Mikko Koivu

Minnesota Wild: Recapping an up and down first week

January 28, 2013

After one week of play, the Minnesota Wild sit at a pedestrian 2-2-1 record. Zach Parise has set the standard in the early season with 9 points including 5 goals. The top line of Parise-Mikko Koivu-Dany Heatley has combined for 21 points and has scored 10 of the Wild's 13 goals.

They've been great. The supporting cast has not. That goes without saying when three players account for 75% of a team's goal output.

It's still early, but early ,to paraphrase Yogi Berra, is a lot later in this 48 ...

Minnesota Wild: Season Outlook

January 17, 2013

Dillon Friday

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When the Minnesota Wild host the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday, January 19, it will be the most important regular season game in franchise history. The Wild faithful have been eagerly awaiting the end of the lockout perhaps more than any other fan base. Finally, they'll see Zach Parise and Ryan Suter in live action.

The opening night not only births a new era of Wild hockey, but also culminates “Hockey Day Minnesota,” an annual celebration of the game in the State of Hockey. Excitement is at an all time high. Thousands have already packed The Xcel Energy Center... for th...

Minnesota Wild Person of Interest: Cal Clutterbuck

July 12, 2012

Dillon Friday

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Cal Clutterbuck burst onto the scene and arrived in ill-humor, determined to singlehandedly bring back the raucous NHL of the 1970’s. In his rookie year of 2008-09, the mustachioed winger shattered the record for hits in a season with 356.

Just last season he slugged a linesman in the face, albeit accidently.

The NHL’s hit king, though, isn’t held in the same esteem as say baseball’s version might be. Clutterbuck to opponents is a pest, an agitator, a head hunter; a young, reckless punk who will likely injure himself if not an opponent before too long.

Minnesota Wild fans love him.

His relentless play is obvious to even the most...

Free Agency 2012: Wild add depth, wait on Parise, Suter

July 2, 2012

Dillon Friday

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While Zach Parise and Ryan Suter remain unsigned, the Minnesota Wild added needed depth as free agency began Sunday. Here's what fans can expect from center Zenon Konopka and right winger Torrey Mitchell.

Zenon Konopka- Konopka's role is simple: protect stars Dany Heatley and Mikko Koivu.

Via Mike Russo of the Minneapolis Star Tribune:

"Koivu is a superstar that maybe doesn’t get enough respect around the league and he should," Konopka said. "Heatley is a world-class player and we have to make sure those guys are taken care of and they feel very comfortable and nice. If they want to sit down at center ice and read the paper, ...

Game Preview: Flames vs Minnesota Wild

March 22, 2012

NickSymon

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Beep… Beep… Beep. The Flames playoff heart is still beating but with their current three game losing streak, the blood flow is slowing down.

The Flames head into Minnesota tonight to face the struggling Wild in a game where a W is a must. This will be the 6th and final meeting between the clubs this season and facing the Wild could be exactly what the Flames need to get back on the playoff track. After losing their first meeting of the season, the Flames have won the last four meetings against the Wild, outscoring them 14-7 in that process.

Injury-Riddled Wings and Wild Meet Tonight

March 2, 2012

A.K. Bennett

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It's been four months since the Wings and Wild met, and much has changed since. Tonight's game (7:30 PM, Joe Louis Arena) will be their final matchup of the regular season. The Wild stormed out of the gate and held a top spot in the West until December, but have fallen to playoff bubble status since. Detroit overcame an inconsistent first quarter of the season and is mired in a gridlock with Vancouver, St. Louis and the New York Rangers for the top spot in the league.

Minnesota leads the season series 2-1 and 2 of the 3 games have gone to overtime. Mikko Koivu (1G, 2A) and Devin Setoguchi (1G, 1A) lead the Wild in points against Detroit. Ian White and Johan Franzen both have...

Flyers Back Home To Face The Wild

January 17, 2012

Larry DAngelo

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The Philadelphia Flyers (26-13-4) have played 15 of their last 21 games in enemy territory and have returned home 2-2 from their most recent trip, which ended with a 4-2 loss in Nashville.

The good news for the Flyers is they will be home for three of their next five games leading up to the All-Star break.

In fact, the Flyers will be playing the majority of their remaining 39 games at home (23) this season.

Tonight the Flyers will host a Minnesota Wild (22-16-7) team who started the year red hot, 11-4 in November, but have since cooled.

Isles Look to Tame Wild

December 17, 2011

Brian Bock

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The New York Islanders will take on the Minnesota Wild tonight. The Islanders have been playing well lately, staying in every game they’ve played since breaking their long losing streak almost a month ago. Despite a 4-0-2 stretch which saw the young Isles climb back up the standings, their most recent games, regardless of their improved play, have not yielded the type of success they have needed in the standings. They have walked away from recent games where 2 points was well within their grasp.

There are many stages to a rebuild, and the Islanders seem to be on the right track for a slow, steady, and successful one. We saw this season during their long losing streak, that unlike last season when they took the ice for each game with a look of despair, that this team comes out of the locker room hungry and expecting to win every time they play.

The next lesson that this young group needs to learn is simple: Finish Games.

Hockey gone Wild!

December 10, 2011

Hockeybroad

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The Minnesota Wild haven't qualified for the playoffs since the 2007-08 season; but this year, they already have 41 points and are on pace for 115 points. Who would have foreseen the Minnesota Wild sitting atop the league nearly a third of the way into the season? Who is this new Wild team?

Minnesota began its team overhaul early in the summer, firing coach Todd Richards, and promoting Mike Yeo to head coach from their AHL affiliate, the Houston Aeros. When you look at Yeo's record, it is no surprise that the Wild tagged him as new coach.

MikeYeo, 38, is the youngest coach in the NHL - and is not that far removed from playing hockey himself: he was a member o...

Kings Fall to Wild, Hackett 4-2

December 9, 2011

Ty Fisher

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Ethan Moreau (17) skates off the ice as Mikko Koivu celebrates his first period goal.

The Minnesota Wild are the best team in hockey. Jonathan Quick was not at his best tonight. And well, that’s all you really need to know about last night’s contest from the Staples Center. The Kings fell by a score of 4-2 thanks to two defensive gaffes at the start of the first and second period. Any offense that was mounted by Terry Murray’s bunch was stifled by the outstanding effort from the other net-minder on the ice, 21-year old Matt Hackett.

Dustin Penner (!) netted his second goal of the year 3:59 into the third period of play, which ended Hackett’s shu...