it perfectly clear to Gaborik, Rolston, Burns and the rest of the boys that they need to play one game at a time and not worry about who their next opponent will be or get too far ahead of themselves. I unfortunately, am not a member of the Minnesota Wild so I can look ahead and start the countdown from 16 t0 1.

In Jacques Lemaire I Trust

As I was lamenting over the Minnesota Wilds chance of advancing past the Anaheim Mighty Ducks, I for some reason had a cocky sort of calm come over me. At that moment, I remembered that the Minnesota Wild are coached by Jacques Lemaire. There is not a better coach to lead their team into the NHL Playoffs than Jacques. In 2003, he took the Minnesota Wild within three victories of heading to the final series for the Stanley Cup Championship. That team was over matched by all three teams that it beat yet Jacques Lemaire found a way to coach the Wild to big win after big win. So, for all of you that think that there is no chance that the Minnesota Wild can beat the Anaheim Mighty Ducks in this best of seven series, remember who is standing on the Minnesota Wild bench and remember waht he has accomplished as an NHL coach. Thanks to Jacques Lemaire, the Minnesota Wild will advance.

I read Twin Cities Tickets Blog and got the low down on the NHL Playoff Ticket market. It sounds like they are a hot commodity.