One Koivu steps down and another steps up.  Mikko Koivu has been named the captain of the Minnesota Wild and I think the 26-year-old center is the perfect choice.

The team has been choosing a new captain every month so it’s good that they’ve finally settled on a captain since they are desperate need of some leadership.
I also just think that Koivu is the best player on the team and was chosen as the captain four times last season.  I’m hoping that this, along with adding Chuck Kobasew to the lineup, will give the team an identity.
Mikko is the younger brother …read more

Petr Sykora has been invited to try out at the Minnesota Wild training camp and I think this could be a really good move for the team.  Sykora is still in his prime at just 32 years old but he’s got experience (14 seasons) and had the fourth highest number of points (46) on the Pittsburgh Penguins roster last season when they won the Stanley Cup.

He’s a proven goal scorer (300 in his career and at least 20 goals a year for 10 straight seasons) and I think that he really could be exactly what this team needs to get …read more

Backup goaltender, Josh Harding, has been given a contract extension by the Minnesota Wild in a move that will allow the young netminder and the team to avoid arbitration.

Harding will continue as the backup for Niklas Backstrom but I’d like to see him get a chance to start more games (maybe even with another team?).  He played in 19 games last season and had a 2.21 GAA and a .929 save % but despite his impressive numbers, he went 3-9-1.  Wow…  In his 58 career games his record moves to 19-27-4 with a GAA of 2.49 and a save percentage …read more

The finalists for the Vezina, Norris, Calder, Selke and Lady Byng Memorial Trophies have been chosen.  I will update this post as more nominees are announced.  The winners will be revealed at the 2009 NHL Awards which will be broadcast from Las Vegas, NV on June 18, 2009.  I’m going to list my predictions in each category but feel free to let me know who you think will win in the comments area!
VEZINA TROPHY
The possible Vezina Trophy (top goaltender) winners include Tim Thomas (Boston Bruins), Niklas Backstrom (Minnesota Wild) and rookie Steve Mason (Columbus Blue Jackets). I think that all …read more

With the elimination of the Minnesota Wild from this year’s playoff race, Jacques Lemaire has decided that it is time for him to step down from his coaching duties. He spent eight years in the job (from the time the franchise joined the NHL) and felt it was time for him to move on.
“I think it’s time for the organization to get a new coach, get a new voice, try to bring this club to another level,” said Lemaire. “When I first started, I always said there will be a time when I’ll have to go. I saw that …read more

Wow.  I know the goal against Vesa Toskala was bad but watch this one.  It doesn’t change direction or anything – it just bounces into the back of the net.  This change of events is likely the reason the Minnesota Wild came back and beat the San Jose Sharks. 
Marek Zidlicky took a backhand shot from mid-ice and, incredibly, it bounced right back backup goalie, Brian Boucher.  Watch the goal:

Niklas Backstrom has been re-signed by the Minnesota Wild.  The goaltender’s contract has been extended by four years, during which time he will earn $24 million. 
I’m not surprised.  He’s doing well.  So far this season, in 51 games he’s got a 28-18-4 record with a 2.24 goals against average (GAA), a .925 save percentage and a team record six shutouts (tied for second in the league right now).  He also got to participate in the 2009 NHL All-Star Game. 

Team captain, Ethan Moreau, is on the bench after suffering a horrific eye injury over the weekend in a game against the Minnesota Wild.  It happened on Saturday night when the Edmonton Oilers forward was hit in the right eye by the stick of Antti Miettinen (Wild). 
While it’s true that he didn’t need surgery right away, the full extent of the injury isn’t immediately clear so doctors will have to monitor it over the next few days.  
Here’s the video of the injury.  It’s pretty gruesome so don’t watch it if you think it’s going to bother you: …read more

The Montreal Canadiens have been dealt yet another blow.  Winger, Alex Tanguay has been benched for at least 6 weeks with a suspected separated shoulder.  If you have been to this site in the past, you’ll know that Alex is one of my favorite players so I was really unhappy when I heard he was hurt. 
The Habs continue to have horrible luck.  Tanguay joins a long injured list including captain Saku Koivu (foot), goaltender Carey Price (currently day-to-day with lower-body injury), Christopher Higgins (shoulder), Georges Laraque (groin) and Mathieu Dandenault (forearm). 
After discovering that a hip deficiency is causing …read more

Marc-André Bergeron is injured but could the news about Minnesota Wild’s top-scoring defenceman be any more vague?  
According to TSN, he will be out of the lineup for “weeks” with a “lower-body injury.”  Um, okay.  That’s it?
I didn’t see the game but I do know he was hurt during the match-up between Minnesota and the New York Islanders last Friday.  Anyone see what happened?
image: TSN