In the fine tradition of Mn Wild Centermen, we sign...

[solbes]

Seriously?!? 6 points is apparently enough to anchor one of our lines. When are we going to make some moves for new blood at the center position?

From Newsobserver.com & The Associated Press

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The Minnesota Wild have re-signed center James Sheppard to a one-year contract.

The deal was announced Wednesday and qualifying offers were made to restricted free agent left wing Guillaume Latendresse and backup goalie Josh Harding. The Wild were required to extend the offers by June 28 if they wanted to retain the right of first refusal for both players.

Minnesota picked Sheppard ninth overall in 2006, but he has been a disappointment in three years with the team. Sheppard scored just two goals with four assists in 64 games for the Wild last season.

The Wild also extended qualifying offers to goalie Anton Khudobin, defenseman Nate Prosser and left wing Matt Kassian. The team released center Morten Madsen and defenseman Jamie Fraser

[walleyes12]

LMFAO!!!!!!! I should try out for the wild, I would think by accident I could get 6 points in a season!!! What a joke Sheppard is!!!!!

[Bear55]

I'm thinking the Wild might try and trade him for an equally bad prospect or super low draft pick or something. I just can't see him playing for us in any way baring a miracle turn around.

[JimBuck]

I just heard about this on the way to work. Let's hope we can use him as trade bait. Unless Richards has bigger plans? I've heard Shepp is great at sharpening skates....

Didn't Boogie finish the season with 4 points in 58 games? Just 2 points and 4 games behind Shepp.

[solbes]

Yup he has Boogie type production without any of the brawn. Even though we had not previously seen anything of production out of Shep, I though we should give him a year with Richards system. It didn't change, in fact it was probably worse.

For Shep and the team there needs to be a change. Pouliot (sp?) didn't do anything for us either, but the trade worked out great for both teams. Sometimes a change of scenery can do wonders for a guy.

[Bear55]

I agree solbes, there has to be someone out there willing to trade their junk for ours. The whole change of scenery thing is worth a shot.

[scsavre]

Poulot was alot better then shepard. Shepard is so terrible. He isnt physical enough to have less then 20 points, much less 6 points. We better be trading him, I think we had to offer atleast a mil too. Terrible.

[Windy City Walleye Hunter]

Do all these guys actually play in the NHL??? LOL

[spearchucker]

They must have a trade hinging on him or something because he was dead weight last year. They have been waiting for 2 1/2 years for his breakout season and it never comes. I think Fletcher has something in the works. He doesn't seem to want to hang on to guys that aren't producing. I wouldn't be surprised to see Burns or Schultz go either in a trade.

[Bear55]

Do all these guys actually play in the NHL??? LOL

I guess after pulling for the Hawk's in the final their fans are going to give me a reason to hate them again. Its ok kick us when we are down, it will make upsetting the Hawks in the playoffs all that better. Oops did I just predict we make the playoffs this year? I guess I did, we are going to need a big year out of Havlat!

[JimBuck]

Playoffs are over Windy. Let the Wild fans carry on a civilized thread.

I think Richards has something up his sleeve for trading this preseason and I'm absolutely pumped about the potential.

[solbes]

Havlat needs someone, ANYONE, to feed him the puck. He's got the skills and he's hungry. We have a Line 1 center, two line 4 centers, and a center who probably wouldn't score much in the minors. Trading for a legit Line 2 center would solve a lot of problems.

Nice to see Windy getting his jabs in. Sox are nearing .500 baseball with 3 wins, so maybe he might start visiting the baseball forums once again.

[Windy City Walleye Hunter]

Just a little payback to all those who chimed in with comments like, "Are they still playing hockey" and the like. People in glass houses should not throw stones! Payback is a motha!

[Bear55]

Let's not confuse people talking about the Wild in mid June with some riff raff trolling other hockey threads during the playoffs. If you want to single someone out because of a previous comment now that you have won a cup by all mean go ahead, you've earned it. Jumping on a few Wild fans who I can't imagine would ever say "Are they still playing hockey" is a little off base wouldn't you say?

[Windy City Walleye Hunter]

Come on now Bear, you know they were there. This is just a little poking back after the fact. I love Marty Havlat and was sad when he left, I would have loved seeing him skate around with the Cup in the air. You know they were there and you know what they said. If you were not one of the feces tossers then you don't have to be offended by the return volley.

[bucketmouth64]

Hope Fletcher can do another deal like the Pouliot/Latendresse deal with Shepard. Package him with someone else and get some legit centermen. Even that new kid, can't remember name, they signed late last season out of oollege looked better in the short time. Lots of energy and speed.

[8-Ball]

Sheppard signs one yr. deal? I just lost my appetite. Even tho they play different positions, this guy makes Skoula look like Gretzky. Dead weight. Zero NHL skill-not even 4th line PK... [PoorWordUsage] could wild mgmt. be thinking re-signing this stiff? I skate and stickhandle better than Shepp. There BETTER be a trade in the works or Fletcher/Richards are dumber than I thought....

[scsavre]

So here is what they can do with shepard, they gave him very close to the minimum $800,000. If they cant package deal him, they can always just cut him. So as bad as he is, this signing doesnt really do anything. It was either that or just let him go. At least now he can try to earn a spot (which he better not), or make a trade.

[OnAFly]

Anyone remember what happened to Pouliot? Shep is a 1st rounder who showed flashes of scoring ability.

Anyone remember Ville Leino? Traded to the Flyers because he didn't pan out in Detroit. He was +10 in the playoffs scoring a couple game winning goals and going 7-14-21.

He's worth a trade. Throwing players away without compensation is the DR way to go. That got us where we are now.

[Bear55]

I thought I herd somewhere if Sheppard doesn't make the team they will cut him but I can't be sure on that. If it doesn't work out maybe they can trade him for something, not much but something is better then nothing. One thing to remember he is still what only 21 or 22? He could still turn things around, I know we are talking about a miracle here but its happened before and it will happen again. One thing is for sure, he never should have touched NHL ice that early.

[solbes]

One thing to remember he is still what only 21 or 22? ... One thing is for sure, he never should have touched NHL ice that early.

Just looked it up, he's 22. Maybe it's the misery over the years, but it seems like he should be 24 or 25 now. Maybe he'll be another Delmon Young, only in hockey. At age 24, Young is finally hitting his stride. But then again this is Sheppard we're talking about.

Also I do agree with your last statement. A year or two in the AHL would have been a better place for him to mature.

[Bear55]

Just looked it up, he's 22. Maybe it's the misery over the years, but it seems like he should be 24 or 25 now.

Sometimes it looks like he is in his 40's out there.

[scsavre]

That is stinking Lemaire or mamagenment, Its just like that other young guy Gillies, he had no rookie season because he was watching the Wild play rather then playing in the AHL.

[Bear55]

That is stinking Lemaire or mamagenment, Its just like that other young guy Gillies, he had no rookie season because he was watching the Wild play rather then playing in the AHL.

But come on [pleasebecomeasponsor] he scored 13 goals in jrs his draft year, he was born ready!!!!

[scsavre]

13 goals, we must have traded up for him then. I hope he pans out, but it doesnt ever pay to carry a rookie to bench him. Any word on if any of our young guys will do anything. Gillies, Cuma etc. Anyone going to make the team this year?