Koivu breaks Minny hearts

No, not Mikko Koivu. Mikko's staying right where he is, and right where he should be. After all, even though new Ranger Marian Gaborik was the flash that Minnesota wanted on the ice, Mikko has steadily and quietly become the focus and heart of the team. It certainly doesn't hurt that he's got a great combination of on-ice skills to go along with his passion for the game. The good pedigree helps, too.

But, sadly, while Vancouver still has the Sedin twins, Minnesota won't feature the Koivu brothers, at least not for a year. Saku Koivu signed with the Anaheim Ducks, turning down more lucrative offers to play in California with long-time friend, Teemu Selanne. And, as hard as it is for Wild fans to belive, Saku made the right decision for himself, and for his brother's team.

True, the Wild are still missing a #2 center. True, the Wild could have definitely used the veteran leadership, and a line of Saku Koivu, Andrew Brunette, and Owen Nolan could be very interesting to see. True, without a trade, the Wild will be looking at shoring up the center position with players either untested (Pierre-Marc Bouchard, who hasn't played center since coming to the NHL), unproven (James Sheppard, who still has to find his game, but should fare better in the new system), or underwhelming (Benoit Pouliot, who definitely has the skills to make an NHL player, but has spent far too much time watching the puck, instead of pursuing it). But by travelling to Anaheim for a season, he offers something more important in the long-term than his shot, or his face-off ability.

He offers Mikko the chance to truly become the leader of the Wild. It goes without saying that many thought Mikko should have been the first player in Wild history to be named captain for the entire season during the last year. That didn't happen, but even without the "C", something interesting was taking place on the ice. Mikko was doing everything a captain should do, and more. He was also turning himself into an elite player, and more than a few games turned simply because of his individual efforts. He doesn't have the prettiest shot on the team, but he may just be the hardest worker, and the most underrated player. With the new front office, Mikko could be shuffled out of the leadership position he carved for himself, and, without Saku, he can once again prove (to new eyes) that he is the Wild's captain, regardless of who wears the "C". If Saku had joined his brother, then Mikko might have been overshadowed, and he might not have been able to make the team his own. By getting at least one more year separated, the elder Koivu made sure that the younger one is given every chance to flourish, and to do it without looking over his shoulder at his older brother, fighting for his ice time.