Paul Allen talks hockey.

P.A. interviewed new Wild general manager Chuck Flethcer. Paul Allen also interviewed Gopher hockey player Jordan Schroeder, interesting stuff in the interview. Sounds like Schroeder isn't against moving on if it was the right situation.

During the second part of the hour P.A. asks Fletcher about the Gaborik situation and basically the GM says that we are going to want to see where they are at sooner rather than later. It doesn't sound like Fletcher is going to monkey around with Gabby very long. It also sounds like Fletcher plans on not having Gaborik back.

[click to listen to the podcast] [Paul Allen Show podcasts]

Reed Larson on the Wild. (college focused)

This is what former Minnesota Gopher Reed Larson had to say about the Wild and their lack of using American, college hockey players and or players from Minnesota. Pretty good points that needed to be said a long time ago.

"I'm sorry; I've got the utmost respect for Jacques Lemaire as a player and so forth, but they did not like (the skill level of) American players," Larson said.

He was speaking of the former Minnesota Wild coach and management.

"Craig Leipold should be a hero; he should get an award for changing the management," Larson said of the Wild owner who recently hired Chuck Fletcher to oversee his team.

"I'm not saying you can't use Europeans and you can't use Canadians, but don't turn your back on Minnesota or Americans," Larson said. "Those guys (Lemaire and former GM Doug Risebrough) came from Montreal, where they had some very good American players when they were winning Stanley Cups.

"What I don't understand about being in management here in Minnesota is that you've got really good Americans, not just in Minnesota, but in Michigan and other colleges, and everybody else is using

them. I'm not trying to cut up Risebrough and Lemaire, but my point is that I don't think they had the best interest in this area as far as American and Minnesota players.
"Nobody wants to say it; everybody's scared."

Larson, 52, is in the insurance business and helps develop young players as a coach in the Minnesota Elite prep hockey league.

"Everybody thinks there's no one around here who knows anything about hockey," he said. [Shooter Now]

I don't know what everyone was so afraid of? I was also shocked that this wasn't brought up sooner. Personally I can think of many Canadian college hockey players, American college hockey players as well as hockey players from Minnesota that would look great in a green and red uniform.

I can also think of a couple players that are free agents right now. I have faith that Fletcher a Harvard grad will be smart enough to figure it out. The Boston Bruins won the Eastern Conference regular season title with, two Minnesota Gophers, one Catamount, two Wolverines, one Boston College Eagle Eagle and a Cornell Big Red. Lastly, Jason Blake an former fighting Sioux hockey player that was a Hobey Baker Memorial finalist was the top scorer for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Oh yeah; Jason Blake is also from Moorhead Minnesota. Maybe he would like to come home and play for the hometown team.