Wild!!!

[OnAFly]

With the season upon us (finally) it's time to quit the lockout threads and start up the Wild threads

8:00PM, televised scrimmage on FSN (broadcast on KFAN). Can you tell it's been a while since we've seen NHL hockey?

GO WILD!

[Bear55]

Didn't think I would be as excited after the lockout but who am I kidding, these are very exciting times! With a short season it is anyones guess as to how well we do, a hot streak to start or end the year and you are in the playoffs. I just hope the boys play hard and find some chemistry.

[OnAFly]

It's all up in the air in my mind. They could start off hot against all the other teams that haven't skated with each other much. On the other hand, maybe they struggle to gel with each other since a couple of those new guys have been playing other systems for so long.

[kenlaker]

With the season upon us (finally) it's time to quit the lockout threads and start up the Wild threads

8:00PM, televised scrimmage on FSN (broadcast on KFAN). Can you tell it's been a while since we've seen NHL hockey?

GO WILD!

I thought it was at 7:00?

[OnAFly]

It is, I had the scrimmage and first game mixed up

[BartmanMN]

Dumba looks solid at D for being 18-19 years old.

Praise works his tail off. It's going to be a fun year to watch.

[otterman91105]

Nice to see them back to work can't wait for there first game.

[LundProAngler]

YES, Hockey is back finally!!!

[PierBridge]

So much for the fans boycotting hockey. I can't imagine in the history of the NHL that any team has sold out an intra-squad scrimmage.

For those that missed the game the Red beat the white 4-1, the overtime 1-0, and the shootout.

Go Wild~

[Slabasaurus]

So much for the fans boycotting hockey. I can't imagine in the history of the NHL that any team has sold out an intra-squad scrimmage.

For those that missed the game the Red beat the white 4-1, the overtime 1-0, and the shootout.

Go Wild~

heh. I was lucky enough to have some tickets to this fall into my lap from a fellow board member here... so i took my dad last night.

It was awesome. Really excited for the team this year.

Though to your point... I do know some MN fans that are boycotting hockey (they are the two most stubborn people I've known)... and I am sure other markets are probably struggling a bit more.

I don't care. I am stoked!

[hoppe56307]

So much for the fans boycotting hockey. I can't imagine in the history of the NHL that any team has sold out an intra-squad scrimmage.

It probably helped that they gave away the tickets for free all you had to do was pick them up at the Xcel box office.

[10,000 Casts]

Dumba is staying up with the big club! I hope he can make a good impression and stay up for a while, I only caught the 3rd period of last nights game but people are saying good things! Kassian stays up and Palmari, Veilleux and Dowell were put on Waivers. I hope Dowell doesn't get picked up, we need all the depth we can get. How did Granlund do last night?

Quote:

Zach Parise-Mikko Koivu-Dany Heatley

Matt Cullen-Mikael Granlund-Devin Setoguchi

Cal Clutterbuck-Kyle Brodziak-P-M Bouchard

Darroll Powe-Zenon Konopka-Torrey Mitchell

Matt Kassian

DEFENSEMEN (7)

Ryan Suter-Jared Spurgeon

Clayton Stoner-Tom Gilbert

Justin Falk-Nate Prosser

Matt Dumba

Marco Scandella and Jonas Brodin working their way back from injuries; getting closer.

GOALIES (2)

Niklas Backstrom

Josh Harding

[BartmanMN]

Granlund did not really do much last night. Palmari actually looked pretty decent out front of the net. If we did not have so much depth this year, I doubt he gets sent down.

Dumba must play for the Wild or be sent to the WHL team. He cannot go between the Aeros and the Wild. If he stays with the Wild at all, I believe that counts 1 year against his signed contract. Something to that effect.

[Bear55]

Dumba can play 5 games and still be sent back to the CHL without using up a year of his contract, similar to what the did with Bulmer last year. Bulmer go 9 games because of the full season.

Dumba will hang around just long enough for Scandella and Brodin to get healthy and then head back to Jrs.

[10,000 Casts]

Ya I was thinking it would be like Bulmer last year. But good to see him up anyway.

[archerystud]

Dumba does not look out of place that's for sure. However, at his age it is probably better to give him at least another year.

I'm trying to temper my excitement for the Wild. The shortened season probably won't help them too much with all of the new faces. The key is to make the playoffs and get hot at the right time (like LA last year).

[10,000 Casts]

Can they send him to Houston? Or do they have to send him back to Jrs?

[OnAFly]

He's too young to go to Houston. He would have to go back the Red Deer in the WHL.

I'm guessing we'll see the same thing Bulmer did last year. Go to the last game before he would burn a year off his contract and then go back. The Wild are at the max 50 contracts, they don't want to rush him, and he's only 18. They just don;t know how he's going to react to the NHL game when everyone is in mid-season form. That's going to be a whole lot different than the first game after 9 months.

[Bear55]

Yep I say give him a taste of the NHL and see how he does and then back to jrs. As good as he has looked I don't think he is ready for a full time NHL job just yet.

On another note isn't it great to actually have depth this year! The 3 guys they sent down on waivers would have made up out 3rd and 4th line last year. Not to mention a full line of young studs in the AHL in Zucker, Coyle, and Larsson. Larsson by the way has really been playing well in the AHL, he started pretty slow but has come a long way in 30-some games.

[10,000 Casts]

good lord I've never been so excited for the NHL season to start!

[OnAFly]

Sloppy first period by the wild.

[10,000 Casts]

Ya that first period made me a little nervous. Gotta love Z forcing Mcloud into the fight 3 mins into the game, Ive been waiting 3 years for someone to put that SOB in check. Boogaard,Staubitz, Kassian would have never forced him into that and Mcloud always ran away.

Wow did the power play look good! With Suter on top and Parise and Koivu working hard and Heatly sitting infront of the net looking for garbage works well.

Also I'm going to really like watching Parise, what a hussler, that's the kind of leader this team needs. The whole game I was thinking about what we used to look like when we had Havlat, what a difference.

Can't wait to see how they look tonight.

[Bear55]

Nice game after the slow start, it was pretty sweet to see that power play churn along, what a potent group.

[Bear55]

Wow didn't realize the Wild play Dallas tonight, this weekend just keeps getting better.

[Slabasaurus]

Ya that first period made me a little nervous. Gotta love Z forcing Mcloud into the fight 3 mins into the game, Ive been waiting 3 years for someone to put that SOB in check. Boogaard,Staubitz, Kassian would have never forced him into that and Mcloud always ran away.

Wow did the power play look good! With Suter on top and Parise and Koivu working hard and Heatly sitting infront of the net looking for garbage works well.

Also I'm going to really like watching Parise, what a hussler, that's the kind of leader this team needs. The whole game I was thinking about what we used to look like when we had Havlat, what a difference.

Can't wait to see how they look tonight.

My thoughts exactly. On all accounts.

It's going to be a fun season, that's for sure.