Author: David Shama

An NHL insider told Sports Headliners he’s perplexed like the media and fans about why the Wild haven’t signed All-Star goalie Niklas Backstrom to a contract that will keep him here beyond this season.  Backstrom, who turns 31 on February 13, is in his third season with the Wild and will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.

“I think they’re absolutely nuts if they don’t sign him,” the source said.  “I don’t understand it.”

Backstrom’s play has been a positive during a disappointing season so far for the Wild.  He’s tied for second in the league in shutouts with five and among the top five NHL goalies in save percentage, wins and goals against average.  He has 24 of the Wild’s 25 victories.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, thinks Backstrom might be the best goalie in the NHL.  He said a team like Detroit, looking for goaltending help, will pay market money or beyond to add a talent like Backstrom.

There’s an assumption the Wild don’t want to pay Backstrom $35 million or so for a multi-year deal, as sportsillustrated.com reported recently.  The Sports Headliners’ source, who has pro hockey coaching and front office experience, said the Wild’s strategy might be to save money on Backstrom and spend it on acquiring players who can add offense to a team that frequently struggles to score goals.

Presumably this means the goaltending job goes to 24-year-old Josh Harding who has played in only 11 games this season and just 50 during the last four seasons here.  His won-loss career record is 17-23, and he’s won a game this season. The source is skeptical about Harding being able to replace the talented Backstrom, saying “I wouldn’t count on that.”

The best move is to keep both players, he said, because there is “no place to be better fortified than in goal.”  But the Wild apparently think that at least part of Backstrom’s success is coach Jacques Lemaire’s defensive system that does produce low scoring games.

Other teams may see Backstrom, though, as a valuable addition as soon as the next few weeks, hoping to add him before the NHL trading deadline on March 4.  Backstrom could possibly help a team go deep into the playoffs, perhaps even winning the Stanley Cup.

The Wild, with a 25-21-3 record and 53 points, are 24 points behind San Jose, the leading team in the Western Conference.  The Wild are bunched with several teams trying to make the playoffs and there are some doubters including the NHL insider who doesn’t think they will qualify. The team’s chances of acquiring value in a Backstrom trade certainly appear better than moving former All-Star forward Marian Gaborik who has been injured and missed most of the season.

Gaborik may return to the Wild by mid-March but both he and the team are in challenging positions.  Gaborik has been injured so much during his career that the NHL source believes he will have to take a one year deal someplace else for next season to prove himself.

The source added that the Wild can’t “get anything now for him” and that Gaborik, after the strained contract negotiations, isn’t happy here.  When Gaborik becomes an unrestricted free agent next summer his career in Minnesota will be over, said the NHL insider.

With the Vikings’ willingness to spend money, is it possible they could make a run at free agent quarterback Kurt Warner?  The 37-year-old had an impressive season helping Arizona to the Super Bowl but there’s speculation he might not return to the Cardinals.  The Vikings have one of the most expensive payrolls in the league, despite being last in NFL revenues.

Former Vikings’ assistant coach Dean Dalton said Warner’s backup, seldom used Matt Leinart, could help the quarterback situation here.  “I think in time he will be good,” Dalton said.

Leinart isn’t a “gunslinger” type quarterback but has enough skills to fit with a team like the Vikings, especially if Minnesota can add another big play receiver, Dalton said.  Leinart only played in four games (no starts) this past season, his third in the NFL.   Leinart has a reputation for leadership and touch on the ball but isn’t a quick decision maker, according to Dalton.

High school and junior college football players can sign their national letters of intent on Wednesday and the public is invited to attend the Gophers’ signing day party at the Gibson-Nagurski Football Complex.  Coach Tim Brewster will comment on recruits and show highlights beginning at 6:30 p.m.  The event starts at 5 p.m. with registration available at www.goallineclub.com.

Neither Rivals.com nor Sporting News magazine have the Gopher class ranked in their top 25 listings.  Scout.com has the Gophers at No. 45 in the country.  Brewster said Minnesota’s class (21 or 22 signees expected) will be smaller than many other schools and that’s a reason for the lower rankings than a year ago when some sources had the Gophers in the top 25.

Brewster describes his incoming class as “excellent,” and predicted there could still be a “surprise” addition or two to the list of those who have verbally committed and are already expected to sign letters of intent.  “I think when it’s announced (the rankings of schools after Wednesday), we will jump up,” he said.

A tireless recruiter, Brewster said he was in Indianapolis, Chicago, St. Louis, Shreveport, New Orleans, Miami and several schools in Minnesota last week.  “I know how to pack,” Brewster said.

Sporting News ranks Breck wide receiver Bryce McNeal, headed to Clemson, the No. 30 player in the country.  The magazine picked Gopher recruit Matt Garvin, a defensive end from Eastview High School, as one of six “sleeper” defensive players nationally.

George Blackwell, a former pro baseball player and now an amateur coach here, believes Gophers’ wide receiver Eric Decker can make the major leagues as a left fielder.  Decker, a junior, will play baseball for the Gophers this season and skip spring football.

Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor told Sports Headliners he doesn’t know what to expect regarding Kevin McHale’s interest in coaching beyond this season.  He doesn’t believe McHale has made a decision and an announcement may not come until after the season.  Taylor said McHale might want to coach beyond 2009 to continue improving the team, eventually leaving on “his terms” with a better product than seen here in awhile.

When the Lakers were in town Friday night they were without legendary coach Tex Winter.  The former Kansas State coach and long time Lakers’ advisor, now 86, doesn’t travel with the team but still consults with head coach Phil Jackson.  Instead of a consultant, Winter refers to himself as an “insultant,” said assistant coach Frank Hamblin.

Royce White of Hopkins High School and Rodney Williams of Robbinsdale Cooper have known each other since grade school, according to White’s grandfather Frank White.  The two Gopher recruits will compete against one another tomorrow night when Hopkins plays at Cooper.

Hopkins is rated 17^th in the country in USA Today’s national rankings of prep teams. That’s the highest ranking for a Minnesota prep team within memory.

The Gophers’ four remaining Big Ten Conference home basketball games are near sellouts, according to Jason LaFrenz, assistant athletics director for marketing and ticket sales.

U sports historian Dana Marshall sent an e-mail regarding former Gophers Lindsay Whalen and Janel McCarville being on the ballot for the March 8 EuroLeague All-star game. Whalen plays for ZVVZ USK Prague, and McCarville for CSKA Moscow.

Former Gopher Blake Wheeler, now with Boston, is tied for second in plus-minus rating in the NHL.  Zach Parise, born in Minneapolis and the son of former North Star J.P. Parise, is tied for third in the league in goals, playing for New Jersey.  Former Gopher Thomas Vanek, with Buffalo, is also third in goals.