Wild – Page 33 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Looks Like Vikings Get a Win Today

Posted on September 26, 2021September 26, 2021 by David Shama

There are several reasons to expect the Minnesota Vikings to win today’s game against the Seattle Seahawks at U.S. Bank Stadium. At 0-2 motivation will be high for the Vikings who have lost two road games by a total of four points.

The winless Vikings could have even more “want” than the 1-1 Seahawks. It’s likely that part of the extra energy for the Purple will come from the frenzied fans. Always boisterous, the “crazies” will be back in U.S. Bank Stadium for the first time since 2019 and primed to cheer on a victory.

The Seahawks, featuring quarterback Russell Wilson, use a no-huddle offense. That means Wilson and teammates will have to contend with an avalanche of noise as they try to call and change plays at the line of scrimmage. Advantage to the home team in disrupting tempo and plays.

The Seahawks gave up 182 rushing yards last Sunday to Derrick Henry from the Tennessee Titans in a 33-30 loss. Running back Jonathan Taylor had a combined 116 yards in rushing and receiving for Indianapolis when the Colts lost to Seattle in the opening game for both teams. Minnesota’s superb running back Dalvin Cook might have a big day today, and when he rolls the Vikings usually do, too. Yes, expect Cook to play despite missing practice time with an ankle injury.

The Vikings have several new starters among their 22 starting players. The NFL preseason was shortened to three games this year to accommodate the new 17-game regular season schedule. The Vikings newcomers didn’t play all that much in preseason as the coaches looked to develop depth. Now in regular season game No. 3 familiarity with teammates can help produce a win.

Minnesota can match Seattle’s overall talent, or better it. Both teams are skilled enough to compete most Sundays, but iffy to make the playoffs. On a day when the Vikings are playing at home and need a first win, they figure to make a million Minnesotans happy despite Seattle being about a 2.5 point favorite.

Worth Noting

Seattle’s Pete Carroll was the Vikings’ defensive backfield coach from 1985-1989, and at 70 is the oldest head coach in the NFL.

It was 60 years ago this month the Vikings played their first regular season game in franchise history and to the surprise of everyone defeated the Chicago Bears at Metropolitan Stadium in front of a modest crowd of 32,236. Fran Tarkenton, writing in his 2009 book Everyday Is Game Day, described the stunning upset “as the greatest” in NFL history. “For the Vikings to prevail in this historic debut by the score of 37-13 was nothing short of preposterous,” the Hall of Fame quarterback wrote.

The Vikings were an expansion team and Tarkenton was the team’s rookie third round draft choice. Tarkenton came off the bench to throw for 250 yards and four touchdowns on September 17, 1961. The Vikings were a group of castoffs and untested rookies, while the Bears were among the NFL’s bluebloods. Minnesota had lost all five of its preseason games, including a 30-7 thrashing by the Bears before 12,500 fans in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Look for the Minnesota Twins to evaluate in spring training whether Nick Gordon can play shortstop. It will be a surprise if regular shortstop Andrelton Simmons, 32, returns to the club. It’s not known how ready top prospect Royce Lewis will be following ACL rehab this year.

Twins legend Rod Carew, who had a heart saving transplant in 2016, turns 76 on Friday.

Rick Oliva, son of Carew teammate Tony Oliva, is running for city council in Bloomington. Tony has campaign signage on his car.

Relatives of the late Bobby Marshall from Minnesota and elsewhere attended a celebration event Friday at the University of Minnesota. Publisher Norton Stillman from Nodin Press and author Terry McConnell hosted a gathering to celebrate the new book Breaking Through the Line, telling the story of the extraordinary Marshall who was the first African American to play in the NFL following a great career with the Gophers.

The Minneapolis native was an All-American defensive end in 1905 and 1906 for the Gophers. He was the first African American from the Big Ten to become an All-American in football. He also starred in baseball and track at Minnesota before playing for multiple NFL teams.

Was there a more miscalculated coaching decision yesterday than P.J. Fleck’s directive to have the Gophers trying to make a first down from their own 29-yard line on fourth down? Leading 3-0 in the second quarter the coach decided his lethargic offense could gain one yard against Bowling Green. The Falcons held and went on to score their first touchdown in what ended as a 14-10 victory.

The Falcons, a 31-point underdog, had every right to feel insulted and motivated by Fleck’s decision. Their defense surprised and out schemed Minnesota on a day that could only be described as a setback for the Gophers’ program now in its fifth season under Fleck. Minnesota, now 2-2, entered the game coming off a crisp 30-0 win over Colorado and had its fan base dreaming about taking an 8-1 record to Iowa November 13.

The Minnesota Wild opens training camp at 9 a.m. Thursday at TRIA Rink at Treasure Island Center in St. Paul. The training camp roster consists of 53 players, including the following 19 players that participated in the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase:

Forwards: Caedan Bankier, Adam Beckman, Matt Boldy, Mitchell Chafee, Damien Giroux, Ivan Lodnia, Bryce Misley, Pavel Novak, Marco Rossi and Nick Swaney. Defensemen: Calen Addison, Fedor Gordeev, Daemon Hunt, Carson Lambos, Kyle Masters and Ryan O’Rourke. Goaltenders: Dereck Baribeau, Hunter Jones and Trevin Kozlowski.

Comments Welcome

Wild Owner Wants 5-Year Kirill Deal

Posted on September 17, 2021September 17, 2021 by David Shama

Minnesota Wild owner Craig Leipold spoke openly with Sports Headliners today about the ongoing contract negotiations with forward Kirill Kaprizov, last season’s NHL Rookie of the Year and a potential superstar for years to come. Leipold said months ago the franchise made an offer to the restricted free agent for eight years in the “neighborhood of $9 million,” but a deal still isn’t in place even though the Wild opens training camp next week.

“That was really an ambitious offer that we made to a player that has played 55 games in the league,” Leipold said. “We know he is a special player. We do believe that. We thought the offer indicated how we believe in him. He wants less years. It doesn’t appear to be so much about the money.”

Leipold and GM Bill Guerin have asked Kaprizov and his agent to show them contracts of comparable NHL players to help discussions. “That’s how we typically do any kind of negotiation is that we talk about comparables, and we’re not getting any comparables from them,” Leipold said.

The Wild are not insisting on an eight-year commitment. “…I think really the issue right now on the table is how long will the contract be and our position is it needs to be at least five years,” Leipold said.

Would the Wild negotiate the deal down to three years? “I can assure you we will never do a three-year deal,” Leipold said. “That will not happen.”

The negotiations have been drawn out and frustrating. Will the club consider trading Kaprizov? “There’s never been discussion on that,” Leipold said. “I don’t think so. We’re not going to trade him. He’s our guy. We’ve been committed to Kirill now for years (drafted in 2015). We want him to be in a Wild sweater as long as we can have him.”

Leipold is hopeful that a five-year deal at $9 millon annually could get done soon. “I have no reason to believe that he wouldn’t be in training camp, right? I can’t understand what is holding this up. The offer we have is on the table, it is incredibly fair. I don’t think anyone is going to question that—whether $9 million for five years is fair or not fair. You can look at what the best players in the league are making, we’re right there. I don’t understand what is holding the signing of this negotiation up.”

Leipold believes it’s time for flexibility from Kaprizov and his agent. “We’ve already given on the number of years…and we’re asking him to make movement as well. The hope is that he will and he’ll recognize he wants to be with his team, and wants to be with it long term, and wants to win a (Stanley) Cup here. We love the way this team is developing now with our younger players. This is a good time to be a Wild player and a Wild fan.”

The 24-year-old Kaprizov captivated the State of Hockey with his offensive skill set and electric play last season. He led the Wild and NHL rookies with 51 points in 55 games last season. The 5-foot-11, 201-pound forward also led the team and league rookies in goals, even-strength goals (19), power-play goals (8) and shots on goal (157).

Worth Noting

Think Iowa isn’t a college football developmental program? The Hawkeyes had 34 alums (same as Clemson) on NFL opening day rosters, per a news release from the league. The Iowa total is bested by only five other schools including No. 1 Alabama (54) and No. 2 Ohio State (50).

Ex-Gophers in the league heading into the opening NFL weekend totaled 12, according to the Daily Gopher. That number included former Minnesota QB Chris Streveler, now a backup with the Arizona Cardinals.

The Cardinals team that plays the Minnesota Vikings team Sunday is the most experienced in the NFL averaging 5.47 years and 16 players age 30 and over.

The Vikings average 4.07, with eight players age 30 and over.

The Front Offices Sport newsletter reported NFL viewership numbers were up seven percent for the league’s opening weekend. “The NFL averaged 17.4 million viewers per game over traditional and online platforms, bouncing back from its dip last year — the first decline it had experienced in three seasons,” the newsletter wrote Wednesday.

Sportsmediawatch.com reported the September 2 Minnesota-Ohio State game on FOX had the largest TV audience on record for a game on the opening Thursday of the college football season. The telecast averaged 6.3 million viewers, with the previous high 5.13 million for Ohio State-Indiana on ESPN four years ago.

Word is NFL scouts are showing interest in former Chaska and North Dakota State wide receiver Sean Engel, now a senior at Augustana. The 6-foot-5 Engel was all-NSIC as a junior. He has a business administration degree and now is majoring in business marketing.

The first-year Division I football St. Thomas Tommies are 1-0 but tomorrow play at Northern Iowa (FCS-ranked No. 16.) The Panthers, who lost by only six points earlier this month to FBS-power Iowa State, will play a return game at St. Thomas in 2024.

Forward Nick Bjugstad on his promise to Minnesota Wild fans: “I ‘ll do my best every day to bring the Stanley Cup to St. Paul.”

Playing its home schedule at the Wild’s TRIA Rink practice facility this fall and winter will be the Minnesota Whitecaps of the rebranded Premier Hockey Federation (formerly the National Women’s Hockey League).

“The move is designed to brand the league based on the skill and talent of its athletes as opposed to their gender,” a Whitecaps spokesperson said via email. “It is the first professional women’s sports league in North America to lift the word ‘women’s’ out of its title—a potential game-changer for other women’s professional leagues.”

The Whitecaps open their season November 6 in Boston against the Pride, then have the home opener November 20 versus the same team in the six-franchise league.

I have known Minnesota Twins legend Tony Oliva since the 1970s but until recently I don’t think I ever told him how much I enjoyed watching him play ball. I ran into him at a local driving range when he was tuning up his game for a tourney.

Comments Welcome

Nick Bjugstad Talks Wild Leadership

Posted on September 14, 2021 by David Shama

With the offseason departure of veterans Ryan Suter and Zach Parise, the Minnesota Wild faces a leadership question as the team approaches the start of training camp September 22. Forward Nick Bjugstad, 29, addressed the subject and his own career in an interview with Sports Headliners.

Bjugstad acknowledged it will be a different locker room next season without Suter, 36, and Parise, 37, who for years were the face of the franchise. “Those guys will be missed and they’ll have to be guys that step up,” Bjugstad said.

Bjugstad has seen the importance and role of leadership during a 10-year pro career. He played seven seasons with the Florida Panthers, two with the Pittsburgh Penguins and a first year with the Wild in 2020-2021. “I’ve been in very different locker rooms. I’d say the best cultures I’ve been in, the leadership starts from the top.”

Sidney Crosby, a super star for the ages, was a teammate of Bjugstad in Pittsburgh. Crosby led the Penguins not just with enormous talent but with a work ethic that set the tone for championship expectations. In Florida Bjugstad said the best teams he played with enjoyed and challenged one another.

How does Bjugstad see his leadership role for the coming season? “Definitely as an older guy you have to view yourself as someone who can help…the young guys. Help be a voice in the locker room. … I think a lot of the wisdom I retained over the years was from the older guys.”

Leadership is never about one person on a roster. Bjugstad expects team leaders to include Marcus Fuligno, Joel Eriksson Ek and Jared Spurgeon. Fuligno, Bjugstad said, is a vocal leader in the locker room and Ek’s focus and attention at the arena is exemplary. And Spurgeon?

“He reminds me of Crobsy in the way that he is very inclusive,” Bjugstad said. “Treats everybody the same, makes them feel welcome, and obviously an unbelievable defender.”

Bjugstad said the right locker room environment creates a culture where “everyone flourishes.” That includes impressionable younger players who are comfortable coming to veterans for advice.

Bjugstad said he loves meeting different people. He enjoys being around the locker room, and he is curious about the psychological aspect of sports.

Adversity has played a major part shaping who Bjugstad is. He’s endured serious injuries and when he came to the Wild about a year ago his past included major groin and back surgeries. As a result he has taken much more interest in the human body and how it functions.

He knows if players are injured and don’t understand what happened to them, the development can lead to a downspin in careers. “…If I wasn’t injured as much as I was I wouldn’t really be talking about the nervous system and how the body functions,” Bjugstad said.

Nick Bjugstad, photo credit Minnesota Wild/Bruce Kluckhohn

Bjugstad has taken a different approach to offseason training this summer. As a younger player he was very aggressive in the weight room and didn’t pay attention to his body. Now his training approach is much more balanced including workouts in the pool and even proper breathing. His regimen emphasizes staying healthy and having a long career.

The former Blaine High School star who was the state’s Mr. Hockey in 2010, hasn’t played a full NHL season since 2017-2018. His goal now of playing a full schedule of 82 games is not a surprise.

At 6-foot-6 and about 208 pounds, Bjugstad is thin and he targets consumption of 5,000 calories per day. He eats a gluten free diet of healthy foods. While it may sound great to have a pass for 5,000 calories a day, Bjugstad does find himself eating just because he must.

He feels energized and mentally ready as training camp nears. As he approached his first season with the Wild a year ago, he wasn’t able to train the way he wanted because of surgeries. “I was a little apprehensive with a lot of the things I was doing going into the season and then I got through the season relatively healthy, and then this summer has been full bore,” he said.

The Minneapolis-born Bjugstad is grateful the Wild gave him an opportunity to come home. Because of the pandemic, this will be his first season playing in front of fans at Xcel Energy Center. “I love the fans. I was a fan of the Wild when I was a kid so I am really excited to get people in the building.”

Over the years the Wild has struggled to score goals, including in the playoffs. Bjugstad said he has been working with a skills coach to help his shooting in different positions. While offense is important, he wants to be known as a two-way player. “I’ve learned to play a little more of a defensive game than I played when I was younger.”

The Wild has been waiting a long time to make a deep playoff run. What about the season ahead? “I definitely think this group we have the Wild…wants to get better and enjoys being around each other, and that can make the world of difference in a long season and a playoff run,” Bjugstad said.

Comments Welcome