Twins – Page 7 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Don’t Bet Against John McKay as Vikings Next General Manager

Posted on May 10, 2026May 10, 2026 by David Shama

It won’t be long until Vikings owners Zygi and Mark Wilf hire a general manager. Don’t be surprised if it’s Rams assistant GM John McKay.

McKay, reportedly 36, checks a lot of boxes for the job. Despite his young age, he has an impressive 10 years of experience with the Rams including previous positions as director of pro personnel and assistant director of scouting.

McKay has evaluated college players for the draft, scouted opposing teams, and evaluated rosters of all NFL teams prior to free agency. Failure in the college draft haunted the Vikings in recent years led by former GM Kwesi-Adofo Mensah who was fired in January.

McKay comes from an innovative organization led by GM Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay. The front office excels in “outside-the-box” thinking. The Rams, for example, have drawn praise for their roster construction and salary cap management. The Rams won the Super Bowl in 2022 and in the 2026 playoffs lost a close NFC Conference title game to the eventual Super Bowl champion Seahawks.

Mensah reportedly had communication and relationship problems with the Vikings. His analytics-heavy and non-traditional football decision making approach may well have contributed to those reports.

Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell image by David Shama — Kevin O’Connell

McKay doesn’t fit that profile and clearly has been a collaborative colleague based on his rise to prominence in the organization. He and Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell are reportedly close friends. The two worked together when KOC was with the Rams during the 2021 and 2022 seasons.

Their friendship could be a point of distinction in the selection process as the Wilfs contemplate a hire. The Wilfs clearly believe in O’Connell, who in his four years so far had two superlative seasons of 13-4 and 14-3. Their head coach is a quarterback whisperer and a likable leader who has created a strong culture with the Vikings.

O’Connell is 40, four years older than McKay. The Wilfs could ponder the advantage of having two young leaders for decades to come.

McKay presumably is intrigued by the Vikings job. The opportunity to work with a trusted friend in O’Connell could be huge. The roster has flaws, but this is not a rebuild, with multiple prominent players in place led by superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson.

Not to be dismissed either is the track record of ownership. The Wilfs have historically shown a willingness to spend money on the roster and facilities, including the franchise’s headquarters in Eagan. They have also shown a commitment to patience and loyalty.

Rick Spielman, the predecessor to Adofo-Mensah, spoke about his experience in a statement after he was dismissed in 2022 after 16 years with the organization. “… I want to thank Zygi & Mark Wilf and the entire Wilf family for believing in me and consistently providing the resources for us to be successful as a football operations staff. It is not common in the NFL to be in a position for this long, which goes to show how this ownership group believes in stability and supports their leaders.”

Rob Brzezinski is the interim GM and has been with the franchise for 27 years. He’s a candidate for the permanent job but it’s fair to wonder if the Wilfs wanted to promote him why are they doing a search? And with a search firm leading the way, TurnkeyZRG.

Worth Noting

Brock Faber scored a goal and had two assists last night in the Wild’s 5-1 win over the Avalanche. The defenseman’s production was vital as the Wild, aided also by the return of goalie Jesper Wallstedt, pulled closer to the Avs in the best of seven games playoff series, now trailing 2-1.

Wallstedt had 35 saves, playing against perhaps the NHL’s best team. Wallstedt showed a lot of emotion and after the game Faber, talking to TNT, spoke light heartedly about his teammate noting “he’s pretty normal for a goalie.”

The game was in St. Paul and Faber wasn’t complaining about not being in Denver where the first two games were played. Faber described playing in the Mile High City as “like breathing through a straw.”

Tony Oliva experienced min-strokes last year. The stroke issue included hospitalization but now the 87-year-old Twins legend is in much better health. “I am feeling pretty good,” he told Sports Headliners recently.

Oliva exercises at a suburban Minneapolis health club a few times per week. He is also attending Twins games.

The club has been much maligned this season, but Oliva sees developing talent and likes the coaching staff and manager Derek Shelton. “I believe that we’re going to surprise a lot of people this year,” said Oliva who turns 88 in July.

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Unique Night May See Both Wild & Wolves ‘Cookin’ at Home

Posted on April 29, 2026April 29, 2026 by David Shama

Years ago, legend was that a certain media member had a strategy when the Wild and Timberwolves were playing at home on the same night. The formula for deciding where to go was this:

Catch the pregame media meal in St. Paul and then head for Minneapolis to watch the Wolves. Why? The food was too good to pass up at the “X,” but he preferred to spend most of the evening covering basketball.

On a rare, perhaps unique evening on Thursday, Minnesota’s NHL and NBA teams will both host games leading 3-2 in best of seven playoff series. Fans can make their own choices on culinary offerings, but whether you go to St. Paul or Minneapolis things will be “cookin.”

The taste in the mouths of Wild fans is likely to be sweeter near midnight Thursday than for Wolves patrons. The Wild has a healthier roster and is coming off a 4-2 win last evening in Dallas against the Stars. The Wolves are without two injured starters, including their best player in Anthony Edwards, and lost in Denver Monday to the Nuggets in a game that may have changed the series’ momentum.

The Wild hasn’t given up more than four goals in a game so far. Last night Minnesota blocked 25 Dallas shots and allowed 22 on goal, the franchise’s lowest postseason total in almost five years. Wild rookie goalie Jesper Wallstedt stopped 20 shots. Starting in all five games, he has 2.05 goals against average and .926 save percentage. After last night’s game ESPN hockey analyst P.K. Subban told a national audience the Wild is playing the best of any NHL team defensively.

Wild star forward Kirill Kaprizove — Kirill Kaprizov

This is a series that could already be over with the Wild winning 4-2. A what-if happened in the third game. In the first overtime period Minnesota superstar Kirill Kaprizov had a near miss winning goal in a double overtime 3-2 loss in St. Paul.

After last night’s game Kaprizov was leading all NHL players in points during the playoffs with nine (two goals and seven assists). He’s part of a talented roster that includes veterans and newcomers.

Minnesota general manager Bill Guerin boosted the team’s Stanley Cup playoff chances with the December trade acquiring Quinn Hughes. He’s considered one of the sports’ best defensemen. Just last month the Wild added forward Mike McCarron who has two goals in the series with the Stars. With 7:47 in the third last night he had a clutch goal sending the Wild ahead 3-1 in the game.

Timberwolves GM Tim Connelly made a savvy in-season move, too, when he acquired guard Ayo Dosunmuin in a multiplayer deal with the Bulls. The trade has been a godsend for the Wolves who gave up guard Rob Dillingham who has made minimal impact in Chicago while Dosunmu is showing star potential.

In 42:01 minutes off the bench last Saturday, Ayo Dosunmu scored a career-high 43 points on 13-of-17 shooting, including 5-of-5 from three and a 12-of-12 from the free throw line. The Wolves needed that performance because Edwards only played about 17minutes before a knee injury sidelined him in that game and for the series.

Minnesota went up 3-1 in the series last Saturday, but things are cozier now after Denver’s 125-113 win on Monday night. The Wolves were playing not only without Edwards, but also a second starter in guard Donte DiVincenzo, who tore his right Achilles tendon last Saturday. The Nuggets played without key starter Aaron Gordon on Monday because of a serious calf strain and he is questionable for tomorrow night.

Defensive strategy, intensity and skill is likely to decide Game 6 tomorrow night at Target Center. Wolves center Rudy Gobert, 33, has at times played some of his best career defense in the series against Denver center Nikoa Jokic—regarded by some authorities as the best basketball player in the world. In Saturday’s game he was -12 in the NBA plus-minus ratings impact but Monday was +12.

Wolves defender Jaden McDaniels has made scoring an uphill battle for All-Star Nuggets point guard Jamal Murray. In the series he has three games shooting under 40 percent (including two under 32 percent). In three of the games his plus-minus has been -13, -12 and -4.

The Nuggets’ best strategy against what can be a hounding Wolves defense could be early in the game positioning Jokic in the low block and consistently giving him the basketball in an effort to put Gobert in foul trouble. As Gobert and other defenders sag on Jokic, the spacing could open up better looks at the hoop for Murray.

Worth Noting

April is National Humor Month which brings to mind Minnesota sports characters who made us laugh.

The late Sid Hartman mangled more than a few words during his WCCO Radio career. A favorite was when he described an athlete that tore his “Khrushchev.”

Former WCCO colleague Dark Star’s phone voice mail said if it’s good news or money, leave a message.

A friend sent this quote by former Twins owner Calvin Griffith: “I can’t tell you exactly what I intend to do, but I can tell you one thing. It won’t be anything rational.”

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Four Names to Know as Minnesota Vikings Near 2026 Draft

Posted on April 19, 2026April 19, 2026 by David Shama

The Vikings enter this week’s NFL Draft in Pittsburgh with talent and depth needs at several positions. With nine overall picks, the opportunity is present to accomplish the goal of upgrading the roster.

The first four picks come in rounds 1 through 3. Minnesota selects No. 18 in the first round on Thursday night. Friday has the Vikings at No. 42 overall in the second round and in the third round Minnesota has two spots, No. 82 and 97 (compensatory pick). The remaining rounds of the draft (4-7) are Saturday. In that space the Vikings draft once in the fourth and sixth rounds, and three times in the seventh.

The Vikings’ first four picks in the first two days of the draft will be particularly important to their roster success this year and beyond. With that in mind, here’s a calculated prediction on four players who could well be available based on talent and team need, and might be headed to the Vikings.

Forget about Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq in the first round. The uber athletic Sadiq is all but certain to be selected before the Vikings have their turn at the draft table. But another Duck, Dillon Thieneman, could well be available and the Vikings should grab him.

Thieneman appears to have the size, speed and versatility to replace veteran Harrison Smith, 37, who may announce his retirement as soon as this offseason. Listed at about 6-feet and 208 pounds, Thieneman projects as able to play multiple safety positions. While he’s instinctive, he also is thorough in knowing his assignments, per Lance Zierlein writing for NFL.com/prospects.

A personal favorite while watching national champion Indiana was cornerback D’Angelo Ponds. He should be a welcome fit for the Vikings in the second round. Minnesota has cornerback talent and depth needs. The almost diminutive Ponds, listed at about 5-8 and 182 pounds, has the kind of toughness and smack that could remind fans of former Viking safety Antoine Winfield Sr. who played at a similar size. Ponds has quickness, speed, tenacity and confidence. Hard to see him not on the roster for years despite his size.

Last year’s starting center, Ryan Kelly, retired and it’s possible the Vikings could start a rookie at the position. It might be savvy for Minnesota to use the first of its two third round selections on Kansas State’s Sam Hecht. He played 42 games in college, per NFL.com/prospects which lists him at about 6-4 and 300 pounds. That authority praises his technique, cautions that he needs more muscle, but believes consistency can make him an NFL starter, per Zierlein. If Hect isn’t available, the Vikings could turn to Iowa’s Logan Jones who also is on the short list of best center prospects.

A rookie Vikings running back may well see the field in 2026. The team has no heir apparent to veteran starter Aaron Jones and injuries in the running back room are frequent. Stepping in to help could be Minneapolis native Emmett Johnson who the Gophers didn’t want but the Vikings should.

He became one of college football’s better backs at Nebraska despite not having top speed and looks like a worthy selection by the Vikings when they use their second third round pick.

Local football authority Daniel House, known for his football film breakdown and data driven research, has noticed the former Minnesota Mr. Football. “He was really good…(with) acceleration, deaccelerating,” House said. “Sudden, elusive type of back. I feel like NFL teams are going to like Emmett Johnson quite a bit.”

House predicts Johnson will likely be a round two or three pick. He said Johnson may not have tested that well with scouts but he “transitions” so well in space when he runs that he is an intriguing prospect. “That’s where he is elite. So, I think maybe that’s going to be the calling card for his game is the ability to make people miss. And that’s the bread-and-butter success at the running back position. …”

Worth Noting

There was second guessing on Wild coach John Hynes prior to last night’s playoff opener against the Stars in Dallas. Should he use veteran goalie Filip Gustavsson or rookie Jesper Wallstedt who had been playing well late in the season. Hynes pushed the right button going with Wallstedt who had 27 saves in Minnesota’s surprising 6-1 win.

The pressure is clearly on the Stars now to win Monday night before the possible seven game series switches to Minnesota for dates on Wednesday and Saturday. StubHub lists ticket prices, including fees, starting at $195 for Wednesday night.

The hockey Gophers have eight hockey alums in the Stanley Cup playoffs: Logan Cooley, Utah Mammoth; Brock Faber, Wild; Jackson LaCombe, Anaheim Ducks; Casey Mittelstadt, Boston Bruins; Tommy Novak, Pittsburgh Penguins; Mike Reilly, Carolina Hurricanes; Nate Schmidt, Utah Mammoth;Nick Seeler, Philadelphia Flyers.

The Twins unexpected above .500 start to the season is worth enjoying now with an eye toward how things look after about one-third of the season. Twins World Series champion manager (twice) Tom Kelly is known for saying the truth about a team comes out after about 50 games of the season.

That’s enough time usually for teams to collect data on how to pitch opposing hitters or how to approach enemy pitchers. Fingers crossed for the Twins that new talents like pitchers Taj Bradley and Mick Abel are productive long-term.

The Wisconsin athletics director job is open and longtime Northern Illinois AD Sean Frazier, who once worked for the Badgers, is drawing scuttlebutt. Before Minnesota AD Mark Coyle was hired in 2016, one -time Gopher AD McKinley Boston was promoting Frazier for the position.

Pete Najarian, the finance guru and former Gopher and Viking player, drew interest from his alma mater during that same search. Badger authorities would be wise to make an inquiry about his interest in their opening.

Reminiscing about former Gophers football coach Lou Holtz in last week’s column prompted a response from ex-Brainerd football coaching legend and longtime state prep football advocate Ron Stolski. A huge admirer of Holtz, Stolski emailed about a meeting that happened not long after the iconic coach arrived in Minneapolis in 1984:

“When coach Holtz was hired, I received a call from him. …He asked me to contact some high school coaches and invite them to attend a gathering he was hosting.at a local hotel. I did. About 30-40 attended. Coach told the group that he was totally committed to the high school coaches of Minnesota, would support them in every way he could, and pledged to recruit every player the coaches would recommend. Then he told us the bar was open, and to stay as long as we wished and left us to our musings.”

Longtime Moorhead High School and Concordia College play-by-play radio voice Larry Knutson is retiring. He started with Moorhead sports in 1979 before soon adding Concordia broadcasts, per a news report from the Moorhead Public Schools. He estimates calling 4,000 to 5,000 games, and in more recent years covering grandchildren of athletes from his early years. https://www.isd152.org/o/moorhead/article/2819553

Good news for the United States Tennis Association which promotes the sport throughout the country and stages the annual US Open in New York. According to A.I., tennis players live 9.7 years longer than sedentary individuals. That’s per the Copenhagen City Heart study over a 25-year period. Tennis has other sports beat including badminton (6.2 years), soccer (4.7 years), cycling (3.7 years), swimming (3.4 years), and jogging (3.2 years).

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