Wild Game Day number 34 Wild Record (17-13-3 37 pts) Road Record (7-9-1)
Opponent: Ottawa Senators (11-13-7 29 pts) Home Record (6-5-5)
Site: Canadian Tire Centre, Kanata, Ontario
Time: 6:00PM CT
TV: Fox Sports North (FSN)
Last Season Results: 11/13 Wild 2 @ Senators 1 (OT) 3/30 Senators 1 @ Wild 5
The Wild travel to the Canadian Capitol to take on the struggling Ottawa Senators. After coming within a goal of the Stanley Cup Finals last season this year has been a huge step in the wrong direction for the Senators.
3-10-2 The Sens have won two in a row including their 3-0 shutout victory over the Canadiens Saturday night in the NHL 100 Classic played TD Place Stadium. With those two victories Ottawa now has a 3-10-2 record since they returned from Sweden, where they played two games against the Avalanche winning both November 10th and 11th.
Just prior to the Senators Sweden trip they made a huge deal to acquire Matt Duchene from Colorado. Looking at the early returns that deal has not been what the Senators had hoped for but things may be turning around now.
For the Wild they have been up and down with their play of late and although the record may look like they are playing well having won 6 of 7 and 8 of 11 prior to their current two game skid. The fact is that of those 8 recent Wild victories 5 came in OT or via the shootout.
If you recall the Philadelphia Flyers had a 10 game win streak last season where they won a lot of close games and several in the extra frame or shootout, but then dropped 12 of their next 15 to fall out of the playoff picture. That is a very real possibility for the Wild if they don't make some dramatic changes in their approach and game plan.
This is not all on the players the coaching staff and management need to step up as well. The collection of talent is good enough to stay in the race. But that is not good enough for owner Craig Leipold, nor to the State of Hockey faithful.
They have endured the process of 5 straight playoff appearances with just two playoff series wins to show for their efforts. The team has turned over as far as the core is concerned, yet the coaching staff is still operating like the old guard is still in charge.
Those days are behind us and a new day has dawned.
Ryan Suter has been a rock and is absolutely one of the best defensemen in the league. But he is not getting any younger and his minutes need to be adjusted like many of the veterans on this Wild roster in order to maximize the return.
There has been some talk that there is a bit of a rift in the Wild locker room, but I don't see that necessarily being the case. It may have been with a particular player earlier in the season but that player is no longer with the club so not sure there is an issue per say.
The locker room is key to any team's overall success and for the most part these guys appear to play for each other on most nights. To me that is the bigger issue, the fact that the effort is only there sporadically and usually not by the entire team on any given night.
Ryan Suter made a huge gaffe on Sunday with the Wild down 3-1 and on the powerplay, Suter whiffed on his pass attempt which led to the turnover and the subsequent empty net shorthanded goal by Tommy Wingels.
Now had that same play been committed by one, Matt Dumba, the scribes and massive Wild fan base would be in an uproar. Dumba would face the music and take it like a man, fall on the sword and move on. But Ryan Suter skated off the ice, of course he was not pleased with the outcome, but he wasn't looking for a hole he could climb into to avoid the criticism, because there was none coming his way.
To me that says a lot about the leadership of this Wild team. Rarely if ever do you see any player with a letter on his sweater step up and take the heat personally. That is what being a leader is and that is what it takes to get your players to follow the leader. The problem with the Wild is the so called leaders have the letters based on merit and past performance, not based upon the ability to lead a collective group of men.
Tonight is another opportunity for the Wild to grab two points from a team that is below .500 before they head south to Florida for a back to back with the Panthers and the league leading Tampa Bay Lightning.
It's always Hockey Day in The State of Hockey!
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