UMM WTF

I thought Nicklas Backstrom had Jedi mind tricks after he went three games in a row where opponents had a wide open net and would shoot it right into his glove---but does Quick ever trump that with this weird ass save.

LET ME POSE A QUESTION

With the Wild's playoff hopes, for the most part, squashed would you trade this season in for a complete shit fest season resulting in a 1st or 2nd pick in the NHL Draft?  Or was the hope for post-season hockey worth it?

I would rather have the draft pick.  A number 1 or 2 pick can have an immediate impact on a team.  All you have to do is look at the past decade of nhl drafts to have that proved.  Plus The Wild, as an organization, have proved they don't know how to draft in the middle 1st round or middle rounds at all.  There isn't much thought when it comes to the first two picks.  There are always two guys that shine above the rest.

On the other side, the season would have become unwatchable very early.  Unwatchable with zero players worth of interest to look forward to, unlike say... the Oilers.  Also, Richards probably would have been fired and we would have had to go through another coaching debacle which is never fun.  Plus he showed some signs that he might kind of know how to coach this year.

I would still take the pick. This team is so far from the leagues best.

-thoy

MARTIN ST. LOUIS APPRECIATION

I should of started entries with this title when I launched this blog



New twist on the spin-o-rama.  People will soon be replacing "chicks dig the long ball" with "chicks dig the spin-o-rama"

Lets disregard the whole controversy of whether this is a legal shootout goal  or not and just appreciate the beauty of #26.  Nice goal too.

-thoy

STATE HOCKEY TOURNEY PREDICTIONS

Happy Fat Tuesday everybody.  Just to get out of the way- I must announce that I won't be going on a MOYD conquest for lent this year.  Sorry to disappoint.

Welcome to the greatest time of year- at least in my opinion and at least for knowing there will be a jammed packed schedule for sporting events over the next few weeks.  It's a shame the weather can't coincide with this 'greatness' but ol' mother nature has been a cruel bitch all winter so why should we expect any sort of leniency now?

This weekend kicks off the fun with my favorite event of the year- The Minnesota State High School Hockey Tournament.  I haven't been to Indiana for basketball or Texas for football but I will stand proudly, and completely biased, and say that this is the best high school tournament in the country.  Nothing beats the atmosphere and energy felt in St. Paul for four straight days.  I thought that maybe as I got older, and was no longer a member of a student body represented in the tourney,  that I would lose interest is high school kids playing hockey.  This is not the case at all- if anything my excitement has only grown.  If you're a fan of hockey I don't see how you can't love this tournament.  Consider it a sneak peak for potential WCHA and NHL players that you'll watch for years.  And if this is the end of the line for other players you have to appreciate that this is the most ultimate way to end your hockey playing career. 

My predictions after the jump

A SUBTLE RETURN TO FDT

What has happened to The Wild since November and my last post?  I believe it went something like won 3, lose 3, won 2, lose 3, won 4, lose 2, won 4, lose 2.  Don't hold me to that, it's just a guess and how I feel the season has gone so far.  Luckily for them the Western Conference is a complete log jam and if they get hot for the last 3-4 weeks they should sneak in.  Unfortunately for them they lost their best player when they were playing their greatest hockey.  The loss of Mikko Koivu might be what ultimately fucks the Wild.  I don't understand the lack of activity from Fletcher around the trade deadline.  The entire week leading up to the Monday deadline we kept hearing quotes from Fletcher camp that he was happy with the line-up and their was a lot of unity and "team chemistry".  This pisses me off because there were moves to be made and the amount of chemistry on the wild isn't being shown on the ice.  The Brunette-Mittens line is absolutely brutal without a young worker to make up for two old guys with medium to zero speed.   Cullen definitely couldn't carry the load.  Havlat and PMB have been pretty awesome together and Brodziak is a nice center for them but now that will probably be fucked around with because once again, no other center options for this team.  So good looks Fletcher.  Your team is 2-4 since the loss of Koivu and you just lost to Trevor Gilles and the New York Islanders. Also, looking at this squad, its hard to believe that we have cap issues.  If we have cap issues I'm curious to know how the Flyers are doing in that department with their depth.  Not so good Al....

The Wild are back in action again tonight at MSG and are pretty much desperate for 2 points. The intensity of these games at this point in the season is killing me.  You feel so dejected after a loss like last night. So hopefully the wild will go one direction or another and quit this win 2, lose 2 game they have been doing all season.

-thoy

Depending on the quality of stream I get for tonight-follow the game with me on twitter @firedanterhaar