2009-10 Game Fifty-Six: Wild 2, Stars 4

The Minnesota Wild have to be happy that, unless some weird twist of fate happens, they don't have to return to Dallas until the 2010-2011 season. They continued their futility in Texas, falling yet again to the Dallas Stars. The difference in this game is that, unlike most times Minnesota has visited there, the Wild actually outplayed the Stars, and they did so all game. However, as has been habit when playing against Dallas, the Wild just couldn't finish their chances, and ended up turning an average goaltender into an All Star.

The Wild dominated in every way but two. The Stars were the more physical team, thanks largely to Steve Ott continuing to be able to run around and cause whatever havoc he wants on the ice, and the Wild peppered 40+ shots on net, but most of them were completely harmless. To make matters worse, when the Wild tried to crawl back into the game, they didn't do so until they were already down by two, and immediately after pulling to within one goal, they surrendered a huge goal each time, taking whatever wind they might have assembled completely out of their sails.

Time is starting to run short for Minnesota with regards to the playoff chase, as well. They're only a few points back, but there is a huge jam of teams in the Western Conference, and, while the Wild need the teams ahead of them to lose, that will often result in a different team ahead of them winning. The conservative estimate to make it into the playoffs in the West is with 94 points, which the Wild could achieve, but they need to find a way to string together wins, and to string them together on the road. With the sudden question as to the status of their goaltending, thanks to injuries and illnesses, the obstacles in front of Minnesota loom even larger, and they might find themselves selling at the trade deadline, whether they want to or not.

Game pluses:
- Brent Burns. Burns is starting to look more and more like himself, and that can only bode well for the Wild in the future. However, as he's been stepping up, other defensemen have been falling apart.
- Guillaume Latendresse. Latendresse was buzzing the net and creating chances. His tip of the Brent Burns shot on the power play gave the Wild some much-needed life... too bad it only lasted for thirty seconds.
- Andrew Brunette. The Wild winger kept his positioning well much of the game, and was rewarded with a big goal.

Game minuses:
- Wade Dubielewicz. It may not have been kind for Dubielewicz to play his first game in a Wild sweater in an arena where the Wild haven't won in seven years, but he certainly didn't help himself, surrendering four goals on 18 shots.
- Kim Johnsson. Johnsson made some very bad decisions with the puck, and didn't pursue the physical side of the game at all. For someone getting paid as much as he is, he needs to show more life on the ice if he wants to get anything approaching a similar contract.
- Letting up. The Wild outplayed Dallas, but couldn't seem to figure out how to score. They got a power play late in the second period, notched a goal, and had the momentum. Then the Stars roared back, scored a quick goal, and set up a two-goal lead again. The same thing happened late in the third, and the Wild need to figure out how to keep applying the pressure after scoring, instead of coasting on that first shift, as they so often have.

Next up: The Wild return home, which should help stop their slide, but they do so with some question marks in the net. They face the Edmonton Oilers next.

No arbitration hearings for Wild

Today, it was announced that the Minnesota Wild have avoided arbitration entirely with their stable of players. The Wild only had two players that even had the chance of ending up in an arbitration hearing, with each player going there in a different way.

Kyle Brodziak elected to take the Wild to arbitration, and was rewarded with a 3-year, $3.45M contract. Brodziak's contract should ensure that he's with Minnesota for a while, as he helps shore up their weak center position. Brodziak's route to arbitration was a calculated risk that he could get more from the team than what was expected, which may have paid off for him.

Meanwhile, Josh Harding was sent to arbitration by the Wild itself, possibly a similar risk by the team as to the one that Brodziak took. Harding signed with the Wild for a one-year deal, reportedly in the $1.1M range. Of course, if Brodziak's contract could be construed as a way to keep the center with the Wild for a while, what does a one-year contract for Harding say?

In many ways, the Wild have been grooming Harding for a trade since before Draft Day. With the acquisition of Wade Dubielewicz, Minnesota currently has three goaltenders, and, it could be argued, two starters. Harding has become the odd man out, and a one-year contract could be the Wild's way of saying, "Keep your bags packed", since any trade would allow the new team to negotiate an entirely new contract, without any carry over.

By the same token, only having a one-year contract could keep other teams away, because Harding may get looked at as a "loaner" player. Without a longer contract, he may not have the incentive to resign with any team that lands him, and may pursue free agency once his year runs out. You can bet that he'd get a good look from the other 29 teams in the league.

Of course, there's always the chance that the Wild signed Harding to a one-year deal to keep them from arbitration, and as a bit of a precaution in case Niklas Backstrom either falls apart, or suffers a severe injury. But, if that's the case, Chuck Fletcher may just be the most cautious GM ever, and his pursuit of players like Martin Havlat and Nick Leddy seems to indicate otherwise.