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Wild Neither Buying Nor Selling. Question: Will They Make the Playoffs? |
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Friday started as the unofficial trade deadline with a bunch of trades around the NHL. However, not even a hint of any movement from the Wild short of Ek’s post that the Wild and the Penguins were in talks with one another. Wild GM, Chuck Fletcher, has stated publicly that he will not mortgage the future on some playoff push trades. However, what about being a seller? I suppose that depends on how his team plays between now and the end of the year. Since the All-Star break, the Wild won 2 and then lost 1 and then won 3 followed by 2 losses. Not bad, but time to stop losing if they want to stay in the playoff hunt and not become sellers at the deadline on the 28th. Between Friday and the deadline, the Wild play the Ducks twice, the Redwings, Oilers and Kings. Not an easy road in the least.
With that perspective and on the back of two losses, the Wild entered Friday night’s contest against the Ducks in 10th place with 65 points in 57 games and a record of 30-22-5. The Ducks entered this game in 6th place with 68 points in 58 games and a record of 32-22-4. Based upon each team’s record, it appeared going in to be a very evenly matched game. It also had the sense of a semi-rivalry game as the Wild have met Anaheim twice in their playoff history, having lost in the playoffs both times to the Ducks. Plus, it’s always fun when the Koivu brothers get together.
At Friday night’s game, there were scouts from two Eastern Conference teams, one of which is a playoff contender, if not a Stanley Cup contender, and one team that clearly is not. Also in attendance were two scouts from a hated Wild rival out of the Western Conference. Very curious.
From a trading perspective, the Wild do have moveable assets. Included on my list are Theodore, Madden, Barker, Kobasew, Brunette, Miettinen, Gillies, Harding and Shepard. However, if the Wild stay in the thick of things, you can take Theodore, Madden, Kobasew, Brunette and Miettinen off of that list. Not sure what you could get for the remaining names on that list.
Prior to the game with the Ducks, I couldn’t help but wonder if this would be the last time that Wild fans would see Teemu Selanne on the ice at the Xcel Energy Center, at least in the regular season, in his storied career.
Of note, out for the Ducks was Jonas Hiller. Back for the Wild, Marek Zidlicky. And boy did the Ducks miss Hiller this night.
The game started with the Ducks scoring on their first shot on a nice tip by Corey Perry. Perry was moving from right to left in front of Backstrom, was pushed out of the way by a Wild defenseman and still managed to get his stick on the shot for his 30th goal of the season. 30 goals! By one guy!!!! And Bobby Ryan had 28 goals coming into this game. In contrast, the Wild have to combine two player totals just to match either Perry or Ryan’s scoring prowess. Sure the Wild score by committee. However, Anaheim’s top 5 outclass the Wild’s top 5 (102 goals vs. 77 goals) and, while the Wild’s next 5 have more goals than the Ducks’ next 5 (50 goals vs. 40 goals), the Ducks’ top 10 outscore the Wild’s top 10 (142 goals vs. 127 goals). Safe to say that the Wild need legitimate goal scoring threats up front either at the deadline or during the off-season.
Back to the game, the Wild quickly answered Anaheim’s goal with a goal by Mikko Koivu where Koivu battled all the way from the corner to the front of the net, shooting and then scoring on his own rebound followed by a cross-check of an Anaheim player (a non-call by the refs). Koivu exited the game shortly after his goal when blocking a shot by Marchant with his hand.
After tying the game, it was all Wild. The Wild had a lot of chances midway through the first period before a parade of trips to the penalty box. However, while playing short-handed, the Wild actually dominated the Ducks. After exiting the penalty box, Matt Cullen scored on a break away with a double clutch shot high on McElhinney’s blocker side. This goal was short-handed during a double minor high sticking penalty that drew blood.
With that, the Wild were clearly the better team in the first period, retiring to the locker room with a 2 to 1 lead. Much better than being the better team in the 3rd period in the Wild’s loss to Vancouver. Hopefully, the Wild learned that dominating the first period counts for more than dominating the last period.
In the second period, Anaheim came out flying and applying heavy pressure, outshooting the Wild 9 to 1 in the beginning of the 2nd frame. During that time, they attempted 3 wrap around chances, but were denied each time by Niklas Backstrom.
The Wild opened the scoring in the 2nd period on a goal by Nystrom after Barker got away with a trip of Corey Perry on an attempt on Backstrom. Shortly after that goal, Brodziak got into the swing of things, literally, by batting the puck out of mid-air and scoring, making it 4-1 for the Wild.
The third goal found the Wild playing good defensive hockey, while netting one last goal for a 5 to 1 win over the Ducks. The Ducks outshot the Wild, 30-26. Backstrom was the game’s number one star.
So, the Wild stay in the hunt making it harder for their GM to be either a buyer or a seller. With this win, the Wild moved one point back of Anaheim, Dallas, Los Angeles and Calgary, which are tied for the sixth through ninth spots in the Western Conference. Minnesota is 10-4-0 in it’s last 14 games, overall, and 5-1-0 in it’s last six home games. The Wild now get ready for the Detroit Red Wings who come to St. Paul for an 11:45 am game on Sunday.
Question of the night: If you had $100 and had to bet that the Wild would either make the playoffs or miss the playoffs, which would you bet and how confident in that bet would you be?
That’s it for me Wild fans. On to my Squirt B2’s district hockey tournament tomorrow morning at 8 am in Anoka.
Go Wild!
Go Red Bulls!!!!! (My Squirt B2 team)
Minnesota Wild Blogger • 
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