Minnesota Wild: Former UMD Bulldog Justin Fontaine scores hat-trick against the Coyotes

Coming into the season, a Wild player hadn't scored a hat-trick since January 17,  2010, when former Wild forward Guillaume Latendresse scored a hat-trick against the Phoenix Coyotes... Almost four years later a Wild player did it again against the Coyotes.

The Wild now have two hat-tricks in six days. So, tip of the hat to former Bulldog forward Justin Fontaine for leading the Wild to a 4-1 victory over the Desert Dogs. For all of naysayers that said Fontaine wouldn't make the Minnesota Wild, he's been up with the Wild since the start of the season.

Ahem, just to refresh everyone's memory.

ahem, http://t.co/8OjEp4C6RH
— Eric J. Burton THW (@goon48) October 23, 2013

Link around on Thursday

CBS Boston

This weekend the free agent signing period will kick off on Sunday July first. There are some big name former WCHA players out there on the market looking to sign new deals. With all of the negative news stories making up today’s news cycle I thought I would focus on the positive, NHL Hockey.

SCSU forward Drew LeBlanc has been invited and will attend the Minnesota Wild’s Development Camp. [St Cloud Times]

Apparently, former Fighting Sioux forward Jonathan Toews is trying to get Phoenix Coyotes forward Shane Doan to sign with the Blackhawks. [Rant Sports]

According to Darren Dreger of TSN – Penguins star forward Sidney Crosby Penguins will sign a new long-term contract extension worth than $9 million and a total value over $100 million. [ESPN.COM]

According to NESN, the Boston Bruins are close to re-signing Tuuka Rask. [NESN.COM]

While I am not a fan of Montreal Canadians defenseman P.K. Subban or his bush league antics – I am quickly becoming a big fan of his little brother Malcolm Subban, who was drafted in the first round by the Boston Bruins. Get those recorders rolling – Bruins first-round pick Malcolm Subban is already on record as saying that he hates the Montreal Canadians. [CBS Boston]

According to Michael Russo - the oft injured power forward - Guillaume Latendresse's playing days with the Minnesota Wild are now over - Latendresse will test the free agency market starting on July first.

From the Same article Russo says that, "The Wild's contract offer to Parise on Sunday will be, let's just say, absolutely colossal." As a Wild fan this makes me happy.

According to the AP - A judge has upheld the Glendale City Council's vote on an arena lease agreement with a prospective owner of the Phoenix Coyotes.

Former Fighting Sioux defenseman Brian Lee has been resigned by the Tampa Bay Lightning. Lee’s contract is a two year deal, and also a one-way contract.

Former Fighting Sioux All-American Forward Zach Parise is listed as one of the top dozen free agents [NHL.COM]

Also, from that same article linked above – former WCHA alumni Ryan Suter (UW), Nashville, Jason Garrison (UMD), Florida, Justin Schultz (UW), Anaheim and Matt Carle (DU), Philadelphia – are also included in that dozen. Impressive fact is that five out of the top 12 available free agents that also have ties to the WCHA. That speaks volumes on what kind of league the WCHA is. [NHL.COM]

Justin Schultz has given his list of teams that he will sign with, they are as follows the Vancouver Canucks, Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators and Edmonton Oilers. [TSN.CA]

Former Boston College Eagle goalie Cory Schneider doesn't seem all that worried about not having a new contract as of yet. [TSN.CA]

Here is the latest from the CBA front - Donald Fehr, ‘says season could start on time even without agreement.’

Friday link around – Summer in full spring

The National Hockey League's 2012-13 season is set to begin playing games on Oct. 11 – yeah right.

After playing only 16 games in last season Guillaume Latendresse is close to signing a one year deal with the Minnesota Wild.

Josh Harding will be back with the Minnesota Wild as he recently signed a three year 5.7 million dollar deal.

According to Michael Russo - Former Fighting Sioux defenseman Chay Genoway will be back with the Minnesota Wild as he recently signed a new deal.

The Minnesota Wild Recently released their new schedule – not that it's going to be make any difference.

In one of the more shocking moves of the week – Penguins forward Jordan Staal – who is set to become an unrestricted free agent – recently rejected a 10-year contract extension from the Pittsburgh Penguin. The contract in question was believed to be in the $60 million dollar range.

Michigan defenseman and New Jersey Devils draft choice John Merill is undecided about his next step and will decide after the Devils development camp if he is ready to sign or return to school. My advice to Merill is to stay in school John; you will no doubt develop under Red Berenson if you can keep your nose clean.

According to Larry Brooks of the New York Post, the New York Rangers and the Philadelphia Flyers are both involved in discussions with much sought after forwards Columbus’ Blue Jackets Rick Nash and Anaheim’s Ducks Bobby Ryan.

Former Boston University star forward Brandon Yip has signed with the Nashville Predators.

Apparently, the NHL players are optimistic that a lockout can be avoided – I am not as optimist that a lock-out can be avoided and I think that start of the season will be delayed.

Russian star Nail Yakupov who could go number one in the NHL draft - says that his goal is to play in the NHL – there are some that have their doubts.

Future Golden Gopher Taylor Cammarata was impressive at the NHL combine according to Ryan Kennedy of the Hockey News.

The Boston Bruins have released their schedule and they will start the regulars season against the Broad Street Bullies in Philly.

Here is the Boston Bruins preseason schedule:

Sept. 25: Bruins at Capitals (Verizon Center, Washington)
Sept. 26: Bruins at Sabres (First Niagara Center, Buffalo)
Sept. 29: Bruins vs. Jets (Credit Union Centre, Saskatoon)
Sept. 30: Bruins at Jets (MTS Centre, Winnipeg)
Oct. 3: Bruins vs. Capitals (TD Garden)
Oct. 5: Bruins vs. Sabres (TD Garden)
Oct. 6: Bruins at Canadiens (Bell Centre, Montreal)

Boston Bruins forward Patrice Bergeron was named the Frank J. Selke Trophy winner at the NHL awards show in Las Vegas, Nevada. Bergy was only the second Boston Bruins player to be awarded a Selke Trophy.

Latendresse calls himself symptom-free, wants to stay

This is is one of those stories of what could've been - Guillaume Latendresse came to the Minnesota Wild via trade that sent Benoit Pouliot to the Montreal Canadians on On November 23, 2009 and started out on fire scoring 25 goals in his first 55 games in a Minnesota Wild uniform before he was then out of the line up for the past two seasons with a myriad of injuries... There seems to be a lot of risk with this potential signing.

One of the biggest concern is Lattendresse had a concussion last season and missed most of last season and as we have seen with the Pittsburgh Penguins super star Sidney Crosby, Boston Bruins forward Marc Savard and with the Minnesota Wild's Pierre-Marc Bouchard concussion are can return again and linger for some time. All three players suffered multiple concussions and the Bruins Savard's is no longer in the NHL and Bouchard could soon join Savard in the retirement line if he doesn't get healthy but also stay healthy. 

Michael Russo, Star Tribune --- Latendresse, after being treated by a concussion specialist in Georgia who uses a contraption called a "GyroStim," has declared himself symptom-free from a concussion that destroyed his 2011-12 campaign. He said he can return to being the thunderous power forward who scored 25 goals in 55 games after a November 2009 trade from Montreal.

"It's like I never had any concussion," Latendresse said from his home in Montreal. "I feel 100 percent. I'm doing training like before. I have nothing. I can't even remember when my last headache was." But that doesn't mean the Wild will re-sign Latendresse. While collecting $5 million, Latendresse has played only 27 of 162 games over the past two seasons because of injuries.

The Wild would have to tender him a qualifying offer of $2.5 million by June 25 to retain his rights and make him a restricted free agent. That's unlikely. "I know I won't get a qualifying offer," Latendresse said. "I'm 100 percent sure about that. It's pretty obvious with my last two years."

This would be a perfect player for the Minnesota Wild to sign to a one year contract that based on incentives. If Latendresse isn't healthy you fail to re-sign him in the off-season.

For all of your Minnesota Wild Ticket needs you can purchase tickets on this link See Minnesota Wild games.

Nick Johnson vs Jarome Iginla

I was watching this game last night and Wild forward Nick Johnson is thrown out of the game for an alleged head butt. I have watched this video numerous times and I for the life of me don't see the head butt that Iginla is complaining about. I have to agree with BReynolds that there is no head butt.

Also, the ref that made the call Tim Kowal should probably apologize to Mikko Koivu for yelling at him at the players bench, what a jerk. Mikko is a captain and he is allowed to talk to the officials. The move that is semi funny is how Iggy complains about the head but then punches Johnson.

More on former Wild Benoit Pouliot

Here is an interesting perspective from the Upper Canadian from Kuklas Korner on former Wild first round bust Benoit Pouliot. In my opinion Benoit Pouliot is the “poster boy” of the failed days of former Wild GM Doug Risebrough. To this very day the Minnesota Wild are still suffering from Risebroughs days when he was the GM of the Wild… I can’t for the life of me figure out why Boston Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli, fresh off winning the Stanley Cup would pick up this stiff?

Benny moves on

A small mention here of Benoit Pouliot, who goes to Boston on a one year contract. This is where the businessman inside me goes ballistic. How can a team deal an asset like Guillaume Latendresse, that cost a 2nd round draft pick, not to mention many hours of development on, for one as talented as promising as Pouliot, play him less and less over two years until his value is nil, and then let him go? If he didn’t fit, why not trade him last offseason, or this fall after a good few weeks? Surely they could have dangled him for a draft pick, or as part of a package at the deadline.

It’s not often you see a team take an asset once as valuable as Pouliot and turn it into dust, but the Habs did here, and it’s a real shame. Not only do I suspect he’ll do well in Boston and ply his trade as a solid NHLer, I hope he does. The Canadiens give up on players far too often, and that’s one thing, but acquiring an asset at a reasonably high value and letting it go for absolutely nothing is not only hockey, it’s bad business. Shame on Pierre Gauthier, Jacques Martin, and the Habs for letting this kid go for zilch.

Related articles

• Bruins say goodbye to Michael Ryder (theglobeandmail.com)
• NHL Signing Tracker (theglobeandmail.com)

Bruins sign Canadians stiff Benoit Pouliot

The Boston Globe is reporting this signing by the Boston Bruins. This is the waste of a one year contract and I do not like this pick up by the Boston Bruins one bit. So in essence the Boston Bruins are trading Michael Ryder's roster spot (who signed a free agent deal with the Dallas Stars) for Benoit Pouliot... This deal is a serious head scratcher and I am disappointed with the Boston Bruins front office. It has pretty much been proven that Benoit Pouliot for the most part has been another Minnesota Wild first round bust from the Doug Risebrough days.

Fluto Shinzawa, Globe Staff --- Bruins sign Benoit Pouliot The Bruins have signed Benoit Pouliot to a one-year, $1.1 million contract. RDS was among the first to report the signing.

The 24-year-old was the fourth overall pick in the 2005 draft. Minnesota traded Pouliot to Montreal for Guillaume Latendresse on Nov. 23, 2009.

This past season, Pouliot scored 13 goals and 17 assists in 79 games. Pouliot was a healthy scratch for four games in the first round against the Bruins.

The 2005 draft included Sidney Crosby, Carey Price, Bobby Ryan, Jack Johnson, Marc Staal, Anze Kopitar, Paul Stastny, and Keith Yandle. Framed against those players, Pouliot has been a major disappointment. In 183 games, Pouliot has scored 37 goals and 35 assists. The left-shot forward will be a reclamation project for the Bruins, who like his size (6-foot-3, 199 pounds) and skill.

In Boston, Pouliot is best known for one-punching David Krejci during the regular season. In the playoffs, Pouliot took a run at Johnny Boychuk, which brought Andrew Ference calling.