FOTR Ep85 | Michael Russo | Can Wild split Kaprizov and Boldy? | Who belongs in Minnesota vs Iowa?

FOTR Ep85 | Michael Russo | Can Wild split Kaprizov and Boldy? | Who belongs in Minnesota vs Iowa?

Hey Sodapod listeners, you can catch every episode across our network on the Sodapod audio and video feeds Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, wherever you get the good stuff. Um, and of course every week, Fellowship of the Rink dropping generally on Wednesdays. On today’s Fellowship of the Rink, we have recap from Gophers versus Boston College. Also a little look ahead to just what an incredible rivalry and a big weekend coming up against North Dakota. We’ve also got Mike Russo and Joe Smith jumping in to break down just what they’re seeing initially here for the Minnesota Wild. Three games in this is recorded before the Dallas game. Keep that in mind. This episode of Fellowship of the Rink brought to you as always by our incredible friends Waggleolf. Everybody, go to getyouwagalon.com. Throw in promo code SP10 to take 10% off your entire order. Primarily, everyone, if you haven’t already, go and check out right away the new corduroy hat collection. Magnificent. And of course, our new friends, Zambon’s on 7th, the best place for you to celebrate, enjoy, have great food, great beverages before, during, and after every Minnesota Wild game. Now, go for talk. Sundays are fun days at Zambon’s on seventh restaurant and bar. They love hockey, they love St. Paul, and they love bingo. Their charitable gambling sponsors are St. Paul Capitals Youth Hockey, and they’ve partnered with them for Sunday Bingo with great cash prizes, including a $1,000 coverall game. Take advantage of free street parking on Sundays and stop in for great food and drink, cash prizes, and of course, THC raffles during Zambonies on 7th, Wake and Bake, and Smashmouth Pizza brunch bingo Sundays. Come get it. All right. Fresh off another I guess you can’t even say weekend of gopher hockey when the games are played on Thursday and Friday. Well, that takes us into a whole philosophical question on like when does the weekend start? Is it when you clock out on Friday? Is it 12 a.m. going into Saturday? I don’t have a weekend, so I am the wrong person to ask about this. Yeah, you have the the weirdest existence. Like Sundays are maybe sometimes my day off. We’re not going down that rabbit hole, but we’ve got uh I mean a good matchup between BC and Minnesota. Uh, I was able to be there on Thursday. I keep on wanting to say Friday, but Thursday, uh, and then ended up getting tagged in for fatherly duties. So, uh, Isa randomly just texts me as the game starting. He’s like, “Yo, you at this game?” I’m like, “Are you?” Yeah, I bought tickets last minute. Like, okay. So, we we got both perspectives. But let’s talk Let’s talk the high marks first. Javon Moore first career gopher goal. Great to have it. Um he’s like you can tell there’s like little like stutter steps here and there like him trying to figure out his spot, but he’s going to be a beast once he like gets comfortable and kind of comes into himself. Him him and Romach I feel the same way about like both of them once they’re like fully comfortable they’re going to be menaces. Um there’s still some work to do there. Um, we have uh the the Brody clan, Brody one, Brody 2, factoring in for the other two goals for the Gophers on the weekend. And Issha, I didn’t even look it up. I should have. I don’t know what the active streak was. And it really became a very fun joke for us. A good copium if uh you will. The streak of shootout losses is done. Finished. We don’t have to talk about I didn’t even know there was a a loss streak. Oh, dude. Now I have to look it up. Um I have my own gripes with college hockey shootouts in that like you don’t even win the game. It’s It’s all about Yeah, the weird college standings. It’s It does, I believe, count for a win if it’s conference play, but I might be misspeaking there because you have to have a winner, I think, for Big 10 play, right? But because it’s non-conference, I think they do just call it a tie. It doesn’t matter because you needed that bad juju erased. I’m going to see if I can pull that up. But you were there watching. Let’s just talk the shootout specifically. Oh, I mean what I will say was electric because the game was a pretty tight game overall and then with BC coming back late when you know typical Minnesota sports the Gophers just had to hold on a little bit longer. um that the Maruchi wasn’t full, but when the shootout was going on, it sounded like it. So, the energy that it brought was awesome. And right after the first goal, it like the the boys are just oozing confidence that I we just knew that it was going to be wrapped up and and delivered. And two amazing goals as well from uh well, Mooney has nasty hands and skates like the wind. He he was awesome throughout the entire game. Like did he get did he get pushed off the puck at times? Yes. But he was right back there in the battle with the one I’m not going to be mad at though. Like he eyes, dude. He goes out and he the body craves contact and he doesn’t back away from No, I thought honestly in game two and just to sum up the shootout like it was electric. Um every opportunity was great. Uh I mean Ary had a hell of a game overall and you know brought that same energy to the shootout. So, I wasn’t based on how they played, I wasn’t scared that they were going to lose in the shootout. I figured they were going to capitalize on it because the biggest takeaway from that game was the Gophers capitalized on all their opportunities. They just got bullied overall at every play. Every play. Like at the end of every whistle, someone was in their face washing or something. the Gophers. Every hit that they let up on, they got pawned at the end. So, it was just kind of annoying to see that there wasn’t a good flow from the Gophers overall. There’s a few lines that played a little bit more aggressive. I’d say that like Brody Lamb, the middle stats, and you know, Mooney really like held held their own and actually made some statements in return. And it got just a little chippy at the end from from both sides. But overall, I would say like the Gophers finished a couple more of their checks and just kind of matched that energy. Didn’t didn’t have to go full psycho as like some of the guys did on BC, but it worked because BC tied it up towards the end. Dude, it’s so much funnier than it should be. Um before Friday night, Minnesota’s only home shootout victory was on December 30th, 2007 against Air Force in the Dodge Holiday Classic Consolation. Crazy. Um the crowd was so fired up. They had lost 11 straight shootouts overall and 11 straight home shootouts. And before LJ Mooney and Tanner Lud Ludky’s uh goals, they had missed 28 straight shootout attempts and had converted just one of their last 37 attempts. And the actual day counter from 07, which again, like that factors in how many times are they actually in shootouts, but still the streak was 2,65 days. That’s probably the worst record in like shootout hockey globally, like across every single league imaginable. So, okay, that’s why the that’s why the crowd was losing their minds. I get it now. Well, no. 100%. Good thing I Good thing I captured some of the video. Yeah, it’s a significance. Like, I’m almost sad that the joke doesn’t exist anymore because it was always like fun to just fall back on that when you’re sad that the team lost. That’s why so many people there there was a few people in our section who were leaving and I was like why are you guys leaving? Like we know what’s going to happen. Well, it was insane leaving. It’s insane leaving that uh that parking lot as well after games. And of course, it’s two guys that are new Gophers. We needed fresh blood. We needed We needed a kid out of Pennsylvania and we needed a guy that’s already played elsewhere and has scored a college shootout goal before coming to the golfers. bring all the good juju shootout fixed. It’s not going to matter in the postseason, but it it’s just Yes. One of those things that you get way too excited about when you shouldn’t, but with the history, you have to. But you you hit on it. Like I the biggest comments I was getting on f on god damn it there. I did it again on Thursday were about the physicality. And in the first period, I actually like kind of saw it differently. I pushed back a little bit. like Rambach was one of the guys that got picked on and I thought in the first period he was holding his ground. He was positioning in front of the net and at least trying to box guys out as the game went on. He and the whole team like it yeah the physicality was lacking in general. It’s like you can’t even pull like oh you should you’re just Canadian when it’s like they literally held up on some of their checks and it’s like I’m not asking you to bury this guy. I’m not asking you to do anything like that. Just show that like I’m in this. Not like, “Oh, I’m not even going to hit you and just go for the puck.” And then two seconds later, boom, you get rams sacked. It’s like, “That’s on you.” And now the puck sacked. Yeah. Ramansacked. Ramsacked. Did I say that? No, you said ram sacked. Like you ram into someone like that’s that’s how it makes more sense. Um, god damn. Um, but it was very funny that the biggest guy on the team and a guy that’s gotten a lot of hate, I’d say, just in the prospect circles, the big man, you know who I’m talking about. Boston Bruins draft pick, fresh out of prep school. Oh, you don’t know who I’m talking about. I don’t. The Canadian prep kid that’s like 6′ n. I think he’s actually like 67. What’s his name? I can’t tell if you’re messing with me or not. I’m I’m I I’m not. I must You don’t remember Z freaking out about them taking him? I remember I remember Zeke talking about the guy, but like I I ain’t keeping tabs on him like I like I am Stevie Lecovar right now. You’re really going to try and devolve this into Stevie Lascoar now? Always. I mean, at least it’s like wild related. I I could be talking about freaking New York’s kid, but I won’t. How did we make that spin? Well, he’s just doing his thing out there. And I know you’re a huge fan, so I I don’t care about him one way or the other. It’s more everyone else’s obsession. It’s just because we don’t, you know, we don’t see that type of player anymore. Speaking of that type of player though, Ryan Reeves gotten a good scrap good scrap recently. And is it weird now that we talking pro hockey right now? Sorry. Sorry. I’m just saying is it weird that like no visor now is weird? You know, I was so used to it for so many years and now I s there and I was like, “Oh my god, no visor.” No, it it definitely catches your attention and it is weird going back and forth between pro and college, too. Just like it it it almost helps normalize like, yeah, whatever they’re wearing is just whatever at this point. I don’t care. I love the college hockey guys coming into the NHL like uh Faber and Zeve and just having the visor like as high as possible. I love So as soon as I saw Blooms, I was like, “Oh yeah, let’s go. Let’s go.” Yep. That is the move. Uh the name that’s actually really interesting that was playing for BC that like I had to do a triple take on on Thursday night. Got it that time. Yes. Luca Ratavoyovich. Okay. Son of Bronco Ratavoich. wild player and he is like labeled as being Slovakian but his birthplace is listed as a Dina Minnesota. Oh, no way. So, that’s very fun. Um I I know the player now you’re talking about. He was number I think he was number two on Boston College. I don’t know his name but yeah, he was not not number two. Okay. Well, number I just I just remember number number eight. Oh, number two is also very big. Sorry. Okay. I was gonna sayinski is a big boy. Yeah. So he was he was the noticeable bigo. I I didn’t think I’d have to drag you through it that long. Dean Lerno. Oh, okay. Okay. No, he was the noticeable monster. He was funny because I watched him like literally go for a check. I might have been on Cal Thomas. I don’t remember. But like didn’t even know that Latererno was coming and Laterno just tumbled. Not Not a great look for a big boy like that. But anyways, the physicality big thing to focus on, but this is a good team. Like I I think the the 10 and 11 rankings respectively for or no 11 and 12 maybe it was for these two teams like I think they’re both top 10 teams. I think BC if they figure a couple things out like I still think they’re a fringe top five team. They’ve got some really good players. Um but they’re same things as the Gophers. big losses. Both in kind of a similar spot in that like a lot of their like top top prospect and like right to the NHL team type of guys are gone, right? So they’re both by committee teams now with younger guys coming up in big roles. So I I actually really liked you know the matchup and it it was good that you know similar rankings. Yeah, I I I thought it was a really good win in that as well. It’s like, well, the the most important thing though, you mentioned, again, I didn’t watch the Friday game, so I can’t speak to it, but what do you recall your big break point for Friday night? Um, I mean, it took a while for the cycle to get going, but once once they were in the offensive zone, every opportunity for me, they they crushed it. And then on the other side of the of the the ice, Ary Arie was awesome. That’s what I wanted you to talk about. Yeah, he he’s gotten a lot of grief. People are like very skeptical. Talk about him stepping up. Oh, so focused. Tracked the puck well. If there wasn’t anybody in front of him, kind of like Gustin in that first Wild game, he was he was saving it. Uh, great up against the post. There was some like spinarama attempts and he was on it every single time. I thought, yeah, didn’t get out of position, didn’t get caught up out of play. uh played the puck extremely well. So I I just thought like I had no Yeah, I I had no bad things to say about him that game. And then like again once the shootout started I was like there’s no way he’s letting one in unless it’s like the nastiest, you know, Mike Rivero type move out there. Mike Rivero, come on. Go better than that. All right, let’s talk then. Anyone that doesn’t know somehow Issha extremely thoroughly Canadian pretty much always said that Canadian junior hockey was light years beyond anything grew up in the ‘9s with a junior A and WHL club in my backyard. But now the best players from that top league are fleeing for college hockey for500,000 to a million dollars I should say. It wasn’t that much actually. But anyways, that being said, before that shift happened, he accepted college hockey as a real sport because the gateway game for him. I took him to it would have been two years ago I think two or three two three that hits I know um three years ago he went with me to 3M Arena in Maruchi as they hosted University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks and he left that game being like uh yeah college hockey rocks go Gophers North Dakota that was basically the message. Yeah. I wanted to be a Biji fan so bad and I was like it’s not going to happen now. Um Yeah. And you know what? Like there may not have been any fights on the ice, but there were some fights in the stands which was I think there were two little Donnie Brooks. Um it was just like the fans were so passionate and again like Well, dude, that was that was the Rhett Pitlick stick game, too. Yeah. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. He freaking threw the stick in the audience. That was like 10 rows close to our section. Like, wasn’t like a few rows in front of us? It was like 10 rows in front of us. Okay. Well, still still it wasn’t like the opposite side of the ring, but yeah. No, that was incredible. I I I’m still to this day not even mad that he did it. I loved it. Um yeah, the obviously it’s like unique because it’s such a rivalry game, but the traveling fans were awesome. Um the home fans were great. Couple scraps in the audience. This crazy chick in front of us with her like family. And by the way, like she she was texting with like the text size on like times 10 so like everybody around could just like read it and she’s like these guys behind me they suck and blah blah blah. And we’re like we’re just saying it to us but Yeah. Yeah. Well that was like to start we’re just talking about the game and like you know soft penalty. Oh what the hell ref blah blah blah. And then at one point she looks back she goes can you guys just shut the f up and we’re like oh my god. Your mom’s parents look over there like sweetie please stop. Yeah. I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry. She’s texting the whole time. These it’s like you traveled here. I’m sorry that you came to the belly of the beast and thought that like you know there’s people fighting over there in like section whatever. So like chill fans are in for one this weekend as they travel to North Dakota. I I’m so I want to go up there. Dude, it’s it’s unreal. I’ve only been once. I went uh god I think it would have been four years ago now then. um went with our buddy from the uh RIP in peace uh brewery formerly known as Revelation ALS up in Hock. But uh dude, I was in the nosebleleeds of nosebleleeds and it was still a great seat. Nice. And I actually didn’t get nearly the guff that I thought I would. And the Gophers won that game pretty handily, too. Like I thought I was going to get like attacked, but people were like pretty chill. Like we hate each other, but it’s generally like from a place of respect. Like I wouldn’t hate them so much if they weren’t so good and if it wasn’t such a great rivalry. Like Wisconsin’s my exception. Wisconsin I just hate because they exist. Period. Like it’s not a respect thing. I don’t respect them at all. North Dakota, I hate them, but it’s in a respectful way. And I think like you see it from like guys like Gage Osmus all the time and like that guy bleeds green more than anyone. He will come out and say like I hate all of you but like I hate you because like but without you this wouldn’t be thing here. Yeah. Without you being a fan of North Dakota wouldn’t be as much fun. It it is people can argue however they like. There is no better hockey rivalry than Minnesota North Dakota. And that goes for pro and college. Yeah. It’s so funny. for so many years. Calgary Flames fans were like, “Oh, there’s a rivalry between Vancouver and Calgary.” And it was like, “Dude, the Sadines literally, I think, beat you like 20-3 in their time with the Canucks.” So, just there was never a rivalry. There was never a rivalry. I feel like that’s how people talk about Wisconsin these days. It’s like we’re not a fan, but like there’s no rivalry. Gophers pretty much always win. But no, no, no. I’m I’m saying like the the existence of the state, the university, like I just don’t want anything to do with any of Wisconsin. Some of the people are fine. As a Toronto sports hater, I I respect it. The fans, I just like we we don’t we don’t get along. Again, as a Toronto sports hater, nothing but respect for that take. But that’s what we’ve got. A big matchup. We don’t have the updated rankings yet, but I know North Dakota did just sweep St. Thomas, which like I don’t know, maybe they’ll prove me wrong once they start playing in their new barn, but I don’t think they’re going to be anything to write home about. Like, if they can squeak into the top 20 throughout the season, they’ll be happy. I think they were 19 coming into it. They’ll be fine. Like, they’re well coached team. They’re on the come up, but I think we got a little out ahead of the skis a couple years ago and everyone’s like, “Oh, they’re coming for the Gophers.” It’s like eventually. I agree. like they’re they are in a position where they can absolutely do big things once they’re in the NCHC. It is really cool to see the rise so fast. Full recruiting classes in like they will be a problem. They are not that problem yet. They’re just I remember you you telling me when like um when the program you know went D1 that you know oh this is gonna be like a 10-year project and it’s like we’re three years in and it’s it’s it’s amazing to see the development but yeah let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Yeah I definitely didn’t give enough respect to just the location right like being in the Twin Cities that matters. It does. Yeah. Well, I was talking to some friends, too, and they said where like the high schools in that area were feeders to other, you know, teams now in programs. Well, now they have the home the home uh the home team. Yep. So, that’ll be interesting to see develop. Wait, hold on one sec. One sec. Correct me if I’m wrong because I know you’re a fans player. Wasn’t Jordan Shrader a St. Thomas High School kid? Yeah, St. Thomas Academy. So, there you go. Right. Like those those talents are going to probably Tommy Novak. Another one. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. I just do Sher because I know you love Shrader and so many so many Canucks fans wanted him to succeed. If if Phil Kessle didn’t exist, Jordan Shrader would hands down be my favorite Gopher. Yeah, Ballard can go to hell. But uh Shrader, I’m just kid. Keith seems like seems like an awesome guy. I’m just a very salty Canucks fan. Yeah, clearly. But no, uh big matchup this weekend. Again, two teams that should be ranked pretty similarly. like I can’t see Gophers going down too far based on a matchup with BC that was more or less a a wash. Um North Dakota can’t rise too much from getting two wins against St. Thomas. So like we’re talking somewhere in the range of like 8 to 12 matchup. It’s going to be awesome. It’s going to be fun too to see they got a couple of your guys down there now from uh the old WHL. Yeah. I just Yeah, it’s it is weird and unfortunate that North Dakota’s become such a revolving door. Like feels like they are so aggressive in the transfer portal every year. You never know who their goalie is going to be season to season. It it takes away a little bit, but like I don’t care. The rivalry will never fade. Whenever they match up, the hate is going to run deep. Yeah. And I know I’m the filling guy here, so I just want to get this in because I don’t know if I’ll be on the show or talk with you or Joe about this uh before it happens, but in a month’s time, end of November, huge team coming uh to Maruchi. And I’m going to try to hit that one up too because to see another WHL kid, the biggest Oh, Penn State. Yeah. the biggest star from the WHL who left in uh Gavin McKenna gonna be playing with Penn State there as well as you know some other nasty players and Eerman and no Eiserman um yeah but like that’s this is what we’ll end it on because it was insane anyone can be upset not upset whatever with how the Gophers played lack physicality this weekend Thursday night was like unhinged college hockey night it’s why we don’t play college hockey on Thursdays. Typically, Penn State goes down 64 to Clarkson. Michigan State goes down 43 to New Hampshire. That’s uh 4 and2 in the country, respectively. And on banner night, Western Michigan loses 3-2 to Ferris State. It was unbelievable watching all that unfold. College hockey is crazy every weekend. You never know what’s going to happen. Yeah, it’s nuts. I was I was talking to a couple people then I saw your post about it too and I was like everyone’s just losing their minds right now. Mhm. But a wrap. We’ll uh we’ll get into more. I’m sure there will be no shortage of things to talk about on the Gophers following a weekend in Grand Forks. I almost said Fargo. All right, on to Wild Hockey. Zambon’s on 7th Restaurant and Bar at 174 West 7th Street, right across the street from Grand Casino Arena. We’re going to keep calling it the X. More than just your go-to spot before, during, and after all your favorite downtown events, Zambonis on 7th is now your spot for late night downtown eats on game days, event days, and plain old regular days, Tuesday through Saturday. Zambonies on 7th is now serving their delicious tavern style pizza as well as fried specialties late into the night. Check out their menu online at zambonson.com or stop by for a few beers, cocktails or sodas and dig in. Zambonies on 7th before, during and after. Way after. All right, we have officially started the Minnesota Wild season and as such we got Joe Smith, Mike Russo here to talk about. And guys, let’s just start with what do we think so far? Blanket statement. Well, first of all, Jody, do you recognize the uh hotel room I’m in? That that blinds. Oh, the the blackout blinds or whatever it is. So, y do you do you recognize this hotel? Is it the Dallas? You had a traumatic experience here once. The Dallas Weston? No. No. The Dallas uh wasn’t it at the Marriott that the thing? It was It was at the Marriott. Yeah, I was in Marriott when I thought my life was in danger the last time I was in Dallas. Story. Yeah, tell the story. U which is why Roose was on this trip. Um partly uh the last trip to Dallas I was at I had like a upgraded room so it had like a hallway and it had like an extra like living room area. But it was like 3:00 in the morning. Um and all of a sudden I heard the door open. Like not a knock on the door, just like the door just opening like the sound of it. And so I was like freaked out. about it like what is going on here? And so like I get up and it’s all dark, right? And looking down the hallway, all of a sudden there’s this guy with this like wheeling a cart, you know, with like a drill and stuff. And I’m like, what the hell are you doing here? And uh a maintenance guy apparently. They said allegedly, I never found out who the guy was or or what, but at 3 in the morning to have a maintenance guy allegedly coming in to fix something like a router or something like that, uh was a little odd. So had a fun conversation with the manager the next day. Um, and I’m now I have 10% share of Marriott. Thank you very much. Yeah, I was actually hoping that I kept my door unlocked last night hoping it would happen to me. I would own Marriott if that happened to me. I would have a free trip to Hawaii if this happened to me. I’ I’d have half a million Marriott points if that happened to me. Um, did you, by the way, uh, know that like apparently we’ve been mispronouncing Marriott for like ever? Did I send you that video? Marriott. Is it Marriott? Yeah, it’s Marriott apparently. So, yep. And and uh three years ago when the playoffs were here, I I was getting death threats. So, so far both Joe and me love coming to Dallas. So, so if there could be any other playoff matchup but the Wild and Dallas, that’d be great. Even Winnipeg. Exactly what it would be. Um but yeah, I mean the start of the season like clearly, you know, some interesting games so far. like you, you know, go from two Monday night’s game where Walstead had a heck of a performance and bounced back after they coughed up the third period lead there to to come through and win. So, um, game one was just in St. Louis with the the five to one win and a power play showing up and I don’t know what to make of the Columbus game, Mike, but um to be start the season two and one heading into this, you know, fivegame road trip obviously puts them in a better footing, but um there’s still some questions on this team that need to get answered, but overall to have some there’s also a lot of positives uh to get going on with this team. Yeah, definitely. And one of those positives is the power play. Eight power play goals right now. Their penalty kills actually been really good. I know they gave up the five on three goal a couple nights ago and then uh last night had the one in the in the third period, but it’s been really good. Obviously the huge four on three kill in overtime yesterday, but but their special teams have been good. You know, who would think it that you know with a team that’s usually really good five on five that right now five on five scoring is their biggest uh concern. Um you know, their top line’s been outstanding. They haven’t gotten much production from any of the other lines. Obviously Harpon scored a couple huge goals in in opening night in in St. Louis. So, um, right now more to like than not like, but but you know, going into a five-game road trip, which tonight we know it’s going to be really tough against Dallas on a second of a backtoback when they’re rested. Um, you know, that’s where a lot of the concerns that I have could rear its ugly head. Um, you know, how long can you keep Baldi and and Capri off together if it’s just going to be simple for these five teams on the road to check them? Um, you know, really focus in on one line. So, they’ve got to figure out a way to get the second line going. I think Johansson there actually works better right now than anybody else. Um the question is can Terasenko at even strength get going. He has three power play assists but hasn’t done much at at even strength. Um I thought their fourth line looked much better than it did in its first two games yesterday. Uh so you’re off at center makes sense. They just sent Hunter hate down which makes a lot of sense. Iowa’s off to a one and two 0 and2 start and that they’ll get him playing and and and a lot of minutes. Uh the big question I have Joe is is David Durichek next? Um, I don’t know when this pod comes out, so maybe we’ll have that answer by then. But I think with eight defenseman on the roster and Hunt being clearly a waiver risk because Columbus would just likely take him back and put him right in Cleveland. Um, if Urak’s the eighth defenseman on the trip and they get out of tonight’s game healthy, I think they send Uric right to Charlotte tomorrow on the same plane Hunter hates on, you know, uh, you know, I think they’d be going to to Charlotte. Um but uh but regardless, I don’t think there’s any reason to really carry AD um right now. I think getting him playing makes a lot of sense. We’ll see. Yeah, he needs to play like and again like there’s a lot of things to like about your I think there, you know, he’s got the size, he’s got the shot, he’s some offensive instincts like there’s things there’s tools there just he’s not a finished product yet. Uh very much a work in progress. And when you have some of the mistakes that he’s made in the games, I don’t think, you know, necessarily the coaching staff trusts him completely yet. And they’re in a position now where every point even early in the season matters. This road trip is going to be very difficult that they they probably feel more comfortable, you know, obviously having Begoian who’s played well, I think, uh, with Bullum and the third pair and then you they’ve changed the pairs around for Monday’s game. So, uh, nothing wrong with him getting more playing time and he’d play top pair minutes in all situations in Iowa. And so I think he’ll be back, of course, if this if he is indeed sent down, but there’s no need for him to be watching the press box with Golagoski or me or you, whoever. So I think it’s important for him to play. Yeah, I think it was good to have that one game the other day where he sat with Golagoski the whole time, but Goose isn’t going to be on the road trip. Uh so so it makes sense to, you know, have him go go down and and um you know, that St. Lewis game was a perfect example where sometimes it tests is more valuable than analytics and uh he might have been plus three that game and their analytics for B goian and Uric might have looked fine but you know one big reason for that is that the mistakes he made you know St. Lewis just wasn’t efficient with them and didn’t even get shot attempts off. So, he had the one, you know, the one uh uh mistake that he made where he put the puck on Thomas’ stick, but Thomas over skated the net and didn’t get a shot off. So, that doesn’t even get measured into Uric’s numbers that night. And same thing when he got walked at the blue line and took the penalty. Same exact thing. So, I don’t think he was very good that night. Um, so I just I just think that that would make a lot of sense. Um, but we’ll see. I mean, this is obviously conjecture and I think the fans like asked like how do you know if the guys are ready or can be ready unless you give them a chance, right? People talk about that with your off chance. Yeah. Like what’s I’m saying like we had that column on Monday, the insider like they they obviously have these young guys, they want to play them and they want to give them a chance, but John Hines probably under more pressure than anybody in the organization more than like Garren more than anybody else. He wants to win games and he has to put guys they trust there. So, it’s a it’s a balancing act of giving them enough chances while also knowing if you have capable guys on your roster to play, you play the best team that gives yourself the best chance to win. Yeah. And that’s why you have a minor league is, you know, the Iowa. That’s where he should work out some of these kinks. You know, he’s got all the raw talent in the world, you’re check, but but he’s he makes two or three plays and he did throughout every preseason game that he was in that just you’re like, what are you doing? It’s it’s hockey sense things. It’s knowing where to be on the ice. It’s it’s things like that. And just talking to a lot of the Columbus people the other night who obviously had are familiar with Uricch more so than even us, you know, they say that’s been his mo. You know, we we talked so much about his skating when he when he got here, but skating to me is not an issue with him at all. It is more upstairs and making the continued continually making the same mistake over and over and over again. So that’s got to stop and and it they can’t afford it when points are so critical in the early season to have him making those those type of mistakes. And can you guys explain for fans just like what is the gap there? Like is it realistic that he can get there mentally or do you reach a certain point where it’s like okay he’s not going to figure it out? I mean, you know what? I guess I would be a little concerned that he’s making the same type of mistakes. I think it can be taught, but you know, the one thing I’ll not that I noticed at the end of the preseason in St. Louis is that you could see him thinking on the ice. You could see him wanting to instinctually go behind the net and then realizing, “Oh, I can’t.” And having to get back. So, right now, a lot of the things that he’s fixing, he’s trying to compute, but it’s not instinctual yet. Um, so I think it can. Um, look, he was a great great player coming up in juniors, but when he dominated that World Junior Championships, he was also 20 feet above, you know, higher than these guys. I mean, he was a huge man playing against kids and and, you know, now he’s he’s he’s he’s sort of, you know, everybody’s sort of caught up. So, I don’t I don’t know. Um, I would say that, you know, I’m I am the king of like he’s just 21, give him time, but I am a little concerned on when he’s going to work get these kinks out of his game. I know the Wilds still have all the belief in the and trust in the world uh with him. Um and I think that he has it. I mean, you see the raw talent that he has on the ice. He does things that are very very special. It’s just getting these little, you know, huge event moments in games out of his game. And I think on a positive note, you know, for as far as like the prospects goes, Yurov made his Angel debut on Monday night. Uh and I thought, Mike, I thought he looked pretty good. He looked solid. He didn’t blow you away, but he’s not that kind of guy that blows you away, right? He’s a very smart player. He won faceoffs at 75% of his faceoffs. He was on the forche. Um, so I think as you mentioned that fourth line looked better on Monday night. So when think of his debut and I think that’s a sign of things to come where if he gets I liked it. I you know there were times in that third period and that where where Hines was trying to get that line out there in areas where we didn’t see them the fourth line with Hunter Haye in the middle in the first two games getting that type of trust. Um I still think there’s a lot more from Liam Oberin that I’d like to see or he’s going to wind himself down in Iowa at some point. Um, but what I liked about about Eurovv, and we just talked about Urich, is that a lot of the things that they worked with Eurovv on in training camp, grit, battles, all that we saw. Um, you know, the first period that line didn’t get a ton of ice time because of the power plays, but but they started to play more and more. So, it you know, first good game. Um, you know, I I feel bad for this kid still. His parents are trying to get his visa. His significant other is trying to get her visa and and it’s just like they can’t come. So, he’s also just alone on this island, you know, playing these games. So, I think it’ll be great for him to get to New York next week. I think he’ll feel a lot more comfortable on this road trip. He’s going to play the Devils. He knows a lot of those guys from working out with him in the summer, guys. He’s going to play the Rangers. He worked out with all those guys. So, there’s going to be this comfort level, I think, in a game like that. his agents will come to the games uh in New York and New Jersey as well. Um maybe even Philly. So he’ll have like now people around him that he knows whether he’s competing against them or or you know to take him to dinner and things like that. So I would not be shocked if we see a much more comfortable dinner off in the coming games coming up. And I think give the other guys credit too. I I think Carill and and Terasenko had been really great with him. Um, I’ve seen them work with him after practice and talk to him and, you know, Capri off telling him like, “Hey, your time is going to come. Your time is gonna come. Just be ready and this is what to look for.” And funny, Capri off even translated for him other day the morning skate, which kind of funny them looking at each other back and forth like, “How much should Krill help you?” Krill’s like, you know, like this. And so it’s kind of fun. Uh, yeah. to speak English, you know, and uh so I think having those guys around him has made a transition a lot easier. Whether it was Carell taking in Billy Sushi the other day or Terasenko washing his clothes for him or just kind of being those are always the most awkward interviews by the way. Like you do that a lot during a Stanley Cup final or or East or conference final because they’ll be they’ll put multiple people on the podium and a lot of times they’re sort of in relation to each other. So, like, you know, I you’re talking to Barkov and Lendell, but you got to do this feature on Lendell, but you got Barkov next to him. So, you’re asking Lendell like, “What does Bararkov mean to you?” And it’s always those funny moments that actually lead to some personality in your articles. Yeah. No, absolutely. So, like I think I think you’re awful. He’s going to be on his way up there. I think he’ll get a chance to play natural position and center and he’ll uh maybe, you know, if the second line doesn’t work out the you know, the next few games, they need to do something, Mike, cuz like Well, yeah. I mean, it’s like, you know, that they don’t want to break up Baldi and Capri off, but if you’re on the road, you might have to consider that at times. Um, you know, if if it looks like they’re you’re getting no offense from everybody else because that roster line’s been so good, but they’re they’re at some point they are going to be, you know, enveloped, so to speak, by by the opposition. So, um, you know, um, I actually think that having Johansson there makes a lot of sense right now. Um, you know, unless you’re going to move up. Obviously, Felino really didn’t work there. They got to get Terasenko going at even strength. He has three power play assists. Um but but you know, at least Johansson has, you know, the ability to get the puck in the zone and he can deliver the puck. I mean, the one thing about Jojo is that he is, you know, got really good skills, got great hands. We saw with that overtime winner that Capri scored last year, how inc, you know, that last second one, how incredible a play that Johansson made. That might have even been in the finale if I remember, uh Joe. And then um you know we saw the play that he made to Hartman in game one for the first goal of the season. And last night Johansson had a great uh play right to uh Terasenko uh that that just got you know deflected at the last second. So I do think that that he probably makes the most sense right now until they can either make an acquisition, get Zukarelloo back or one of these kids starts playing above their means right now and and you could feel comfortable putting them in that type of role. So, if they were to break up Baldi and Capri off, like what do you see as the ideal top six? This interview is brought to you by our friends at Waggle Golf. Waggle Golf believes what you wear on the course should reflect your individuality. Who you are, where you’re from, your hobbies, interests, and passions. All the stuff that makes you well you. That’s why every design is inspired by the desire to create a piece of apparel that strikes a chord when you see it. That makes you say, “Wow, that was made for me.” Because in a lot of ways, it was. Ready to get your wagalon? Go to getyouwagalon.com. Throw in promo code SP10 at checkout to take 10% off your entire order. I mean, I I would probably if they were to break them up or you’re talking when Zukarella gets back. I I mean, like you’re saying on the road, they might have to just because of matchup situations. You know, I I mean, really, the only option would probably be put Jojo on the top line or Terasenko on the top line and have a Johansson Baldi, Eric’s neckline or a you know, a you know, a a drill line. Yeah. Yeah. Um, that might be have something that they might have to consider. I didn’t know that nobody wants to do that because the two of them have been so good together, Baldi and Capri off and and your and Rosie always is going to be the forgotten man on that line even though he doesn’t he doesn’t deserve it. Hey Mike, is the jersey safe for a little bit at least? Do we right now? Yeah, right now it is. Right now the Wilders swimming in center prospects. I got Strael and Ben panick and Riley height and Hunter hate and you know so I don’t know for how long Scott just for now that that works. Let’s uh talk goalending a little bit. Uh I know Russo you jinxed Gus with your opening night column on him for the next game though uh we’re not necessarily worried about Gustoson and what he’s going to do this year. I thought really was an important moment I think was was well set on Monday night. his first start coming off that really rough season and you know it really could have been a one of those moments where it’s like you know you blow a three-goal lead and all of a sudden lose and how you feel about yourself going into this week and he really had a mindset that was really strong and sharp and he really knocked it down in overtime and four shootout attempts and you can talk about the celebration how much excitement and also like validation or relief or whatever but he said he thought back to that last year in that those moments like I know what it’s like to mentally break down I know what it’s like to kind you know, get lost or like, you know, have a losing attitude and he just flipped the script and that’s really showed a lot, I think, to me about what he can be this year and and I don’t know what you thought about that game, but what could have a lingering impact. Yeah, I agree with you. I totally um you know, and that’s one thing we saw in the preseason. He had two starts where he gave up a couple early goals and settled in and was great. And this one could have crumbled him. Um the guy on the other end end of the net, Keer, we used to see that all the time from him where he was great and great and great and then all of a sudden he would just crater on a couple goals and um we saw that in Minnesota and last night volley. I mean the way that he rebounded in both you know shootout but especially on that threeon four where he looked so at ease and everything was like almost in slow motion. I thought he looked outstanding and and and so that’s a good start. It’s first home win. It’s putting last season a little bit behind them. They’re going to need him, as we’ve talked about a gazillion times, to win games this year. He’s going to have to probably play in Philly. Um, you know, because I would assume that, you know, Gus gets tonight’s game in Dallas. I would assume Gus gets the Washington game. Uh, just because Gus was not very good in last season, um, in that weird game there with the Wild had a dominant performance, uh, out with a ton of shots and and just he was not very good. I think he gave up three goals on five shots at one point in that game. So I would think that Wallally’s getting the second of backto-back this week. So um really good. Um as you mentioned with Gus, great opening night. I wrote the column that said that uh this is why the Wild invested in him. Um and then maybe in game two I should have said maybe the Wild should have invested maybe in the obvious column there. So um so we’ll see. I mean I I do think that uh their goalending right now is the least of their concerns. That’s for sure. Yeah. And I think it’s a testament too that we pretty much did the whole rundown of all the kids and William didn’t come up and he’s usually the first person we mention with that. Like has he just fit in seamlessly and just feels like he belongs immediately? No, definitely not. Um uh no. I I I think that’s why he was on the third pair yesterday. I I and I think that’s where he should be uh right now until he’s ready to play 24 minutes a night with Spurgeon. uh you know, Columbus the other night exposed him at even strength um playing that type of minutes, which is why they uh secretly um you know, at the morning skate it didn’t look like this, but why they going into yesterday’s game, Middleton was back in the top four and Buen was in the third pair. He’s going to be a great hockey player. He’s awesome on the power play. Um but but you know, right now, um I think this is probably they’ve got to figure out a way to maybe lower his ice time, especially on the road. So I I like Boyham a lot. I think he’s going to be, you know, a tremendous hockey player, but he’s 19 years old. Um, you know, and I think that against Columbus, he he looked at at times at even strength, think like 24 minutes, you know, which for 19 year old is pretty, you know, you’re going to get some tough moments in that stretch and like he’s got such a great attitude and confidence about it. Like even if he has some mistakes, I think he can bounce back from it nicely. So, um, but yeah, I think putting him in a kind of a pairing role and and not having to force feed him to too many more the situ you have the depth to do it. You have the guys, the veterans to play that way. I have no doubt that by the end of by sometime this season, he’ll be more in the top four too. He has that capability. But, um, but yeah, watch him on the power play, it’s kind of a risk versus reward, but when he’s on, it’s a whole different level than we’ve seen with the Wild on the power play of how he can kind of dance around and like like ever find Carrill and Baldi like those guys just in motion. It’s like poetry and motion there that they’re finding a way. Well, that’s the one thing about their power play that I love right now is is the motion. Like Terraenko is doing it too. Um, you know, it’s creating chaos for the penalty kills and we saw that yesterday the last two games. Their penalt play has been so good and boy just fits in like a glove right now. And I I think one of the guys that, you know, with the the changing of the lines last game, uh, really kind of gave them a little bit more of a shutdown line with Felino and Hartman and and Trenion a bit. Um, and I think Hartman’s had a really good start on the season. Kind of picked up where he left off last year, which I think it’ll be really important with Nico Sturm out. You know, they need some centers to to deliver and um, you know, clearly if they get the Ryan Hartman from the to Vegas series over the course of a long season, it’ll be a whole different level. I think, you know, different element they could have up the middle for this team this year. Yeah. I mean, and look, you know, they could even move him to wing at some point if he’s going to continue to play like this. I think that’d be tough just because he’s been so good in the faceoff circle. Although last night going against Copitar, he wasn’t very good. But but um but I I do think that, you know, Hartman is really picked up where he left off in the playoffs. Uh he’s come into camp in outstanding shape. Um you know, I wish he’d like to I wish he loved to talk about himself more. He’s hard to write because he doesn’t, you know, he doesn’t give you much when you ask him about his own personal play and how well he’s playing. Um, but you know, look, he had a a great off season. Mentally, he has admitted that he’s thought way too much about that offsides the way that I’m sure John Hines, Bill Garin, and the entire fan base has um because the Wild would have been up 3-2. But look, I mean, Hartman, you know, he’s not going to blame Gus Nyquist or anybody for that. That’s just, you know, it’s it’s tough when you score a goal like that and you think you’re going to maybe help lead this team to its first round first first round advancement in, you know, a decade and then and then next thing you know, you’re off sides. Um, but that’s h that does happen to everybody. I mean, Adam Beckman will probably never score an NHL goal because of Ryan Hartman. So, so it happens to hardy, too. Yeah. There’ll be a 30 for30 episode one time of all the guys that got their only goals in the NHL taken away from them, you know. Yeah. And the guy said buying them dinner the next day is not going to help very much when you lose your first NHL goal to do it. Um um Joe, did you have anything else before we close with one final one from Waggle? No, I mean I think obviously it’s only, you know, three or four games in at this point when this thing drops. But um you know, clearly there’s, you know, a lot of intrigue about this team going into the year. There’s still some questions that need to be answered, but um I think going into this trip with some of the highlights that they had should give fans some kind of encouragement going forward that there are some some bright spots ahead. But uh this trip will be a really big one and probably really difficult one too to see where they end up at the end of this road road trip. Yeah. How do I get one of those waggle hats by the way that Joe was wearing the other day at practice? That blue one I like. I got one coming for you. That one I got to see cuz they don’t have that one on the site, but I think they might have it in one of their like brick andmortar spots. So, I will either snag that or we will find another suitable replacement for you. But uh you can put it on the uh company card, go to one of their brick and mortar joke and put it on the athletic. There you go. Oh, no. We we got it coming for you. Don’t worry, Mike. Final question brought to you as always by our good friends at Waggleolf. First, make sure you head over to getyouwagalon.com throw in promo code sp10 to take 10% off your entire order. Guys, I’m sure you’ve been asked this plenty, but not something I’ve had a chance to ask either of you, and I I do think it’s something that some Wild fans understand and others are kind of questioning. You see Capriovv sign biggest deal in league history and then subsequently you’ve got the Connor contract, you got the McDavid contract, you’ve got the Eel contract. Do you look at the Capri off contract any differently because of those? I think it’d be a lie if I said that I didn’t. Um, you know, look, he was always getting probably more than Dry idol at 14 million. It’s every team is a different situation. I feel like I feel like Conor McDavid’s in a in a class by his own. He he he, you know, intentionally we knew that he was going to sign under market value. I don’t think any of us thought he would be a million and a half under Dry idol. Um but that look, that’s the way he wants to do on a shorter term deal. He’s going to have a chance to strike it rich. He’s also Conor McDavid. Uh he’s going to have generational wealth till the day he dies because he’s Conor McDavid. Or maybe Capri off is not going to really get that at least in this country. Um maybe he will when he goes back to Russia. Um, so it’s it’s very different where where I don’t like is that the other guys seem to be willing to play ball and Capri just listened to his agent and his agent tried to sque and we said this, you know, throughout even when we were worrying on what this meant that he turned down the original contract. I think that we all sort of hoped that that maybe at some point he was just listening to his agent and would instruct his agent to just get it done. But clearly that is what happened. But his agent, just even by the fact that he countered the $17 million deal with a more lucrative counter offer, it just shows you that he was trying to, you know, he had the wild by the, you know what, and he was trying to get every ounce of penny. I don’t think he makes Carrill look great here, you know. Um, you know, I mean, I just wonder deep down what Matt Baldi thinks that he’s making 10 million less than him. Matt Baldi, though, at 29 years old, is going to be able to make an absolute fortune. So, so, you know, he he’ll make it up. Um, so I mean, again, I think it you know, if it’s 14 and a half versus 17, how, you know, is it a big deal? I think it is because the Wild are going to have to pay other guys. This does take him out of certain players every, you know, every penny you spend more. Um, it just makes Carrill not look the greatest that it when it comes to all right, you want to win, but really, how much do you want to win? Um, you know, what’s more important to you? So I, you know, that’s just my initial gut, but I think the Wild had to get it done and and uh Carl Capri off he’s already shown three games into the season is worth every penny. And I agree with Mike on that his point there and also on more on the wild side like you know I know it see it is it would be seem to be an overpay at least at this particular point but I think Bill Garren’s uh point all along was like if he doesn’t sign here he leaves. this is a whole kind of a mess situation, you know, like you have to risk how much you maybe overpay a little bit here, but know that to replace him or to see him walk out the door. Um the five-year plan that Craig Leupold had would turn into to start over again and they have to figure something else out. So um you know, I think I didn’t begrudge the Wild from paying that money if they had it u for a guy like that who’s a irreplaceable financial player. But I do see, you know, the whole point that fans might have of he really wants to win. most important thing to him, which he said to us multiple times, you know, $60 million, 15 and a half, would that be fine? Um, it is his last contract most likely in his career. So, I skip that point of it, too, and the cap will go up and this will be a certain percentage. But, um, I think it all be this deal will be judged in the next three or four years versus the next three or four minutes. Yeah. And the other thing is, you know, this does take money out of Zukarella’s pocket when he signs eight one-year extensions. you know, he’s gonna price now just to stick around this organization. So, I mean, maybe part of the negotiation was I I just need a little bit of money on the side for my boy. That’s how he’s going to keep Zucarella just hanging out just for the vibes. Uh, do you think it I don’t think it’ll make a difference for fans, but do you guys feel like it makes a difference that Capriov’s kind of the first for Minnesota? like you can have this figure and you can build around it with a lot of contracts that are yet to come rather than trying to fit this in like what they’ve already got a bunch of massive contracts in place. Joe, I mean it’s always good to have cost certainty, right? You don’t have to worry about this for another nine years uh with him and know you will have to worry about I don’t know if Baldi is going to push past the $17 million all 100%. He might be a $25 million player by the time you know his contract four is it four more years I think it is like you know five right I think yeah 29 256 67 78 maybe four but still like he might be he’ll probably be passing Krill at that point right but it it does have cost certainty now but I think the whole point is in our story I think last week the insider was their window right now is the next three or so years right with with Krillinis Maintenance Prime Baldi on that contract Z William on his entry-le deal. You have Gus signed and like this is like the wood like the perfect storm or window for them to you know cap space to make the moves to to put them there because you know eventually these guys are going to age and guys are going to age out. So I think this is the the window right here the next three or so years. So and it is five years for Baldi by the way. So he’s they got him till 2030 at 7 million. Oh my lord. So act two and aquis x contracts terrific as well. But absolutely. So fun start to the season. Uh Mike enjoy Vegas. I will be doing the DC Billy New York version of the trip and uh we’ll catch up with you guys uh another time soon. Yeah, I won’t see you for a while. Joe, I’ll I’ll leave Sammy for you if you want. You can you can watch Sammy again. So yes, kiss you. Yeah, I’ll I’ll be out of town most likely. No thanks. We’ll give them to Scott. Thanks so much. Zambon on Seventh Restaurant and Bar right across the street from Grand Casino Arena in downtown St. Paul. You’ll find a joke at 8:00 p.m. on Wednesdays. Enjoy happy hour food and drink specials when you stop in for the shows. Or if you’ve got something to say and enjoy stepping into the spotlight, go to zambonson7th.com and sign up to join the show. Spots fill up fast and uh they do cap the number of comedians each week, so do not delay. Also, stay tuned for details on their once a month Friday night comedy show, Freaky Funny Fridays, beginning Friday, November 21st, featuring some of the hottest comedians in the Twin Cities. Zambon’s on 7th as a joke, but only on Wednesday evenings and the occasional Friday. Thanks again. You guys are awesome. uh appreciate you continuing to tune in every week. Again, if you haven’t already, or if you happen to be one of the new listeners, uh be sure subscribe across the platforms and definitely stay tuned for the upcoming weeks. We do have already a couple NHL players banked with interviews, uh some fun ones that are going to release, I believe, next week. Don’t quote me on this, but I believe Nate Schmidt is next week, and he was an incredible interview, which should shock absolutely no one. Um, but we’re going to do our best to keep bringing you the best inside information and the best interviews we can. But to do that, please let us know every week if there are things that you have top of mind, things you don’t understand, things you want to know more about, or just interview requests that you have across NHL. That could be media, that could be players, it could be Gopher players, past Gophers. Give us whatever you think would be a great interview, and we will do our best to secure the bag for you guys. But until next week, stay classy. State of hockey. [Music]

“Fellowship of the Rink” Episode 85 features:
– Gopher hockey
— breaking the shootout curse
— Nathan Airey stands tall
— Best rivalry in hockey
– Minnesota Wild (feat. Michael Russo)
— How have the younger players fared?
— Positives and negatives to the first few games
— Should Hynes split Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy?

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THE ATHLETIC https://theathletic.com/author/joe-smith/
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FOTR Ep85 | Michael Russo | Can Wild split Kaprizov and Boldy? | Who belongs in Minnesota vs Iowa?

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