Battle Between The Pipes

Go through each of the major sports and you’ll find one position that’s absolutely vital to a team’s success.

In football, you’ve got the quarterback.  In baseball, it’s all about starting pitching.  On the hardwood, you need an athletic point guard.

On the ice, it’s all about goaltending.

Sure, puck-moving defensemen and depth at the center ice position are huge.  Splendid special teams and great coaching also play a big role.  But, most teams go as far as their goaltending allows them to.

Look no further than the success the 2014-2015 Minnesota Wild enjoyed after Devan Dubnyk arrived in the Twin Cities, as the 6’6” Saskatchewan native went 27-9-2 with the Wild, almost single-handily lifting them into the playoffs.  At one point, he made 39 straight starts for Minnesota!  His goals against was sub-2.00 in a Wild sweater, and his save percentage was a gaudy 93.6%.

On the flip side, the Iowa Wild haven’t received great goaltending in their two seasons in Des Moines. Youngster Johan Gustafsson was too inconsistent, and headed back to his native Sweden after last season.  Veteran John Curry posted decent numbers in his two seasons with the club, but they weren’t the eye-popping statistics that were really needed to help the Wild win more games.  Now in fairness to both Gustaffson and Curry, the Wild weren’t always good enough defensively to make life easier on their netminders, especially last season.

However, the fact remains that playoff hockey teams typically get superb play from their goaltenders throughout the year.  Stop the ones you should, and mix in a couple of clutch saves every night, and you’ve got the makings of a true, number one goaltender.  The type of goalie that breathes confidence into his team because they know he’s there to bail them out when a puck is turned over, or a coverage assignment is missed.  The type of goalie that stands in the crease and battles for his team.  The type of goalie that does his part to end a losing skid, or carry the team to a streak of wins, thus helping the club jump up in the standings.

The Minnesota Wild began training camp last week with Dubnyk locked in as their number one goaltender, having signed him to a franchise-goaltender-type contract this summer.  Backing him up is Darcy Kuemper.  Had things gone differently (and quite frankly, more according to plan) the last two seasons, Kuemper most likely would have continued his development as a rising, NHL star, in Iowa.  However, injuries and other circumstances in Minnesota meant Kuemper was part of the Wild’s NHL plans sooner than anticipated.  Thus the need for Curry to join the ranks in Iowa, where he was paired up with Gustafsson, and occasionally called up to Minnesota when needed.

Also in the mix is veteran goaltender Niklas Backstrom, who appears healthy and ready to contribute.  Backstrom pitched a shutout in Winnipeg in his 2015 preseason debut, after appearing in just 19 games last season.

But I digress from the big club’s masked men…now back to the Iowa Wild’s goaltending situation.

Right now, one might say the Iowa Wild are “unsettled” at this crucial position.  “Unsettled” because there’s a competition taking place as we speak, one that may determine who plays 50 (or more) games in net this season.

With the recent tryout signings of veteran goaltenders Leland Irving (signed September 14th) and Kevin LaLande (signed September 16th), there are now four goaltenders essentially battling for two spots in Iowa.

Will it be one, or both, of the veterans that eventually earn a full-time contract?  Will it be neither?  Will rookies Brody Hoffman or Stephen Michalek impress enough to garner a spot on Iowa’s Opening Night roster?

All of this will continue play out over the next few days in Minnesota, and then beginning this Saturday in Iowa, which is the first day of practice at Wells Fargo Arena.

Depending on the short-term (and long-term, for that matter) status of Backstrom, it’s conceivable that Irving or LaLande could win that “number three” job on the depth chart in Minnesota.  Every NHL team essentially has this spot – you know, the goaltender that’s the main backstop in the AHL, but always the first one to get the call when an emergency strikes at the game’s highest level.

I asked Minnesota Wild Assistant GM Brent Flahr on the first day of training camp about the signings of Irving, 27, and Lalande, 28, and if it was fair to say they were brought to camp partly to compete for Minnesota’s number three goaltender.

“Yeah, exactly, that’s what they’re here to compete for, as well as Hoffman and Michalek.  Those [Hoffman and Michalek] are two, first-year pros so we may have to be a little patient, but at the same time, it’s up to them to show what they can do and show if they’re ready or not,” Flahr said.

The jury is out, and might be for a while, on Hoffman and Michalek.  Each is fresh out of the NCAA ranks – Hoffman, 24, went 13-6-2 at the University of Vermont last season, while Michalek, 22, played in 79 games over three seasons at Harvard.  Last season, the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins rode rookie goaltender Matt Murray (25-10-3 in the regular season; AHL Rookie Of The Year honors) to the Calder Cup Playoffs, so it’s not unheard of for a rookie goaltender to have success in the AHL.

But having two rookies as your goaltending duo is a bit risky, hence the signings of Irving and Lalande.

Irving has appeared in 13 career NHL games, all with the Calgary Flames.  In addition, he’s posted 20 or more wins at the AHL level three times in five seasons.

“Well, first of all, he’s a former high pick with the Calgary Flames,” Flahr said of Irving, a first round pick back in 2006.  “He’s had experience playing in North America – a little bit in the NHL and the American Hockey League – and he’s been over in Europe the last couple years, so I felt it was a no-brainer to bring him into camp on a tryout.  He’s highly interested in playing back in North America, as is [Kevin] Lalande.  For us, it’s a no-brainer.  It gives us a little competition in camp.”

And on Lalande, who has played pro hockey since the 2007-2008 campaign, Flahr commented:

“Kevin had a very good year for CSKA [Moscow] in the KHL last year. He’s a veteran guy, he’s been around, he’s played in the American League as well and he’s had a lot of success over in Europe the last few years.  He’s interested in playing back in North America and we brought him in to take a look at him and he’s obviously in competition for the starting job in Iowa.”

Lalande, who ironically enough was also drafted by the Flames, has played for two AHL franchises, winning a total of 40 games at the AHL level.  But he hasn’t played in the AHL since 2010, as he suited up in Russia the last five seasons.

The other part of this equation that’s worth noting is that Frederic Chabot is the new Wild Goaltending Development Coach.  Chabot will work closely with Goaltending Coach Bob Mason, who’s been with the Minnesota Wild for an eternity.  Earlier this month Chabot was in Traverse City, Michigan, at the NHL Prospects Tournament, watching Hoffman and Michalek.  And now he’s at Xcel Energy Center working with all of the goaltenders in camp.  In less than a week’s time, he’ll be making the trek to Des Moines to continue working with not only Hoffman and Michalek, but whichever of the veteran netminders find themselves in Iowa.

I spoke with Chabot as training camp opened, the former Edmonton Oilers Goaltending Coach, who played with Minnesota Wild Head Coach Mike Yeo in Houston on the 1999 Turner Cup Championship team.  For the man they call “Freddie” there’s a lot of new faces to learn at his new place of employment.

“Well, all those guys are new to me, so I’m getting to know Brody [Hoffman] and [Stephen] Michalek and its fun to watch them,” Chabot said.  “They’re young guys…skill, size, willing to learn too, so it’s going to be fun to work with them and help them become pros.”

“Also there’s a battle for the number three guy with [Kevin] Lalande and [Leland] Irving,” he added. [Since it’s early in camp] you don’t want to make a call right away… both brought some athleticism and both are good skaters, so tomorrow should be even more interesting.”

It’s still September, and there’s plenty of work to be done by all of the players and coaches, but despite what the calendar says, it’s actually a pretty pivotal time for the entire organization from a goaltending perspective.  There’s a competition unfolding, and there’s a good chance that whoever comes out on top will be tasked with stopping pucks on October 10^th at Wells Fargo Arena…

Wild Joe Radio

Behind The Scenes In Minnesota: The “Black Aces”

When it comes to playoff hockey, there are a group of players on every team known as the “Black Aces”.

Wait, what?

That’s right, the “Black Aces”.

It’s a term that, according to the Hockey Hall Of Fame, came about in 1940 when the legendary Eddie Shore, owner of the AHL’s Springfield Indians at the time, dubbed a group of players that were trying to work their way back into the lineup as the “Black Aces”.

Apparently Shore got the term from a “Dead Man’s Hand” in poker…again, also news to me.

Now that we’ve established where this long-standing phrase originated, let’s delve into who makes up the Minnesota Wild’s “Black Aces” and what it’s like to be, essentially, an extension of Minnesota’s playoff run.

Stu Bickel, Jonathon Blum, John Curry, Kurtis Gabriel, Tyler Graovac, Zack Mitchell, Gustav Olofsson, Brett Sutter and Stephane Veilleux.  Those nine players all played for Iowa at some point this season. Throw in 19-year-old defenseman Hunter Warner and goaltender Josh Robinson, neither of whom have donned an Iowa Wild sweater, and that’s the group that for the last few weeks have been working hard in Minnesota as the Stanley Cup Playoffs move along.

In my estimation, they are in Minnesota for several reasons:

• Gain experience / be a part of the atmosphere that is the Stanley Cup Playoffs
• Work on skill development through on-ice sessions
• Meet with the training staff & coaches to discuss offseason workout plans and areas each player can improve upon moving forward

Here’s what Brad Bombardir, Director of Player Development for the Minnesota Wild, said when I asked him about the experience for the players that are here:

“Number one, we want guys to come up and see some of these games and witness the atmosphere. Hopefully they can sit there and envision themselves, at some point, playing in that atmosphere.  It’s a great motivator for them to be able to sit upstairs and watch the speed and the entire atmosphere of the game.  Hopefully when they leave and they go home for the summer they keep that in the back of their heads and they recognize, and are willing to, put in the work to hopefully, one of these days, be on that ice and be part of games like that.”

Gabriel, who just wrapped up his rookie season, added: “It’s been pretty good.  I came up last year as well but obviously I’m staying a little bit longer this time.  It’s good just to be around the playoffs.  It’s good to have [Minnesota Wild Skill Development Instructor] Andy Ness and Brad Bombardir and [Iowa Wild Head Coach John Torcehtti] “Torch” working on stuff.  Our season ended a little short so it’s good to be out there and keep working on things.”

A typical day for the “Black Aces” includes an on-ice session and a workout with Minnesota Strength & Conditioning Coach Kirk Olson.  The ice times are typically in the afternoon, well after the big club has vacated the Xcel Energy Center. The locker room they use is an auxiliary room, down the hall from where the NHL players prepare.  It’s almost like they are their own team, a small family if you will, for a few weeks, or depending on the length of Minnesota’s playoff run, much longer.

The equipment / training staff are familiar faces as well, as Iowa Wild Head Equipment Manager Mike Lefczik and Head Athletic Trainer Jody Green are there making sure the locker room is ready and the players have everything they need.

When it comes time to drop the puck at night in St. Paul, the “Black Aces” and Iowa Wild staff arrive in their suits and head up to the press box to take in the game from a much different vantage point than they’re used to when the AHL season is in full swing.  When Minnesota hits the road, the “Black Aces” remain in the Twin Cities, continuing to skate and lift and improve their skills – watching from afar as Minnesota pursues a Stanley Cup Championship.

Coach Torchetti said there’s plenty to be gained from this experience.

“The [Black] Aces, they’re seeing what it’s like to keep your game simple,” Torchetti commented.  “A guy like Graovac – things that we’ve been working on with him – shooting off the rush, not trying to beat a guy one-on-one – he’s seeing it here.  You don’t see Patrick Kane trying to beat people one-on-one.  Those are good things for them to adjust and learn from.”

As Bombardir noted, it’s a unique situation for each of the “Black Aces”.  It’s a different experience for 500-game NHL veteran Stephane Veilleux as compared to Zack Mitchell, who just completed his rookie season.  Bombardir referenced the drills that focus on skill development, which certainly benefits a young kid like Gustav Olofsson, whose season was cut short after just one game due to injury.  An experience like this is a chance for him to work more with Coach Torchetti.  As for Gabriel, Bombardir said that working on puck possession and the skill part of his game is crucial moving forward.  But again, it’s all about each player making the most of this opportunity.

“Every single one of these other players, they can take something from this experience and be better for it,” Bombardir said.

In the AHL, it’s all about development – getting players, both young and old, ready for the NHL.

And even though the Iowa Wild season has come to an end, that process is still ongoing up north, as the “Black Aces” get a taste of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

***

That’s all from Minnesota for now…as always, it was fun to be in St. Paul for a few days. Don’t forget to check out the other content / interviews Josh Fisher and I recently posted on iowawild.com.

Go Wild!

– Wild Joe Radio

The Final Weekend, Minnesota In The Playoffs & More…

Greetings from Oklahoma City, where tonight, and tomorrow, the Iowa Wild wrap up their 2014-2015 season with a pair of tilts against the Barons.

Right off the bat, let me just say that this has obviously been a disappointing campaign. Coming off last year’s inaugural season where the club missed the playoffs, everyone in the organization expected a better on-ice performance. Unfortunately the Wild started slow out of the gates and never recovered.

With that said, there were certainly some bright spots along the way. The rest of this blog will hopefully provide some solace in a tough season and give you a glimpse into next year.

Keep in mind, the AHL is a developmental league.  And to that point, 10 players skated for both teams this season.  Whether it was the NHL debut of center Tyler Graovac, or goaltender Darcy Kuemper putting on an Iowa sweater during a conditioning stint, the Minnesota Wild certainly value having their farm team in Des Moines. The ease of recalling players to the NHL or sending down a top prospect for a few games of seasoning (read Matt Dumba or Christian Folin), has the brass in the Twin Cities loving the convenience of having the “baby Wild” so close to home.  Who knows, maybe a kid like Jordan Schroeder (35 games in Iowa & 25 in Minnesota this season), scores a huge goal in the Stanley Cup Playoffs that helps Minnesota win a game, or a series this spring.  At the end of the day, that’s what the AHL is all about – giving players a chance to work on their game until the call to “the show” comes their way.

Just a couple of weeks back, Minnesota Wild owner Craig Leipold, GM Chuck Fletcher, and other members of management, came to Des Moines and spoke to a large throng of fans about the great relationship the two teams have in that regard.  It’s worth noting however, that they also mentioned the on-ice record in Des Moines hasn’t been good enough through two seasons. And, they vowed, that would change moving forward.

Speaking of developing prospects, think back to the end of last season for a minute…when players like Kurtis Gabriel and Brady Brassart made their pro debuts, giving Iowa Wild fans a look at two future pieces of the Minnesota prospect pipeline. This year has been no different. Thus, here’s a look at a couple of kids that have recently debuted, and most likely will be in Iowa next year:

• Grayson Downing – The University of New Hampshire star made an immediate impact in the Iowa lineup, contributing four assists in just five games played. Coach Torchetti loved his play-making ability and his poise with the puck, particularly on the power play. I say “loved”, meaning past-tense, because unfortunately he was injured early in the game last Sunday in Chicago and won’t play this weekend. Put it this way, if Downing’s your third line center next season, you’ve got a pretty skilled team. So we’ll see what free agents are added at the center ice position to go with players like Downing, Graovac and veteran Brett Sutter. The latter two are both under contract for next season, and pending they aren’t moved in a trade or make Minnesota’s roster, should end up being a big part of the equation in Iowa next season.
• Zach Palmquist – Another free agent signing from the collegiate ranks, the South St. Paul native has been a nice addition to the Wild blue line. He’s played mostly with Stu Bickel thus far and seems to be a decent skater, who makes good reads with the puck.
• Dylan Labbe – Minnesota’s 4^th round pick in 2013 made his season debut on Tuesday night. He played 13 games with Iowa last year, then finished up his junior career in the QMJHL, where he notched 51 points with Shawinigan. He’ll officially turn pro next season, and Minnesota will want him to get plenty of ice time to help his development.
• Gustav Olofsson – I’m putting “Olly” in here because he dressed in Iowa’s season opener in San Antonio, got injured, and unfortunately, was lost for the season. The hope was he’d be back by late March and at least get a few more games under his belt, but that won’t be the case. The young, Swedish defenseman should make a full return from injury and serve as a boost to the Wild’s defense next year. He’s got a ton of upside, skates well, and projects as a puck-moving blue-liner. It’s a shame that he didn’t get a chance to develop his game this season, and that Wild fans didn’t get a chance to watch the former 2^nd round pick in person.

And finally (on the Iowa Wild), I think it should be noted that head coach John Torchetti is under contract for next season. I’ve worked with a bevy of coaches during my time in pro hockey and I can say this, without hesitation: you won’t find a more honest individual than Torchetti.  “Torch” says what’s on his mind at all times. And he’s told me, both on the record, and off the record, that things will be better next season. I believe his quote a few weeks back during one of our radio interviews was: “Winning Is Everything. Losing Is Horrible. That’s The Bottom Line.” He might have used “terrible instead of “horrible”, but regardless, the point is the same.  He won’t stand for another losing season.  So, Wild fans, rest easy knowing that the head coach is committed to a better product – and won’t settle for anything else.

Personally, it’s very disappointing to not be calling playoff games next week (and beyond).  I know as fans, you feel the same way – you want to experience the thrill of the Calder Cup postseason at Wells Fargo Arena!  Well, at least the Minnesota Wild are once again in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and what a great start it was last night for Minnesota, a 4-2 win in St. Louis to claim Game One.

Jason Zucker and Matt Dumba, both Iowa Wild alums, scored the first two goals and Mikael Granlund (played in the AHL in Houston) also scored in the victory. It’s just one game, but it was the type of start Minnesota needed in their opening round series. They’ve put the pressure squarely on the “favorite” Blues, for whom Game Two now becomes a must-win.

The confidence Minnesota has played with since they acquired goaltender Devan Dubnyk has been remarkable. Solid, reliable goaltending breathes confidence through a team and that allows said team to play an aggressive game, knowing that they’ll get the “big save” when they need it.  Dubnyk has provided consistent play between the pipes, and his calming influence makes Minnesota a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.  I like Minnesota’s mix of talent / leadership.  They’ve got a nice blend of forwards led by the hard-working Zach Parise.  Couple that with the youth / skill on defense from players like Jonas Brodin, Jared Spurgeon and Marco Scandella, plus role players that are “hard to play against” like Chris Stewart and Matt Cooke (when in the lineup), and Minnesota appears to have all the right ingredients.  And don’t forget, they’ve gained valuable postseason experience each of the last two seasons, which I believe can’t be overvalued.  It should be a fun playoff run for the big club, and hopefully it continues into June!

Last but not least, the fan support through two seasons of the AHL returning to Central Iowa has been unreal.  So, on behalf of the organization – both staff and players – THANK YOU!  To finish 10^th in the league in attendance last season and then follow that up by averaging over 5,600 fans per game this season, the fan support has been nothing short of incredible.

Hopefully many of you can tune in on 1460, KXNO or via iHeart Radio / AHL Live for the final two broadcasts of the season in OKC….

Thanks again for all of the support this season…it has not gone unnoticed by the organization, or yours truly.

– Wild Joe Radio

A Look Inside The Hockey Hall Of Fame Museum

One of the best things about heading north of the border every season is the passion for hockey. It’s everywhere. From TSN (Canada’s version of ESPN), to the local pubs and sports bars, to the billboards around town, almost everything is hockey-centric. And in Toronto, you can find the mecca of the world’s greatest game, the Hockey Hall Of Fame Museum.

Now, in a perfect world, you can spend countless hours in there. Literally get there in the morning, check out some of the display cases and exhibits, break for lunch, and head back to watch some of the feature presentations, check out the trophies, etc. However, since I’ve been to the HHOF before, I went with more of a crash course approach, brushing up on the awesomeness that’s there with the intention of bringing it to you in this blog….

So, here are some nuggets from my tour (for a more complete gallery of the photos I took, please visit our Flickr page)

The Hall Of Famers – Display cases featuring some of the game’s greatest players, and moments

Johnny Bower – Known as the “China Wall” (I have no idea why), Bower was one of the great goaltenders of his generation. He’s also well known (at least amongst goaltenders) for his use of the poke-check.

Here are the arm and shoulder pads worn by Johnny Bower, who finished his long NHL career with 250 wins in addition to 3 Calder Cup titles at the AHL level.

  I mean, look at those things! It could not have been painless to stop a piece of vulcanized rubber with those pads covering your upper body. Bower played for Providence & Cleveland in his AHL career and went into the HHOF in 1976.

Bobby Orr – One of the greatest players to ever play the game. He racked up 915 points as a defenseman, and revolutionized the game with play-making / skating ability. Pictured here are his “Gold Skates” among other pieces of memorabilia from the great career of “#4”.

The “Great One” – Brantford, Ontario native Wayne Gretzky ended his career with more assists (1,963) than anyone else has points. Enough said. There are several spots in the museum that pay tribute to the greatest goal scorer ever, including a display case for his record-breaking 802nd goal.

“Franchise Alley” – Each of the 30 NHL teams and their AHL affiliates are showcased

The Minnesota Wild / Iowa Wild display features Jake Dowell’s game-worn jersey from Opening Night, 2013.

      Each of the teams also have “graduating player” that is spotlighted. This is very fitting since almost 90% of today’s NHL players spent time in the AHL. The Wild’s spotlighted player is goaltender Josh Harding, who has played 122 career AHL games (including 2 with Iowa this season) and another 151 in the NHL.

NHL Dynasties / Canadiens Dressing Room

You can argue that there will never be another true sports dynasty – in any major league sport. With salary caps, free agency, parity, and a slew of other factors it’s just too hard to get to the top of the mountain year after year. The LA Kings and Chicago Blackhawks two Stanley Cups in recent seasons are about as close as it gets (in hockey) since the late 90’s. But there’s a chance no team ever reaches the heights achieved by the ’56-’60 Montreal Canadiens (5 straight Cups), the ‘80-‘83 New York Islanders (4 straight Cups) and the ’84-’88 Edmonton Oilers (5 Cups in 7 years). All of the NHL dynasties from yesteryear have a dedicated spot in this wing of the museum, where you can read up on their unbelievable achievements.

The best thing about this part of the museum is that it connects into a replica version of the Montreal Canadiens dressing room from the old Montreal Forum. This is, without question, one of the coolest parts because of the “please touch” aspect. I mean, you can literally sit in the stall of Guy LaFleur, Ken Dryden, and the litany of great Montreal Canadiens.

  Pictured here is the stall of “Boom Boom” Geoffrion, one of the innovators of the slap shot!

Interactive Games / Zones & Broadcast Area

Put on a catching glove and grab a goalie stick, it’s time to face shots from some of the game’s best players! The computer-generated software is unreal. The projector screen shows players like Sidney Crosby, Alexander Ovechkin and Patrick Kane bearing in on you…and when the computer-generated graphics show them shooting, a foam puck comes flying out of the wall and towards the net you’re defending. Now if only I had someone with me on my tour…instead I was relegated to taking photos (for the purpose of this blog / photo gallery) of random peeps living out their goaltending dreams. #borderlinecreepy

You can also head upstairs to the broadcast area where there’s a timeline with some of the great broadcast moments in hockey history. There are booths where you can select a highlight and try out your play-by-play skills. I think it’s fair to say I need more practice before trying that out……….

International Play & Junior Hockey

Don’t forget that it’s the Hockey Hall Of Fame, not the NHL Hall Of Fame. If you’re a fan of the Olympics or international competition (World Championships / World Junior Championships), there’s plenty of display cases and a jersey from pretty much every country imaginable.

  Here’s the display case in honor of Team Canada’s overtime, gold medal victory against Team USA at the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver.

The Memorial Cup, Canada’s top, amateur championship trophy, is also on display next to the museum’s tribute to the OHL, WHL and QMJHL.  Can you name all of the current Iowa Wild players that have won a Memorial Cup? (the answer is at the end of this blog)

The AHL & Other Professional Leagues

The American Hockey League, as well as other current, and defunct, professional leagues also have a spot in the HHOF. What’s really cool for Minnesota Wild fans is that there’s still an old Houston Aeros jersey, worn by John Scott, on display.

      The Aeros were Minnesota’s top affiliate for 12 seasons before relocating to Des Moines.

The Trophy Room

Any time I’m fortunate enough to visit the Hockey Hall Of Fame, I always go to the “trophy room” last. Now, I’m not sure what this actual room is called (on the HHOF website it’s called “Silverware”), but you have to walk upstairs into this cathedral-like setting where you stand amongst the game’s greatest pieces of hardware. It’s an absolutely unbelievable setting! The Conn Smythe, the Vezina, The Art Ross and Norris trophies – you name it, they’re all there for you to take in – to read the legendary names that are engraved and stand in their aurora…

   The Stanley Cup stands on a platform by itself (as it should), with no glass case around it (don’t dare touch it, of course). It’s the greatest trophy of any sport, and there’s not even a close second. Its tradition and legacy go back countless decades. There’s even a separate “vault” that contains the original Stanley Cup as well as the rings that have been removed to make room for new teams / names. Really cool stuff…

**Stick Tap to the retro jersey section (I’m a huge fan of old school, hockey sweaters) and memorabilia area, where they have all kinds of NHL promotional items, ticket stubs, etc. I even spotted a Minnesota Wild ticket stub from a 2001 game against Columbus. #random

Hope you enjoyed this blog-tour of the Hockey Hall Of Fame. It’s a must for any hockey fan, so if you’re near Toronto, make it happen!

Don’t forget to check out the photo gallery, which has a bunch more photos from my visit.

– Wild Joe Radio

**TRIVIA ANSWER: Danny Syvret, Justin Falk, Zack Phillips and Jon Blum all won the Memorial Cup during their respective junior careers.

From The Road…And Looking Ahead…

What’s up blog peeps? Wild Joe Radio here – checking in from the road…

First off, Happy Holidays to all the Wild fans out there.  I hope you all have a safe and happy holiday season.

Couple of big games for the Wild this weekend in a rare home-and-home with the Chicago Wolves. However, let’s start with the club’s most recent four-game homestand.

Tuesday night against Adirondack Rockford (good catch on the typo, Jon Blum, #7 in the program and #1 in your heart) was the Wild’s most lopsided win of the year, a 5-1 victory over one of the top teams in the conference. Three, 2^nd period goals and an incredible 58 saves by John Curry (33 saves) and Johan Gustafsson (25 saves) were huge factors in the win.

That left the Wild at 2-2-0-0 through the four games, which considering how this team started the season, and how they’ve historically played at home, is certainly progress in the right direction. Overall under John Torchetti’s watch, the Wild are 6-7-1-1 through 15 games. Most coaches will tell you they want about 20 games with a team to establish where “they’re at”.  Thus, it’s still not completely fair to assess the Torchetti-led version of this team until probably New Year’s Day.

Here are some things to look for, this weekend, and moving forward:

• Playing The Wolves
  • Chicago has lost 4 of 5, scoring just five goals in those 4 losses
  • The Wild are 0-3-0-0 against the Wolves this season, scoring no more than 2 goals in any of those games
  • The Wolves rank 3^rd in the AHL in shots against per game (25.74) and the Wild are near the bottom of the league in shots per game. In fact, the Wild have less than 30 shots in all 6 of their December contests.
  • Controlling the puck (winning face-offs and puck battles) and generating pressure in the offensive zone will allow the Wild to rack up some shots and hopefully keep the pressure on the Wolves.
• “The Next 10”
  • Over the next 10 games (3 vs. Chicago & 1 vs. RFD, MIL, GR, UTI, RCH, SA and TEX) – here are some things to watch for:
    • TURNOVERS
      • The Wild’s somewhat alarming number of turnovers in recent games is what is bothering Coach Torchetti the most. Poise with the puck and execution are two keys in limiting your turnovers. Furthermore, my guess is the team will cut down on their giveaways as they gather more confidence. So if the Wild can keep playing good hockey and finding success, I think this is an issue that slowly starts to fix itself.
    • CONDITIONING
      • John Torchetti contends that the Wild aren’t in good enough shape. Yes, that’s a slightly shocking indictment on the team / their previous head coach. However, rather than laying blame, the key is finding a solution. And that my friends is almost impossible when you have limited practice time. Keep in mind, the Wild just played 4 games in 6 days. Once you account for the (recovery) time off the players need in between those contests, there’s absolutely zero chance to practice. When you can’t practice, it’s hard to break bad habits (read: turnovers) and it’s hard to get your team more game-ready, conditioning-wise. So again, like the turnover issue listed above, there’s no easy solution here.
    • MATT DUMBA
      • I have no idea how long Matt Dumba will be in Iowa. But I’d urge Wild fans to enjoy watching him play while he’s here. Just under 90% of today’s NHL players spent time in the AHL, so it’s hard to argue that the AHL isn’t the second-best league in the world. But for as good as the AHL is talent-wise, every once in a while you get a “can’t miss” prospect, and that’s exactly what Matt Dumba is. His energy, skating ability and booming shot separate him from much of his competition. Plus, he’s just 20 years old.
    • GOALTENDING
      • Solid play between the pipes is the great equalizer in hockey. Get average goaltending, and usually you’ll get average results. Get stellar netminding, and you’ll see your winning percentage climb into the 700 range. Wild goaltender John Curry is boasting a 93.8 save percentage in the month of December. If that continues, the Wild WILL make a push towards the .500 mark sooner, rather than later. Let’s not forget about Johan Gustafsson as well. He needs to find more consistency ASAP. Because of the intense game schedule in the AHL, you need two capable goaltenders. Gustafsson replaced Curry on Tuesday night, and played an unreal 3^rd period, stopping 25 shots. Maybe that’s the jumping point for him – maybe those 20 minutes at home are what helps him turn the corner…

Enjoy the upcoming games, and cheers to a great 2015 for the Iowa Wild!

• Wild Joe Radio

The Sweet Sounds Of Hockey

Skate blades, pucks off the glass, the thud of the boards, and the recurring sound of a coach’s whistle…oh yeah baby, it’s hockey season again!

That’s right, the Minnesota Wild officially opened training camp today, and I’m stoked to be up here again providing some content for iowawild.com. It’s been a long time since my last blog (May 6th to be exact), but as always seems to be the case, the summers fly by and next thing you know, the puck drops on another campaign.

Here are a few observations from Day 1 of Wild training camp:

• There are 57 players here in St. Paul (31 forwards, 18 defensemen and 8 goaltenders) – the players are broken into three groups, and over the next few days each group’s practice times, video sessions and scrimmage times will vary so that essentially, everyone is going through the same amount of repetitions.
• Spirits are high, as is probably the case at each of the other 29 NHL cities.  Every season is a new beginning, and with that comes a great amount of hope / expectations. All of the players I caught up with thus far are excited for another season to begin, and for a lot of the Iowa Wild players (read: Minnesota’s prospects) the next few days are very important to make an impression on not only Kurt Kleinendorst, but also Minnesota’s bench boss, Mike Yeo.
• Here a couple of notable “Minnesota” forward lines from today’s scrimmage: Thomas Vanek / Mikko Koivu / Charlie Coyle & Mikael Granlund / Zach Parise / Jason Pominville.  It’s day 1 of training camp, so I probably wouldn’t read into those trios too much, but in my opinion, those are two solid NHL lines.
• At times I saw Matt Dumba and Gustav Olofsson paired up together defensively, which could happen in Iowa at some point this season.
• Two other forward lines that played together were: Curt Gogol / Brett Sutter / Kurtis Gabriel & Stephane Veilleux / Cody Almond / Brett Bulmer.  I’m noting these because they are all players that could spend time in the AHL, although Veilleux and Almond will almost certainly spend large chunks of the season up with the big club.  On paper, the six forwards above are all guys that are hard to play against, and could fill a checking line role this season.
• Stu Bickel is a large human being with a booming shot.  He’s a former Iowa Chop, and won’t be a fun guy to line up against, whether he’s in Minnesota or Iowa.
• Jordan Schroeder can fly.  I focused on him during one “retrieval” (breakout) drill and was impressed with his ability to lug the puck out of his zone.  He’s always produced points-wise during his AHL tenure.
• Speaking of retrieval drills, I love watching them.  The one coach Yeo was directing today simulates a quick turnover in the neutral zone and then a dumped puck into the defensive zone, where a five-man unit retreats, communicates and breaks the puck out and up the ice.  The five-man unit then attacks two defensemen until they got a shot or two on net.
• At some points during today’s on-ice drills I counted 7 coaches brass on the ice, which included Andrew Brunette, Bob Mason and the aforementioned Kleinendorst.

Don’t forget that Iowa Wild single-game tickets are on sale now, plus we’ve got a preseason game at Wells Fargo Arena on October 1st.  Keep checking iowawild.com for fresh content, as website / PR guru Josh Fisher will be posting interviews over the next several days until training camp in Des Moines opens next week.

– Wild Joe Radio

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Push The Reset Button

 

The Iowa Wild have invaded the Twin Cities! Well, the communications department has anyway…

Josh Fisher and I made the trip up I-35 for today’s morning skate, and tonight’s Game 3 (8:10 pm CT puck drop on CNBC), as the Wild look to get back into their best-of-seven series against the Chicago Blackhawks. Trailing 2-0 in the series, tonight is essentially a must-win game for the Wild. Yes, four teams in NHL history have come back from a three-games-to-none series deficit (including the L.A. Kings earlier in this playoff season), but let’s be honest, no team wants to be in that predicament.

Case in point, here’s Minnesota Wild head coach Mike Yeo at his press conference this morning: “This game is huge, we know that. This is going to be a tough test, and that’s [Chicago] a great team and they understand the importance of it too.  But I obviously think that we’re going to play a very good game tonight and we gotta find a way to get a win here. We gotta find a way to get a win tonight, and [then] the series starts to take a bit of different turn.”

This time of year, coaches and players preach “hitting the reset button”.  And in my opinion, there’s nothing more accurate in postseason play than this “video game analogy”.  Don’t get me wrong, momentum is huge in the playoffs. But, I think you see a bigger impact from in-game momentum.  In-game momentum might be building off a good shift or two, growing confidence on your specialty teams through some early game success, or at the least, solid execution, scoring a goal and translating that into a multi-goal rally, etc. On the flip side, I just don’t think that game-to-game momentum is as a much of a reality as some fans might think.  Sure, a team may lose confidence as a series moves along because their opponent is imposing its will, but for the most part, each game in the Stanley Cup Playoffs is its own beast.

Consider the following:

• Almost every series has a day off, or more, between games
• Just half of the 1st round series (4 of 8) saw a team win three or more games in a row
• Five of eight 1st round series were tied two games apiece at one point, and two of those series (Penguins / Blue Jackets and Rangers / Flyers) saw the teams trade wins through the first four games
• Both Eastern Conference series in the 2nd round saw its Game 1 winner fall in Game 2

There’s an old cliche in sports that goes something like this: “don’t get too high…don’t get too low”.  Now I’m a bit biased, having worked in hockey for the last decade or so, but I’ve heard this statement uttered countless times around hockey dressing rooms. However, there’s a reason something becomes a cliche.  And that reason is because it’s a fact – something that, over time, has been proven to be accurate.

Win a game, and feel good about it for a few hours, but quickly re-focus for the next one on the schedule.  Lose a game, let it fester and motivate you to be better the next time out, and then prepare to avenge the loss.  It’s that simple.  No one in this business feels sorry for you when you are down.  It’s up to each player to look themselves in the mirror and for the coaches to make the necessary lineup changes and strategic adjustments, and then it’s back to work.  And that’s where the Minnesota Wild are right now.  Coach Yeo has tweaked his forward lines, and inserted veteran defenseman Keith Ballard into the lineup (replacing Nate Prosser).

The Wild players and coaches were asked a lot about the crowd here at “The X” this morning, and how it provides energy for the Wild. Make no mistake, there’s a definitive home ice advantage for the Wild here in the “State Of Hockey”, as Minnesota outscored Colorado 8-3 in the opening round on home ice after winning 26 games at home in the regular season. Thus, it’s like returning home for Games 3 and 4 is the perfect chance for the Wild to “hit the reset button”.

When I asked Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon about needing to re-focus after every game in the playoffs he said: “It’s up to four [games].  No matter what you do, you can lose a game 8-1, but the next game you have to reset”.

That’s right, each series is a race to four wins in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.  So don’t fret, Wild fans. Down 2-0 in their series with the Avs, the Wild didn’t panic.  They came home, and handled their business.  And if the Wild can get a “W” tonight, they’ll be right back in this series.  Either way, I’m betting that both teams will “reset” come tomorrow morning, and start preparing for Game 4 on Friday night.

– Radio

 

 

What A Night For Hockey!

What’s up hockey freaks? Missing the Iowa Wild these days? Well, don’t fret, because the Stanley Cup Playoffs are heating up!

Tonight features three Game 7’s…Flyers @ Rangers, Wild @ Avalanche, and Kings @ Sharks.  If you use your technology properly (read: DVR), you should be able to watch all the action.  Or you can always head to Johnny’s HOF on Court Ave. in downtown Des Moines to be a part of our Minnesota Wild watch party, and consume your hockey that way!

There’s nothing better than playoff hockey, and the first round is always awesome because of, if for no other reason, the quantity of games.  Tonight is a special tonight for sure, as it marks just the 5th time in NHL history that three, Game 7’s have been played on the same day.

Here are a couple of quick thoughts on each of the match-ups:

Wild @ Avalanche:

The home team has not lost in this series, so the Wild have their work cut out for them…however, in Games 1 & 5 in Denver, the Wild held a lead late in regulation before the Avalanche tied it with an empty net behind them.  Thus, Minnesota has proven they can put themselves in a spot to be successful on the road tonight.  I think a good start (even or ahead at the 1st intermission) really bolsters their chances of winning, and I’m expecting Mikael Granlund (2g, 2a, +4 in the series) to have a big game.  Granlund has always excelled in the spotlight, as evidenced by the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi.  I expect him to be a difference-maker in some of the grittier areas of tonight’s game – defensive zone play, the face-off circle, etc. Another guy who has been quiet on the score sheet but had several chances in Game 6 was Nino Niederreiter.  Any type of offensive outburst from him tonight would be a huge bonus.  As for the Av’s, I’m going to key on Matt Duchene. Game 6 was his first outing of the series, and his first game after missing a few weeks due to injury.  It will be interesting to see how much better he is tonight after getting a game under his belt.

Flyers @ Rangers 

This battle between long-time rivals has had a noticeable trend thus far: no team has won back-to-back games.  The Rangers claimed Game 1, the Flyers Game 2, etc. And now, here they are at three games apiece, with the Rangers getting a chance to eliminate the Flyers for the second consecutive night. Home ice advantage should work in the Blueshirts favor, UNLESS the Flyers strike first, and play with the lead for a chunk of the contest.  If that happens, the Rangers faithful may get restless and it could actually work against the home team from a momentum standpoint.  Let’s be honest here: the Flyers haven’t played a great series.  Goaltender Steve Mason is a big reason why they won two of the three games they’ve claimed (Games 4 and 6) and the Flyers PP is clicking at 31.6% through the first six contests.  The Flyers must “execute” better.  That means crisper passing, cutting down on their turnovers, getting pucks deep, etc.  For the Rangers, they need to get Rick Nash (0g, 4a) on track, as he’s been eerily quiet in the series.  Discipline is also going to be a huge factor with neither side wanting to gift wrap a power play to their opponent.

Kings @ Sharks

Just a few days ago, this was certainly the most improbable of all the Game 7’s that will take place tonight.  However, I think it may turn out to be the most intense, spirited game of them all.  These two teams absolutely hate each other.  The Kings have won three straight after it appeared they would be golfing by now.  L.A. will look to make history, as they could become just the fourth team EVER to advance in the playoffs after erasing a 3-0 series deficit. Current Kings forwards Jeff Carter and Mike Richards were on the 2010 Flyers team that was the last club to pull off that feat, so my guess is they will lead the charge tonight.  The Sharks will start Antti Niemi between the pipes (he was benched for Game 6).  I like the move by Sharks head coach Todd McLellan to come back with Niemi. He’s won a Stanley Cup before, and he’s going to be extra-motivated having been snubbed for the Game 6 start.  I don’t think either team goes quietly in this one, but if I’m a Sharks fan, I’m hoping they gain some confidence early in the game, especially with their star players having struggled in their three consecutive losses.

Before I get on out of here, I wanted to comment on the extra-attacker strategy employed by Avalanche head coach Patrick Roy in the playoffs.  Roy’s decision to pull his goaltender with about 3 minutes left on the clock in three of the games against the Wild has the world of hockey talking.  In fact, here’s a piece on NHL.com from yesterday http://bit.ly/1kpQv5B where senior writer Dan Rosen delves into the strategy a bit.  The maneuver has been “copied” already in the playoffs as Rosen touches on. Although a bit of a “revolutionary move” in the NHL, I’ve actually seen this done in the AHL plenty of times before.  Kevin Constantine, who now coaches in Everett of the WHL, used to do this all the time when he was in the AHL with the Houston Aeros, Minnesota’s farm team at the time.  Constantine, a former NHL head coach for the San Jose Sharks and Pittsburgh Penguins, would pull his netminder with 5-plus minutes on the clock if the situation presented itself.  I remember him telling me that it was more of a way to help his team gain momentum than anything else.  For instance, say the Aeros were down 4-2 with 4:30 left in a ho-hum, regular season game in November.  Well, “KC” (as he was known) would pull his goalie if the team wasn’t generating much offensively.  He’d play it on a shift-by-shift basis, meaning the goaltender would go back between the pipes if there was a defensive zone draw, or if the team pulled within one goal, etc.  Now, I never witnessed this, but if my memory serves me correctly, I remember Barry Brust (a long-time minor league goalie who had a cup of coffee in the NHL) telling me that he was once pulled by “KC” with like nine minutes left in the third period! Nine minutes!  From a coaching (and personality) standpoint “KC” was definitely different, but in a good way.  He was innovative in his on-ice strategies, and not afraid to take chances. Look, no coach is going to make the right call in every situation, and as Roy learned against the Wild in Game 6, sometimes an outside-the-box maneuver will backfire.

Look for another blog coming in the next week or so on the future pipeline of the Minnesota Wild: prospects like Gustav Olofsson, Kurtis Gabriel, and others…

Enjoy the Game 7’s tonight! Go Wild!

– Radio

Blogging From Cleveland Rocks…

 

Twenty-five games to go.

That’s all that’s left for the Iowa Wild before the AHL reaches its 78th postseason, meaning a total of 16 teams play on, and 14 hit the golf course.

Last night’s win was huge.  First off, the Wild needed some good vibes, mentally-speaking.  Having played so many overtime and shootout games in recent weeks, and not having a lot of success in them (8-10 overall this season), had to be taking its toll on this team.

Some things to watch in tonight’s rematch against the Lake Erie Monsters:

• “GUS” – CAN HE BOUNCE BACK? Wild goaltender Johan Gustafsson has struggled lately…in the month of February he is sporting a goals against average of 4.93.  He’ll get the start tonight, and the Wild desperately need him to find his game.

• THE PP: The Wild’s power play is a scorching 5/11 in the season series against Lake Erie.  If the man advantage can strike again tonight, they’ll make it that much easier to find success.

• #JAKEHOCKEY: After missing the last handful of games while on bereavement leave / recall to the Minnesota Wild (for a few practice days), Iowa Wild captain Jake Dowell will rejoin the lineup tonight.  I’m guessing tonight’s game will help bring some normalcy back to his life – after all, he gets paid to play hockey, and he’s done that very well, for a very long time.  It will be interesting to see the type of emotion and passion in his game, and what type of effort he can provide to help his team in another crucial game.

Looking Ahead, Part 1: The Wild play four games in a six-day span, beginning Tuesday.  Three of those games are against teams that are directly ahead of them in the Western Conference playoff picture.  It’s about as big of a week as you can get, matchup-wise.  However, the Wild can’t get caught looking ahead.  Tonight is just as important…the Monsters are clinging to their slim playoff chances, and will certainly have revenge on their minds.

Looking Ahead, Part 2: How long will Wild defenseman Jon Landry be out?  That’s the million dollar question, after he was injured in last night’s win.  If he’s out for more than a handful of games, it could be a crushing blow.  Furthermore, what will the Wild’s roster look like even a week from now with the NHL back in full swing, post-Olympics?  Will the red-hot Erik Haula still be in the AHL?  The bottom line is, you have to win regardless of who’s in your lineup.  The Wild passed that test earlier this season when they were missing as many as nine “regulars” on a nightly basis.  However, as the season moves along, the games tend to get tighter, and the points are harder to come by.  Thus, it sure would be nice to have as many “horses in the stable” as possible.

***

Hope you all enjoyed the hockey portion of the Olympics as much as I did.  It would have been even better had the games not been on at wacky hours due to the time difference…

Regardless, it’s clear to me that the sport of hockey reaps major rewards by having NHL players participate in the Olympics.  Without question it helps make the players around the league more marketable, and more recognized by casual fans.  Hopefully the game grows because of the NHL’s participation in Sochi.

As for Team USA’s disappointing 4th place finish, here’s my take:

For those of you on social media sites blasting Team USA, take a hike!  They had essentially one, disappointing / embarrassing period in the entire tournament (the 3rd period today against Finland).  Otherwise, their defense and goaltending were stout, and their passion / commitment level was where it needed to be.  They played Canada to a one-goal game yesterday.  That’s a fact.  Sure, frustration set in today against the Finns, and it was a tough way to “go out”.  But don’t lose sight of the fact that they crushed the teams they were supposed to, and also topped the Russians and the Czechs.  It’s never easy to medal in the hockey tournament, and although finishing fourth is disappointing, there was still a lot to be proud of.

I’m picking Canada in the gold medal game.  From the parts of the U.S. / Canada game I saw, it seemed the Canadians did a great job of possessing the puck, backchecking to keep the Americans transition game at bay, and overall, just playing a very poised and structured game.  I wouldn’t count out the Swedes, who despite not having Henrik Sedin or Henrik Zetterberg have found a way to reach the finals.  Swedish goaltender Henrik Lundqvist could definitely steal the gold medal game, however, I just think the Canadians are too deep, and too experienced.  It will be a one-goal game, and low-scoring.  I’ll say Canada wins, 3-2.

Until the next time I put my fingers on the keyboard and hammer out another blog…

– Radio

 

Welcome To 2014, Wild Fans!

 

What’s up, Wild fans?!? 

Happy New Year…sorry it’s been a while since I blogged.  Must be something about sitting on the bus en route to Rockford that gets my blogging juices flowing (see my previous post).

Through the 2013 calendar year, the Wild sit at 13-14-2-0 (28 pts.), which is good for 12th in the Western Conference and, somewhat surprisingly, has them just five points out of a playoff spot.  Let’s go back to the team’s loss on Sunday for a moment, before I throw some numbers your way…

On Sunday, the Wild were shutout for the fourth time this season (all on home ice).  The 4-0 to Milwaukee was slightly concerning for a couple of reasons. First, the Admirals seem to have the Wild’s number this season, as the Wild have been outscored 10-2 in their three losses to the Admirals.  It might be too early in the season to say it’s a “match-up thing”, but with seven meetings left in the season series (including one on this road trip), it would behoove the Wild to start picking up some points against their division foes quickly.  The second concerning thing was the play of goaltender Johan Gustafsson.  In fairness to “Gus”, Sunday’s loss was his first game since December 12th, so some rust was to be expected.  But with Darcy Kuemper up in the NHL again, the Wild need Gustafsson to regain his early season form in order for them to keep pace in the playoff race.  If not, it may be John Curry that starts to carry the load for the Wild…but with Curry not necessarily being a “Wild prospect”, I have a hard time seeing him start four or five games in a row, no matter how well he’s playing.

With that said, December was a great month for the Wild.  A 6-3-2-0 record helped them stay afloat in the conference, and maybe more importantly, the Wild discovered (or you can argue they re-discovered) their recipe for success: Smart, disciplined, 5-on-5 hockey, backed by great goaltending.  The team got timely scoring in December – defensemen chipping in, etc., and as a whole, they looked like the team that most of us expected to see when the season started.  However, it should be noted that four of their six wins in the month came against: San Antonio, Hamilton and Rockford (2); all teams that are, at best, one game over .500 as of today.

Here’s what I’m looking for moving forward:

• Road Success: Starting tomorrow night, the Wild will play nine of their next 12 games on the road.  A 6-3-1-0 road record this season should give the team confidence as they begin this 10-day journey; the big question will be whether or not they can sustain that success.  Look for an extremely focused team to hit the ice tomorrow in Rockford – Coach Kleinendorst talked earlier this year about how there are no distractions on the road – that mentality should help the Wild through the adversity they are sure to face on this road swing.
• Depth / Role Players: At the start of the season, Coach Kleinendorst wanted to be a “four-line team”.  However in recent weeks, the Wild have gotten away from that philosophy a bit.  We’ll see how much they shorten the bench (both forwards and “D” pairings) during this difficult road trip, which is essentially split up into two parts: three games in four days, and then three games in three days.
• Unstable Roster: With the Minnesota Wild struggling right now (six straight losses at the time of this post), the transactions have been coming fast and furious.  That type of uncertainty makes it hard to sustain a lot of success. One game Jason Zucker is in the AHL, the next he’s in the “State Of Hockey” playing for the big club.  Make no bones about it, the Iowa Wild are in business to support the Minnesota Wild.  However, the more that guys are in and out of the AHL lineup, the harder it is to get into a rhythm. 

Here are some numbers / rankings to chew on as the Wild near Game #30:

• 3: That’s the (minimum) number of games in hand the Wild have against seven of the 11 teams ahead of them in the Western Conference standings
• 5: Number of wins the Wild have against Midwest division foes (5-7-1-0 record)
• 2.69: The Wild’s team goals against average, good enough for 11th in the 30-team AHL
• 19: The number of Wild games decided by one or two goals this season
• 10: The +/- rating in the month of December for Wild defenseman Jon Landry.  Landry leads the team with a +12 overall.

Hope everyone had a safe, and happy holiday season! Here’s to a playoff appearance in 2014…

– Radio