Wild's new 3rd jersey.

My response is, "YUCK." You have got to be kidding me. [props]

Wild officially done.

As I slept in my bed last night the Anaheim Ducks were putting the finishing touches on ending the Minnesota Wild's season, in a shootout no doubt. It should not have come down to this. The Wild should have been able to compete on the ice but were short changed an incompetent general manager who has missmanged the Wild so poorly they have no room under the cap to operate. Maybe Risbrough could learn from the Boston, Detroit and St Louis GM's.

This paragraph from the Minneapolis Star and Tribune really makes my blood boil because it should have never come down to this. It's not really Jacques Lemaire fault, he did a good job he could coaching the Wild with what he given to him from the teams GM.

I could see that [the fans] were happy the way the guys were working because they let us know," said a proud Lemaire, who might have coached his last home game. "I wish we would have had more games like this and we wouldn't be in the situation that we're in right now.

"Tonight was special. Behind the bench, I don't know how many times I thought, 'Gee, the guys are playing with their heart,' and you could tell."

I get what he is saying. So if only they had given this effort in February or March? I think the Wild gave the best effor they could based on injuries and lack of talented players. What if the Wild had more talented players necessary to make a run. Imagine if Gabby had been around maybe 10 more games this season? You have to wonder if Doug Risebrough had only resigned Brian Rolston during the off season? Come on! Rolston wasn't asking for that much money, it was a drop in the barrel, and who did you get to replace him with?

Could you imagine how Marian Hossa would have looked playing the forward possition in the land of 10,000 lakes. Great! Hossa took less money to play hockey in Detroit a team that has a chance to win a stanley cup and a general manager that knows how to manage the salary cap and develop players in their organization. Their players actually take less money to stay in their organization. The same can't be said about the state of hockey.

Now maybe Jacques Lemaire has coached his last game I don't hold him as responsible as I do Risebrough Lemaire did a lot with very little. Hopefully Doug Risebrough will be shown the door. I have followed this team since their born on date in 2000-2001 season, it is time for a change.

Something to look forward to

While the Wild are out of the Playoff as predicted, T.J. Oshie will get his first kick at the Stanley Cup with the St Louis Blues. The Blues played to a 18-6-3 since Feburary 12th. Oshie was also awarded the goal of the year by the NHL.

According to Brad's blog there will be seven former Fighting Sioux playing for the Stanley Cup. Zach Parise, Travis Zajac (New Jersey), Ryan Bayda (Carolina), Jonathan Toews (Chicago), Ryan Johnson (Vancouver), Mike Commodore (Columbus), T.J. Oshie with the (St Louis). I think the Sioux player(s) that has the best chance of going the furthest in the Stanley Cup playoffs is probably Ryan Bayda and Ryan Johnson. The Devils are a mess right now have gone 11-9-1 the last 20 games and three of their last four wins are against teams not in the Stanley cup playoffs (Lighting, Senators, Sabres).

Gabby to Vancouver?

Props to the illegal curve for this find. I could see the Wild and the Canucks being up for this trade. Maybe the Minnesota Wild could get something of value in return? The Wild need to get players that can put the puck in the net. Getting something is better than just having Gabby walk after the end of the season.

In Minnesota, the oft-injured Marian Gaborik is set to become an unrestricted free agent next summer and it's believed the Wild would like to jettison him by the deadline rather than get nothing back in the summer.

The Vancouver Canucks definitely have the cap room to add a forward like Gaborik, and it's a good bet GM Mike Gillis would like to add more offensive punch to go up against Western Conference powerhouses San Jose and Detroit.