Hockey at Every Level Showcased Today in Minnesota #HDMN2014
Growing up here in Minnesota is can be a vacuum with reference to how important the sport of hockey is to communities in this state, especially outside of the Twin Cities metro area. The importance of social media in supporting and sustain hockey is something that will prove its worth today with a simple search on Twitter or Google of the hashtag "#HDMN2014", which is the official tag of activities today.
Much more than just featuring hockey it is a celebration of the community of hockey, can’t say enough about sacrifice and commitment of hockey families specifically the role of hockey moms. I promise if I can get my daughter interested enough to play hockey, I will be all in. Maybe one day if I have a son, I would do the same for him. I'm just so passionate about the sport and the fellowship and that is what is so special about Minnesota and why it can carry a label such as the State of Hockey.
Last night the Hockey City Classic took place outdoors at TCF Bank Stadium in frigid conditions with a massive turn out. The University of Minnesota Golden Gophers defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes in a 1-0 game. More than just a hockey game it was a precedence setting matchup as the Big Ten hockey conference looks to build momentum and create new traditions and rivalries. Sure the place would have been a mad house had it been North Dakota in town but I feel good that the Buckeyes gotta chance to build their brand featured last night.
Love the chance to shine for the high school kids on hockey day with Fox Sports North coverage as well. That Moorhead game from last year was so compelling. Even the girls hockey gets their proper due on Hockey Day here in Minnesota *(as well they should) as the Gopher Women have flat out dominate at the college level providing a platform from girls prep hockey players all over the state. The Gopher Women were also victorious last night and look to be on track for another strong run at an NCAA championship.
The Handke Pit is such an impressive historic outdoor hockey host for this year’s Hockey Day Minnesota MSHL action. The feature on Pittsburgh Penguin and Elk River native Paul Martin was fantastic. Martin will be in Sochi assuming he is healthy and joining the Wild’s Zach Parise and Ryan Suter on Team USA. The Gophers will play Ohio State again this evening at Mariucci Area as the look to sweep the weekend series.
Dallas Stars in Town Tonight look to steal an Important Two Points
The Dallas Stars 21-19-7 (49 points) will be looking to steal an important two points tonight versus the Minnesota Wild 26-19-5 (57 points) at the Excel Energy Center in the main event of Hockey Day Minnesota. The Stars are 1-4-0 in their last five games and 2-7-1 in the last 10 games. The Stars have a road record this season of 11-11-2 with losses in their last three games away from Dallas. Minny is 3-2-0 in their last 5 games and 6-4-0 in the last 10 games. The Wild have a home record this season of 17-7-2 in 36 games.
Don’t let the record and current trajectory for the Stars fool you.
Adding head coach Lindy Ruff and general manager Jim Nill has provided the franchise a new foundation and vision. The Stars feature dynamic young players and talented gritty veterans. When the Stars acquired former No. 2 overall pick 21-year-old Tyler Seguin from the Boston Bruins, it was an aggressive statement that the new era of Stars hockey was in full effect. Seguin is a polarizing young player who was highly scrutinized as member of the Bruins but has been outstanding since arriving in Dallas. Seguin currently leads the Stars in goals (21) and points (44), and is also tied with fellow young star Jamie Benn for the team lead in assists (23).
It will be fun to see all the high flying young players the Stars feature matching up with the Wild’s baby-faced lineup. A pair of wingers, 23-year-old Alex Chiasson and 18-year-old 2013 first round selection Valeri Nichuskin. have proven their ability to compete at the NHL level this year which has bolster the Stars scoring and overall excitement. Both wingers have the highly sought size/skill combination as both measure in at 6-foot-4. The Stars have also gotten a significant contribution from 22-year old center Cody Eakin, the return from their trade of long-time fan favorite Mike Ribeiro, who was traded last year to the Washington Capitals.
The Stars have remade their core with extremely talented young players while jettisoning the group that former general manager Joe Nieuwendyk had put together before his ouster. The Stars and Wild find themselves forever tied together given the circumstances of the North Stars departure to Dallas. The Stars have struggled the past couple years and infusion of young talent was needed to rejuvenate the roster and fan base. Sure sounds similar to another NHL franchise I am a die-hard for...
It will be interesting going forward to see how each of these roster comes to together blending veterans with talented young players.
The Wild MUST Defend Their Home Ice & Playoff Outlook Tonight
If the season ended today……..well it doesn’t. But what is on the line is the motivation of the Wild brass to add to this roster. The two points on the line this evening could further push general manager Chuck Fletcher to be aggressive at and around the Olympic roster freeze. Injuries have been adversity and opportunity to this current Wild squad. The band is missing four key contributors, which is a gaping hole in the lineup for the Wild, but this team has responded under the circumstances and is playing honest even with those injuries while the team looked lost without these guys the first time around.
The diagnosis of this team’s capability and shortcomings will need to be dissected by Fletcher and head coach Mike Yeo into the final months of the season for them to be able to compete in the stacked Western Conference. The Wild have gotten significant contributions from its young core of forwards in the absence of Parise and their Captain Mikko Koivu. The pressure to not revert back to their December Devastation type performance has to be felt from top to bottom with this roster and organization in general.
If the Wild are buyers into the Olympic freeze and trade deadline this year, in my opinion it should be on a big body, nasty defensemen. The price tag for such a player could be hefty but the move would strength a glaring weakness for a finesse slight of size blue line that has struggled to move bodies in front of its own net. Some ideas of players in my mind would be Dustin Byfuglien, Chris Phillips, Mark Stuart, and Andrej Meszaros.
The other avenue could be to get aggressive and add Thomas Vanek before this summer but I find that to be highly unlikely. The Islanders are playing their best hockey with Vanek on a line with all world center John Tavares and Minnesota Native Kyle Okposo. Still if the Isles feel that Vanek has mind up his mind on his future and it doesn’t include them, well they might look to extract a return at the deadline.
Just My Take, Tony Dean
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