Wild – Page 19 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

NFL Insider: Vikings Could Win 12 games

Posted on June 5, 2023June 5, 2023 by David Shama

There’s prevailing skepticism about the Vikings for 2023 after they set an NFL record by winning 11 one-score games last season. But a former NFL team executive told Sports Headliners he believes the Vikings may approach their 13-4 regular season record from 2022 when they were NFC North Division champions.

The authority, who spoke on condition of anonymity, looks at the 2023 schedule and sees five playoff teams facing Minnesota in the first seven games. The Vikings must play the 2023 Super Bowl teams, the Chiefs and Eagles, plus the Bucs, Chargers and 49ers between September 14 and October 23.

“If they get through the first half of the season 5-3, then I think they’re in really good position to win 11 or 12 games, and repeat as division champs,” the source said.

Except for the game against the Eagles, the Vikings face those playoff teams in Minneapolis. In addition to the playoff clubs, Minnesota’s first eight opponents include road games at the Panthers, Bears and Packers.

The Vikings will play five primetime matchups, starting with the second game of the season against the Eagles on a Thursday night, September 14. Minnesota also plays two Monday night games at home, October 23 and November 27, against the 49ers and Bears respectively. Sunday night games have the Vikings at the Broncos November 19 and at home December 31 with the Packers. “That tells me the league office still thinks the Vikings are the top dog in the NFC North,” the NFL insider said about the primetime schedule.

The Lions are a betting favorite to be NFC North Division champions and dethrone the Vikings. Detroit improved late last season, winning five of its last six games on its way to 9-8 record. The Vikings and Lions won’t play each other until Sunday, December 24 and then on a date to be determined in the last week of the season. They place twice in the last three weeks of the season.

In addition to their annual Thanksgiving game, the Lions have four primetime games including the NFL season opener against the Super Bowl champion Chiefs on the road Thursday, September 7. It’s a surprising matchup to the source and a game where the Lions figure to be double-digit underdogs. “I thought the league blew it on that one,” the source said while suggesting an Eagles-Chiefs showcase made a lot of sense.

Worth Noting

Zach Ojile, the native Minnesotan and undrafted free agent trying to make the Vikings roster, has learned to be flexible about what positions he plays. He’s adapting to fullback with the Vikings after being both a tight end and running back at UMD. With Spring Lake Park High School he was a veer formation quarterback, running back, linebacker and free safety. In 2016 he was named second team All-State quarterback by the Associated Press.

It will be interesting to see if Beth Goetz, former Gophers interim (2015-2016) athletics director, succeeds Gary Barta as Iowa AD. Goetz, who has been Iowa’s deputy director of athletics, is now interim director and positioned to be a favorite for the permanent job. Barta, who attended Burnsville High, will leave his position Aug. 1.

Former Wild forward Andrew Burnette, recently named head coach of the Predators, is a “players coach.” That’s how Bill Robertson, a former executive with the Wild and now commissioner of the Untied States Hockey League, referred to Burnette in an email. “I think he has a real chance to be successful if given time to put his club together.”

Belated happy birthday wishes to Minnesota hockey legend Lou Nanne who turned 82 last Friday.

New Gophers women’s basketball coach Dawn Plitzuweit speaks to the Capital Club breakfast group Wednesday at Mendakota Country Club. Plitzuweit has an impressive resume and might be Minnesota’s best women’s basketball hire since Brenda Frese more than 20 years ago. More information about the Capital Club is available from Patrick Klinger, patrick@agilemarketingco.com

The basketball program has the potential to be the first money-maker among women’s sports at Minnesota. Last season the Gophers ranked No. 35 in Division I attendance, with a total of 57,003 and averaged 3,353 fans per game. A great Gopher team could draw three to four times that average.

The pickleball craze continues in the United States with the website Pickleheads.com claiming it’s the fastest growing participation sport in the country. The site says Utah, Arizona and Minnesota have the most interest in pickleball, and Minneapolis is tied with Portland for the most pickleball locations behind Seattle and Denver. Reportedly, 8.9 million people played last year.

Caution: the ease with which beginners can enjoy success makes the sport almost unique but don’t be physically unprepared. The orthopedics industry has found a new revenue stream from pickleball, an activity that attracts players of virtually all ages including seniors.

Mike Nealy, the Minnesota native and U of M alum, is the new chief executive officer of USA Pickleball, the governing organization for the sport. The longtime career of Nealy includes positions with the Wild and college football bowl games in Arizona.

1 comment

Travel to Russia Up to Kirill Kaprizov

Posted on May 21, 2023May 21, 2023 by David Shama

Kirill Kaprizov will make his own decision on whether to visit his native Russia this offseason, per Minnesota Wild owner Craig Leipold.

The Wild’s franchise player hasn’t announced his intent, but Leipold told Sports Headliners Kaprizov is “free to go wherever he wants to go, and do what he wants to do.” That’s the stance of Wild management toward its players regarding the offseason.

Kaprizov visited Russia last summer and reportedly had difficulty re-entering the United States because of a work visa issue. Russia is in a chaotic state because of its Ukraine invasion and Vladimir Putin’s war effort has created an unpredictable environment that will cause Wild fans to fret if their favorite player returns to his homeland.

Leipold said last he heard the 26-year-old Kaprizov was in the Twin Cities, but the owner is well aware of his star forward’s dilemma. “He wants to see his family. The hope is that the family will come here.”

While Leipold hasn’t spoken to Kaprizov about Russia, general manager Bill Guerin has. Kaprizov knows he could spend the offseason in the Twin Cities where he can utilize the team’s conditioning and training resources. Leipold said “we support what he wants to do.”

Late in the season Kaprizov sustained a lower body injury and missed 13 games. Although he played in the Wild’s six playoff games, Leipold said his leading scorer “wasn’t 100 percent.”

Kaprizov scored just one goal in the opening round playoff loss to the Dallas Stars. A healthy Kaprizov might have totaled five or six goals.

“It’s fun to watch special players in this league,” Leipold said of Kaprizov who has played three seasons in the NHL. “There’s something magical when he jumps on the ice, and he’s at 100 percent. He’s a player that cannot be stopped. And he’s gonna be that way again next year so we’re all excited to see that.”

In the playoffs the Wild had to play without center Joel Eriksson Ek, a key performer. He, too, was injured late in the season. Offense, defense, penalty kill and power play, Ek is a major contributor.

Leipold said he understands all teams have injuries and he’s not making excuses for his team losing to the Stars. But he thinks his club could have won that series and perhaps still be chasing the Stanley Cup.

“You know I think we’re a team that’s pretty well built for playoffs,” he said. “We’ve got good goal tending. Our defense is good. We’re not that far off. There’s a couple issues that we all want to get better in but right now you know we’re pretty close.”

Leipold didn’t detail those needs but presumably they could include more timely goal scoring and better special teams performance. What does the owner anticipate happening in the offseason regarding the roster?

“There’s not a lot of changes that we’re going to have with our personnel. You know we have a salary cap crunch that we’re under for the next two years. I don’t really see much changes in our lineup or in our in approaches. I think it’s gonna be a lot of status quo until we get some relief with the salary cap.”

The Wild are on course to have at least $20 million in cash and salary cap room in two years. Leipold believes the opportunity to pursue free agents is “going to open up some real possibilities and excitement for our fans and our team.”

Asked about a favorite memory from the 2022-2023 season, Leipold said any game that secures a playoff position is special. ”It’s hard to make the playoffs and we make them 10 out of the last 11 years. That’s an incredible run. Now we gotta get past the first round and that’s when the big smile is going to be on my face…and I look forward to that.”

The playoffs are where NHL teams make a lot of their revenue. The deeper the playoff run, the more lucrative it is for franchises. A reasonable estimate is the Wild grosses $1.5 to $2 million per home playoff game.

Leipold didn’t answer whether his franchise made money in 2022-2023 but acknowledged the financial recovery from games lost during the pandemic has been faster than anticipated because Minnesota is a superb hockey market. “We don’t make a lot of money, if we do make money,” he said.

In two more years, the Wild’s arena, Xcel Energy Center, will be 25 years old. Leipold said preliminary meetings regarding renovations have started but nothing major has been decided. “We’re not looking for any government subsidies or anything (public),” he said.

Comments Welcome

Lions Send Message to Vikes & NFL

Posted on May 7, 2023May 7, 2023 by David Shama

It’s an interesting offseason in the NFC North Division where the Vikings call home. The great Aaron Rodgers has left the Packers, likely transforming that team into expected also-rans, while the Lions, not the defending division champion Vikings, are the favorite to win the North.

Many sports books have the Lions betting favorites to win their first division title since 1993. Only seven NFL teams have better odds of making the Super Bowl next year, according to BetMGM. The franchise that defined ineptitude is now a top 10 NFL team, per some NFL observers.

Detroit (no playoffs since 2016) has been sending a message for a while that they will be bullied no more. The vision started after Dan Campbell was named head coach in January of 2021. The feisty former NFL player said when his Lions are knocked down, not only will that get up but “we’re going to bite a knee cap off.”

During Campbell’s first two years in Detroit the players have responded with enthusiasm and work ethic. The Vikings got a taste of the grit and toughness of the Lions in a December game last year, a 34-23 Detroit victory.

The Lions went 5-1 in their last six games and that finish is part of the reason for Detroit’s popularity now as 2023 division favorites. That momentum seemingly continues after last month’s NFL Draft where the Lions signaled their commitment to be a tough, physical football team, including a willingness to run the football.

Today’s NFL is basketball on grass for many teams, but it looks like the Lions may eschew that approach in 2023. Their initial pick in the first round was a surprise, drafting Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs at No. 12. He’s an explosive runner and will be complemented by veteran pick up David Montgomery as the Lions anticipate improving on a rushing game that ranked No. 11 in the league last season (average per game 128.2).

Signing former Gophers All-American Mo Ibrahim as a free agent running back is another clue about how Campbell and company intend to compete. Ibrahim’s toughness and power running make him a candidate to earn a roster spot as a short yardage option and goal line specialist. The Lions could take an approach to be different offensively than many of their peers, including the high-powered Viking offense built around quarterback Kirk Cousins and his elusive receivers.

The Vikings were 13-4 last season, but the record was unconvincing to critics. Minnesota set an NFL record by winning 11 one-score games. Opponents outscored them during the regular season, 427-424. Minnesota’s wild card game was a dud, losing 31-24 to the Giants in Minneapolis.

The Lions, 9-8 overall, outscored the opposition 453-427. Detroit also had the best record against division rivals, going 5-1.

The Lions and Vikings need to show they are better defensively in 2023. Last season both gave up 25 points per game, among the worst showings in the NFL. Both defenses flirted with yielding nearly 400 yards per game.

The Lions also sent a message with their second draft pick in the first round, taking tough guy linebacker Jack Campbell from Iowa. The 6-5, 249-pound Campbell was the Big Ten’s Defensive Player of the Year and Dick Butkus Award winner as the nation’s best linebacker.

Offensively, both the Vikings and Lions made their fans happy last season. Minnesota averaged 24.9 points per game, seventh best in the NFL. The Lions averaged a fourth best 26.6.

Today your bookie probably will handicap the NFC North like this: Lions, Vikings, Bears and Packers. The Bears are still rebuilding, and the Packers are dealing with the loss of Rodgers at football’s most important position. Of course, reality won’t be known until the end of the year but for now a lot of observers see a new team at the top of a mediocre division.

Worth Noting

A recent story by Adam Sparks of USA Today reported the football Gophers spent $1,227,189 on recruiting in 2022. That ranked Minnesota No. 7 in the Big Ten and No. 25 nationally. The Big Ten list didn’t include private school Northwestern. Surprisingly Rutgers ranked No. 2 and Ohio State No. 5, with Michigan No. 1, and Minnesota out spending neighboring rivals Nebraska, Wisconsin and Iowa who ranked No. 8, 11 and 13 respectively.

Joe Salem, the University of Minnesota head football coach from 1979-1983, turned 85 last Monday and lives in his hometown of Sioux Falls. An imaginative offensive mind, Salem’s assistants at Minnesota included Mike Shanahan who went on to lead the NFL Broncos to consecutive Super Bowl wins. Before taking over the Gophers, Salem was head coach at Northern Arizona where his assistants included Brad Childress, Marty Mornhinweg and Andy Reid, all of whom became NFL head coaches.

The Wild’s Marc Andre-Fleury will be 39 next November but it will be a surprise if he doesn’t return for another season and be part of the goalie rotation with Filip Gustavsson. “He is a leader in the locker room,” a hockey source told Sports Headliners. “He’s a leader of the young players.”

Speculation a few years ago was the St. Paul Saints franchise was worth $25 million as one of the more valuable properties in minor league baseball. The club was sold earlier this year for a price that may have been $17 million.

Condolences to friends and family of Tim Heikkila who passed away late last month in Thomasville, Georgia. Heikkila, a member of the University of Minnesota M Club Hall of Fame, was a 1971 high jump All-American.

The Kentucky Derby showcased the best racehorses Saturday but for some thoroughbreds the big money comes after they retire and are used for breeding. A New York Times article pointed out last week that Flightline, a champion thoroughbred racehorse now retired, made $4.3 million in racing purses over two years, but “with 155 mares in his date book” he will generate $31 million in earnings by the end of July for breeding.

1 comment