KIRILL KAPRIZOV – Page 8 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Wild Owner: Teams Want Brock Faber, Won’t Get Him

Posted on May 28, 2024May 28, 2024 by David Shama

Want to get Minnesota Wild owner Craig Leipold in a good mood after his team missed the playoffs this spring for the first time since 2019 and only the second time in the last 12 years?

Then ask him about Maple Grove native, former Gopher and budding star Brock Faber. Playing in his first full season for the Wild, the young defenseman finished tied for second among NHL rookies with 47 points (eight goals, 39 assists) while leading first-year players in average time on the ice per game (24:58) and season (2,047:53). In 82 games Faber ranked first in blocked shots (150), tied for first in assists (39), third in power-play assists (13), third in power-play points (16), tied for sixth in power-play goals (three) and eighth in shots on goal (136).

“Oh, my God. He’s a stud,” Leipold told Sports Headliners. “He’s a great player. He played with some injuries at the end of the year that nobody had any idea (it was happening). He’s a smart player, very cerebral on the ice. Every team in the league would love to get their hands on Brock. That will never happen.”

Injuries to other defensemen presented increased playing time last season and Leipold said the 6-foot-1, 200-pound Minnesotan responded in a way “we weren’t expecting.” The Wild owner since 2008 thinks next season will be even better for Faber, including because he will be able to team with a veteran defenseman in either 30-year-old Jonas Brodin or 34-year-old Jared Spurgeon.

Leipold gushes about Faber for both his talent and character. “He’s just a wonderful kid and people love him in the locker room. He is so respectful. …He’s only 21 but he has the maturity and the presence of a player that’s been in our team and in our league for a lot longer than just one year.”

The Wild, with Wild GM Bill Guerin making a savvy trade in June of 2022 to acquire Faber, has him under contract through next season. Even after that he would be a restricted free agent allowing Minnesota to match any offer from another team. Speculation is Minnesota, could extend control this offseason by negotiating a new deal possibly paying more than $9 million per season.

That compensation would top Kirill Kaprizov’s reported five-year deal averaging $9 million per season. The NHL All-Star forward has two years remaining on his contract and the electric scorer is a player Wild fans fret about him becoming an unrestricted free agent.

The Wild can’t negotiate with the 27-year-old Kaprizov until the next offseason. In his first four seasons with Minnesota, the team has yet to advance beyond the first round of the playoffs and it’s expected playing on a winning team will be a factor in a decision regarding a new deal.

“He’s just like the owner (about winning). You know, I am not happy where we are,” Leipold said. “You know we had no luck last year. But we didn’t play particularly well to overcome some of the bad injury issues.

“So, everything about that is on the table and I think everyone of our players, not just Kirill, but they all want to see a path they can look at and feel confident that we have the right hockey operations with the right strategy to get us back into the playoffs. And frankly, just being in the playoffs is not good enough.”

Earlier in the month Leipold, Guerin and other decision makers met in the Bahamas for the club’s annual offseason planning meeting. Leipold described the gathering as one where “everything was on the table.” That included a three-year plan where the brain trust looks forward to next offseason when the Wild frees itself from reportedly $14.7 million in dead salary cap space from the payroll—the Zach Parise and Ryan Suter buyouts.

Asked about key things that need to change for the Wild to improve on last season’s team that won five more games than it lost, Leipold first mentioned the penalty kill, describing it “as bad as it’s ever been.” He also said: “Our faceoffs are not good. They haven’t been good for years.”

Scoring has long been an issue for Minnesota and Leipold said the offense was “great” by the first line, okay from the second, but the third and fourth under performed. He expects Guerin to address scoring in the offseason, hinting at a move that perhaps will be made outside the organization.

Goal tending, mediocre last season, is another roster issue intriguing fans in the offseason and for next fall and winter. Veterans Marc-Andre Fleury and Filip Gustavsson, and hyped prospect Jesper Wallstedt are in the mix, with Leipold predicting the team could start the season with all three on the roster. “Specifically, what we do with our goal tending is still up in the air,” Leipold said.

The Wild will head into training camp in September with John Hynes beginning his first full camp and season as head coach. He took over a slumping Wild team late in November, replacing the fired Dean Evason.

Was Leipold caught off guard when Guerin told him he wanted to change coaches? “No, I wasn’t surprised. I really like Dean and so does Billy. We needed to shake up the team and you can’t move 22, 23 players. You can’t fire 23 players. We made a move at coaching in hopes that that would shake them up. It did. So, we accomplished what we wanted to but the hole was a little deep and we couldn’t get out of it.”

Leipold said he and Guerin gave Hynes “a really high grade” for his first time leading the Wild, a team that was plagued by injuries. Leipold described Hynes as a strategic thinker, a coach who is willing to do things differently and is liked by the players.

And, oh, yes, there is another way to keep Leipold in an upbeat mood following a season he didn’t like. Ask him about the franchise’s season tickets renewal. He reports a 90 percent renewal figure, describing it as an “extraordinary rate” and a testament to the “State of Hockey.”

Gophers-Tommies Building Hockey Rivalry

The Golden Gophers won their hockey series with St. Thomas last October and it was announced today the developing rivalry will continue in 2024 as part of nonconference scheduling for the programs. The Tommies will play Minnesota on October 25 at 3M Arena at Mariucci. The two teams meet again October 26 at Xcel Energy Center.

The Tommies, who transitioned from Division III to Division I hockey in 2021, have an improving program. They played the Gophers in an instant classic overtime at Xcel Energy Center last season, losing 6-5 before an announced crowd of more than 11,000. The next evening (October 14) Minnesota won at home 3-0.

The Gophers announced their complete nonconference schedule today as the program enters its 104^th season. The schedule begins October 11 and 12 with the Gophers hosting the Ice Breaker Tournament at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. Minnesota opens the tourney against Air Force Academy on October 11 and continues October 12 against either Omaha or UMass.

More at https://gophersports.com/news/2024/5/28/mens-hockey-gophers-release-2024-25-non-conference-schedule.

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Golden Gophers Get Tournament Resume-Building Win

Posted on February 4, 2024February 4, 2024 by David Shama

The Gophers earned a resume-building win yesterday defeating Northwestern 75-66 in overtime at Williams Arena. Minnesota, 14-7 overall and 5-5 in Big Ten games, enhanced its goal of receiving the school’s first NCAA Tournament invite since 2019 with the victory. “That was a significant win for the program,” former Gophers head coach Jim Dutcher told Sports Headliners.

Northwestern, 15-7 overall and 6-5 in conference games, went into Saturday as part of the projected 68-team tournament field posted on ESPN.com by bracketologist Joe Lunardi. He had the Wildcats, who hold one win and an overtime loss against national title favorite Purdue, as a No. 7 seed.

The Gophers have won two straight games to reach the halfway mark of the Big Ten schedule. They outscored Penn State by 23 points in the second half to win on the road last weekend. Yesterday the Gophers trailed most of the second half but were clearly the better team than the Wildcats who turned over the ball an uncharacteristic 17 times.

Coach Ben Johnson, talking on the KFAN postgame radio show, said his team is improving and growing more confident. “We’re really good (in) second halves. We just have like a calmness to us. We have a belief. …They don’t get rattled. They don’t get flustered. …When it’s on the line and we gotta get a win they found ways to win games, and that’s a great sign of a team that’s maturing as the season progresses.”

The Gophers also have a win over Nebraska who Lunardi has as one of his last four teams making the tournament field that will be announced March 17. Minnesota can keep the resume building Tuesday night at Williams Arena against Michigan State. Lunardi has the Spartans, who defeated the Gophers 76-66 in East Lansing last month, as a No. 8 seed. They are 14-8 overall, 6-5 in league games.

Dutcher is clearly on board with how the Gophers helped themselves yesterday beating the Wildcats. “Yeah, absolutely. You know if you beat some of the lower teams it doesn’t mean as much. But when you beat a team as good as they are—not only this game but they had a really good shot at winning the Wisconsin game (lost 61-59 to the Big Ten’s second best team). …They played them (the Badgers) even pretty much all night.”

Wolves Could Trade for PG They Should Have Kept

Gersson Rosas made savvy moves when he was the Timberwolves president of basketball operations. It was a mistake, though, during the 2019 offseason when the club let hometown hero Tyus Jones move on via free agency to the Grizzlies.

The Rosas regime hired Chris Finch as head coach and his 2024 Wolves have a 34-15 record, tied with the Thunder for best in the NBA Western Conference. Personnel acquired by Rosas includes multiple contributors to the current Wolves starting with NBA All-Star shooting guard Anthony Edwards and another talented lineup regular in small forward Jaden McDaniels. Also, still with the Wolves and contributing off the bench are power forward Naz Reid and playmaking guard Jordan McLaughlin.

But oh, how the Wolves could use Jones, now playing point guard for the Wizards and a possible Minnesota target before the NBA tradeline of Thursday afternoon. Rosas, who parted ways with the Wolves in September of 2021, apparently didn’t believe Jones, then a reserve, fit in his personnel and pay roll plan.

The Wolves are a talented bunch but need help off the bench including for scoring and decision making. Jones is an exceptional offensive leader able to help others score and is averaging a career high 12.1 points per game. His presence with the Wolves would significantly help a roster short on basketball IQ and ability to make the best decisions in clutch situations.

When the Wolves face some of the biggest moments in the playoffs this spring, they will need basketball smarts to do important and subtle things on the court. Mike Conley Jr., the team’s 36-year-old starting point guard, aces the role but help is needed. If Jones were on the team, he could even play clutch moments with Conley and help direct the team. If Conley needs rest, is in foul trouble or not able to play because of injury, Jones becomes even more valuable.

Some players just know how to play the game and that’s been the profile on Jones dating back to Apple Valley High School, Duke and the NBA. The 27-year-old has led the NBA in assist-to-turnover ratio in each of the past three seasons, including a league-record 6.96-to-1 figure in 2018-19.

To make the salary cap numbers work, Wolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly will likely have to send a player like guard Shake Milton to the Wizards. But what will be of more interest to the Wizards is having the Wolves offer a high future draft choice—perhaps multiple picks.

That’s giving up a lot but it’s likely a safe assumption Connelly and ownership see a window now to contend for an NBA title. They have to aggressively sort out possibilities this week as the trade deadline nears.

Minnesota’s options could also include Tyus’ brother Tre from the Spurs. Like the Wizards, the Spurs are building for future seasons and presumably interested in draft choices. Tre, at reported salary of almost $9 million, earns an estimated $5 million less than his older brother. Tre has that Jones DNA of playing with intelligence and poise. The 24-year-old might be a lesser offensive point guard than Tyus but he’s probably better defensively.

Worth Noting

Right now, it looks like Finch is in a two-man race for NBA Coach of the Year with the Thunder’s Mark Daigneault whose roster includes Minneapolis native Chet Holmgren. The former Minnehaha Academy superstar is in his own two-man race, vying with the Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama for Rookie of the Year.

The Wolves are the No. 1 NBA team defensively, giving up the fewest points per game. A lot of that success is because of center Rudy Gobert who looks like a favorite to be the league’s Defensive Player of the Year.

Connelly will draw major interest for NBA Executive of the Year. Sam Presti of the Thunder and Brad Stevens from the Celtics look like Connelly’s major rivals.

It wouldn’t be surprising if the Twins also make trade news this week. Starting pitching help seems likely between now and the start of the season.

Veteran right fielder Max Kepler, rumored to be an offseason roster casualty, is a favorite of Twins management but might have been part of trade talks with the Mariners before a deal was finalized last week sending second baseman Jorge Polanco to Seattle.

Burnsville native Shawn Schlechter will be the St. Paul Saints hitting coach in 2024. He had that role for High-A Cedar Rapids in 2022 and Double-A Wichita in 2023 but now returns to Minnesota to work for the Twins’ Triple-A farm team.

Toby Gardenhire, son of Twins Hall of Fame manager Ron Gardenhire, returns for his fourth consecutive season leading the Saints.

Jonathan Mekonnen from Eastview, and Kyle Jorgensen from Washburn, plan to be roommates at Colorado State next summer when they start their college basketball careers. They are two of four scholarship Rams in the class of 2024 and have formed a friendship after being recruited by Colorado State head coach Niko Medved, the Roseville native and former Gopher student manager.

Mekonnen, a wing averaging 23 points and 13 rebounds as of late last week, is expected to be a top 10 candidate for Minnesota’s Mr. Basketball Award. Jorgensen entered this season as a lower profile college prospect, but the Washburn center has been impressive. Eastview coach Danny Olsen, whose team lost to the Millers in December, told Sports Headliners Jorgensen has skills and a playing style that reminds him of NBA superstar center Nikola Nikola Jokić. Olsen said Jorgensen can “score on anyone” and is a “great passer.”

Norwood Teague’s tenure as Gopher athletic director didn’t end well but it’s interesting that two administrators who he hired at Minnesota are now athletic directors at prominent schools: David Benedict, Connecticut; and Beth Goetz, Iowa.

Remember when Nevada (the site of this year’s Super Bowl) was the only state where you could legally wager on the outcome of sports events? Now such gambling is legal in 38 states, with others including Minnesota likely to soon join the ranks. With the gambling fun comes financial setbacks and addiction but who would wager sports betting will be in decline anytime soon?

Because of a labor agreement signed years ago between the NHL and its players, salaries pale in comparison to other major sports leagues. Wild star Kirill Kaprizov, the team’s lone representative in Saturday’s NHL All-Star Game, is compensated at an annual value of $9 million while so-so Vikings cornerback Byron Murphy reportedly earns nearly as much.

Mark Whicker, writing for The Morning After, detailed the NHL compensation situation in a recent article. He pointed out NBA Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra reportedly makes $15 million, a figure that exceeds many NHL players including Kaprizov.

Word from a valued hockey source is if the Wild don’t start fast after the All-Star break, there will be personnel changes by GM Bill Guerin that include parting ways with Marc-André Fleury. Near untouchables, the source said, are Karprizov, Joel Eriksson Ek and Brock Faber.

A former NFL team executive, asking that his name not be published, predicts the Chiefs will beat the 49ers in Sunday’s Super Bowl. He told Sports Headliners the Chiefs’ defense has been consistent and effective, and quarterback Patrick Mahomes is “so good on that big stage.”

One in six American service veterans and their families are hungry and not receiving minimum nutritional requirements to live healthy, contributive lives, according to promoters of the “Chefs for Vets” initiative going on now through Super Bowl Sunday February 11. Edina-based Heritage Gear is stepping up to help. During the campaign every purchase of a bag, accessory or any item found at the Heritage Gear website (http://heritagegear.com) raises money to feed veterans and their families.

Minnesota hockey icon Natalie Darwitz, general manager of the Minnesota team in the startup Professional Women’s Hockey League, speaks to the Twin Cities Dunkers February 15. Minnesota drew a record professional women’s hockey crowd of over 13,000 at its first game in early January and the league has been averaging close to 5,000 fans per game, according to a recent online report by The Hockey News.

The eighth annual Guns-N-Hoses game benefiting the Front Line Foundation will be February 23 at the Blaine Super Rink, with doors opening at 5:30 p.m. The hockey game matches Minnesota police and firefighters who entertain to help the Foundation that monetarily supports dependents of fallen heroes from law enforcement, fire departments, EMS and the National Guard. Admission is free but sponsorships, donations and other support is welcome, with more information available at the Guns-N-Hoses website.

Comments Welcome

Cheery 2024 Predictions for Three with Twins Connections

Posted on January 3, 2024January 3, 2024 by David Shama

This could be a year to treasure for Twins ace Pablo López , outfield prospect Walker Jenkins and hometown hero Joe Mauer.

MLB.com authority Anthony Castrovince wrote recently that López is his choice for 2024 American League Cy Young winner. He noted the 27-year-old right-hander pitched a career-high 194 innings in 2023, improved his strikes-walks ratio (struck out 234) and was “awesome” in two postseason starts against the Blue Jays and Astros going 2-0 with a 0.71 ERA. Lopez’s regular season record was 11-8 in 32 starts with a 3.66 ERA.

Castrovince wrote: “…He might have only scratched the surface, because now that he’s added a sweeper that held opponents to a .173 average and .287 slugging percentage, he has a genuine five-pitch mix that could even improve in effectiveness as he gets more comfortable utilizing it. López has the command to do so. If he does, he’s a Cy winner waiting to happen.”

Jonathan Mayo and Jim Callis of MLB.com talked about Jenkins on a recent podcast. They predict big things for the 18-year-old who was Minnesota’s No. 1 draft selection last year. Callis believes Jenkins could be the No. 1 prospect in all of baseball for 2024.

The athletic Jenkins is a five-tool player who in coming years could become the Twins’ starter in right field or center field. His impressive swing and power are attributes that often first draw attention, with observers raving about his potential. The 6-foot-3, 210-pound Jenkins was taken fifth overall and he might be the steal of last year’s draft.

Jenkins didn’t sign his $7.1 million contract until late July, but he turned heads in the minors and perhaps will play in Double-A this year. His stats last season with two farm system teams included 102 at bats, .362 batting average, three home runs, 21 RBI and a .988 OPS.

Mauer, the St. Paul native who excelled at first base and catcher for the Twins before retiring after the 2018 season, has been tracking well in votes for acceptance into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Select members of the Baseball Writers Association of America do the voting that ended December 31 and votes made public so far indicate there’s strong support for Mauer to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

Approximately 400 association members had an opportunity to vote. A candidate must receive 75 percent or more of the votes and Mauer has impressive credentials.

In addition to Mauer’s three batting titles and MVP Award, he was named to six American League All-Star teams, earned five Louisville Slugger Awards and three Rawlings Golden Glove Awards. He is also the only American League catcher ever to win a batting title.

Voting results will be announced beginning at 5 p.m. January 23 on the MLB Network.

Worth Noting

Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins continues to progress on rehab from Achilles tendon surgery and NBC reported Sunday night that he expects to go from just walking to jogging by February 1.

Who starts for the Vikings at QB in the final regular season game Sunday in Detroit against the Lions? The prediction here is Nick Mullens because he has played more recently than Josh Dobbs and better than Jaren Hall.

Word has been Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy is a target for the Vikings in April’s NFL Draft. His passing accuracy might be questionable, and he wasn’t that impressive in the high stakes semifinal playoff win over Alabama Monday night. He looks far from ready to play in the pros and maybe not first round worthy.

A trusted source believes Bethel’s Brian Raabe, who has coached the Royals for 12 seasons and is known for his prowess as a baseball instructor, could be the next head coach replacing legendary John Anderson who is retiring after the 2024 season.

The Gophers, seeking to add experience to their running back roster, have offered a scholarship to Northwestern transfer Anthony Tyus III. As a junior in 2023, he was third on the team in rushing yards with 254 and averaged 4.8 yards per carry. The Portage, Michigan native was an Associated Press first team All-State selection in high school.

That was former Gopher defensive tackle Trill Carter playing for Texas Monday night in the Longhorns’ semifinal playoff game against Washington. He didn’t record any defensive stats but has been a contributor for Texas while participating in 13 of 14 games.

Among Gophers who transferred after 2022, no one was more recognized for his accomplishments with his new team than cornerback Beanie Bishop Jr. He was named to the American Football Coaches Association All-American second team and was first team All-Big 12.

Former Gopher edge rusher Austin Booker, who led Kansas with eight sacks for 61 yards, also made first-team All-Big 12. Defensive lineman Gage Keys also transferred from Minnesota to Kansas and played a lot of snaps in 2023 before recently deciding to play for Auburn in 2024.

Running back Trey Potts and wide receiver Dylan Wright were highly visible offensive players for the Gophers before transferring. Potts was fifth for Penn State in rushing with 155 net yards while Wright caught 11 passes for 187 yards at TCU.

Think there will be a little drama November 9 when the Gophers play at Rutgers if their former quarterback, Athan Kaliakmanis, is playing for the Scarlet Knights?

It might not be widely known but the Gophers weren’t the first college football team from Minnesota to play in a January bowl game when they met Washington in the Rose Bowl on January 2, 1961. This college football bowl season is the 75^th anniversary of St. Thomas’ 1949 trip to the Cigar Bowl in Tampa where the Tommies tied Missouri Valley, 13-13. http://tommiesports.com

The Michigan basketball team the Gophers (10-3) play in Ann Arbor Thursday night is the only Big Ten club with a below .500 record at 6-7. The Wolverines are giving up a conference worst 79.1 points per game. Peacock televises the game starting at 8 p.m.

Hit by injuries, including star forward Kirill Kaprizov and goalie Filip Gustavsson, the Wild has lost three consecutive games and has to find a way not to go on a long losing streak.

In a state where many residents claim Norwegian descent, it’s interesting the Wild’s Mats Zuccarello is one of only eight players from Norway ever to play in the NHL. Norwegian Americans are 13.8 percent of Minnesota’s population, per Worldpopulationreview.com.

The Pelicans, who play the Timberwolves tonight in Minneapolis, are a difficult team for Minnesota when forward Zion Williamson plays. The Pels played last night and it could be Willamson is rested tonight by sitting out the game.

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