“We had the best [first half] in franchise history and things never felt right," Mike Yeo, ex head coach of the Minnesota Wild states when talking to the Star Tribune in two different articles where he was interviewed after his firing (1, 2).
Mike Yeo getting fired, might have seem liked an escape goat. In a way yes, because the team was on an eight game loosing streak when Yeo got fired on Valentine's Day eve. As Yeo said in his interview with Michael Russo, there was more too it than just him being fired. In this article shows what it looked liked during that time. I personally feel like it's not my place to point fingers, but I feel like this could have been found in the locker room. As in what Yeo was talking about in the interview with Russo: where there was a divide between the older and younger players. If these guys can get over their egos, or whatever is causing this, hopefully the trade rumors. Those are thankfully over, for now. So hopefully everyone can go back to being one team that they should be. Like I said before, I was not in the locker room, so I do not know, and cannot go around pointing fingers at anyone. I believe, that they are at the point again, once the next season begins in next September, they can become one and start winning games and having a successful season that they deserve.
Minnesota Wild hosted their first outdoor game at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cites at TCF Stadium in Minneapolis. The NHL does an outdoor game every year during new years, and then have two or three during the winter. The Wild played against the Chicago Blackhawks and dominated. With a whooping score of 6-1! Once the Minnesota Wild started scoring, they couldn't stop. Something lit up inside of them, and they started playing like everyone knew they could. Possibly taking the game where it should be, outdoors, had something to do with it. Hopefully, there are more of these to come in the Minnesota Wild future (home or away) and hopefully more outdoor NHL games that are in the State of Hockey, where they should be.
This was Devan Dubnyk's first time ever attending to an NHL All Star Weekend. This year's was located in Nashville, Tennessee. It was a new format this year for the All Star game. Instead of the normal five on five it was a three on three play. It was also to help show how three on three overtime can improve the game in the NHL. I however personally, is not a big fan of it. The goal is to cut down and the number of shootouts during the regular season. Since Dubnyk did so well coming on to the Wild team last year, and saving the season while doing very well since then, he rightfully deserved a spot in attending the All Star Weekend.
Minnesota Wild had an undefeated season against the Chicago Blackhawks. The Wild has been the second team to sweep the Blackhawks in a season, the last time that happened was during the 1938-39 season and it was the Boston Bruins who beat the Blackhawks. Also the Wild are the third team in NHL to win a streak like this against an Stanley Cup raining champion. The Wild has been kicked out of the playoffs by the Blackhawks in the past three years. It was sweet to see the Wild take action, and sweep the Blackhawks in the regular season. That still does not make up for these past three years. But one year in the playoffs it will be pretty sweet to see the Wild sweep the Blackhawks like they did to the Wild in the 2015 playoffs. Matt Dumba, could not have said it better: "Just preparing for each night, just one shift at a time, one period at a time..." in one of Michael Russo's blog posts regarding the season sweep against the Blackhawks.
Zach Parise really injuring himself. Parise being questionable to play in the playoffs and for the rest of the season. He did not have back surgery. So just led him to rehab and getting better to play again in September in the World Cup and also in the beginning of the NHL season that is starting in October.
A month or so before the playoffs goalie Niklas Bäckström got traded to the Calgary Flames from the Minnesota Wild. Bäckström has been with the Wild for ten years, he started his NHL career in the 2006-07 season with them. This then left Darcy Kuemper and Devan Dubnyk to play goalie throughout the rest of the season. It was good for Bäckström to get out of Minnesota because he was not playing during the season. This may have been his last season in the NHL, rumors have been going around about him thinking of retiring. So, he left because he wanted to play, instead of playing the role of Janny (Steve Janaszak, nickname is Janny, who was a goalie that had not played at all during the 1980 Olympics tournament during with the Miracle on Ice team. He supported them through out the tournament.). Bäckström stood by the team during the whole season, cheered them on and was a good sport about it. But he wanted to play during his possible last season in the NHL. He was tired of standing around and doing nothing he wanted to play.
Dubnyk and Kuemper where left to play goalie for the remaining part of the season. From what I can remember Dubnyk was playing the majority of the games and I don't remember seeing if Kuemper was ever in net. He did play in goal around March 18th though, where he ended up getting an upper-body injury which made the Wild ending up getting a goalie from their AHL team. By the end of the season Dubnyk was playing alright, but not up the standards that where set for him, by fans and journalists. Not sure, what the coaching staff thought, but from the way it looked from my stand point, he could have played better. Through the end of the season, and the off season there has rumors been going around about reasons why Kuemper should be traded. I personally did not agree with these, I personally think a NHL team needs three goalies. For many reasons, one is they are human, they get sick, they get injured and sometimes other personal issues keep people from doing their jobs. So you need three in case something comes up. This July Kuemper signed a one year contract with the Wild and the Wild required Alex Stalock for one year. This personally baffles me if they keep on treating the goaltenders how they played their best goaltender all the time and let the other two sit on their butts and be two Jannys. That how things should not work. If you can play and stop pucks and help win games, you can play. If your not able to do your job during games, work it out during practice to earn your playing time. I personally do not know what they do in the Minnesota Wild goaltending system, but whatever they are doing, they should improve it.
Only round one in the playoffs. Also questionable if the Wild where even to get into the play offs as well. They where playing horribly at the end of the season.
But once they got into the playoffs they where playing the Dallas Stars. Who used to be the Minnesota North Stars, so that was a hard one to watch for any Minnesotain hockey fan. Just the whole North Stars being sold to Dallas, some of us are still not over that. So this one was just hard to watch, and also a hard one to lose. Why? There was a questionable goal in game in game six. The game was about to be tied, if it was called a goal. The Stanley Cup playoffs would have been a whole different story than it was this year, if the referees called that one a goal. Who knows what would have had happened. Maybe the Wild would have won the series, and would have gone on and won their first Stanley Cup. Who knows.
Bruce Boudreau was named the new Minnesota Wild head coach. Boudreau was coaching for the Anaheim Ducks (2011-12 - 2016) and the Washington Capitols (2007 - 2011-12). I am not sure how I feel about Boudreau being hired. Really, I feel like it is not the best fit for the Wild.
The Minnesota Wild picked first overall the number 15th pick, Luke Kunin of the University of Wisconsin - Madison, Badgers. This one stuck with me because, I am proud of Kunin. I have seen him play on the U-18 USA hockey team when they played against the Badgers in the 2014-15 season. Then I saw him in his freshmen year this season. He is a amazing player. I am glad finally another Wisconsin Badger is joining Ryan Suter on the Wild. Kunin is sticking around in the Minnesota-Wisconsin area. I would not have it any other way. I cannot wait for Kunin to sign with the Wild and to eventually play with them during his NHL career. Luke, the future has great things coming for you, I cannot wait to see you develop as a player and a person.
The Eric Staal trade, was a bit different than one would think. Zach Parise helped recruit Staal. With the lack of centers that the Wild find themselves in now. With Mikael Granlund switching to play wing on the Mikko Kuvio line. The Wild is in need for a center, and this is where Parise reached out to Staal about. Staal signed the contract on July first.
Even though this season did not end as great as it had started. The 2016-17 season will be one that will be started with a new coach, and a new leaf. Hopefully, this divide in the team will go away, and everyone can work together as one. Hopefully, we can get over this, and win the first Stanley Cup in the teams history.
Mike Yeo getting fired, might have seem liked an escape goat. In a way yes, because the team was on an eight game loosing streak when Yeo got fired on Valentine's Day eve. As Yeo said in his interview with Michael Russo, there was more too it than just him being fired. In this article shows what it looked liked during that time. I personally feel like it's not my place to point fingers, but I feel like this could have been found in the locker room. As in what Yeo was talking about in the interview with Russo: where there was a divide between the older and younger players. If these guys can get over their egos, or whatever is causing this, hopefully the trade rumors. Those are thankfully over, for now. So hopefully everyone can go back to being one team that they should be. Like I said before, I was not in the locker room, so I do not know, and cannot go around pointing fingers at anyone. I believe, that they are at the point again, once the next season begins in next September, they can become one and start winning games and having a successful season that they deserve.
Minnesota Wild hosted their first outdoor game at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cites at TCF Stadium in Minneapolis. The NHL does an outdoor game every year during new years, and then have two or three during the winter. The Wild played against the Chicago Blackhawks and dominated. With a whooping score of 6-1! Once the Minnesota Wild started scoring, they couldn't stop. Something lit up inside of them, and they started playing like everyone knew they could. Possibly taking the game where it should be, outdoors, had something to do with it. Hopefully, there are more of these to come in the Minnesota Wild future (home or away) and hopefully more outdoor NHL games that are in the State of Hockey, where they should be.
Thomas Vanek (26) high fives Jason Pomniville (29) while Mikael Granlund
(64) skates up to celebrate with his teammates during the outdoor game.
Devan Dubnyk with son (right) who is high fiving Dierks Bentley's son (left)
during the All Star Weekend. Bentley (a country singer) was one of the
celebrity coaches during the weekend.
Minnesota Wild had an undefeated season against the Chicago Blackhawks. The Wild has been the second team to sweep the Blackhawks in a season, the last time that happened was during the 1938-39 season and it was the Boston Bruins who beat the Blackhawks. Also the Wild are the third team in NHL to win a streak like this against an Stanley Cup raining champion. The Wild has been kicked out of the playoffs by the Blackhawks in the past three years. It was sweet to see the Wild take action, and sweep the Blackhawks in the regular season. That still does not make up for these past three years. But one year in the playoffs it will be pretty sweet to see the Wild sweep the Blackhawks like they did to the Wild in the 2015 playoffs. Matt Dumba, could not have said it better: "Just preparing for each night, just one shift at a time, one period at a time..." in one of Michael Russo's blog posts regarding the season sweep against the Blackhawks.
Zach Parise really injuring himself. Parise being questionable to play in the playoffs and for the rest of the season. He did not have back surgery. So just led him to rehab and getting better to play again in September in the World Cup and also in the beginning of the NHL season that is starting in October.
A month or so before the playoffs goalie Niklas Bäckström got traded to the Calgary Flames from the Minnesota Wild. Bäckström has been with the Wild for ten years, he started his NHL career in the 2006-07 season with them. This then left Darcy Kuemper and Devan Dubnyk to play goalie throughout the rest of the season. It was good for Bäckström to get out of Minnesota because he was not playing during the season. This may have been his last season in the NHL, rumors have been going around about him thinking of retiring. So, he left because he wanted to play, instead of playing the role of Janny (Steve Janaszak, nickname is Janny, who was a goalie that had not played at all during the 1980 Olympics tournament during with the Miracle on Ice team. He supported them through out the tournament.). Bäckström stood by the team during the whole season, cheered them on and was a good sport about it. But he wanted to play during his possible last season in the NHL. He was tired of standing around and doing nothing he wanted to play.
Niklas Bäckström meeting up with his ex-teammates during a
practice after he got traded to the Calgary Flames.
Dubnyk and Kuemper where left to play goalie for the remaining part of the season. From what I can remember Dubnyk was playing the majority of the games and I don't remember seeing if Kuemper was ever in net. He did play in goal around March 18th though, where he ended up getting an upper-body injury which made the Wild ending up getting a goalie from their AHL team. By the end of the season Dubnyk was playing alright, but not up the standards that where set for him, by fans and journalists. Not sure, what the coaching staff thought, but from the way it looked from my stand point, he could have played better. Through the end of the season, and the off season there has rumors been going around about reasons why Kuemper should be traded. I personally did not agree with these, I personally think a NHL team needs three goalies. For many reasons, one is they are human, they get sick, they get injured and sometimes other personal issues keep people from doing their jobs. So you need three in case something comes up. This July Kuemper signed a one year contract with the Wild and the Wild required Alex Stalock for one year. This personally baffles me if they keep on treating the goaltenders how they played their best goaltender all the time and let the other two sit on their butts and be two Jannys. That how things should not work. If you can play and stop pucks and help win games, you can play. If your not able to do your job during games, work it out during practice to earn your playing time. I personally do not know what they do in the Minnesota Wild goaltending system, but whatever they are doing, they should improve it.
Only round one in the playoffs. Also questionable if the Wild where even to get into the play offs as well. They where playing horribly at the end of the season.
But once they got into the playoffs they where playing the Dallas Stars. Who used to be the Minnesota North Stars, so that was a hard one to watch for any Minnesotain hockey fan. Just the whole North Stars being sold to Dallas, some of us are still not over that. So this one was just hard to watch, and also a hard one to lose. Why? There was a questionable goal in game in game six. The game was about to be tied, if it was called a goal. The Stanley Cup playoffs would have been a whole different story than it was this year, if the referees called that one a goal. Who knows what would have had happened. Maybe the Wild would have won the series, and would have gone on and won their first Stanley Cup. Who knows.
Recap of game six of the Minnesota Wild vs Dallas Stars
series. The "goal", the controversial goal is at the end.
I personally, think it was a goal. I don't understand, how the
puck went over the line and still not a goal. What do you think?
Bruce Boudreau was named the new Minnesota Wild head coach. Boudreau was coaching for the Anaheim Ducks (2011-12 - 2016) and the Washington Capitols (2007 - 2011-12). I am not sure how I feel about Boudreau being hired. Really, I feel like it is not the best fit for the Wild.
The Minnesota Wild picked first overall the number 15th pick, Luke Kunin of the University of Wisconsin - Madison, Badgers. This one stuck with me because, I am proud of Kunin. I have seen him play on the U-18 USA hockey team when they played against the Badgers in the 2014-15 season. Then I saw him in his freshmen year this season. He is a amazing player. I am glad finally another Wisconsin Badger is joining Ryan Suter on the Wild. Kunin is sticking around in the Minnesota-Wisconsin area. I would not have it any other way. I cannot wait for Kunin to sign with the Wild and to eventually play with them during his NHL career. Luke, the future has great things coming for you, I cannot wait to see you develop as a player and a person.
Luke Kunin with a Minnesota Wild jersey on during a photoshoot.
The Eric Staal trade, was a bit different than one would think. Zach Parise helped recruit Staal. With the lack of centers that the Wild find themselves in now. With Mikael Granlund switching to play wing on the Mikko Kuvio line. The Wild is in need for a center, and this is where Parise reached out to Staal about. Staal signed the contract on July first.
Newly signed Eric Staal during a press conference.
Even though this season did not end as great as it had started. The 2016-17 season will be one that will be started with a new coach, and a new leaf. Hopefully, this divide in the team will go away, and everyone can work together as one. Hopefully, we can get over this, and win the first Stanley Cup in the teams history.
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