2009-10 Wild Season Recap

The playoffs are barely a week old. The old season has been put behind everyone, and the "second season" has provided exactly what people love to see out of the NHL, as physical play has been offset by impressive offense, and the different series have all provided different sorts of thrills. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Wild have been sitting at home, evaluating what happened this past year, and looking ahead to what can be better next season. What better time to take a look back at what went right and what went wrong for Minnesota during the 2009-10 campaign.

What Went Right?
- Benoit Pouliot for Guillaume Latendresse trade. Pouliot had spent his career for the Wild being something of an underachieving player. Unquestionably, he has talent, but he wasn't showing it consistently for Minnesota. The same was true for Guillaume Latendresse in relation to his time in Montreal. A mid-season trade reinvigorated both players, and Latendresse ended up leading the Wild in goals. His appearance also gave a jump start to Martin Havlat, who had previously looked like a huge bust.

- Martin Havlat comes to Minnesota. At the beginning of the season, it didn't look good for Minnesota, with regards to their acquisition of Martin Havlat. The Wild made it seem as though Havlat was being brought in to replace Marian Gaborik, but the two players are very different in what they can provide. Gaborik is a goal scorer, who will gather assists, but is mainly going to be a sniper. Havlat, on the other hand, is a playmaker, and his ability to create opportunities is huge. However, without a finisher, Havlat looked lost. Enter Guillaume Latendresse, and suddenly, Havlat found his game. Once the Wild's second line was secured, the only player who looked more comfortable in the system was Mikko Koivu.

- Mikko Koivu named first permanent Wild captain. The Wild have needed a permanent captain for a long time, and what better player to pick for the team than a player who is often underrated, but is able to play both ends of the ice, and does it all with his heart on his sleeve? In his first season as the full-time captain, Koivu shouldered the pressure well, setting a new career high in points, and he was willing to place the team on his back and pull them through some of their more troublesome moments.

- Young call-ups given chances. The Wild's cupboard is one of the more empty in the National Hockey League, but they are working on fixing that. More importantly, some of the players that were called up this season should have a good chance to break into the roster for next season, providing some more speed and scoring to a line-up that desperately needed it. Robbie Earl, Nate Prosser, and Casey Wellman all have some seasoning and conditioning to go through before proving that they're ready, but they're definitely close and should be able to contribute. Don't forget about Colton Gillies, who spent his second season in Houston to improve his game and get him ready for the big show.

What Went Wrong?
- James Sheppard falls off the radar. Sheppard may be the biggest casualty of the previous management staff. He was brought up to the Wild right away, without getting some needed conditioning in the AHL. He spent too many games on the ice, which would force him to be placed on waivers before being dropped to the minors. During the pre-season, it looked like Sheppard might have a breakout year, but then he just dropped off the map, and turned in his lowest point total since entering the league. Sheppard is a player who desperately needs a change of scenery, much like Benoit Pouliot. Hopefully, the Wild will be able to find another diamond like Latendresse.

- The injury bug strikes... over and over again. The Wild just couldn't stay healthy. The number of man-games lost to injury this season set a new record by a long shot. Key players, from both starting goaltenders to Brent Burns, from Chuck Kobasew to Pierre-Marc Bouchard, weren't able to play the full season, and, in Bouchard's case, only touched the ice once. The Wild is looking at their off-season conditioning to try and fix some of the problems that popped up this season. The Wild definitely has to find out how to be healthy, but it's been a problem that's plagued them, admittedly not this deeply, from day one of their existence.

- Petr Sykora comes to Minnesota. When Sykora was brought to the Wild, it made people believe that the Wild were honestly not in a rebuilding season, but were instead looking to remain competitive. Pairing Sykora with Havlat seemed to give Minnesota a strong second line of scoring, and the veteran's presence would help bring the rookies along. Instead, Sykora never meshed with his teammates or his coaches, and he spent almost as many games scratched instead of playing, although a concussion certainly didn't help. Sykora was eventually released by the Wild, after never finding his game, and is still looking for a new team to pick him up.

What is the Verdict Still Out On?
- Kim Johnsson traded for Cam Barker. In many ways, this trade should have drastically improved the Wild's blue line. Barker plays a similar style of hockey to Johnsson, but has a bigger shot, better mobility, and is younger. Unfortunately, Barker has run hot and cold for the Wild. If he can prove to be the young stud that he was in season's past, the Wild made a great choice. If he can't find his game, then Minnesota may want to be thankful that they have as many defensemen chomping at the bit to make the move from Houston.

- Niklas Backstrom making Josh Harding expendable. In the 2008-09 season, it seemed like a no-brainer. Backstrom was amazing in net, and, while Harding was solid, he didn't look like a starting goaltender. The change of regimes in Minnesota shook that up a bit, as neither goaltender looked quite like themselves. However, both goaltenders showed a lot of heart and made amazing stops to keep their team in games. Expectations are that Harding will be with a different team by the time the 2010-11 season starts. If Backstrom can return to the brilliant form he showed, or if the Wild has the next great goaltender waiting in the wings, then they should leverage Harding for as much offense as they can get. If Backstrom falls off, and Anton Khudobin isn't able to be consistent at the NHL level, and Harding turns into a Vezina winner, the Wild might be kicking themselves for holding on to the wrong mask.

Ultimately, the Wild had a better season than anyone had any right to expect, and they should be able to build on that for next season. Having the 9th pick in the draft won't hurt, but it won't help as much as they might have hoped. However, Chuck Fletcher and his staff are working to replenish a stripped down system, adding draft picks and bringing in college free agents, and if they can keep the team moving in this new direction, then the dream of Lord Stanley's Cup getting raised in Minnesota might only be a couple of seasons away.

2009-10 Game Eighty-One: Wild 2, Flames 1 (SO)

At the start of the season, it would have been hard to anticipate the outcome of the Minnesota Wild's penultimate game for the 2009-10 season. The way that the Calgary Flames lit up the competition in their first ten games, very few people expected that they would skate into game 81 having been eliminated from playoff contention. After seasons of futility against their division rivals, nobody could have anticipated that the Minnesota Wild would be looking for their fifth win in the season series, having only dropped one game at home. Even looking at recent history, with the seemingly crippling number of injuries and the amount of untested players being asked to contribute, it seemed unreal to believe that the Wild could topple the Flames.

Topple them they did, though. In a hard-fought, physical game, filled with penalties for both sides, the Wild and their young guns came out the victors. A scary moment came in the third period, with the score tied at 1 and the Wild on the penalty kill, as Niklas Backstrom took a puck to his throat and had to leave the game, but Minnesota responded by continuing to shut down the Flames fizzling offense, and, in the shootout, the only player who didn't use Mikko Koivu's signature move was Koivu himself, as both Brent Burns and Antti Miettinen tallied goals to give the Wild the win.

Game pluses:
- Youth movement. A lot of credit has to go to the way that Cody Almond, Casey Wellman, Robbie Earl, and Nate Prosser played. None of these players were with the Wild to start the season. With the exception of Earl, none were with them at the trade deadline. And yet those four are showing a lot of potential, and they could all make big splashes on the NHL stage next season.
- Penalty killers. The Wild found themselves shorthanded often enough that they may have thought a new rule was inserted that only gave them four skaters on the ice. And yet the penalty kill came up huge, especially with players like Greg Zanon sacrificing themselves to stop the puck.
- Niklas Backstrom. Backstrom has had a shaky season, and had to struggle through injuries. Against Calgary, though, he was brilliant, with the only Flames goal coming thanks to one bad rebound.

Game minuses:
- Power play. The Wild got their regulation goal on the only power play that looked like it had an idea of what to do. The rest of the time, Minnesota couldn't get set up in the offensive zone, and couldn't move the puck well.
- Communication. Passes went to the wrong places, and more than once, it looked like Wild players didn't know where their teammates were.
- Injuries. The Wild came into the game having lost 333 man-games to injury, and were missing another six players before the puck dropped. Over the course of the game, another two players went down, and at least one is guaranteed to not play in the season finale. The Wild definitely have to look at how their guys are training, to help keep them from injury. By the same token, the NHL needs to look more seriously at how some players are getting injured, and how some penalties are doled out. This is a league-wide problem, and, while the first step has been taken, at least with regards to head-shots, sometimes it's the boarding and other assorted penalties that carry larger impacts.

Next up: The Wild finish the season against the team that used to call Minnesota home, and they get to do it in front of their hometown fans. The Dallas Stars come calling on Saturday as the 2009-10 season wraps up.

2009-10 Game Sixty-Six: Wild 1, Red Wings 5

One team is looking to break into playoff positioning, and is playing like they have nothing to lose, and everything to gain. The other team is starting to look like they're trying to break into the NHL's bottom five, and playing like the only thing they have to gain is a top draft pick. Unfortunately for Wild fans, their Minnesota team is the one that's struggling, and having a tough time putting together a complete game.

Admittedly, injuries haven't helped this team, and they may have suffered one of the biggest ones yet, with top-scoring Guillaume Latendresse going to the hospital after taking a stick to the back of the head. It wasn't intentional by a long shot, but it was still a scary moment. Of course, on the ensuing power play, the Wild did what they've done more than anyone else this season, as they coughed up a back-breaking shorthanded goal. One power play goal for Minnesota, and the Detroit lead would have closed to one. Instead, the Wild found themselves staring down a three-goal deficit, and no real flow to their offense.

Game pluses:
- Cal Clutterbuck. It was good to see the Wild's spark plug on the ice, hitting and playing his game.
- Rookies. If the season is really over, and it's starting to look that way, then the Wild would be smart to give some of their younger AHL players a chance at cracking the roster and getting a little NHL experience. Robbie Earl and Jamie Sifers got that opportunity against the Red Wings, and while neither looked amazing, they both showed flashes of brilliance.
- Greg Zanon. Just about the only Wild defenseman who played a consistent game, Zanon just calmly did what he did all season.

Game minuses:
- Josh Harding. True, he was rusty. True, he wasn't expecting to start. True, some of the goals he surrendered were fluky. No excuses for a team trying to make up lost ground, and a player desperate for a chance to start.
- Power play. The Wild power play reverted to its momentum-killing self, with no time more apparent than with the short-handed Detroit goal.
- Puck possession. The Wild want to be the kind of team that holds the puck, and wears down opposing players. When they did this briefly against the Red Wings, they generated chances. Unfortunately, the Wings play a similar style, and they are much better at it.

Next up: It certainly isn't about to get any easier, as the Wild play against the Buffalo Sabres tonight.

2009-10 Game Sixty-Five: Wild 2, Panthers 3 (SO)

This is the same team that pulled off some thrilling come-from-behind victories earlier this season? A team that overcame a terrible start filled with learning a new system and spending almost the entire first month away from home by firing off one of the hottest Decembers in the league? A team that claims to still have a shot at the playoffs, despite the logjam of teams ahead of them in the standings?

You couldn't tell it from watching the way they played against the Florida Panthers. Even though the Wild jumped out to a 2-goal first period lead, they couldn't hold onto it, and eventually fell in the shoot-out. Part of that is surely due to the mini-march to the penalty box, continuing a disturbing trend for Minnesota as of late. The bigger cause, however? The team just didn't have any desire or drive, as they couldn't even get to ten shots without using the overtime period. While mathematically still in playoff contention, the Wild may have knocked themselves out of any realistic hope with the lackluster play, and it only gets tougher this weekend, with games in Detroit and Buffalo.

Game pluses:
- Mikko Koivu. During the Wild's four-shot first period, Koivu showed good patience to fire a shot in for a pretty power play goal.
- Robbie Earl. Filling in for suspended Derek Boogaard, Earl took his chance, and on the Wild's third shot of the period, put the puck into the net.
- Niklas Backstrom. With the Wild putting together a mere 11 shots through overtime, the only reason that they found themselves in the game was because Backstrom held them in it. The Wild goalie was solid in net, until defensive lapses backed him into a corner.

Game minuses:
- Desperation. This is a team that is allegedly trying to prove that they can make the playoffs, and, instead, they put on one of their worst displays of the season, and did it in front of the home fans. When four shots in the first period is your high for the game, something is wrong. The shots that Minnesota took during the shoot-out? Not indicative of a team trying to win, as the shots were ultimately harmless, and many of them were off the mark.
- Penalties. Say what you will about the officiating, but the Wild certainly didn't help themselves, as they put themselves into penalty trouble. True, the Panthers didn't score on the power play, but the Wild couldn't establish any flow, partially because of spending so much time short-handed.
- Physicality. This type of game is exactly why the Wild need to have Cal Clutterbuck, or someone like him, healthy and throwing their body around. The Wild had no energy, and the most physical player ended up being Martin Havlat, who got into a couple of shoving matches as the game wore on.

Next up: The Wild need to find something within themselves to reverse their current direction, or they can start planning for a vacation at the end of April by the end of this weekend. Unfortunately, to do that, they'll have to get back on track against the reigning Western Conference champions, the Detroit Red Wings.

2009-10 Game Fifty-Two: Wild 4, Blue Jackets 2

Hockey Day Minnesota hasn't always treated the Minnesota Wild well, aside from giving them and their fans a ton of hockey to digest before the main course even gets set. Still, there's something special about the way that the state recognizes how important the sport is on so many levels, and there's definitely something special for the programs that got to share a network's day of programming with the NHL team.

Even better, the Minnesota Wild found a way to get things going early in the game, instead of waiting until they were down by a couple of goals and time was running out. The Wild played a solid game from the first drop of the puck, and challenged the Columbus Blue Jackets all night long. True, things sort of fell apart in the final minute of play, but, by that point, the Wild had already assembled a four goal lead, and were looking comfortable. The win also helped pull the Wild back within four points of eighth in the conference.

Game pluses:
- Mikko Koivu. The Wild's top line was shaken up recently, in an attempt to revitalize the players. It seems to have worked, at least for Koivu, who had the first two goals of the game.
- Robbie Earl. The kid got thrown onto waivers before the Detroit game, and has scored in each game since. Nothing like feeling the pressure to help spark a talent.
- Niklas Backstrom. It was obvious Backstrom was deflated by the first Columbus goal, and that lead to the second goal. But it's easy to see why. Backstrom had played a solid game, and was twenty seconds away from a shutout before the puck bounced off his teammate into the net.

Game minuses:
- Power play. To think, this Wild team couldn't score even strength to start the season. Now they can't buy a power play goal, and, far too often, a Wild power play looks like a chance for the opposing team to get some shots on net.
- Kim Johnsson. Johnsson may be able to skate, but he doesn't play a physical game, and he has had more than his share of pucks bounce off of him and behind his own goaltender. It happened again against Columbus, and, whether it's positioning, puck awareness, or something else, something definitely has to change within Johnsson if he wants to be considered an elite defenseman.
- Odd-man rushes. The Wild seem to keep giving up great chances to their opponents, and they did it again to Columbus, most notably on an opportunity for R.J. Umberger to tie the game. Thankfully, Marek Zidlicky made a great play to break up the attack, but the Wild need to do more to keep those types of plays from happening.

Next up: The Wild get to relish their victory for a bit before taking to the ice on Wednesday against the Detroit Red Wings. Given that the Wild are still trying to catch the Wings in the standings, and how the last game between these teams went, Wednesday night should be interesting.

The Sykora Experiment cancelled

The Minnesota Wild pulled a trigger yesterday that may have surprised quite a few hockey fans, but shouldn't have come as quite as much of a shock as it did. To help clear up some space for returning defenseman Brent Burns, the Wild had to put a player on waivers. They placed two there, electing to put Robbie Earl up for grabs, along with Petr Sykora. Both players cleared, which force the Wild to make some decisions.

With Earl, it's very little shock, as he's played well, but still hasn't made a huge impact on the team. He was probably the safest player to throw onto waivers at this point, with the expectation that he would most likely clear, and then be available to be returned to Houston to continue developing. He'll probably stay up for another few days, but, if the Wild keeps getting healthy, there's a good chance he'll be Texas-bound before too long.

The Sykora issue is more interesting, and, in many ways, the Wild had a large hand in how little he ended up meshing with the team. At the start of the season, his play was mismanaged, and while the entire club was trying to figure out what they were supposed to do on the ice, Sykora and Martin Havlat were sometimes looked at the most intensely, and both players found themselves on limited ice time during that initial start. The biggest difference between where Havlat and Sykora are now? The Wild made a move to bring in Guillaume Latendresse, which gave Havlat someone to play catch with. Sykora, on the other hand, suffered a concussion, and was limited in his ice time returning, never really developing a groove and never truly gaining the confidence of his coach.

Here's the thing. To be effective, Sykora needs to be a top six forward. When he didn't click with Havlat at the start of the season, he should have been rotated with the remaining top forwards at that time. Odds are, he would have fit well with one of them, and the suspicion is that a line featuring Sykora, Mikko Koivu, and Andrew Brunette could have been deadly if given the chance to mesh. The concussion came at the worst possible time for the Wild to determine if he would fit anywhere, and, when he finally did return, he was buried on a line with Andrew Ebbett and Derek Boogaard, which is honestly no place for a goal scorer of his caliber to be.

Now the Wild has to make a decision. When Sykora first signed with the Wild, there was a stipulation in place that would allow him to head to a Russian-league team, but there are currently no teams there looking to bring him on board. He could be assigned to Houston, but the odds are that he wouldn't report, which certainly wouldn't help anyone. The Wild could try and throw him on re-entry waivers, and see if a team wants to bite at half of his salary cap hit, instead of his full hit. Or Minnesota could feverishly work the phones, find an amicable trade, and wish Sykora well on his way to a new NHL team. For all involved, that would seem to be the best option, and with the trade deadline fast approaching, and the Olympic freeze coming even sooner, the Wild have less time than they might like to make something happen.

Depending on what the Wild does try and work for a trade might also be an indication of which way the team feels that they're heading, with regards to the playoffs. By the same token, Sykora is the type of player who can make an impact on almost any team in the league. It's just too bad that he was never able to do so with the Minnesota Wild.

2009-10 Game Forty-Seven: Wild 5, Canucks 2

What a tumultuous couple of days for both the Minnesota Wild and the Vancouver Canucks. Both teams found themselves embroiled in controversies that could seriously damage the reputation of the league, or at least Colin Campbell, who's regularly shown a glaring lack of consistency with regards to discipline. For Vancouver, there was the whole Alex Burrows/Stephane Auger issue, with Burrows accusing referee Auger of showing a definite bias, and costing Vancouver a game. The league responded by fining Burrows, but the fine was ridiculously small, especially for a professional athlete, so it lends some credence to the notion that maybe, just maybe, Burrows had a legitimate gripe. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Wild's Cal Clutterbuck was waiting to see what the NHL would do to Pittsburgh's Sergei Gonchar after Gonchar's illegal hit. This was a hit where Gonchar left his feet, specifically went for the head, and admitted to it being a payback hit, in a league that's supposedly trying to crack down on those exact types of plays. And yet, apparently Gonchar sitting in the penalty box was punishment enough for trying to take another player completely out of the game.

But none of that mattered Wednesday night, as the Wild and the Canucks squared off against each other. Minnesota jumped out to a fast start, scoring on their first two shots of the game, but then they faltered, allowing Vancouver to get back into the game. With the game tied at 2 entering the third period, Minnesota once again took control, and completed an improbable sweep over the Canucks. To add insult to injury, Vancouver tried to get something going on their end after the Wild had jumped out to a 5-2 lead, and they did it by starting fights. The problem? Nobody on Vancouver really matches up with the Wild heavyweights, and Minnesota won those battles handily, as well.

Game pluses:
- Niklas Backstrom. During a spotty second period for the Wild defense, Backstrom stood tall, holding the Wild in the game. He set a new mark for wins by a Wild goaltender by defeating the Canucks.
- Antti Miettinen. A game ago, it looked like Miettinen might need to find new linemates. Apparently, he felt the pressure, because he turned around and put two pucks in the net, including the game winner, and a late insurance marker.
- Owen Nolan. The grizzled veteran scored on a weird shot, but, more importantly, he had very good puck awareness, throwing his stick and body in the way of Vancouver shots, in one of his more impressive defensive showings.

Game minuses:
- Eric Belanger. Belanger didn't look like he had any speed in his skates against Vancouver, with the exception of one rush. To make matters worse, especially during the poor second period, Belanger didn't use much physical play, either, instead skating around without much energy.
- Robbie Earl. The kid has a lot of energy, so, in many ways, he played the exact opposite of Eric Belanger. The trouble with Earl right now is that he seems like he's trying to think too much on the ice, instead of just doing. He needs to start using his shot more, to be more than just a speedy skater on the ice.
- Fights. Yes, the Wild won all three fights pretty handily. But the reason that this ends up as a minus is this simple question, "Why was Vancouver fighting in the first place?". They didn't match up well, especially against Derek Boogaard and John Scott, and they ultimately paid the price. If Boogaard's assertion that the Canucks were "ordered" to fight by their coach is true, then it casts even more of a pall on the situation.

Next up: The Wild pulled themselves within two points of a playoff position with an improbable four-game winning streak, throttling some of the best teams in the league by a 19-11 score during that time. Can they keep their foot on the gas when they take on the St. Louis Blues, or will they suffer from a letdown that many feel has been coming since the come-from-behind victory over Chicago?

2009-10 Game Forty-Four: Wild 4, Flames 1

The Minnesota Wild weren't looking to lose five games in a row. They certainly didn't want to hand the hated Calgary Flames a sixth consecutive victory. So, from the initial puck drop all the way through the final buzzer, the Wild played like they had nothing to lose, and everything to prove.

It worked, as the Wild also didn't look like a team playing in the second night of back-to-backs. They attacked the Flames all night long, using a strong forecheck, effective reads, and good defensive positioning to keep Calgary from assembling much of an attack. It also marked the first time in seven games that the Wild held their opponent to fewer than three goals, as they easily coasted to the victory.

One of the interesting things that did come out of the game is the Robbie Earl situation, and that's something that may get repeated again soon with Clayton Stoner, who's nearing his own 10th game. Earl now requires waivers to be sent back to Houston, but it seems like he might be with Minnesota to stay. Earl seems to play the style of hockey that the Wild want to see more of, and he's definitely made an impact on the team, scoring three goals in his ten games. The question now is how the Wild will shed some of the extra players on the team, hopefully to get something in return. After all, with the way he's played, nobody should expect that Earl would clear waivers at this point.

Game pluses:
- Cal Clutterbuck. How do you set a tone against a division rival? Well, for the Wild, it worked to have Clutterbuck get a big hit right away. He was rewarded later in the game with a nice goal, but all game long, Clutterbuck was getting under the skin of the Calgary defense.
- Eric Belanger. Welcome to game 600. Belanger eclipsed that mark, and did so in fine fashion, notching two goals, one on a great deflection, and the other with a wicked backhand.
- Niklas Backstrom. The Wild goalies haven't been very solid as of late, so it was nice to see Backstrom put together a very solid effort. The one goal that got past him was due to a huge rebound that he could have controlled better, but the rest of the game was just solid.

Game minuses:
- Guillaume Latendresse. Truthfully, Latendresse had a pretty good game from start to finish. But players have been dinged in this space for getting chances and not finishing before, and that's where Latendresse falls after the Calgary game. It's a matter of finishing, although Latendresse did have a sure goal stolen away from him, thanks to a brilliant save.
- Line changes. The Wild still hasn't learned. After getting exposed by both New Jersey and Chicago, one would think that Minnesota would start being more careful about when they make a line change, so as to not create an odd-man chance.
- Slow start. The Wild almost gave this game away right from the beginning, coughing up the opening goal in the first two minutes. Oddly enough, though, this team tends to play better if they don't get the first goal.

Next up: The Wild can fly high after beating Calgary, but they can't get too unfocused. After all, next up is a return engagement with the conference-leading Chicago Blackhawks.

2009-10 Game Forty-Three: Wild 1, Blackhawks 4

Will the real Minnesota Wild please report to the Xcel Energy Center? Is the Wild the team that rattled off ten wins through December, thanks to some opportunistic goal scoring and impressive defense? Or are they the team that's currently in a tailspin, finding themselves further and further from a playoff spot thanks to a four-game losing streak, while surrendering at least three goals for the past six games?

More troubling, are both teams the current representation of the Wild? The last four losses, with the exception of the game against the Ducks, the Wild were playing against teams that have propelled themselves towards the NHL's elite, and the last two games specifically have been against conference leaders. The Wild simply don't have the finishers to make themselves competitive against some of the better teams in the league. Maybe today's call-up of Robbie Earl will help pull this team off of their recent skid, but even Earl's call-up makes for some interesting managerial moves.

Plain and simply, Robbie Earl playing tonight, unless it gets deemed an emergency call-up due to players being injured, means that he'll have to be thrown on waivers before returning to Houston, so he could end up being here for the long haul. This is due to Earl not being on an entry-level contract, so his free call-up time was limited. With the Wild's playoff hopes dimming rapidly, it might also be the best time of year for GM Chuck Fletcher to start seriously evaluating who he would like to see wearing a Minnesota Wild jersey next season, and start trying to work his magic through trades to improve the team in the long run. Remember, it wasn't too long ago that the Chicago Blackhawks were one of the worst teams in the league, and through good drafting and smart trades, they assembled themselves into a powerhouse. It's time for Fletcher to start making moves to help the Wild do that in the next couple of years.

Game pluses:
- Guillaume Latendresse. Proof that Fletcher can spot talent that fits his team, Latendresse has been a huge acquisition for the Wild, and he notched another goal against the Blackhawks. He had another couple of chances later in the game, but was stifled on each.
- Martin Havlat. Wild fans are starting to see the type of player that Havlat can be on any given night, as he continues to direct the play around him. He helped set up the Latendresse goal, and created chances for plenty of other players.
- Clayton Stoner. Stoner may not have had the strongest game of the season, but his poise while playing against some of the bigger and tougher NHL teams has been impressive, and he hasn't made any glaring mistakes.

Game pluses:
- Kyle Brodziak. Yes, the line of Brodziak/Havlat/Latendresse was buzzing the net all night, but Brodziak was one of a few Wild players to show a problem that the team has. When the puck ended up on his stick, he just couldn't finish and take the goal.
- Andrew Brunette. Brunette suffered the same problems as Brodziak, not being able to finish. Brunette had opportunities at wide open nets, but delayed too long, allowing Chicago to get back into position, turning a golden opportunity into a momentum breaker.
- Greg Zanon. The third minus almost went to the Wild for allowing so many odd-man rushes, or to the officials for some glaring no-calls, especially when Josh Harding was knocked down shortly before Chicago's second goal. However, Zanon was plagued all night by bad passes and out-of-position play. His clearing attempt in the third period that gave Chicago the 5-on-3 power play was just the capper to a rough night.

Next up: The schedule just doesn't look good for the Wild, as they come fresh off of playing the New Jersey Devils and the Chicago Blackhawks, only to return home and face the Calgary Flames, a team that has regularly had the Wild's number.

2009-10 Game Thirty-Four: Wild 3, Canadiens 1

The last two games for the Minnesota Wild have looked eerily similar. A strong first period. A fast pace. Very few penalties. A complete collapse once the second period starts, only to have the goaltender make the big saves needed. And, at the end of it all, a Minnesota Wild win. It's pretty obvious watching the team that their recent schedule is starting to get to them. After all, they've been all over the continent recently, barely having time to rest before jetting off to the next location. They'll get to return home for the holidays, and it might be the best gift that they could ever receive.

Still, even though they're obviously fatigued, and even though they obviously haven't been playing their best hockey of the season, the Wild keep finding ways to win, and they did it again by knocking around the Montreal Canadiens. The boos that filled the arena at the start of the game were directed at Guillaume Latendresse, playing in his first game since being traded from Montreal to Minnesota. By the end of the game, the boos were directed at the Canadiens themselves, for trailing 3-1. Not that Montreal should be faulted for effort. They just couldn't put the puck into the net, even though they spent the majority of the final forty minutes in the Wild's zone. Thankfully for Minnesota, physical play and some timely saves helped propel the team to yet another win, keeping them as the hottest team in the west (10-1-2 in their last thirteen games).

Game pluses:
- Cal Clutterbuck. Clutterbuck played exactly the kind of game you expect, and he appears to be one of the few Wild players with a lot of energy left in their legs. Not only did he notch ten hits against the Canadiens, but he also put in the back-breaking third goal for Minnesota.
- Niklas Backstrom. Backstrom practically had to stand on his head to make some of the saves that he did, but he just went about his business shutting Montreal down. The one goal that snuck past him was from such a sharp angle that it certainly seemed like there was no chance for the puck to even get in front of the net, let alone into it.
- Robbie Earl. All Earl does is score goals. Well, that's not entirely true, but he came through with a huge goal in the first period. Not only did he score by threading the puck through an incredibly small opening, but he created the chance with some strong play at the Montreal blue line.

Game minuses:
- James Sheppard. Sheppard was once again a liability in the face-off circle, and he put extra life into Montreal with a foolish delay of game penalty, after the Canadiens had already pulled their goaltender.
- Fatigue. It's clear that the Wild are worn down, but the recent schedule can do that. Still, they need to find a way to keep themselves going once the second period starts, instead of retreating into a shell and just trying to hang on.
- Clearing the zone. In the first period, the Wild didn't have a lot of problems in their own end. Once the second period started, it became a different story, as they couldn't get a handle on the puck, and ended up icing it more than is comfortable just to give themselves a breather. If it hadn't been for Backstrom's amazing performance, the Wild would have easily been toppled.

Next up: One more game on the road before a little stretch of time at home, which should help put some energy back into a team that's criss-crossed the continent while maintaining an amazing streak. The Wild stays in the Eastern Conference, and in Canada, as they take on the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night.

2009-10 Game Twenty: Wild 4, Hurricanes 5 (SO)

Maybe the Carolina Hurricanes remembered too well what the Wild did to them in St. Paul. Maybe they really wanted to avoid setting a new record for consecutive games without a win. Then again, maybe they just took advantage of the Wild team that showed up for the first half of the game, and then hung on just hard enough for the second half of the game to give themselves their first win in the past fifteen games.

The Wild, however, brought two different looks. Needless to say, the first look the team presented can be left behind any time, as they never really got their skates under them, and they looked lost on the ice. Unable to win battles, or, for the most part, play like they cared, the Wild dug themselves a deep hole, and it certainly looked like it was going to be a long game. Unexpected offense coming from some last-minute replacements turned the game around, and almost allowed Minnesota to complete the comeback and gain the win. As it was, being down by three goals and still escaping with a point in the standings could be huge in the long run for this team.

Game pluses:
- Robbie Earl. The former UW player was called up by the Wild to fill in for an injured Chuck Kobasew. If Earl can keep playing the way he did against the 'Canes, he may find himself filling in for a hapless James Sheppard, or an inconsistent Benoit Pouliot. Earl's first two NHL goals sparked the Wild.
- John Scott. Twenty seconds after Earl scored his first NHL goal, John Scott did the same, scooping up the garbage from in front of the net. Scott's goal demonstrated exactly why a player in front of the net can be such a benefit.
- Mikko Koivu. The Wild captain seemed like the only member of the team that showed up to play in the early going of the game. He had some chances, including one shot off of the post, that could have changed the outcome of the game.

Game minuses:
- Special teams. The Wild's power play looks like two minutes where they completely relax and forget how to play the game. The penalty kill has been lapsing as of late, and gave up three of Carolina's goals.
- Clearing the crease. Even after the Wild found their legs, they couldn't get the Hurricanes away from Niklas Backstrom. The Wild spent too much time chasing the puck, and not enough time clearing the area in front of their goal.
- Fire. The Wild may have been facing the worst team in the league, but they're also a basement team right now, and they were finishing a road trip. If Minnesota had made an effort in the first period, the game would have most likely gone easily to the visitors.

Next up: The Wild have a couple of days off, and then return to action Wednesday night at home, taking on the surprising Phoenix Coyotes.

2009-10 Game Nineteen: Wild 1, Capitals 3

There are many reasons why the Wild are currently in the Western Conference basement. There are just as many reasons why the Washington Capitals are on top of the Eastern Conference. When a team can continue to win, and win with strength, while missing one of the best players in the league, they know they've got something special. Without Alex Ovechkin, the Caps have continued cruising, and they took out the Wild in strong fashion.

Not to say that Minnesota didn't challenge the Caps. In fact, for a while, it looked like the Wild were going to do to Washington what they did to Pittsburgh. The difference between the games? In Pittsburgh, the Wild didn't have as many chances, but they converted better. In Washington, Minnesota either didn't take good quality shots, or just missed with the shots that they did take. To win in the NHL, you need to be able to convert odd-man rushes, and the Wild didn't have any luck doing that against that Capitals.

Game pluses:
- Cal Clutterbuck. Clutterbuck has been picked by many across the league to eventually be a 20-goal scorer. If he keeps playing like he has recently, people may want to amend that to 30 goals. He's still playing his physical game, too, making the goals that much more impressive.
- Robbie Earl. A call-up to play for an injured Chuck Kobasew, Earl played a strong game for his first one in a Wild sweater.
- Josh Harding. This is the Josh Harding that people have wanted to see all season. No, he didn't win the game, but he singlehandedly kept the Wild in it. Both goals that he let past him were off of terrific shots, and Washington couldn't get a third goal until the Wild's net was empty.

Game minuses:
- Power play. The Wild just can't get things moving on their power play with any regularity. They're still focusing on trying to set up the perfect play, which means that they're not taking shots that they should be.
- Defensive puck handling. The entire defensive corps had problems keeping the puck on their stick. Whether it was failing to hold the puck in the offensive zone, or simply miscuing a pass, the defense need to get better with the black rubber.
- Finishing the rush. The Wild got a number of odd-man rushes throughout the game. They just couldn't connect the dots on what should have been a brilliant scoring attempt.

Next up: The Wild play a rare afternoon game, as they travel to Carolina to face the Hurricanes. Last time the two teams played, Cal Clutterbuck scored an impossible goal for the overtime winner.