MN Wild roster, give up skates for aprons to help at annual charity event

The Minnesota Wild roster spent Monday off the ice and in the kitchen. Monday was the annual Wild About the Children event which is a benefit for the Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota. This year's event was hosted by the MN Wild and R.F. Moeller Jeweler. The event which featured the MN Wild roster as celebrity waiters raised $100,000.

“We are grateful for the continued support of the Minnesota Wild and are proud to count them as part of our team at Children’s,” said Alan L. Goldbloom, MD, President and CEO of Children's of Minnesota. "Wild About Children is always a fun event, and it plays an important role in helping us provide the best care possible to all of the children and families that we serve."

Look for the MN Wild to be back on the ice the rest of this week as they take on the Predators and the Ducks at home.

Minnesota Wild Roster

There is no question that the Minnesota Wild Roster will look dramatically different next year and I don’t usually like to play the guessing game on who’s going and who’s coming, but I think it would be beneficial to the Wild organization on many levels (team skill and fan marketing) to convince Saku Koivu (Mikko’s Brother) to sign via free agency.

Any other predictions on the future of the Minnesota Wild roster?

Minnesota Wild Roster includes Andrew Brunette

I have been writing a lot about the Minnesota Wild roster changes over on my other Wild hockey blog, http://www.hockeywilderness.com/ , but since it is so easy to see my MN Wild Freak post on June 19th that brought up the fact that the Minnesota Wild should put Andrew Brunette back in a Wild sweater, I want to say I TOLD YOU SO. I had a gut feeling that Andrew Brunette was coming back to Minnesota after I heard a brief rumor months ago. Bruno is a solid hockey player and I know he wants to play for Jacques Lemaire and the Minnesota Wild so that always helps. I am not happy that the Minnesota Wild couldn’t get things done with Brian Rolston and he will be sorely missed, but I still think we have a chance at putting a playoff bound team on the ice this year…as long as every one stays healthy.

Minnesota Wild went tough, but won’t endure

It is interesting to this MN Wild Freak that the Minnesota Wild didn’t extend a contract to either Aaron Voros or Todd Fedoruk, both Minnesota Wild tough guys. It surprises me because the Wild went so tough last year and then what? Decided to change direction? I don’t know. They drafted physical defenseman Tyler Cuma, but why not try to keep Voros or Fedoruk to insure enough muscle on the ice for the immediate next season. It seems worthless to put together a tough team and then let it fall apart so quickly.

As far as skill players go, the Minnesota Wild still haven’t sealed a deal with Brian Rolston. It appears Rolston is looking for a bigger offer and hoping to get one post July 1st. Keep checking my hockey wilderness blog for Minnesota Wild Roster updates!

Andrew Brunette back in a Wild sweater

I wrote a story about Andrew Brunette coming back over on Hockey Wilderness awhile back and I am not ready to let the issue die. If one thing is for certain, every Minnesota Wild fan wants Andrew Brunette back. Sure, he is playing for the Colorado Avalanche and liking it, but his contract is open and the Wild could use him back. If the Wild get him back, would that up the teams chances in FINALLY making it to the Stanley Cup? The answer is a definite yes. Brunette is a proven hockey player, especially in the playoffs. Add Andrew Brunette to the stellar Minnesota Wild roster of Brian Rolston, Marian Gaborik, Nick Schultz, Mikko Koivu, Brent Burns and friends and the Minnesota Wild turn into a better version of the Detroit Red Wings. No joke.

Wild make first offseason move, secure Marc-Andre Bergeron

There is no doubt that the Minnesota Wild will be busy during the off season. They have plenty of loose ends to deal with including free agents, new signings and soon to be expired contracts. I would love to be a fly on the wall at the Minnesota Wild offices right now.

The Minnesota Wild made their first off season move this week trading a third round pick to the Anaheim Ducks for defenseman Marc-Andre Bergeron. I am not sure what the exact motivation was for this particular move since Bergeron is not a proven player. He’s not physical and he had a minus-16 plus-minus rating last season. Perhaps he will fill the slot of Kurtis Foster until he gets that femur back to normal. My guess is Bergeron will bounce in and out of the Minnesota Wild lineup next year and will not be a key player.

Chris Simon Joins the Minnesota Wild

Want to know how I feel about the Wild acquiring NHL thug Chris Simon? Read my SB Nation Minnesota Wild hockey blog ! www.hockeywilderness.com

Wild need to Move to Improve

It is officially time to panic. Yesterdays Calgary game was terrible and the Minnesota Wild is a hockey team reeling and it is crunch time. I just hope that Doug Risebrough and the rest of the Wild front office brass have the same opinion.

I am afraid that the Minnesota Wild is too much like the Minnesota Twins in that they are unwilling to think outside of the box and actually take some chances. For the last five or six years, the Minnesota Twins have been unwilling to make a trade where they received a veteran player that could help them win now in exchange for a young player that would help them win later. We are now hearing the same type of things from the Minnesota Wild.

The Wild have publicly stated that they aren’t willing to “mortgage their future” for a “rent a player” at the trading deadline. Well, time is running out. They have sold out every game since their inception but my impression is that if they don’t make a run in the playoffs this year, the loyal Minnesota Wild fans are going to get restless. How long will they continue to sell out the arena when the team is so cautious and always playing for next year? In my mind, it is time for the Minnesota Wild front office to take a chance and make a move before the trading deadline. If they don’t, they most assuredly will be like the Minnesota Twins and always be a bridesmaid but never a bride!