Author: David Shama

New head coach Todd Richards has made a solid impression in his first few months on the job for the Wild but what isn’t well known is Richards might have become the Pittsburgh coach last season, according to an NHL source.  Pittsburgh fired coach Michel Therrien in February and wanted to pursue Richards who was an assistant at San Jose but the Sharks wouldn’t give the Penguins permission to interview him, according to the source who requested anonymity.

Instead the Penguins hired Dan Bylsma who had been coaching Pittsburgh’s American Hockey League affiliate team.  The rookie coach directed the Penguins to a Stanley Cup championship, beating Detroit in seven games.

Neither Bylsma or Richards had ever been an NHL head coach until this year.  Bylsma had replaced Richards as head coach of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for the 2008-09 season.  He had been an assistant there to Richards for two seasons.  The two had working relationships with Chuck Fletcher who until becoming general manager of the Wild last spring had been assistant GM in Pittsburgh.

After the NHL season ended last spring, the Wild and all the teams with coaching vacancies were interested in Richards, according to another NHL source.  A lot of research on candidates by Wild owner Craig Leipold and Fletcher convinced them to hire Richards.

Richards, 42, hopes to have his team in the Stanley Cup playoffs next spring and the team’s recent play (won six of the last seven games) indicates that might happen.  Prior to the season the Wild weren’t considered among the league’s most likely playoff teams.

The Wild has shown determination under Richards.  Earlier this week the Wild led the NHL with five wins when behind after the second period.  The Wild has trailed opponents in nine of its 14 wins.

Richards has developed a solid relationship with his players who respect him, according to sources.  Even for an NHL coach, Richards is a hard worker and his personal values have impressed inside and outside the Wild organization.

Like any team, the Wild hope their best players, led by forward Mikko Koivu and goalie Niklas Backstrom, stay healthy. “They will make a good run for the playoffs,” a source said.

Vikings quarterback Brett Favre was one of the newsmakers featured Wednesday night on ABC TV’s “Barbara Walters Presents: The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2009.”  He was the only sports figure included and unlike everyone else wasn’t shown in an interview during his segment.  Walters read a script about Favre’s career while viewers saw him playing football and speaking at his Green Bay retirement news conference.

I don’t know who to credit but a GopherIllustrated.com reader researched the first three rounds of the NFL draft during the last 15 years.  According to his research, the Gophers had three players drafted in that span, the fewest of any Big Ten school.  Among major college programs only Duke with two had fewer players, according to the research.

At the request of Sports Headliners, Mr. Basketball chair Ken Lien provided his early season rankings of the best teams in 4A, 3A, 2A and 1A.  His top five in big school 4A are: Hopkins, Henry Sibley, Stillwater Area, Minnetonka and Tartan.  Benilde-St. Margaret’s is No. 1 in 3A followed by Columbia Heights, Patrick Henry, Johnson and Winona.

The top five in 2A are Plainview-Elgin-Millville, New London Spicer, Crosby-Ironton, Sibley East and Pequot Lakes.  Minnesota Transitions is No. 1 in 1A followed by MACCRAY, Ellsworth, Sebeka and Maranatha Christian.

St. Joseph’s, a team that plays the Gophers tomorrow at Williams Arena, played No. 3 ranked Villanova close on Wednesday night, losing 97-79.

Point guard glut?  The Timberwolves own the rights to two young point guards in Jonny Flynn and Ricky Rubio.  The best player in next year’s NBA draft could well be Kentucky point guard John Wall.  If the Wolves pick No. 1, they could be forced to  expand their point guard depth, although trading the rights to Rubio might be a likely option.

St. Thomas’ famed O’Shaughnessy Hall will close in early January, 70 years after it opened. The final sports event will be held there tonight starting at 6 p.m. when Gustavus and St. Thomas compete in a men’s and women’s swimming dual meet. O’Shaughnessy Hall is the oldest swimming venue being used by a Minnesota college or university, and one of the state’s oldest on-campus college buildings that hosts varsity sports events.  O’Shaughnessy Hall, built for $400,000, will be demolished this spring and the $66 million Anderson Student Center will be constructed to replace it.

Coach Steve Fritz and the St. Thomas men’s basketball team are ranked No. 3 by D3Hoops.com for the third consecutive week.

Former Hopkins basketball player Trent Lockett has been playing about 25 minutes per game as a freshman for Arizona State.  Watch his dunk: https://www.youtube.com/user/ASUAthletics#p/a/u/0/vKuMb6o2n0o

The Wild’s Andrew Brunette was tied earlier this week for third in the NHL with seven power play goals.  His career high is 11 in 2005-06.  He has 10 goals this season, giving him 12 straight years with 10 or more goals in the NHL.

Wild prospects Matt Hackett (goalie) and Marco Scandella (defense) were recently named to the roster for Canada’s World Junior Team Selection camp.

Six Minnesotans were named to the preliminary roster for the U.S. World Junior team: Justin Faulk (South Saint Paul, United States National Team Development Program); Jake Gardiner (Minnetonka, University of Wisconsin); Danny Kristo (Eden Prairie, University of North Dakota); Mike Lee (Roseau, St. Cloud State University); Jordan Schroeder (Prior Lake, University of Minnesota); and Derek Stepan (Hastings, University of Wisconsin).

Twins front office workers will move from the Metrodome to Target Field at month’s end.

Gophers football coach Tim Brewster addressed rumors about his interest in the Kansas football coaching vacancy this afternoon.

“I have had no contact regarding the position,” Brewster told Sports Headliners.  “I haven’t spoken to anybody.  I have no interest in any other job besides the University of Minnesota.”

In answering questions about how the rumors may have started, Brewster said it wasn’t possible that anyone representing him officially or as a friend might have contacted Kansas officials without his knowledge.  Yesterday published stories linked the Gophers coach with the Kansas position which opened recently with the firing coach Mark Mangino.

Brewster has two years remaining on his contract and he wants to build the Gophers into a Big Ten champion.  Brewster said today that he and Gophers athletic director Joel Maturi have discussed the topic of a contract extension but didn’t reveal details or timing.

The rumors of Brewster being a candidate for the vacancy at Kansas added an unwelcome element to the Gophers football situation.  Concern No. 1 is the negative impact on recruiting.  A question about who will be the head coach is a sure way to cause recruits to lose interest. This month the Gophers and other football programs are heavily involved with recruiting high school and junior college players for next season.

Brewster’s commitment to Minnesota will also encourage his supporters who have been confused by the rumors.  They see Brewster as a dedicated coach and recruiter trying to rebuild a program that for years hasn’t been able to win even half of its Big Ten Conference games.

The Gophers football team is scheduled to begin practice for its Insight Bowl game this afternoon.  Tomorrow a news conference with bowl representatives is to be held on campus to help promote the December 31 game in Tempe, Arizona between Minnesota and Iowa State.

The Gophers finished their regular season at 6-6.  A win over Iowa State would give Minnesota a 7-6 record, the same as last year.