WRT's This 'n' That

A column of opinion, some facts and an occasional rant from the Wild Road Tripper (WRT)

Interesting NHL free agency period so far, isn't it?

The NHL free agency period is only four days old, and Minnesota Wild fans could conceivably call this year's 'frenzy' an unqualified success:

- They lost Marian Gaborik (a move which the Wild knew would happen) but were able to replace him with Martin Havlat, perhaps the only FA available who could not only fit the new Wild 'unleashed offense' style, but their salary structure as well.

- The Wild were also able to shed a lot of salary (Martin Skoula, Marc-Andre Bergeron, Kurtis Foster, Stephane Veilleux, Dan Fritsche) that really was being over-paid for their services, and replaced two of them (Skoula, Bergeron) with players who are talent upgrades on defense (Greg Zanon, Shane Hnidy), while still having salary cap room for possibly the best remaining center in free agency (Saku Koivu) to join the Wild.

- The continuing makeover of the Wild front office, well-documented in other Web locations, continues as strength and conditioning coach Kirk Olson was not re-signed to a contract, and the coaching staff of new head coach Todd Richards was announced.

Now, what to make of all this?

You have to admit, there really IS a lot to ponder as the Wild begin a Developmental Camp this coming week (culminating with a scrimmage game next Sunday, 12:30 PM, at Xcel Energy Center; scrimmage -only- open to the public; Gate 1 opens at 12 noon) as the coaching staff gets its' first good look at the 'fresh meat' drafted players (in most cases) which will, in part, re-stock the Houston Aeros (after a number of Aeros' players with Wild contracts were either not renewed or not tendered qualifying offers).

-Will the Wild be better than last year? Or will the Wild be worse than last season and get a higher draft pick in the 2010 draft?

It's way too early to get any indication as to what the future will hold, but in my honest opinion, if the Wild play like they did in January and February of 2009, they will wave a 'red flag' in front of increasingly disgruntled Wild fans, who want this team to return to the playoffs (and win a playoff series, for the first time since 2003).

- What will the Wild do to keep its' season-ticket fan base happy?

That's another good question, as the best promotion, of course, is winning. They have a new front office, a new coaching staff (save for Mike Ramsey and Bob Mason) and a new style. But none of this has been proven -- yet. We'll see...in 3 months. Until then, it's all conjecture and heresay, so much hot air, hope and hyperbole.

But, the good side for Wild fans, is that for the first time in years, there actually is HOPE. That there is the hope of better days ahead. Hope of making the playoffs, hope of advancing through, and eventually, making a Stanley Cup run. Hope of upgrading the talent, getting some of the premiere players in the game to actually play here, in Minnesota, for some of the most rabid fans in the sport.

But, like the end of World War II in Europe, you have to re-build after you kick out the old, poisonous regime. That will take time, lots of effort, and lots and lots of money. Time to re-model the scouting staff into something that GM Chuck Fletcher can work with. This new group has already shown that they are not going to be without effort. And, majority owner Craig Leipold has already said he will provide the money to spend up to the NHL's salary cap.

The Wild's 'stakeholders' -- their fans -- expect nothing less than that. And if that's not Managing Expectations™, then I don't know what is.

I'll be at the 'X' next Sunday for a look at Minnesota's hockey's future. So far, the future looks very good. See you there!

WRT

Free agency so far

By KiPA

It's about 7 p.m. EDT on Friday, the third day of free agency. Most of the major free agents have signed, with winger Alex Kovalev and defenseman Francois Beauchemin still available along with plenty of other quality players, including center Saku Koivu, much to the dismay of Wild fans.

A look at what the Wild and Penguins have done so far:

Minnesota
Gains: winger Martin Havlat, defensemen Greg Zanon and Shane Hnidy
Losses: winger Marian Gaborik (Rangers)
Remaining wish list: center Saku Koivu, possibly another winger and/or defenseman

Analysis: Overall, I think the Wild has fared fairly nicely. Gaborik was unlikely to return and Chuck Fletcher didn't take long to find a replacement in Havlat. Gaborik is the more explosive of the two, but Havlat is still a quality player who will put up numbers - if he stays healthy. He played 81 games last season, the most in his career and the first time he's appeared in over 68 games since his second year in the league when he made 72 appearances with Ottawa back in 2001-02. And if Gaborik runs into health issues on New York's ice - as Michael Russo Wild Road Tripper believes - this could end up being an upgrade.

Zanon might best be described as a poor man's Rob Scuderi - but I mean that literally. Zanon might be Scuderi's equal or even better in terms of defensive play, shot blocking and penalty killing, but Scuderi's contract will pay him quite a bit more than Zanon's. I'm actually a little jealous; I wanted Zanon as Scuderi's replacement if Missile left (which he did).

Hnidy is one tough SOB who will likely slot into Minnesota's 5/6 spot. Relatively minor signing, but a necessary addition to bolster the defense.

Minnesota might not be done. If Koivu doesn't sign, Fletcher might go after a winger or explore trade options. Steps in the right direction for Fletcher. This doesn't make the Wild a Cup contender but one-year fixes aren't easy to do. The Rangers delve into free agency and hand out rich contracts all the time, and it hasn't gotten them much in the last 15 years. Fletcher can't change the team's fortunes with the 16th overall pick and one free agency period, so it's more than a little premature to call for his head.

Pittsburgh
Gains: wingers Bill Guerin and Ruslan Fedotenko, forward Mike Rupp, defenseman Alex Goligoski
Losses: defensemen Hal Gill (Montreal) and Rob Scuderi (Los Angeles), goalie Mathieu Garon (Columbus)
Remaining wish list: No. 4/5/6 defenseman, backup goaltender

Analysis: Ray Shero brought back two key members of this spring/summer's championship team, each at significant discounts, getting Guerin for $2 million and Fedotenko for $1.8 million - down from $4.5M and $2.25M respectively - both on one-year deals. That provides a workable top two lines, though Shero maybe looks for another winger for Evgeni Malkin, rather than use Max Talbot there for the entire season.

But two other important figures in the Cup run departed, with Gill getting a two-year contract worth $4.5 million - a raise from last year - from Montreal and Scuderi cashing in with the Kings for a whopping $3.4 million annually for four years. The two formed an effective duo and were the Penguins' top penalty killers, and the only replacement signed so far is restricted free agent Goligoski, whose game is offensive rather than defensive.

The loss of Garon is not a big deal. Garon barely played since coming over in a trade and is replaceable.

Retaining Guerin and Fedotenko - especially at those discounts - is good. Losing Gill and Scuderi - and not having capable replacements yet, though Ben Lovejoy could step in (emphasis on could) - is very bad and makes Pittsburgh's free agency so far a wash at best. Finding a strong defensive defenseman will fill the last hole.

Both teams still have players to sign, so we'll see how the GMs tweak their lineups between now and opening night.

(Also, on a completely unrelated note, I'm a big fan of the Subway food chain. Not their commercials, just their food.)

Free Agency Day 1

Live blog Wednesday

By KiPA

I'll be holding a live blog Wednesday to track and comment on the goings-on as free agency opens up. I'm not going to be breaking any signings or rumors, just chatting about what's officially known.

I should have the chat up around 11:30 a.m. EDT. Free agency starts a half hour later.

Penguins re-sign two charitable fellows

(Updated: 3:45 p.m. Tuesday)

By KiPA

Pittsburgh got a head start on its free agent shopping Monday by re-signing two key members of the Stanley Cup-winning team, bringing wingers Bill Guerin and Craig Adams back into the fold.

Both players willingly took discounts in order to remain Penguins. Guerin, who made $4.5 million last season - split between Long Island and Pittsburgh - signed on the dotted line for one year at $2 million. One Web site reported the deal comes with bonuses that could bring the total up to $2.85 million, but a newspaper article appears to say there are no bonuses. Adams took a rather smaller pay cut, as he made only $600K last season. That number is down to $550K over two years, for a contract worth $1.1 million. But hey, a discount is a discount.

It's a win-win for Guerin, whose kids became - similar to Evgeni Malkin's parents - minor celebrities at Penguins home games, becoming regulars on the JumboTron with signs reading, "My Dad (#13) Rocks" and the like. [Guerin wears #13.] Meanwhile, Guerin's personality in the locker room really set guys on ease and is cited as a key reason Guerin was so valuable during the playoffs.

Pittsburgh's free agency list now reads: Petr Sykora, Ruslan Fedotenko, Miroslav Satan, Mike Zigomanis, Rob Scuderi, Philippe Boucher and Hal Gill. Among the fans' most desired returnees are Zigomanis, Scuderi and Fedotenko. Among the holes to fill are a second-line winger, a depth forward, one or two defensemen and a backup goalie, with around $5 million to spend, if my math is right.

Some believe the Adams signing spells the end for Zigomanis, and that appears to be the case. On Tuesday, Zigomanis' agent Kurt Overhardt said he thinks it's a "fait accompli" that Zigomanis will not return to the Penguins, which is unfortunate, since Zigomanis was very good on faceoffs and would've proven quite a bit useful in the final minute of Game 7 of the Final (though it turned out alright in the end.)

There is also hope that guys like Scuderi and Fedotenko follow the lead set by Guerin and Adams and accept a smaller amount to remain with the team. If it doesn't happen, I won't begrudge either player to go for the money. If someone throws $4 million annually at Scuderi - which would be an insane amount for him - then it's hard to turn that down.

Working in Pittsburgh's favor, in Scuderi's case at least, is Scuderi knows about as firsthand as possible how unhappy someone can be by leaving a situation like his to make a quick buck. Former teammate Ryan Malone signed a hefty contract in Tampa Bay, and, if reports are to be believed, was almost begging Ray Shero to try and work out a trade to return him to the 'burgh. Malone also visited his former teammates prior to a game and expressed his discontent with the Lightning. Some, like Brooks Orpik, recalled the story after winning the Cup.

Now, with Guerin's re-signing, Scuderi has evidence of how it can go both ways, and we'll see what he decides. He's on record saying he'll test the market but will give Shero a chance to see how close he can come to the offer Scuderi likes best.

Regardless, I'm a tad excited about Guerin being back. I never expected the Penguins to be key figures in free agency this summer, so in terms of that, bringing Guerin back is about as good as it gets.

Thoughts on the Draft, RFA tender day, UFAs on tap

*UPDATE*
The Wild qualified the following RFAs:
Kyle Brodziak
Robbie Earl
Josh Harding
Danny Irmen
Benoit Pouliot
Clayton Stoner

The Wild did not qualify the following RFAs:
Paul Albers
Riley Emmerson
Dan Fritsche
Peter Olvecky
(from Wild.com)

I agree with KiPA: analyzing the just-completed draft is an exercise in futility. Since there are usually no more than a couple "sure things" it makes no sense to sit here and try to tell you I know the first thing about any of the rest of the kids that got picked. At some point you have to trust your scouts, right?

I am pleased that Fletch was able to acquire picks, move to get a younger, cheaper Fritsche, and re-stock our goalie drawer.

I do find it interesting that it was harder for teams to pull off trades than some of the prognositcators heading into the draft thought.

I am annoyed with the vocal minority of Minnesotans and Wild "fans" that pop their head out of their little hole on draft day and on trade deadline day to throw rocks at the rest of the hockey-consuming public. You simply can't judge a GM based on one draft. Well, not unless you don't care about coming across as a simplistic moron. The "we need more Minnesotans" set are always off-putting for their parochial arrogance, but to then turn around and claim that the Wild took the wrong Minnesotan is utterly ridiculous. Get a grip, people.

It's RFA tender day, and Russo thinks Fritsche may get cut loose. As much as I thought Fritsche did a good job, was a good soldier, etc last season, it won't break my heart to lose him. We're not going to win or lose the Stanley Cup based on whether or not Dan Fritsche is on the team - especially if Brodziak is what he sounds like. I hope Dan finds a place to thrive, but if it's not St. Paul then so be it.

It seems almost a foregone conclusion that Saku will join his baby brother in Minny. While I really have no problems with that (unless you're thinking that he's the answer to our #1 center prayers,) I do think that's a better situation for him than for the Wild. Not that it's bad for the Wild, but talk about a soft landing for a guy looking for one more multi-year contract before he (likely) skates off into the sunset! If he does sign here, I hope he stays healthy and can help us anchor our second line. I hope he and Mikko enjoy playing and living together. But I really hope it doesn't cramp Mikko's style at all - though I assume it wouldn't - because he really should become the first permanent captain in team history this season, and I would hate to think that he would in any way fall into his big brother's shadow.

Draft analys...

By KiPA

So I'd offer my non-expert opinion on the 2009 draft picks of the Minnesota Wild and the Pittsburgh Penguins but it makes no sense to do so. Few players in this year's draft class were projected to have an immediate impact on any of their new teams, and no player the Wild or Penguins selected in the first round would have been one of those - unless either team traded up for a top two or three pick.

But here are the first-rounders. The Wild selected local kid and offensive defenseman Nick Leddy from Eden Prairie H.S. with the 16th pick after turning the No. 12 selection into three other draft picks, which was a wise move. Unwilling to take a chance that Leddy would be available later in the first round, Chuck Fletcher chose to grab Leddy at 16. Pittsburgh sort of lucked into big defenseman Simon Despres, a defensive defenseman with some offensive upside who TSN had ranked 18th, with the 30th and final selection of the first round.

A good portion of the Penguins fan base seems accepting of Pittsburgh's pick, though more than a few people wanted a winger. Nearly all of Minnesota's followers seem to feel the Wild either a) took the wrong Minnesota player, b) shouldn't have taken a Minnesota player period, or c) didn't need a defenseman.

Given the fact that the two organizations can combine for about two or three forwards who might make an impact in the next couple of years, the selections of a defenseman by both clubs might seem strange. But look: At that stage of the first round, whoever was selected was going to need some time - two or three years at least - to develop into an NHL-ready player.

In that time, either Fletcher or Ray Shero could acquire a forward via free agency or a trade. That's the basis of the "take the best player available" strategy instead of "drafting for a need." You might need a certain player now but what if you end up signing a player who fills that need to a long-term contract less than a week after the draft? Then suddenly the guy you drafted to fill that hole isn't as necessary, and you'd be left wishing you had other assets in the system.

Which leads me to another point. The Wild lacks talent in its system. Sorry, but it's true. Take it from someone who's going through a similar experience with a baseball team. When there's little talent in the minor leagues, the first goal is likely to put talent into that system, no matter what position a guy plays. Yes, the Wild lacks forwards in a significant way, but it also lacks gifted players with NHL futures.

First increase the numbers of players who can have an impact in the NHL, then worry about where they actually play. Once the system is stocked, then it's easier to put together a competitive big league team each season.

Fletcher is not going to turn the Wild into a perennial contender over night. He'll try to win now as much as he can, but he won't be shortsighted enough to mortgage what future Minnesota has in a desperate attempt to make his mark right away. He's going to build up the system from the bottom, and that's going to take time. It might be unpleasant for fans over the next few seasons, but in the long run, if Fletcher makes the correct decisions, it'll be worth it.

So it's entirely too early to analyze any draft picks. Plus it's unfair to the players involved, and Leddy is already being lumped by some people into A.J. Thelen territory. Fletcher barely finished saying the kid's name before an uproar started over the selection. At least give the guy a chance before condemning him.

(Update, Saturday, 4:42 p.m. EDT: I changed the title to encompass the entire draft. Far too early to pass judgment on anyone selected this weekend. Only time will tell how they fare.)

Destination: Harding

By KiPA

With the NHL draft just a few days away, trade talks are likely to heat up. For the Wild, most likely it means the departure of Josh Harding, a restricted free agent whose future as a No. 1 goalie in Minnesota was, at best, delayed four years while Niklas Backstrom's contract is in effect. With netminders always being a valued commodity, Harding is Minnesota's biggest trade chip, but on his own, isn't likely to fetch a big name player. His name could be included in some package but it would take more than Harding and one other player to land a top talent. (Unless that other player is Mikko Koivu or Brent Burns, but that's highly unlikely.)

In limited action, Harding has acquitted himself well and has earned consideration for a No. 1 job somewhere in the NHL. So who needs a goaltender? I've discussed this with some Wild fans and now I'll go a little more in-depth here. I'll even go so far as to list each team in the NHL and their plans in goal as much as I can.

Anaheim: No dice here, not with Jean-Sebastien Giguere and Jonas Hiller in the mix.

Atlanta: Possible destination, though not too likely. Kari Lehtonen is (was?) the goalie they want to build around, but there have been plenty of rumors swirling of Don Waddell wanting to trade Lehtonen. Maybe Thrashers management is growing impatient with Lehtonen's development. Ondrej Pavelec is another young prospect waiting in the wings, but neither he nor Lehtonen have grasped the reins yet.

Boston: A very slight darkhorse. Tim Thomas was an All-Star, won the Vezina, and has a four-year contract. He's also 35. Tuukka Rask will likely emerge as the backup, so while the Bruins will need a goalie at the end of Thomas' contract, right now Rask is the heir-apparent, so Harding won't wear black-and-gold.

Buffalo: Ryan Miller suffered a dreaded high ankle sprain last year but is still just 28, has a long contract, and Patrick Lalime is backing him up. No openings here.

Carolina: Cam Ward won't be supplanted, and Michael Leighton's the backup.

Calgary: Few goalies play as much as Miikka Kiprusoff. I bet even the front office doesn't know who the backup's name is.

Chicago: The Blackhawks gave Cristobal Huet a nice, fat contract last offseason. Then he proceeded to split time with Nikolai Khabibulin, who is now a free agent. I doubt the Bulin Wall returns, and Chicago probably rolls with Huet as No. 1 and Corey Crawford the backup.

Colorado: Our first real No. 1 opening. There ain't no one in the mix here. Peter Budaj is a restricted free agent, Andrew Raycroft is unrestricted, and I'll admit to having no idea if the Avalanche have a goalie in the minors who might be ready. Neither of the two NHLers did much last year to improve his long-term chances of being a starting goalie.

But will either the Wild or the Avs trade within the division? Rumors talk of Harding for Wojtek Wolski and a draft pick. If I'm Chuck Fletcher, I say, "Yes please, I'll take two." If I'm Colorado, the move doesn't make as much sense except from a salary dump point of view (Wolski's cap hit is $2.8 million and he's an RFA after next season.) Wolski's a nice, up-and-coming forward while Harding is still an unknown. If Harding becomes the next Patrick Roy, then advantage Colorado. Or maybe Harding becomes the next Andrew Raycroft.

Columbus: Harding isn't too likely to move Calder Trophy winner Steve Mason out of the pipes in Ohio. Some people (*cough* Nick *cough*) think Mason will become the next Jim Carey. Columbus has to hope Mason's career won't be filled with injuries like the recently-traded Pascal Leclaire.

Dallas: Marty Turco is the starting goalie. For now. He's 34 in August, on the last year of his contract, and has a less-than-stellar playoff record that has led to questions of whether he can get it done. Backup Tobias Stephen is a free agent and another youngster, Matt Climie, is a RFA. It might not be this year, but maybe Harding has a future in Big D. Wouldn't that kill Wild fans?

Ideally, Fletcher would love to get someone like Fabian Brunnstrom, James Neal or Loui Eriksson for Harding, but I don't see the Stars moving any of those guys. Still, Dallas is a possible destination.

Detroit: Possible but unlikely. Not only is Chris Osgood still there, but Jimmy Howard awaits, and the Wings will probably at least give Howard a look and see if he can cut it first. If Howard can't, then maybe Harding is an option. But, by the time Detroit determines that, Harding might no longer be in play.

Edmonton: Clear-cut opening No. 2. Dwayne Roloson is a free agent, still unsigned, but even if he signs, he's 39. Jeff Drouin-Deslauriers (after consulting NHL.com, apparently he dropped the Drouin part of his name) is their only goalie under contract right now, but has even less experience than Harding. This also brings up the "trading within the division" dilemma.

The Oilers have some young talent on the team, including former Wild property Patrick O'Sullivan, Ales Hemsky, Tom Gilbert, Sam Gagner and some others, but I don't see Edmonton parting with any of their more established talent for Harding. Maybe O'Sullivan.

Florida: Tomas Vokoun has two years left on his contract, and if I'm whoever-Florida-hires-as-GM, I'd try to re-sign Craig Anderson. If Anderson isn't re-signed, then maybe the Panthers would like to get Harding in to learn under Vokoun, but the No. 1 job wouldn't be an open competition.

Los Angeles: No clear-cut starting goalie here, but the Kings already have Jonathan Quick (who fared well) and Erik Ersberg (ups and downs), so they're not likely to want to bring in another young, unproven goalie. If LA goes for a goalie, it'll probably be a veteran like Khabibulin or Martin Biron.

Montreal: Depending to whom you talk, Carey Price was one of the biggest reasons the Canadiens bombed out in the playoffs after barely hanging onto the eighth seed. Jaroslav Halak fared a little better. The point is, no openings here.

Nashville: Pekka Rinne emerged as the No. 1, and Dan Ellis is still under contract and is a capable backup.

New Jersey: Martin Brodeur (age 37) has three years left on his contract. Scott Clemmensen, who kept the Devils' season alive, is 31 with no contract. Harding would be a backup at best for a couple seasons.

New York Islanders: This will sound funny, but I can see Long Island being a semi-viable destination. Sure, Rick DiPietro is signed to such a long contract that the original paper will have deteriorated by the end of it, but he's also a walking hospital. The Islanders had to go through a number of goalies this season, and having a reliable backup/No. 1A goalie would be really helpful.

If DiPietro stays healthy, he'll be the No. 1. But that's a big if, and there could be some rotation of DiPietro and Harding. The problem is, the Islanders need to acquire assets, not trade away draft picks or young players, so while the setting might be workable, the price probably wouldn't.

New York Rangers: Henrik Lundqvist. Steven Valiquette. Good combo.

Ottawa: I've seen many Wild fans clamoring for a trade of Harding and (insert bad contract of your choice) for Dany Heatley, but sorry, there's no way that's happening. Bryan Murray acquired Pascal Leclaire at the deadline, and he'll roll with Leclaire and Brian Elliott or Alex Auld.

Philadelphia: Ladies and gentlemen, your No. 1 stop for Josh Harding, the Philadelphia Flyers. Martin Biron is gone. Antero Niittymaki probably will join him. In their place... Ray Emery? Really? Ray Emery? The Flyers are going to try to win with Ray Emery? Ye gods.

Anyway. Yes, Emery is the only goalie under contract for the Flyers right now. They're always looking for goalies, and they never work out. From an on-ice perspective, this is Harding's best bet. The problem is, the first bad goal he gives up - maybe it doesn't even have to be a bad one - then boom, people will be all over him. But there's good forwards in place, good defense, just no goalie.

I discussed this on Russo's Rants the other day, and Daniel Briere could be part of a deal for Harding. Philadelphia is in salary cap hell right now (just under $55 million for 19 players next season) and Briere is the most expendable piece. He's playing out of position at wing because of Mike Richards and Jeff Carter. He's still productive (97 points in 108 games, 31 goals two seasons ago) but ran into a plethora of health issues last season.

The contract is a nightmare, yes. He's signed through 2015 at a cap hit of $6.5 million. He's also a top-two center the Wild needs. Philadelphia needs a goalie and cap space. The Wild has a lot of cap room. The Flyers might be willing to let Briere go for less (Harding and maybe a cheap roster player for the third or fourth line) just to get him off their books.

If Fletcher thinks Briere will fit in Minnesota, and the price isn't too expensive (trade-wise), it could work. The Wild have some salaries coming off the books after 2010 which could make Briere's more acceptable.

Phoenix: Well, Ilya Bryzgalov is here and sometimes plays outstanding and sometimes not so much. But he's signed for another two seasons at over $4 million, and I think the Coyotes might be more concerned with where they're going to play next season rather than who will be on the team.

Pittsburgh: Even though some in Pittsburgh still aren't comfortable with Marc-Andre Fleury, the guy just won a Stanley Cup. (Also, those people are idiots.)

San Jose: Evgeni Nabokov is really good, and he'll also be 34 in July, entering the last year of his contract. The Sharks are usually good at finding goalies, so Harding won't fit here.

St. Louis: Chris Mason shook off a bad start to the season and was a key reason why the Blues made the playoffs. He'll keep his starting job, and Ben Bishop is around to back him up.

Tampa Bay: Another small possibility. The Lightning have Mike Smith, who suffered a concussion and ruined a good part of his season. I think Smith is capable but having insurance for him probably wouldn't be a bad idea. Tampa wants to be rid of Ryan Malone's contract, but fans in Minnesota aren't keen on picking it up. (Of course, fans don't make the call on trades.) Still, not too likely these teams match up.

Toronto: Another good fit. Rumors of Harding and Marek Zidlicky for Tomas Kaberle have circulated, and I think that's a good deal for the Wild. Brian Burke shot it down, however. Vesa Toskala is hanging around, but I'd say the Leafs goalie job is still up for grabs.

Vancouver: Roberto Luongo won't go anywhere...yet. He'll be a free agent after the 2010 season but that doesn't help for right now.

Washington: Jose Theodore makes $4.5 million but lost his starter's job in the playoffs to Simeon Varlamov. Either way, the Capitals don't have an opening.

So there you have it, one man's team by team evaluation of starting goalies and where Harding fits. I see him landing in Philadelphia, Toronto, maybe to one of Minnesota's division rivals, or an outside chance of Tampa Bay.

WRT's This 'n' That

A column of opinions, some facts and an occasional rant from the Wild Road Tripper (WRT)

The next two weeks should be -- should be -- very interesting.

The question is, however: How will fans react as the process unfolds?

Will Minnesota Wild fans actually care if Marian Gaborik, the top unrestricted free agent in a lot of minds, actually does leave the only franchise he has ever played for in North America? Or, will Wild fans actually feel relief that the two-season saga of Gaby's free agency is finally past them, regardless of whether or not he re-signs with the Wild or (Oh, My!) joins his BFF, Pavol Demitra, in Vancouver?

And, what about the Wild roster? Some say it is in dire need of a complete rebuild; others say all it needs is minor tweaking. In any case, the face of this franchise will indeed change between now and the start of training camp in early September. Owner Craig Leipold has willed it so, espcially with the resignation of Jacques Lemaire and the termination of Doug Risebrough following the now-infamous 'Managed Expectations' remarks at the Lemaire presser.

And what of the new regime? New GM Chuck Fletcher needs to make a splash in order to let the rest of the NHL know the old Habs era in St. Paul is, indeed, dead; and Todd Richards, this year's wunderkind coach prospect, will have to deal with pulling together a roster populated with men who, until now, were disciplined if they showed any offensive creativity whatsoever, regardless of the result.

I'm really not sure what to think of all this. To be honest, I'm of the 'I'll believe it when I see it' school. Until now, Fletcher and Richards have publically said all the right things, have done the right moves -- including the dismissal of DR's former assistant, Tom Lynn (a move for which few Wild fans shed tears over after it was announced) and numerous press interviews (a 180-degree opposite of the DR regime and their 'We know what we're doing, why do you question us?' attitude which earned Risebrough the derisive nickname 'Smug' in later seasons).

As for Gaborik, hockey's most petulant superstar forward, when he can show anyone in hockey -- anyone -- that he can hold up to an entire season's grind without missing major portions of said season due to injury, his value will sharply rise, and he will be paid as one of the top 20 players in the world. Until then, he will have to bide his time, work on his game, and hope that someone will take a flyer on him. The Wild are willing to, within reason, take that chance. Reportedly, a $7M/year offer is on the table; for how long may be the major stumbling block. I'm not sure that many other teams (most of whom cannot fit Gaborik under a shrinking salary cap) can even afford to sign one player for that kind of money. The Wild are one of the few teams that can. And, with the new style 'ramped-up' offense being inserted, this team has unlimited potential for Gaborik to thrive in.

Having said all that in favor of Gaborik staying, here's the reasons that Gaborik will go:

A new start may just do Gaborik good. It has, again, been reported that Gaborik has not been happy during his time in Minnesota, primarily due to the money issue, but that the contentious nature of his relationship with the now-departed Risebrough has not endeared him to Wild staff members, most notably the hockey operations staff. His 'me, me, me, it's all about ME' attitude, not normally prevalent amongst NHL players, has not exactly endeared him to his teammates nor Wild fans, either.

The rancorous nature of the negotiations up to April 16, the date of DR's dismissal -- where Gaborik's agent (Ron Salcer) would not even talk to DR, even though that both were only 10 feet apart at a Wild practice session -- is also a point of contention. When Salcer's local contact person gets permanently ejected from the locker-room level of the Xcel Energy Center due to an ongoing argument between that person and DR, all players who Salcer represents (Gaborik, Brent Burns, Nick Schultz and Derek Boogaard) must sit back and take notice.

Gaborik might be happier as the focal point in, say, a post-Sedin Vancouver playing alongside his BFF, Demitra, although if anyone thinks the press in Minnesota is bad, the fourth estate in Vancouver is ten times worse. Every Canuck practice is covered by both print and electronic media, and no, you can't pull a DR and permanently close practices to everyone in Vancouver.

Gaborik may just wind up in La-la land, when the Kings need to make a big splash (even more so since the two teams they most directly compete with for sports entertainment dollars -- the Anaheim Ducks and the NBA's LA Lakers -- both recently won titles) and Kings' owner Phil Anschutz, playing with all the money in the world, can afford to sign Gaborik and place him along Anze Kopitar, the Kings' home-grown superstar center who is in desperate need of someone to play alongside of.

So, there's the quandry. Does Gaborik go, or does he stay and enjoy the new 'unleashed expectations' of the new look Wild, a look that was basically created for him to thrive in?

I really don't know what to think right now...

MVP doesn't necessarily mean "best"

By KiPA

First, a congratulations to all the NHL award winners.

The awards show also likely sparked discussion in at least some parts once again of "Who's better, Alex Ovechkin or Sidney Crosby?" I even saw a poll that seemed to indicate the majority of voters believe Ovechkin winning two straight Hart Trophies is more impressive than Crosby winning the Stanley Cup.

Personally, I think that's absurd. Winning back-to-back MVPs is impressive, sure, but when the playoffs started, do you think Capitals fans were saying, "I hope Ovie wins MVP again" or, "I hope we win the Cup"? OK, they probably were rooting for both, but if they had to pick just one, which do you think they would've chosen? Which would you have rooted for more?

The goal of any sport is to win the championship, not a regular season award. Or at least, it should be. If Caps fans settled for just winning the Hart, then...well, more power to them I guess. I know that I was rooting for the Penguins to win the Cup far more than for Evgeni Malkin to win the Hart. I'll take the Cup and the Conn Smythe over the Hart any season.

If Ovechkin wins 10 Hart Trophies but no Stanley Cups, and you offered him a trade of those 10 Harts for one ring, do you think he'd accept?

Having said that, I don't think there should be any question that Ovechkin deserved the MVP. He did. I don't think you need to look any further than the shots stat, which shows Ovechkin took more than twice as many shots as any teammate (528 to Mike Green's 243) this season. Most Penguins fans - say, 99.9% or so - label Ovechkin a puckhog. I say he knows that the best way for his team to win is to score, and so he shoots a lot in order to do that.

With apologies to Nicklas Backstrom, Alexander Semin and Green, I don't think the Capitals are a playoff team without Ovechkin. I know Detroit still makes the postseason without Pavel Datsyuk and Pittsburgh most likely still makes it without Malkin. I think that's the definition of "most valuable player."

I have little problem also with Ovechkin winning the Lester B. Pearson award as "most outstanding" player. He's the player who "stands out" the most, because of his ability to get shots on goal and beat the goalie.

But I still don't think Ovechkin is the best player in the league.

Nor am I going to make the argument for Malkin or Crosby.

There are two ends to the hockey rink. And I don't think the best player in the league can be described as someone who can score a lot but doesn't pay the most attention he could to the defensive zone (Ovechkin); or someone whose game is elevated by elite teammates (Crosby); or someone who, for all his razzle-dazzle, can make some costly gaffes and doesn't seem to bring it every night (Malkin).

Shouldn't the talk center around Datsyuk as the best?

He's won two straight Selke Trophies, evidence that his defensive game is phenomenal. He's scored 87 points or more four straight seasons, including 97 the last two, so he adds an impressive offensive game to the defense. Datsyuk is outstanding in the faceoff circle, which means he gives his team more opportunities to possess the puck.

Being the best player isn't about simply scoring the most or making nifty plays and passes with the puck. Or at least, it shouldn't be. Ovechkin's the best at scoring goals because he has a tremendous shot, ability to get the puck through traffic and the desire to score.

Datsyuk doesn't score or hit as much as Ovechkin but he trumps his fellow Russian in a lot of other facets of the game. Usually it's in ways that don't show up on highlights, which is probably why so many people believe Ovechkin is the best player. By the way, Ovechkin led the league in giveaways with 107. But he does get a lot of goals.

It's hard to go wrong picking among the four. By choosing Datsyuk, not only are you getting a premier offensive player, you get someone who's going to shut down the other team's skilled forwards as well. He's better overall - that's offense and defense combined - than any of Ovechkin, Crosby or Malkin. Shouldn't that make Datsyuk the best "player"?

Then again, defense wins championships, not attention. Only goals make the highlights. So, sorry, Pavel, you have to settle for that other hardware you've won.