Mikko's 2008 Running MN WILD Thread

This is still Mikko's baby... I just though we could start a new one for the new season. 3-1 in pre-season... not too shabby!

 I keep thinking the threads say "Running Wild thread". Running Wild is a goofy power metal band, and is also a fine Judas Priest song.

 Rolston - Belanger - PMB line is looking sharp!!

 

Of course, it was against the AHL version of the St. Louis Blues last night -- but they dominated, as you would expect, against those STL younguns.

 

 

Mikko - Do you have the Center Ice package?

6 days

 Can't wait. Vikings season is almost over.

Just one short week of Wild only.....then its WCHA AND the Wild for the next 6 months!!!

October is my favorite month of the year.  Go National League too.

 

 

Mikko - this is an open invitation: that if you ever want to sell-off a game of your season tickets (I think I remember you saying you had them) I will be more than happy to take them off your hands :)

 Alas, Narrow... we have sold off most of our extras already!

 There's always the chance I might not be able to use the few pairs of tickets I have left (most of em are single seats shared with my Wild season ticket partners) ... and I'll keep you in mind.

Yes, I reupped for the Centre Ice Package... mainly because that's the only way you can really see Eastern Conf teams (grrrrrrr)...

 

 

mikko:

Yes, I reupped for the Centre Ice Package... mainly because that's the only way you can really see Eastern Conf teams (grrrrrrr)...

I may wait until playoff time to sign up this year if I sign up at all. I will miss seeing the Bruins and Devils though.

mikko:

 Alas, Narrow... we have sold off most of our extras already!

 There's always the chance I might not be able to use the few pairs of tickets I have left (most of em are single seats shared with my Wild season ticket partners) ... and I'll keep you in mind.

 It would have to be an act of god, or me being completely ass-broke for me to turn down ANY tickets :) Thanks for the "future consideration".

So Shepperd gets a 3 year deal and Pouliot is sent back to the AHL. This is tough! Jacques said in a statement he thinks Pouliot is ready to play - apparently he showed enough ability this preseason to warrant him finally being on the team, BUT if we don't sign Shepperd, he has to go back to his Junior League and not be developed in the Wild's system. How long has Pouliot been waiting for this opportunity, and now he's told he has finally impressed Lemaire and becuase of this circumstance, he can't start the season with the team. I have no doubt he'll be up within the first couple of months, but you have to hope this doesn't cause any tensions on the team between the two young guys. Shepperd should be good - real good - I have to agree this was the right call. You need this kid to learn your system, not develop in the juniors... but man, Pouliot must be just fuming mad right now.

Pouliot needs to prove he can keep the intensity and heart in Houston.

He's good... but sometimes doesn't bring 100%.  The new coaching staff in Houston will test him to see if he can maintain it... and if he can he'll be back soon enough.

That said -- given the current lineup.... I'd think you'd agree, barring injuries, there's no more than a "depth" role for these guys (Sheppard or Pouliot) this year....

1st   Demitra - Walz - Gaborik

2nd  Rolston - Belanger - PMB

3rd   Branko - Mikko - Parrish

4th   .... this is where Pouliot and Sheppard fit.... along with Moore, Boogie, Kalus, etc, etc.  Not much icetime here.

Last I heard, wasn't Moore centering the Gabby-Pavol line? Did they change that after pre-season? I do agree though, it is a supporting character role for the young guys. But you never know, Velliux had a pretty big post season for being just a depth guy (mainly just ruffling feathers).

Good Star Trib article on Mikko today

 http://www.startribune.com/wild/story/1463172.html

How do you guys feel about the "Lemairing" of the forward lines? Are you of the "gun line" mentality or the spreading out of talent mentality? I guess, I'm sort of hoping we see a "gun line" of Demitra-Mikko-Gabby at some point this year. Mikko can be a playmaker AND stay defensively responsible and I think he'd lead by example and keep the Slovaks relatively defensive minded as well. I've just grown so tired of Walz being asked to center scoring lines. Can't we just use him for what he is 100% of the time? A checking center.....

Going to tonights game!  Whoohooo!!!

That for sure drives me a little crazy too. With Walz on the line you know where the scorings going to come from. Gabby-Rolston-Demitra, Gabby-Belanger-Demitra or put Mikko in there. That would give those guys more options. I'm more of spread the talent type, but if you want to spread the talent shouldn't you split up Demitra and Gaborik?

If I had my druthers:

1st   Branko - Rolston - Gaborik

2nd   Demitra - Belanger - PMB

3rd   Moore, Kalus - Mikko - Parrish

4th   Shepard,Pouliot,Moore, Kalus, Boogie- Walz anchoring showing the young guys how to work  

 

Its hard for me to say. They both have thier benefits and drawbacks!

If you have a "gun line" there are more scoring opportunities, or atleast you hope, but you also put out all of your talent and its easy for the opponent to simply throw out their best defensive line. Atleast with the "Lemairing" (love that term by the way) of the lines, we have a scoring threat throughout the line-up. The down side of that though is that there may not be production because we dont have the guys who have chemistry together on the same line all of the times.

I guess if I HAD to choose, I would choose a pure scoring line. Even if the other team throws out their best defensive line, you would hope that the skills and creativity of the first line could overcome it and put some more points on the board, while also clearing out some of the defensive depth on the other team, opening up some opportunities for the 2nd and 3rd lines.

Rumored to be tonights line-ups (according to the Wild's website)

Pierre-Marc Bouchard – Eric Belanger – Brian Rolston
Mark Parrish – Mikko Koivu – Branko Radivojevic
Pavol Demitra – Wes Walz – Marian Gaborik
Stephane Veilleux – Dominic Moore – Derek Boogaard

Nick Schultz – Kim Johnsson
Martin Skoula – Petteri Nummelin
Keith Carney – Brent Burns

The Skoula, Nummy pairing will be either exciting or BRUTAL depending on who we're playing......all. year. long.  I'm shuddering at that pairing against San Jose or Anaheim.  ish.

 

 

Where the heck is Sean Hill?

Steroid suspension, brah. He can't play until like Nov 18th or something.

Cripes. Doesn't he know we have a pair of liabilites on the blue line?

 

1-0, ha. Awesome! Signature Wild hockey. They looked good though. Backstrom was playing out of his mind, hopefully a sign of things to come.