Happy July 4th USA!

Talking to folks all around the league today, this is what I am gathering...

The Wild are very disappointed that Saku had a change of heart during the negotiation process because it put the Wild into a real no-win situation. As they were put on hold waiting for Koivu to say "yes" to something that he had asked for, the Wild were out of the loop and missed out on some other possibilities.

Meanwhile I am told that Teemu was whispering into Koivu's ear about playing 1 year in Anaheim before going to play with brother Miko in Minny. At one point I even talked to a source in Anaheim who told me the Ducks were "almost certain" a week ago that Saku was coming to Anaheim.

Saku's uncertainty has definitely spurred on all sorts of questions:

Is he healthy?

Does he want to play anymore?

Is it a matter of more years, less years?

One aspect of this that is not too surprising is that the people around Koivu all felt he would be very methodical and that is exactly the case.

However, talking to a source just now, a friend of Koivu's from Finland, I get the sense that deep down Saku wants to remain and retire as a Montreal Canadien.

The source: "Saku has been amazingly loyal to that situation and while the Canadiens may not want to pay what he can makes elsewhere there are things they could do to get it done. They must start with showing proper respect to Saku and letting him in on what they are doing. That has frustrated him, but of course he would never say boo about it. He has that organization, city and its fans flowing through his blood. Bob Gainey really need to just go a little further. "Sakke" is very happy with the moves of the past few days."

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