Minnesota Wild News

Wild's Backstrom forced to sit out at Detroit because of lower-body injury
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March 12
St. Paul Pioneer Press
 
"More bad news for a Wild team socked by injuries this season: Regular goaltender Niklas Backstrom hurt his groin during the team's morning skate and was forced to sit out Thursday night's 5-1 loss to the Detroit Red Wings, and leading goal scorer Guillaume Latendresse went out after he was whacked on the head with a stick. Coach Todd Richards said Backstrom is day to day, and Latendresse was taken to a hospital "for precautionary reasons." Both or neither might be available when the Wild play the Sabres tonight in Buffalo. Asked about his status, Backstrom said, "It's too early to say. We'll see how it feels tomorrow." Richards said the team's medical people wanted doctors to take a look ..."
Loss to Detroit Red Wings causes Minnesota Wild further pain
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March 12
St. Paul Pioneer Press
 
"The Wild were in a world of hurt Thursday night. It's no coincidence that after the Detroit Red Wings unceremoniously dumped them 5-1 at Joe Louis Arena, so were their playoff hopes. This defeat was painful in many ways: Goaltender Niklas Backstrom pulled a groin muscle early in the day and couldn't play, and midway through the second period, leading goal scorer Guillaume Latendresse left the game for a quick visit to the hospital after he was accidentally whacked in the head. The status of both is day to day. Much like the team's playoff status. There was no time for the Wild to lick their wounds, however. The team left immediately after the game for a game against the Sabres tonight in ..."
Hip injury keeps Burns off ice
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March 12
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"Wild defenseman Brent Burns tested his injured hip during Thursday's morning skate, but he left the ice before it was finished and did not play against the Detroit Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena. "He tried skating and just didn't feel good," coach Todd Richards said. "It's still weak and sore, so he won't be playing." Unless he makes significant progress, it seems unlikely that Burns will be able to play Friday night against the Buffalo Sabres as the Wild complete a road back-to-back. The Wild already is without defenseman Shane Hnidy, who did not make the trip because of a leg injury. With those two sidelined, John Scott and Jaime Sifers got the nod against the Red Wings. Sifers was ..."
Wild can't escape a three-goal hole
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March 12
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"The Wild produced more shots on goal in the first period against Detroit on Thursday than it did the entire game in a shootout loss to the Florida Panthers two days earlier. The positives pretty much ended right there. With backup goalie Josh Harding forced into action after a long layoff, the Wild gave up three goals in the first period and allowed an awful shorthanded goal in the second en route to a 5-1 loss to the Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena. The Wild also lost its starting goalie to injury before the game and had its top goal scorer sent to a hospital after getting hit in the back of the head by a stick. Not a good night, and the mood in the locker room afterward reflected it. "They ..."
Red Wings 5, Wild 1: Top Wings answer call
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March 12
Detroit News
 
"Coach Mike Babcock challenged his top-end players to earn their keep following a dispiriting loss to Calgary on Tuesday. Consider the challenge accepted and met. Behind two goals from Johan Franzen and a goal and two assists from Henrik Zetterberg, the Red Wings earned a solid 5-1 victory over the fading Minnesota Wild on Thursday. "We got started on time and we played the full 60 minutes," Babcock said. "We got contributions from everybody and we got good goaltending. Now we have to carry it over." As good as the big guns were, though, it was the Wings' specialty units that made the difference. Tomas Holmstrom scored a power-play goal and Drew Miller added a short-handed goal. The ..."
Lackluster play befuddles a couple of Wild veterans
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March 11
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"After Wednesday's extremely optional practice in Mendota Heights that included seven skaters, two goalies and no head coach, Niklas Backstrom and Andrew Brunette chatted at center ice for five minutes. It was the look of two very frustrated veterans, especially after a shootout loss the night before in which the Wild somehow was able to muster a paltry 11 shots on goal against a Florida team that leads the league in shots allowed. "Very disappointing. One of the most disappointing," Backstrom said Wednesday. "It was a game we must have. We're fighting for our lives, and that's how we play. "You want to go out there and play your best games of the year. You always have a chance to be close ..."
Wild might counter recent soft play with 6-foot-8 bookends Derek Boogaard, John Scott
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March 11
St. Paul Pioneer Press
 
"A lackluster 3-2 shootout loss to the Florida Panthers on Tuesday night at the Xcel Energy Center looked no better in review Wednesday to Wild coach Todd Richards. His team wasn't fatigued Tuesday night, Richards said, and wasn't simply worn out from four months of fighting to climb back into playoff contention. "I felt we worked, but we didn't battle," said Richards, who made practice optional Wednesday morning before the team left for Detroit and tonight's game against the Red Wings. "We didn't compete at the level you have to right now." Asked how that could happen to a team whose playoff chances are dropping like a rock, Richards wondered the same thing. "That's something that we have ..."
Road fortunes have to improve
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March 10
St. Paul Pioneer Press
 
"For the first time this season, the Wild have played more games at home than on the road. After Tuesday night's 3-2 home shootout loss to the Florida Panthers, the Wild were 21-9-3 at the Xcel Energy Center and 10-19-3 on the road. Tuesday's was their 33rd home game, compared with 32 on the road. Why the discrepancy? "If I knew the answer to that, it'd be something we could address," coach Todd Richards said. "It's one of those things; it's tough to win on the road." It's time to start. The Wild travel to Detroit and Buffalo for games Thursday and Friday before returning home to play St. Louis on Sunday. Goaltender Niklas Backstrom believes the woeful road record is misleading. "I think ..."
Outshot 31-11, Wild blow 2-0 lead, lose in shootout to Panthers
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March 10
St. Paul Pioneer Press
 
"When the Minnesota high school boys hockey tournament takes over the Xcel Energy Center today, expect passion, offensive chances and large quantities of entertaining play. You know, all the ingredients of a high-level sporting event that the Wild neglected to deliver during a 3-2 shootout loss to the Florida Panthers on Tuesday night at the X. After it was over, after the Wild blew a 2-0 lead and played so sporadically that their first shot on goal of the third period required more than 11 minutes and drew derisive cheers, after they were outshot 31-9 in regulation and 31-11 through the overtime, and after the Wild couldn't muster a single goal during the shootout, the players in the Wild ..."
Kalus hopes he can erase past mistakes
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March 10
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"Almost three years after being traded to the Wild, a more mature Petr Kalus got his first chance on the big club Tuesday night when he made his debut with the Wild. "I sacrificed everything, even in the summer, just to get the callup," Kalus, 22, said. "It means so much to me." Big things were expected from Kalus when he was traded to Minnesota in the Manny Fernandez deal with the Boston Bruins on July 1, 2007, especially after scoring goals on his first three NHL shots during the 2006-07 season. But Kalus didn't make the Wild in his first two training camps. After his second demotion in 2008, Kalus played two games for the Houston Aeros before quitting and signing in Russia's Kontinental ..."
Lame's the name of Wild's game
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March 10
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"You've got to feel for the poor off-ice official in charge of counting Wild shots Tuesday night. As seldom as the Wild actually registered one, this yawning, heavy-eyed, bored-out-of-his-skull chap had time to go on four coffee runs and an extended bathroom break. The Wild, allegedly fighting for its playoff life, lacked a little bit of everything -- especially shots -- while coughing up a 2-0 lead and losing 3-2 in a four-round shootout to the Florida Panthers. The Wild took four shots in the first period. That was its high! It got three in the second. Two in the third. Against a Panthers team that leads the NHL in shots allowed per game, only overtime saved the Wild from breaking the ..."
Guillaume Latendresse has been the Wild's point man for creating scoring opportunities
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March 9
St. Paul Pioneer Press
 
"Not only has Guillaume Latendresse brought an infectious spirit to the Wild since he arrived from Montreal via a trade for Benoit Pouliot in November, he has delivered a team high in goals, too. "He's just so opportunistic," said Andrew Ebbett, who has been centering a line with Latendresse and Martin Havlat on the wings. "You don't really notice him and then, boom, the puck's on his stick and it's in the back of the net. It's fun to play with a guy like that who can score goals almost at will, it seems." Latendresse, who has seven goals in his past nine games, scored both goals in Minnesota's 5-2 home loss to Calgary on Sunday, one off a cross-ice pass from Havlat and another after a ..."
While time is running out, Richards remains hopeful
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March 9
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"Wild coach Todd Richards admitted he was a bit surprised when his team stormed back from a 3-0 deficit to beat Anaheim in its home opener last October. By early January, he had seen the Wild rally to win so many games that even the biggest comeback in its history -- overcoming a four-goal deficit to beat Chicago 6-5 -- didn't seem improbable. That precedent, Richards said, leaves him confident that the Wild will not lose faith as its odds of making the playoffs grow longer. After Sunday's spirit-sapping loss to Calgary, the team returned to Xcel Energy Center on Monday eager for Tuesday's home game against Florida. Seven points and five teams stand between the Wild and a playoff berth. ..."
Minnesota Wild's playoff chances take another hit in home loss to Calgary Flames
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March 8
St. Paul Pioneer Press
 
"A thorn in the Wild's side since they started play, Jarome Iginla enhanced that status Sunday by possibly puncturing the bubble that is Minnesota's playoff hopes. Just don't tell coach Todd Richards that the Wild's postseason chances are nearly out of oxygen. After Iginla notched a game-winner for the eighth time against Minnesota and registered his third hat trick against the Wild in the Calgary Flames' 5-2 triumph Sunday afternoon at the Xcel Energy Center, Richards refused to concede anything. "We're definitely making it harder," he said. "But I don't doubt this team. The players have shown over and over that, dealing with adversity or bleak circumstances, they've been able to come ..."
Wild-killer Jarome Iginla gets third career hat trick against Minnesota
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March 8
St. Paul Pioneer Press
 
"It was just a matter of time before Jarome Iginla broke through against the Wild. The all-time leader in points against the Wild, Iginla had been limited to three assists in the previous 10 meetings between his Calgary Flames and Minnesota. In fact, he was a minus-1 in a 4-0 loss to the Wild last Wednesday night in Calgary, the first time in 44 games he was a minus. But Sunday, Iginla came out with fire in his eyes and recorded his third hat trick against the Wild, giving him 30 goals and 53 points all time against Minnesota and sending the Wild's 400th consecutive sellout crowd home disappointed. "I resigned to the fact that I was going to shoot as hard as I could," he said. "I'd be lying ..."
Bob Kurtz has seen 'em all at the X
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March 8
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"Between the players, coaches, managers, trainers and broadcasters, there's only one who's attended every home game in Wild history. Radio play-by-play man Bob Kurtz wore the headset sitting atop a 400th consecutive sellout crowd inside Xcel Energy Center during Sunday's 5-2 loss to Calgary. "They've done something right in the formula, whatever it is, because you haven't made the playoffs every year," said Kurtz, who also worked North Stars games on two separate stints. "There was some feeling you couldn't do it based in St. Paul. But the North Stars never had the marketing muscle that this club has." Kurtz, in the last year of his contract like all the broadcasters, doesn't look at ..."
Wild digging a deeper hole
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March 8
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"Jarome Iginla was way overdue. Out of the blue, for no explainable reason whatsoever, the assassin stopped slaying the Wild. But after being held without a goal the previous 10 meetings, the Calgary Flames captain rediscovered his Wild supremacy Sunday afternoon and notched his third career hat trick against the Wild, handing one his favorite preys a ruinous 5-2 loss. Eighth-place Detroit beat Chicago. Ninth-place Calgary got two more points. The Wild, cemented in 13th place, is seven back with five teams to climb with only 18 games left. "We dug ourselves a little hole," said crestfallen Guillaume Latendresse, who scored both of the Wild's goals to give Minnesota a rallying chance after ..."
Minnesota Wild expect 400th consecutive sellout crowd for today's game vs. Calgary
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March 7
St. Paul Pioneer Press
 
"When the Wild opened their home season with a 4-3 overtime victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Oct. 5, it was their 369th consecutive sellout. However, when they returned to the Xcel Energy Center two weeks later, the NHL's longest streak of sellouts appeared in jeopardy. Factor in a bleak economy, inconsistent play and a miserable 1-6 record, and people selling Wild tickets suddenly had a difficult time looking much past the next game on the home schedule. "Fall was a challenging time," said Matt Majka, chief operating officer for Minnesota Sports and Entertainment, the Wild's parent company. It didn't help, Majka pointed out, that competition for the sports dollar was fierce. "The Twins ..."
Minnesota Wild's memorable moments at Xcel Energy Center
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March 7
St. Paul Pioneer Press
 
"The Stars, transplanted from Minnesota to Dallas, return to Minnesota and Neal Broten, making the "Let's play hockey" proclamation, peels off a Stars sweater to reveal a Wild sweater underneath. Wild fly to 6-0 win in front of 18,834. April 21, 2003: Richard Park's overtime goal gives the Wild a 3-2 victory over Colorado in Game 6 of the Western Conference quarterfinals in front of 19,350. May 10, 2003: After upsetting Vancouver, the Wild open the Western Conference finals in front of 19,350 in a nationally televised, 1-0 two-overtime loss to J.S. Giguere, who stopped 39 of 39 shots, and the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. Dec. 5, 2006: Winger Pierre-Marc Bouchard wows 18,568 spectators and stuns ..."
Wild has reason to savor respite from road
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March 7
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 columnist Michael Russo
"Some teams can't win at home or on the road, so take solace in that. At least the Wild gets to throw on the sweaters in Minnesota once in a while, and that'll be the case again during Sunday's matinee against Calgary in front of its 400th consecutive sellout crowd. But Friday was so predictable, especially for a team as lousy on the road (10-19-3) as the Wild. The team, still feeling the high of a one-sided shutout in Calgary, strutted into Edmonton, lined up against the worst team in hockey and sleepwalked to a shootout loss. Normally three out of four points on the road is something in which to rejoice, but when you easily get the first two in Calgary, the next two in Edmonton should be ..."
NHL suspends Wild enforcer Boogaard two games for Friday hit to Edmonton's Jones
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March 7
St. Paul Pioneer Press
 
"The NHL hit Wild winger Derek Boogaard with a two-game suspension Saturday for a knee-to-knee hit to Ryan Jones in the first period of Edmonton's 2-1 shootout victory over the Wild on Friday night at Rexall Place in Edmonton. The suspension, coming a bit more than a year after a five-game suspension for elbowing against Calgary's Brandon Prust last season, will keep Boogaard out of the lineup today against Calgary and in Tuesday night's home game against Florida, and will cost him more than $21,000 in lost wages. The money goes to the players emergency assistance fund. He conferred with the NHL brass Saturday morning before the Wild practiced in Edmonton and said after practice that the ..."
Wild doesn't heed coach's warning
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March 6
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"From the moment he addressed the team after beating Calgary two nights earlier, Todd Richards warned the Wild to avoid a letdown Friday night against the Oilers. It was only natural, he said, to get up for a team ahead in the standings only to mentally unravel against the worst team in the NHL. Give Richards a hand. The coach knows his team well. During a shoddy display right from the opening faceoff against a team that had lost 27 of the previous 31 games and given up the most goals in the NHL, the Wild fell 2-1 in a shootout at Rexall Place. "We didn't seem to have a lot of desperation in our game," veteran Owen Nolan said. "We looked at an opponent that's bottom of the conference, and ..."
Minnesota Wild set up Andrew Ebbett for success
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March 6
St. Paul Pioneer Press
 
"After Wild general manager Chuck Fletcher traded center Eric Belanger to Washington on Wednesday for a second-round pick in this summer's NHL draft, he and coach Todd Richards talked about Andrew Ebbett picking up some of the slack left by the departure of a player who was zeroed in on a 40-point season. That's optimism. Ebbett's season appeared promising after he scored three goals in the first seven games following his acquisition on waivers from Chicago, but it took a sharp downturn when he suffered a concussion Dec. 7 in Phoenix. He missed five games, and since returning to the lineup, Ebbett had just two goals and one assist in 28 games before he finally assisted on Minnesota's first ..."
Wild play down to Oilers' level in shootout loss
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March 6
St. Paul Pioneer Press
 
"The Wild were living dangerously Friday night, playing the lowly Edmonton Oilers as if this might be a game they could ease their way through. "We looked at an opponent that's at the bottom of the conference," forward Owen Nolan said, "and we kind of played down to their level." It proved costly. Against a team that had won just once in its past eight games, the Wild were able to score just one goal and ended up bowing 2-1 to the Edmonton Oilers in a shootout at Rexall Place. They got one point for getting into overtime, but they desperately wanted two. "We gave up a point tonight," Wild coach Todd Richards said. On the heels of a 4-0 road victory over the Calgary Flames, the Wild had ..."
Edmonton Oilers beat Minnesota Wild 2-1 in shootout
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March 6
Edmonton Journal
 
"On Fan Appreciation Night, the Edmonton Oilers gave some folks at Rexall Place a trip to the NHL draft in Los Angeles to see if the club takes Taylor Hall or Tyler Sequin, and the fans got a bonus. A win. The Oilers beat the Minnesota Wild 2-1 in a shootout with Mike Comrie getting the winner on the sixth try, tucking one through the legs of Niklas Backstrom. Jeff Deslauriers then got an arm on Guillaume Latendresse's wrister to end the shootout as the Oilers won for the fifth time in the last 32 games. Comrie got the Oilers goal in regulation on a tuck job as he circled the net in the opening period, while Latendresse tied it in the second on a similar play on Deslauriers. The Oilers had ..."
Comrie, Oilers end skid, beat Wild
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March 6
Edmonton Sun
 
"The Edmonton Oilers celebrated Fan Appreciation Night by rewarding their faithful with a rare win. Mike Comrie scored in regulation and added the shootout winner as the Oilers snapped a three-game losing skid, defeating the Minnesota Wild 2-1 Friday night. The Oilers (20-38-6) remained in last place in the NHL and have won just five games since December 15. "It's about time that something good happened for these young men," said Oilers head coach Pat Quinn. Comrie agreed. "It's always fun when you win, you can kind of smile again," said Comrie, who scored his eighth goal in just 27 games this season. "We played hard and changed the tune, got a win, and it's a lot more fun winning. When ..."
Wild glad veteran Owen Nolan wants to stick around
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March 5
St. Paul Pioneer Press
 
"Owen Nolan was keeping his lips sealed Thursday. One day after the Wild vetoed all trade offers for their 38-year-old winger, coach Todd Richards praised the team's senior-most player for his skills and enthusiasm, but mostly for the quiet level of professionalism Nolan delivers. General manager Chuck Fletcher said he chatted with Nolan before the trade deadline to gauge his interest in moving, and Nolan indicated he wanted to stick around. "He's a very, very loyal guy," Richards said. "It doesn't surprise me that his wishes are to be here. Whenever you're in a battle, you want to see it through." Nolan, who has 14 goals and 15 assists for 29 points in 57 games, has four goals and eight ..."
Nolan will spill blood for Wild's big finish
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March 5
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"Owen Nolan was sitting in a doctor's office Thursday about to get "plenty of stitches" when he decided it was best to get off the phone. "I'm leaking all over the place," Nolan said, laughing. Owen Nolan is a warrior, and Friday night when the Wild visits the Edmonton Oilers, he will look like a warrior. During Thursday's practice, a puck hit the crossbar, ricocheted off Nolan's face and split his lip. No worries. Nolan will be in the lineup against the Oilers. For Nolan, the former No. 1 overall pick in the 1990 draft and the oldest forward in Wild history at age 38, a puck to the mouth is just another battle scar on a well-traveled face. On Thursday, Nolan was still a member of the Wild. ..."
Belanger goes; Nolan stays
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March 4
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"Ninety minutes before Wednesday's trade deadline, Eric Belanger was walking on a carpet out to the Wild's morning skate when he stopped short and asked a reporter if he should continue. Told to go ahead, Belanger quipped, "It's just a matter of time." Belanger, because the Wild showed no interest in signing him to a contract extension, was convinced he'd be traded. Fifteen minutes later, coach Todd Richards left the ice to take a call from GM Chuck Fletcher, returned with his Blackberry and pulled Belanger off the ice. "Told ya," Belanger told the same reporter as he walked by. "Traded to Washington." One day after the Wild signed Marek Zidlicky to an extension and three weeks after ..."
Saddledome is no longer a rink of horrors
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March 4
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"Jacques Lemaire, in Calgary to coach the Devils against the Flames on Friday, was probably sitting in his hotel room watching the Wild game with his mouth ajar. In 25 visits to Calgary with the Wild, Lemaire won four times. In two visits to Calgary with the Wild, Todd Richards is 2-for-2. After winning at the Saddledome for the first time since 2007 three months ago, the Wild walloped the Flames 4-0 in its first post-Olympics game Wednesday night. "It's a welcome change, that's for sure," defenseman Nick Schultz said. "We've had some tough times in here. We've blown some leads and suffered some weird losses. So to win a couple games here, it's been big for us." Mikko Koivu and Andrew ..."
Trade frees up ice time at center for Ebbett, Sheppard
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March 4
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"Eric Belanger's departure has created an opportunity for centermen Andrew Ebbett and James Sheppard. Wild coach Todd Richards said Ebbett will initially take Belanger's second power-play unit ice time and center the second line with Guillaume Latendresse and Martin Havlat. Sheppard, who has been scratched 17 times this season and in 13 of the past 25 games, will center Owen Nolan and Chuck Kobasew. "Bella played a lot of different roles for us," Richards said. "We believe if those two guys can contribute, they'll do more than enough to fill in for Eric." Sheppard, 21, had only five points in 44 games before Wednesday's game against the Flames and has averaged 12 minutes, 11 seconds per ..."
Wild shut out Calgary in return from Olympic break
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March 4
St. Paul Pioneer Press
 
"The Wild started the final quarter of their season much differently than they started the first quarter, and that's why they still own a shot at making the playoffs. Coming into the Saddledome five points behind the Calgary Flames with just 21 games remaining, the Wild got rock-solid goaltending from Niklas Backstrom and seemed to befuddle Flames goalie Miikka Kiprusoff, who was Backstrom's Finnish Olympic teammate. The efficient 4-0 victory in front of 19,289 boosted the Wild's points total to 66, still 13th in the West but just four points behind eighth-place Detroit and three behind ninth-place Calgary with another meeting between the Flames and Wild scheduled Sunday afternoon at the ..."
Wild deal Eric Belanger to Washington for second-round draft pick
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March 4
St. Paul Pioneer Press
 
"The decision by Wild general manager Chuck Fletcher to trade consistent scoring threat Eric Belanger to the Washington Capitals for a draft choice Wednesday might indicate to some that the team is throwing in the towel about its chances to make the playoffs this season. "We're not," Fletcher said. The first-year GM, continuing to demonstrate that he runs things differently from previous GM Doug Risebrough, said he has no intention of allowing free agents to depart without compensation. It's about flexibility for next summer, he said, as well as winning now. Fletcher theorized that forwards such as Andrew Ebbett and James Sheppard would pick up ice time and improve their play while the ..."
Capitals Acquire Belanger From Wild For Draft Pick
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March 3
TSN.ca
 
"The Minnesota Wild have sent forward Eric Belanger to the Washington Capitals in exchange for a second-round draft pick. Belanger was pulled off the ice today during the Wild's pre-game skate in Calgary and told of the deal. The 32-year old Sherbrooke, Quebec native has 13 goals and 22 assists in 60 games this season."
Minnesota Wild extend two players, launch 21-game sprint
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March 3
St. Paul Pioneer Press
 
"With the NHL trade deadline looming today and a playoff reckoning on the horizon, the Wild departed Minnesota on Tuesday recharged and confident for the 21-game sprint to the regular-season finish line. Captain Mikko Koivu was the only player missing from practice. He was scheduled to rejoin the Wild at their Calgary hotel after remaining in Vancouver after his Olympic bronze-medal victory with Finland. Defenseman Marek Zidlicky is staying put, having signed a three-year contract extension worth $12 million ahead of today's 2 p.m. deadline. Defenseman Clayton Stoner signed a two-year deal worth $1.1 million. "I like the system and I like the team and that's why I wanted to sign here," ..."
Zidlicky makes it in under deadline
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March 3
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"When the calendar turned to February, Wild General Manager Chuck Fletcher's one objective was to ensure the team wouldn't lose its two biggest pending free agents "for nothing on July 1." That meant by Wednesday's 2 p.m. trade deadline, defensemen Marek Zidlicky and Kim Johnsson had to be either signed or traded. Three weeks ago, the Wild traded Johnsson for defenseman Cam Barker, a 23-year-old former No. 3 overall pick. On Tuesday, 24 hours before Fletcher would have been forced to trade Zidlicky, the sharp-shooter signed a three-year, $12 million extension. "From an asset preservation point of view, it was very important to resolve those scenarios prior to [Wednesday's] deadline," ..."
Wild lock up Marek Zidlicky in three-year deal
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March 3
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"When the calendar turned to February, Wild General Manager Chuck Fletcher's one objective was to ensure the team wouldn't lose its two biggest pending free agents "for nothing on July 1." That meant by Wednesday's 2 p.m. trade deadline, defensemen Marek Zidlicky and Kim Johnsson had to be either signed or traded. Three weeks ago, the Wild traded Johnsson for defenseman Cam Barker, a 23-year-old former No. 3 overall pick. On Tuesday, 24 hours before Fletcher would have been forced to trade Zidlicky, the sharp-shooter signed a three-year, $12 million extension. "From an asset preservation point of view, it was very important to resolve those scenarios prior to [Wednesday's] deadline," ..."
Wild Lock Up Zidlicky With Three-Year Deal
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March 2
TSN.ca
 
"The Minnesota Wild have signed defenceman Marek Zidlicky to a three-year, $12 million contract. Zidlicky, 33, has 52 goals and 253 points in 443 career NHL games with the Wild and Nashville Predators."
No-trade clause is a hang-up for Zidlicky
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March 2
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"The Wild and defenseman Marek Zidlicky have hit a potential snag in contract negotiations that could derail the whole thing and cause him to be traded by Wednesday's 2 p.m. deadline. According to multiple sources, a three-year contract with the veteran is all but complete. However, Zidlicky is insisting on a no-trade clause to be included for the life of the contract. The Wild has scoffed at that notion because of Zidlicky's age. He turned 33 on Feb. 3, and the Wild so far has been willing to offer Zidlicky a no-trade clause for only part of the contract. The Wild wants to extend the pending free agent's contract, but if neither side budges, Zidlicky likely would be traded by Wednesday. ..."
Playoff-hopeful Minnesota Wild are in must-win mode with 21 games remaining
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March 2
St. Paul Pioneer Press
 
"The mountain between the Wild and a playoff position is mighty steep. So is the hyperbole. "We've got 21 games left," defenseman Marek Zidlicky said Monday, "and we have to win every game." Coach Todd Richards put it this way: "We have to win all of our games." Huh? "Now, we're not going to win all of our games," Richards explained. "It'd be pretty silly to sit here and say we're going to go 21-0, but we have to win our share of games." The Wild are 13th in points in the Western Conference and simply cannot afford a skid as they head to Calgary and Edmonton for road games Wednesday and Friday, said Zidlicky, just back from the Olympics in Vancouver. "Especially the next couple of games, ..."
Zidlicky's Wild future might hinge on a deal
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March 1
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"If Marek Zidlicky isn't signed by Wednesday, there's a good chance the veteran defenseman has played his last game for the Wild. The Wild is trying to sign the pending free agent to a contract extension, but if Zidlicky remains unsigned by Wednesday's 2 p.m. trade deadline, General Manager Chuck Fletcher suggested Sunday that he would trade Zidlicky like he did pending free agent Kim Johnsson before the Feb. 12 Olympic break trade freeze. "We'd have to look at that," Fletcher said during a telephone interview. "[Zidlicky's] a pretty significant asset for us, and we were able to resolve the future status of Kim Johnsson, and I think Zidlicky would fall into that category as well. "It'd be a ..."
Vancouver's done, so Olympians regroup for Calgary
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March 1
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"Now that the Olympics are over, it's back to (NHL) business for the Wild's five representatives who participated in the tournament. Martin Havlat and Marek Zidlicky will rejoin the team for practice Monday, according to coach Todd Richards. Finland's Mikko Koivu, Niklas Backstrom and Antti Miettinen will get another rest day after helping their team to the bronze medal Saturday night. Richards said Koivu will meet the team in Calgary on Tuesday with the game against the Flames set for the following night. Backstrom and Miettinen will return to the Twin Cities and could practice Tuesday before the team leaves for Calgary. Havlat stopped by Xcel Energy Center on Sunday and re-connected with ..."
Wild's Pierre-Marc Bouchard's chances of returning from a concussion are fading fast
Comment
March 1
St. Paul Pioneer Press
 
"Pierre-Marc Bouchard smiled and talked confidently Sunday about his chances — slim though they may be — to return to the Wild lineup this season. Time is running out on a return for Bouchard, sidelined by a concussion since the first game of the season and still fighting occasional headaches and pressure in his head. His cognitive abilities and memory are good, he said, and as teammate and former concussion sufferer Brent Burns stood nearby and urged Bouchard to "stay positive," Bouchard did exactly that. "I'm pretty close," Bouchard said in the Wild dressing room after the rest of the team practiced at the Xcel Energy Center. "I can feel it. About this year, I'm just taking one day at a ..."
Wild holding the line on season-ticket prices
Comment
February 27
St. Paul Pioneer Press
 
"After 399 consecutive sold-out games, the Wild are taking steps to extend their streak into next season by limiting hikes in the prices of season tickets. The team announced Friday that most season tickets will cost the same as they did this season and will range from $21 to $88 per game for packages that will include 43 games. Three of those will be exhibition games and 40 regular-season games at the Xcel Energy Center, with one regular-season home game scheduled for Helsinki, Finland. About 16,000 season tickets were sold for this season, and "we expect to hold the line on that," said Jamie Spencer, vice president of customer sales and service. He said about 95 percent of season-ticket ..."
Wild's top focus is making up ground over stretch run
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February 27
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"Chuck Fletcher said his phone has been busy as Wednesday's NHL trade deadline draws closer, but there's no guarantee those conversations will result in any deals. "It's hard to handicap," the Wild general manager said. Coach Todd Richards seems fully aware of that. "Things could change," he said, "but this is what we've got." Unless the locker room changes, the Wild must hope what it currently has will be good enough to make a serious run at the playoffs. The Wild will return from the Olympic break with a game at Calgary on Wednesday. With 21 games remaining, the team is in 13th place in the Western Conference standings, trailing the eighth-place Flames by five points for a playoff spot. ..."
Minnesota Wild work on locking up core group
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February 26
St. Paul Pioneer Press
 
"The dominoes that started to fall two weeks ago toward the Wild's future framework continued Thursday when the team signed winger Cal Clutterbuck to a three-year contract extension worth $4.2 million. With 21 games left in the season and the trade deadline looming, the next order of business is locking up defenseman Marek Zidlicky, according to general manager Chuck Fletcher. "Signing Zidlicky is a high priority for us," Fletcher said after Wild practice Thursday morning. "At this stage, it's probably early to say which way it would go, but we're certainly going to work hard to try to keep him. "Z's shown he's one of the better offensive defensemen in the game, and he plays a lot of ..."
Clutterbuck rewarded with three-year extension
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February 26
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"Cal Clutterbuck has become a Wild fan favorite because of his energy on the ice and willingness to hit and be physical. His style of play also has won over the organization. The Wild signed the second-year right winger to a three-year, $4.2 contract extension Thursday. Clutterbuck, 22, was scheduled to become a restricted free agent this summer, but the team avoided that by signing him to a multiyear deal. "It obviously makes you feel good," Clutterbuck said. "It makes you feel like you're valued, like you're an integral part of the team. At the same time, I really appreciate that they feel that way about me. I think hopefully it's going to be a great three years for both sides." ..."
Wild extends Cal Clutterbuck's contract, re-signed three years
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February 25
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"The Wild avoided restricted free agency this summer with heavy hitter Cal Clutterbuck by extending the winger's contract this morning. Clutterbuck signed a three-year, $4.2 million contract ($1.4 million cap hit). "Cal is an intense competitor who has quickly become a fan favorite with the Wild," GM Chuck Fletcher said. "We look forward to watching his development for years to come." Clutterbuck, 22 (11/18/87), set the NHL's single-season hits mark in 2008-09 with 356, and again leads the NHL this season with 252 hits. Clutterbuck has recorded a career-high 12 goals in 54 games this season, while also tying his career-high with 18 points. The 5-foot-11, 213-pound native of Welland, Ont., ..."