Kukla's Korner Hockey
Category: Minnesota-Wild
Dean Evason On Last Night’s Hit To Kirill Kaprizov
by Paul on 01/07/22 at 01:56 PM ET
Comments (0)
Below, watch Mark Messier on the hit.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Minnesota Wild, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Multi-Year Extensions For Dean Evason And Coaching Staff
by Paul on 12/30/21 at 09:52 AM ET
Comments (1)
ST. PAUL -- Minnesota Wild General Manager Bill Guerin today announced the National Hockey League (NHL) club has signed Head Coach Dean Evason and the entire coaching staff including Assistant Coaches Darby Hendrickson, Brett McLean and Bob Woods, Goaltending Coach Frederic Chabot and Video Coaches T.J. Jindra and Jonas Plumb to multi-year contract extensions.
Evason, 57, was named full-time Head Coach of the Minnesota Wild on July 13, 2020 after being named interim Head Coach on Feb. 14, 2020. He has led the Wild to a 62-29-7 record (.668) in 98 games as Head Coach. Minnesota ranks fourth in the NHL goals scored (332), T-4th in wins, sixth in point percentage (.668) and T-7th in points (131) since Feb. 14, 2020. During that time, Minnesota has registered four winning streaks of five games or more.
continue to the Wild website for more....
Filed in: NHL Teams, Minnesota Wild, | KK Hockey | Permalink
A Tough Month For The Minnesota Wild
by Paul on 12/21/21 at 08:33 AM ET
Comments (0)
from Michael Russo of The Athletic,
For a team that recently won eight in a row to catapult to the top of the standings, the Wild have to feel like it’s been a month since they last won a game.
In the only NHL game played Monday night because of four postponements amid the COVID-19 positive tests wreaking havoc on a sport that will soon pause its season through Christmas, the Wild were happy to simply be playing again. Three of their final five games before the holiday break were postponed because of outbreaks on other teams.
Well, Minnesota now wishes the league included its latest game in the 49 of them that have been postponed in recent days.
The Wild not only lost their fourth in a row, falling to the rival Dallas Stars 7-4 on Monday, but also lost one of their crucial contributors, center Joel Eriksson Ek, to an upper-body injury with the Winter Classic just 11 days away.
“He’s one of our biggest heart-and-soulers. He’s everything for us,” linemate Marcus Foligno said.
Eriksson Ek, who had hoped to play in his first career outdoor game under the lights of Target Field on New Year’s night, left American Airlines Center with his right arm in a sling after being driven hard into the end boards by Stars defenseman Jani Hakanpaa in the second period.
continued ($$$)
Game highlights are below.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Minnesota Wild, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Video- Ryan Hartman Fined For Slew-Footing
by Paul on 11/22/21 at 11:11 AM ET
Comments (0)
NEW YORK (Nov. 22, 2021) – Minnesota Wild forward Ryan Hartman has been fined $4,250, the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, for slew-footing Tampa Bay Lightning forward Ross Colton during NHL Game No. 275 in Tampa on Sunday, Nov. 21, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced today.
The incident occurred at 16:28 of the first period. Hartman was assessed a minor penalty for tripping.
Video is below.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Minnesota Wild, | KK Hockey | Permalink
A Wild Win In Minnesota
by Paul on 10/20/21 at 06:53 AM ET
Comments (0)
from Michael Russo of The Athletic,
The Minnesota Wild didn’t need Xcel Energy to pump any juice inside the arena that holds its naming rights Tuesday night. With a capacity crowd excited to pack the arena once again after such a small number of fans were allowed inside last season, the kilowatts of electricity flowing through the building for a home opener that became an instant classic was absolutely off the charts.
Nearly 22 months passed since the last time the Wild hosted the detested Winnipeg Jets, but it didn’t take long for the rivalry to reawaken and, without a shadow of a doubt, reignite.
In a physical, chippy game that saw the Jets target Kirill Kaprizov over and over again, the Wild pulled together, stood up for each other and kept attacking Winnipeg’s net. In the end, Minnesota managed to rally from three one-goal deficits and ultimately one final two-goal deficit by taking advantage of an overturned Jets empty-net goal to miraculously force overtime instants later.
continued (paid)
Below, watch the game highlights.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Minnesota Wild, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Morning Line- Craig Leipold
by Paul on 10/07/21 at 07:06 AM ET
Comments (0)
“I think we have so many newer players on the team and the young guys are stepping up and it just seems like it’s a new chapter, We’re moving forward with new players, a new philosophy, a new locker room, a new captain and I think everybody’s embraced it.”
“This is Billy’s (Guerin) team, his charge is to get us in the playoffs and make us competitive and eventually win a Stanley Cup. Some of the moves that were made last (summer) were hard things and it was a process to get to the decision that Billy got to with Ryan and Zach. It wasn’t just like, ‘This is what we’re gonna do.’
-CraIg Leipold, owner of the Minnesota Wild. Michale Russo of The Athletic has more (paid).
Filed in: NHL Teams, Minnesota Wild, | KK Hockey | Permalink
A Five-Year Deal For Kirill Kaprizov And The Minnesota Wild
by Paul on 09/21/21 at 06:04 PM ET
Comments (6)
from Dan Myers of the Minnesota Wild website,
Breathe, Wild fans. Kirill Kaprizov is locked up for the foreseeable future.
Minnesota's Calder Trophy winner, who led all NHL rookies in goals and points last season, signed a five-year, $45 million contract on Tuesday on the eve of NHL training camp, which begins Wednesday with media day and Thursday with on-ice practice.
Kaprizov won't be there for the first few days of camp, as he has a number of loose ends to tie up he'll be allowed on the ice at TRIA Rink. He's expected in the Twin Cities shortly, but he'll have quarantine and perhaps a COVID vaccination to take care of before he's able to practice.
But the bottom line is, when the Wild opens the regular season on Oct. 15 against the Anaheim Ducks, Kaprizov will be there.
Wild General Manager Bill Guerin never panicked this summer as questions about Kaprizov's status became louder and louder.
"It'll take care of itself," was Guerin's common refrain, from June and July, right on through to this past weekend, when Guerin was again asked for an update.
"I honestly have nothing new to tell you," Guerin said on Sunday. "I'd tell you, but I really don't have anything."
Filed in: NHL Teams, Minnesota Wild, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Kirill Kaprizov Remains Unsigned
by Paul on 09/14/21 at 03:13 AM ET
Comments (0)
from Michael Russo of The Athletic,
Training camp opens next Thursday, the two sides haven’t spoken in more than a week and the Wild’s leading scorer from a season ago and reigning Calder Trophy victor remains in Russia without a deal.
The consistent line from Wild general manager Bill Guerin all offseason is “these things take time,” but time is of the essence now. It’s rarely a quick, easy process to get an unsigned European player to North America in normal times, let alone in the midst of a pandemic.
“There are gonna be some obstacles,” an exasperated-sounding Guerin admitted to The Athletic on Monday night.
It’s looking more and more probable that, at a minimum, Kaprizov won’t be on the ice when the Wild open training camp on Sept. 23.
If Kaprizov were to sign this very second, he’d first need to secure a work visa to travel to the United States. He’d also need to get tested for COVID-19. Then, once he arrives in Minnesota, NHL protocols state that Kaprizov would likely need to quarantine for at least seven days before being permitted inside the team’s practice facility.
read on (paid subscription)
Filed in: NHL Teams, Minnesota Wild, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Jordie Benn Signs With The Minnesota Wild
by Paul on 08/27/21 at 02:15 PM ET
Comments (0)
ST. PAUL -- Minnesota Wild General Manager Bill Guerin today announced the National Hockey League (NHL) club has signed defenseman Jordie Benn to a one-year, $900,000 contract.
Benn, 34, collected 10 points (1-9=10), a plus-7 rating, nine penalty minutes (PIM) and 51 blocked shots in 39 games with the Vancouver Canucks and Winnipeg Jets last season. He was acquired by the Jets from the Canucks on April 12, 2021, in exchange for a sixth round selection in the 2021 NHL Draft (Connor Lockhart). The 6-foot-2, 199-pound native of Victoria, British Columbia, added one assist in three Stanley Cup Playoff contests with Winnipeg. Benn has recorded 127 points (24-103=127), a plus-19 rating, 222 PIM, 670 hits and 908 blocked shots in 556 career games during 10 NHL seasons with Dallas, Montreal, Vancouver and Winnipeg (2011-21). He has tallied four assists in 23 career Stanley Cup Playoff contests.
Benn was originally signed by Dallas as a free agent on July 10, 2011.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Minnesota Wild, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Two Signings This Morning
by Paul on 08/16/21 at 10:00 AM ET
Comments (0)
The Wild signed Kevin Fiala to a one-year, $5.1 million deal and the Predators locked up Juuse Saros with a four-year contract, AAV is $5M.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators, | KK Hockey | Permalink
About Kukla's Korner Hockey
Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.
From breaking news to in-depth stories around the league, KK Hockey is updated with fresh stories all day long and will bring you the latest news as quickly as possible.
Email Paul anytime at pk@kuklaskorner.com
Most Recent Blog Posts
Video- #56 Goes To The Rafters In Dallas
Video- #30 Goes To The Rafters At MSG
Machine Gun Kelly Will Headline The Entertainment At The All-Star Game
The Ottawa Senators Want To Play Their Home Games With Fans At The Games
The Risk Of Having Evander Kane In Edmonton