Wild – Page 42 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Wild Owner Talks Needed Upgrades

Posted on August 11, 2020August 11, 2020 by David Shama

Personable Minnesota Wild owner Craig Leipold spoke one-on-one with Sports Headliners yesterday via telephone. The club’s hopes of a Stanley Cup run ended in a qualifying series loss to Vancouver last Friday. Leipold spoke to that disappointment and more in the following interview, with questions and answers edited for clarity and brevity.

The Wild lost the series 3-1 after winning the first game. What is your reaction to how the team played in the series?

I thought our first game that we played was maybe our best game of the year. I am not disappointed in the effort. I think we played hard. I think we’re as good a team as Vancouver is. There were a lot of good things that came out of that series.

Why do you think the Wild had difficulty holding leads?

That’s a tough one. Losing Ryan Suter (late in game three and unavailable for game four) that hurt us. They (the Canucks) are a good team and they have a lot of really fast young scorers. We knew that we had to play really well defensively and offensively in order to win that series, and we just couldn’t get it done.

What happened with Suter not playing?

He got a puck (hit) in the same area (right ankle) that was damaged two years. The coaches and medical (staff), out of caution, didn’t want him to take a chance that there was something really wrong with it. He might have been ready for the next game (last Sunday) but we didn’t have an MRI back for that Friday game and just out of an abundance of caution they thought it was best to hold him out.

I think Wild fans look at the franchise and say general managers change and coaches change but the club can’t make a deep playoff run? Are you as frustrated as they are?

Yeah, I think we all are. Five, six years ago we had some really pretty good teams but our first round matchup was against the best team in the NHL, Chicago. They were winning the (Stanley) Cup and we just couldn’t get past them. We need to get past the first round, second round in order to really become as good as we think we can be.

What will it take to change things?

We need to be better right down the middle. We need a good first line center—I think is going to be important to us. I think our goaltending needs to improve. Last year (season) it was not good. That needs to be better. I think if both of those (center and goalie) are better for us, I think we’ll be a better team.

How do you see the goalie competition going forward?

Frankly, we’ve had no conversation on that. That’s going to be up to Billy (GM Guerin) and what direction that goes in. I am certain that’s something Billy is going to take a good look at.

Suter and Parise were paid a lot of money several years ago on their contracts that brought them to Minnesota. Have they been worth the money?

I get asked that question at the end of every season. I would do it over again in one second. It changed our franchise. They’re not the reason that we haven’t gone as far as we would like to be. Ryan continues to be the mainstay of our defense. Great defensive player, gobbles up a lot of minutes for us. Zach Parise was still our leading scorer last year.

As you watched the series in person did you feel the chemistry was right on the ice?

I thought our chemistry on the team was fantastic. I had the pleasure of seeing all the players everyday…all the time. The chemistry between all the players, the leadership in the locker room and the camaraderie that they have I think is absolutely fantastic. I am really encouraged by how our players play together, both on and off the ice, and how they feel about each other.

Have you seen enough of forward Kevin Fiala to be convinced he is a star already?

He certainly is a difference maker. When he’s got the puck on his stick, the other team is playing hard. They know he is a special player. We’re real excited about Kevin Fiala on our team. We’re hopeful that we can surround him with players that can get him the puck in the right spot and he can bury it.

Do you plan to be any more involved this offseason than in past ones?

No, I absolutely do not. I spent a lot of time with Bill Guerin in the last few months. I can’t be more happy with that decision (to hire Guerin last year). He is the right guy. Highly motivated, incredibly competent. He knows what to do. I am excited about Billy, and I am excited about Dean (new coach Dean Evason). I think those two guys are going to work really well together. It’s their decisions, it’s not mine. I’ll keep my hands off. I’ll give them advice (but) they all know the advice I give them is the advice of a fan, not an owner.

What did you see in Dean that you like?

When we’re watching all the players practicing on the ice, somebody asked me who is the hardest working guy out there. My answer is Dean Evason. My God, he is a hard, hard working coach. He is on the ice directing all the plays, all the practices, the scrimmages. You’d see him on the bus and on the airplane. He’s constantly looking at video and talking to the assistants. I am very happy with what I see out of Dean.

Mikko Koivu is 37 years old. Will he return for next season?

I have no idea. There will be time for that discussion. That will be Mikko’s decision and Bill’s decision.

How long is it financially sustainable for the Wild to play without fans in stands?

We’re fine for next year. It’s hard, it’s expensive and obviously we lose a lot of money. You can’t have fans, that’s your No. 1 source of revenue. Next year we already have it figured out (a budgeted loss). If we don’t have fans (at some point during the season), we don’t. We’re going to have to find other ways to generate revenue if we can. We have to find a way to survive and we’ll do that.

What’s your reaction to speculation that because the season was cut short, the franchise lost millions of dollars and sustained the biggest deficit since you bought the club in 2008?

Yeah, I would confirm that.

What are your thoughts about the upcoming NHL Draft?

We have the ninth pick and that’s not a bad pick. It’s a great draft. It’s a deep draft so we think our ninth pick is going to be a really, really good player.

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Sources Saying Vikings Season Iffy

Posted on July 29, 2020July 29, 2020 by David Shama

Although the Vikings opened training camp yesterday, word is sources close to the organization question whether an NFL season will happen due to the ongoing COVID-19 threat.

Vikings employees were shaken Monday when the announcement came that popular trainer Eric Sugarman, in charge of the team’s COVID protocol, tested positive for the virus along with members of his family. That news came on the same day several Vikings players, including 2020 top draft choice Justin Jefferson, were placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list. The designation refers to a player who either tests positive for COVID-19 or who has been quarantined after having been in close contact with an infected person or persons.

Vikings and NFL decision makers are monitoring their own franchises and what’s happening in other professional sports leagues that are starting up. Pandemic concerns have already surfaced in MLB, forcing cancellation of games after teams began playing their 60-game schedules just last week.

Baseball is a sport that allows social distancing on the field, whereas pro football does not and has about twice the number of players on rosters. “If baseball can’t play, what does that say about the NFL and college football,” said a sports industry source who has heard about Vikings concerns.

Another Sports Headliners source with expertise shared a similar view. “I have a hard time believing it (the schedule) is going to get off and running,” he said. “If there is a (NFL) season, it might be eight to 10 games.”

A worst case scenario for the Vikings and NFL would be stoppage of training camps because of sizeable virus outbreaks among their players and staffs, coupled with worsening news across Minnesota and the nation about the pandemic, and MLB suspending or cancelling its season. Football certainly falls into the category of high risk for coronavirus transmission.

The league has already cancelled all preseason games, with the regular season scheduled to start in September. Maybe.

Worth Noting

What? College Football News posted its preseason All-American offensive team this week including wide receivers, but Minnesota’s Rashod Bateman, a likely first round NFL Draft choice next spring, wasn’t included among the 12 receivers. Louisville’s Tutu Atwell, Jr., son of ex-Gopher Tutu Atwell, was included on the list.

Gophers quarterback Tanner Morgan made Honorable Mention.

The outpouring of condolences following the recent death of Gophers 1960s three-sport standout Noel Jenke has been moving, and look for former teammates from baseball, football and hockey to organize a gathering to celebrate the life of the Owatonna, Minnesota native.

It looks like 79-year-old Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor will cash in on selling the franchise that he bought in 1994 for a reported $88 million and make a huge gain. Forbes has valued the franchise at $1.375 billion, with media stories having Taylor asking $1.2 billion. Taylor bought the club from original owners Marv Wolfenson and Harvey Ratner, who are believed to have paid the NBA $32.5 million in the late 1980s to bring an expansion franchise to Minneapolis.

I remember inquiring about an NBA franchise in the early 1970s and receiving a letter from league commissioner Walter Kennedy cautioning that an expansion fee would be over $500,000!

Taylor is likely to weigh several factors in deciding who will buy the club, including a review of bidders who are ethnic minorities. The NBA office will welcome and perhaps push for such potential buyers, and that includes former Wolves superstar Kevin Garnett who is part of an interested group. Garnett, though, has expressed harsh criticism of Taylor in the past and it’s unknown how that might affect decisions by the soft-spoken Timberwolves owner.

WCCO Radio’s Mike Max said this morning to watch for an announcement later today that the University of St. Thomas men’s hockey program will be joining the Central Collegiate Hockey Association.

College Hockey, Inc. reports there are 218 NCAA alumni playing for NHL teams in the Stanley Cup playoffs that begin Saturday, and the Gophers have the most alums with 17.

The prediction here is Alex Stalock wins the goalie competition as the Minnesota Wild prep to play its opening game Sunday against the Vancouver Canucks. He might handle pressure better than another veteran, Devan Dubnyk. Like every team in the playoffs, the Wild is searching for a hot goaltender to lead win after win in the playoffs. Look for coach Dean Evason to stick with whoever he chooses as starting goalie.

The Canucks are a solid offensive team and for the Wild to match production, continued breakout stardom will be needed from Minnesota forward Kevin Fiala. He tied his NHL career high of 23 goals last season before the pandemic prematurely ended the schedule. In the last five games he had seven points including four goals.

Expect Evason to not favor his top lines for most playing time. If the third or fourth lines are performing the best, their minutes will be considerable.

Josh Donaldson was off to a slow start at the plate in the Twins’ first three games, all on the road, but he hit his first home run of the season and first in a Minnesota uniform last night in the club’s home opening 6-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. In one game with the Twins, and 22 other prior games playing for other clubs, Donaldson has a career.384 batting average at Target Field.

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U Football Season May Need “Hail Mary”

Posted on July 16, 2020July 17, 2020 by David Shama

University of Minnesota Board of Regents member Michael Hsu is a supporter of college football but he is becoming skeptical the Golden Gophers will have a 2020 season.

Hsu told Sports Headliners this morning he has no inside information from the U about a 2020 football season, but he observes the rising numbers of COVID-19 cases in America, and also what the leaders of college football are saying. The Ivy League has cancelled its fall football season and may play in the spring. The Big Ten and Pac-12 have announced if there is a season, their schools will play conference opponents only.

The three other Power Five conferences (ACC, Big 12 and SEC) haven’t been as definitive about their football schedules, saying decisions are coming later this month. Then, too, Hsu looks at football heavyweight Notre Dame where school begins in early August and he wonders what ultimate decision school leaders will make there, including for students. The Fighting Irish have already lost prestigious games on their football schedule with the Big Ten’s Wisconsin Badgers and the Pac-12’s USC Trojans.

Other teams around the country have lost nonconference games previously scheduled against Big Ten teams. These include schools that thrive on the large financial payouts for playing in Big Ten stadiums. “It just doesn’t look good. It’s a desperate time for football,” Hsu said.

Instead of a 12-game schedule, the Gophers and other Big Ten teams may play nine or 10 games each. Perhaps fewer. Options could include limiting Big Ten teams to games against rivals from their own division, West and East. That would mean six total games for the Gophers and others.

There could be no season for Minnesota and other schools. With all the confusion, that’s why Hsu analyzes the situation and says, “To put it in football terms, it may be time to call the Hail Mary pass.”

Normally, the Gophers would be starting formal practices in a couple of weeks, with the first game in early September. But ultimately the decision to play will presumably be directed by the Minnesota Health Department and governor Tim Walz, a former championship high school football coach.

Initially if state and U authorities won’t okay playing games (or even practice), then a schedule gets moved further into the fall—if it even happens at all. Hsu looks at the landscape here and across the country and recognizes state and local authorities could well come up with different decisions about approving football at their universities. Such a mish-mash of thinking will complicate the coordination of schedules. He looks at the COVID-19 numbers including deaths and wonders how much support there will be for football and other fall sports. “The numbers are against us,” he said.

For strategic planning the difficulty with the pandemic is it’s all new and leaders, including academics and athletic departments, are trying to find best practices. Trying to keep people safe, while recognizing the value of activities like college football that have so many benefits to participants and followers—plus irreplaceable revenues to fund much of the total sports programs at major universities like Minnesota.

Fall semester classes start September 8 at Minnesota. Hsu said the plan is for classroom and virtual classes. The former demands the buy-in of professors to be comfortable in such an environment. Things are planned but things can change.

With football, Hsu hopes there will be some form of a season. He knows U leaders in the athletic department and school administration are looking at options, considering plans, crunching numbers. But as of now the regents don’t know the specifics.

“We haven’t heard boo about anything,” Hsu said.

Worth Noting

A college athletics authority told Sports Headliners yesterday morning he expected an announcement this week from the NCAA approving the University of St. Thomas request to participate in Division I sports starting with the 2021-2022 school year. Yesterday afternoon school officials formally acknowledged the approval, with the Tommies joining the Gophers as a second Division I program in the state of Minnesota.

No definitive word on the transition was given last month when the NCAA met. The source, speaking on condition of anonymity, believes St. Thomas was asked to complete paperwork that is now in place.

The approval clears the way for the Tommies to join The Summit League for most sports, plus the Pioneer Football League and the Women’s League of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. The St. Thomas men’s hockey program is yet to be aligned with a conference.

“St. Thomas brings the full package—an excellent academic reputation, experienced leadership, a massive alumni network and a winning culture,” Summit League Commissioner Tom Douple said in a news release. “With their values-based mission and status as Minnesota’s largest private university, we know the Tommies will represent The Summit League well and we’re proud to welcome them.”

It will be a new operations experience for the Twins and other MLB clubs when travel begins next week. Teams will try to control the COVID risk with charter flights and precautions regarding meals. Players will be advised to avoid bars and restaurants.

Sidelined for the season because of their age and the COVID risk are two Twins coaches, Bill Evers, 66, and Bob McClure, 68.

Among protocols MLB has in place to minimize the risk of spreading the virus in stadiums is no spitting will be allowed, nor can managers or players argue face-to-face with umpires.

Word is NHL and NCAA hockey players could be wearing new face shields this year to provide optimal protection from the virus.

Dean Evason, who had his status changed from interim to full-time Minnesota Wild head coach this week, has a two-year contract extension, but with compensation not announced. With no NHL head coaching experience he could be among the league’s lowest paid coaches, perhaps at $750,000 annually.

The Minneapolis-based Twin Cities Dunkers and St. Paul-based Capital Club, who both feature prominent sports speakers throughout the year, are using Zoom for member programs during the pandemic. The Dunkers heard from Twins front office leaders Tuesday, and St. Paul Saints owner Mike Veeck talks to Capital Club members July 30. The Dunkers will hear from 3M Open boss Hollis Cavner next Wednesday.

Also going virtual is this year’s Taste Fore The Tour to raise money for Bloomington-based food shelf VEAP—Volunteers Enlisted to Assist People. All event proceeds go to VEAP including from the impressive online silent auction now in place. Organizers point out $120 can feed a family of four for a month. More at Tasteforethetour.com.

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