Wild are in the Calder Cup Finals

[spearchucker]

Well it is really the Houston Aeros, but it might as well be the Wild since the Houston players made up a big part of the Wild's team this year. They almost blew a 3-0 series lead. It went to games 7 and they won 4-3 with about a minute left in the game over Hamilton. They play Binghamton Senators in the finals.

[jwmiller33]

It is nice to see a Minnesota based franchise having some success, albeit in a different state. It is nice to have someone to root for that is actually winning some games.

[spearchucker]

Gillies, Wellman, and Prosser have been playing really well. Hopefully these guys can contribute for the Wild soon.

[OnAFly]

I've been following this a little bit by blog. Good to hear some Minnesota affiliated team is doing well!

[solbes]

I'd love to see Nate Prosser make it to the bigs. Elk River alum, played for CC, etc.

Good to see the Aeros making some waves.

[cbrooks]

A little off topic but is Danny Irmen(old Minnesota alum forward)still playing in Houston? If he is, is there a chance of him being a NHLer. I suppose if it hasn't happen yet it probably won't.

[OnAFly]

He got a call-up a few years ago but didn't end up playing. That was the closest he ever got.

[spearchucker]

I think Irmen is playing in Europe somewhere now.

[Bear55]

Nice to hear the Aeros doing well, I know a lot of people want an experienced coach for the Wild but that Mike Yeo is doing amazing things as a first year head coach for the Aeros and he might just be our guy. I don't think he is as green as Richards was coming in either, 4 years as an assistant with Pitt with a Cup and lots of playoff experience to come with it.

[Bear55]

A little off topic but is Danny Irmen(old Minnesota alum forward)still playing in Houston? If he is, is there a chance of him being a NHLer. I suppose if it hasn't happen yet it probably won't.

It looks like Irmen is in Italy and doing fairly well over there. I really thought he was going to be a great 3rd line grinder type of player who could chip in 15 goals a season, wow was I off.

He was a great college player, a prime example of a guy who would have been an All American and probably a Hobey candidate had he returned to the Gophers for his Sr. season.

[cbrooks]

I was afraid he went european. It seems he can find alot of former college players there. The money is pretty good and tax free(no income tax) from my understanding or union dues.

I thought the same thing Bear... he was gonna be a NHL regular with his stlyeof play. I like watching him in college and high school. He played at Grand Forks Red River before going Jrs.

[Sherpa]

It is nice to see a Minnesota based franchise having some success, albeit in a different state. It is nice to have someone to root for that is actually winning some games.

Hey you guys aren't forgetting about titletown (Duluth) are you?

[Bear55]

He played at Grand Forks Red River before going Jrs.

Those Potulnys and Irmen are just a tiny little payback for all the great MN players the Sioux have landing over the years. I doubt we ever get even with you guys, the Sioux have harvested untold amounts of talent from MN over the years.

[cbrooks]

Tough to argrue with you on that Bear.

[Shorelunch]

Those Potulnys and Irmen are just a tiny little payback for all the great MN players the Sioux have landing over the years. I doubt we ever get even with you guys, the Sioux have harvested untold amounts of talent from MN over the years.

Yeah, but the MN players UND got . . . were the ones the Gophers "didn't really want or go after" according to many Gopher fans.

MN is definitely a battle ground state, with five Minnesota schools, UND, Sconny and top flight big schools all recruiting hard.

[Bear55]

Yeah, but the MN players UND got . . . were the ones the Gophers "didn't really want or go after" according to many Gopher fans.

I am sure there are a few gopher fans with blinders on. We normally reserve that "we didn't want them" stuff for the smaller MN schools who often get the leftovers once UM, UND, and WI come calling. I guess we have to take UMD off that list now that they have won the big one.

There is a long list of Sioux MN born players who I would have loved to have play for the gophers. I don't even want to list them because I might start crying.

[scsavre]

Theres plenty of kids that went elsewhere that I wish we got, but it is the truth, many of kids the U never even bothers to go after. Parise we lost, other then him I cant think of any Sioux players. The biggest ones I remembered were Matt Cullen and Tobey Peterson. I think in the last few years a few more have gotten away, but I dont think the Gophs have recruited as hard either. Back in the day we just knew who we would get. Unfortunately we have to deal with relatives and kids and politics too. Man we have had a few terrible players.