David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Wild Face Challenging Offseason

Posted on March 16, 2012March 16, 2012 by David Shama

Look for the Wild to make an offseason to-do list that could include signing New Jersey’s Zach Parise or Nashville’s Ryan Suter, or both.

That’s the opinion of an NHL expert who told Sports Headliners the franchise wants to improve its scoring and upgrade its image by adding a talented player or two. Parise, who was born in Minneapolis, ranks in the top 25 this season in both goals and points. Suter, a defenseman with Nashville, was an NHL All-Star this year. Both have expiring contracts.

Possibly complicating the offseason for the Wild, though, is a looming NHL labor strike that would hit the franchise’s budget if the season were shortened or cancelled. The NHL collective bargaining agreement expires September 15 and famous negotiator Donald Fehr will represent the players.

The NHL expert said the Wild lost over $20 million during the NHL “work stoppage” 2004-05 season. This season, assuming the Wild don’t’ make the playoffs, will result in a loss of at least $8 million, he said.

The team has only 12 regular season games remaining and is 13^th among 15 Western Conference teams in total points. After a strong start to the season, the Wild has faltered badly and appears almost certain to miss the playoffs for a fourth consecutive year.

Season tickets totals have been declining in recent years and the NHL expert believes perhaps up to 25 percent of season tickets might not be renewed in 2012. The total season tickets could drop to the 8,000-9,000 range, or roughly half of the franchise’s all-time high. “It’s hard for fans to plop down money with the team they put on the ice,” the source said.

The disappointing season on the ice can impact future revenue streams beyond season tickets. Areas like sponsorships, suites and signage.

The Wild haven’t been able to score goals and lack the depth to replace injured players. Mikko Koivu, Pierre-Marc Bouchard and Guillaume Latendresse have been among the contributors unable to play. “They pretty much have to play a perfect game to win,” the source said.

First year coach Mike Yeo isn’t to blame for the disappointing season. “I don’t think you can point a finger at him,” the source said. “There have been so many lineup changes and injuries.”

The source believes the Wild may trade veteran goalie Niklas Backstrom during the offseason. That would relieve the team of an estimated $6 million salary, money that could be used trying to sign a Parise or Suter. But even with the addition of some star power, the Wild will be trying to rebuild with young players.

“The Wild are basing a lot of their future on young players acquired through the draft and trades,” the NHL expert said. “There’s no guarantee all those guys are going to make it. It’s going to take awhile for them to get acclimated into the league and make any kind of impact.”

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Worth Noting

Posted on March 16, 2012March 16, 2012 by David Shama

The North Dakota team the Gophers play tonight at Xcel Energy Center in a WCHA Final Five game is 11-2-1 in its last 13 games. The Sioux are led in scoring by sophomore and All-WCHA third team selection Brock Nelson who had two goals in the Final Five win over St. Cloud State yesterday.

Jim Dutcher, the former Gophers coach, follows the San Diego State basketball team where his son Brian is an assistant head coach. The Aztecs play a first round Midwest Regional NCAA Tournament game today against North Carolina State. Jim said San Diego State’s basketball history includes winning 14 of the last 15 overtime games, and the Aztecs are 70-0 in games when leading with five minutes to play.

The Aztecs have one of the best high school recruits in the country coming to San Diegon ext season in Winston Shepard from Findlay Prep in Las Vegas.

Mr. Basketball chair Ken Lien told Sports Headliners there is so much parity among Mr. Basketball candidates the list is at eight right now when usually there’s a final five by mid-March.

Center fielder Denard Span played in a major league career low 70 games with the Twins last season, mostly because of concussion and headache problems. Span, the team’s leadoff hitter, ranks No. 5 for best on-base percentage (.361) among American League outfielders since 2008.

The Twins have to be hoping third baseman Danny Valencia provides much needed power in the lineup. The 6-2, 218-pound Valencia hit 15 home runs in his first full major league season last year. He and reserve first baseman Chris Parmelee lead the club in spring training home runs with two each.

The St. Thomas women’s basketball team and Gustavus women’s hockey team play Division III national championship semifinal games tonight. The Tommies (30-1) play Illinois Wesleyan (26-5) in Holland, Michigan. The Gusties (24-2-2) play Norwich(26-2-1) in Rochester, New York.

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Dutcher: No Big Ten Teams to Final Four

Posted on March 14, 2012March 14, 2012 by David Shama

Don’t expect a Big Ten team to make the Final Four. That’s the opinion of former Gophers coach Jim Dutcher who still intently follows college basketball.

Dutcher’s Final Four picks are Kentucky, Syracuse, Missouri and Kansas. “I would pick Syracuse over Kansas, and I would pick Kentucky over Missouri, and then Kentucky to win it all,” Dutcher told Sports Headliners.

Michigan State is the No. 1 seed in the West Regional but Dutcher believes No. 2 seed Missouri will emerge as region champion. He’s impressed with coach Tom Izzo’s tournament record and likes Michigan State’s inside players, but is concerned about the Spartans three point shooting. “They can have those scoring droughts,” Dutcher said. “Not two or three minutes, they can go six, seven minutes without scoring a point when they don’t hit those threes.”

Michigan State and Ohio State, a No. 2 seed in the East Regional, are the highest seeds among six Big Ten teams in the tournament. The Buckeyes were 34-3 last season and 16-2 in the Big Ten, while this year’s club doesn’t seem as formidable, 27-7 and 13-6.

“There’s just something that’s holding them back a little bit and that something is the play of Buford (William),” Dutcher said. “He can be very good. But the games he doesn’t shoot the ball well, Ohio State has some trouble winning. They’re not as good as they were last year because (Jon) Diebler and (David) Lighty gave them two extra outside shooters. …I see them getting to the Elite Eight.”

Ask Dutcher about individual stars worth following in this tournament and he includes former Hopkins and Gophers forward Royce White whose versatility despite his bulky 6-8, 270-pound body has impressed many observers. Dutcher said White, an all-Big 12 Conference sophomore, could be the most difficult match-up in the country to figure out who guards him. White sometimes brings the ball up the floor for the Cyclones and triggers the offense. “He’s an intriguing player just because of the style of game that he plays,” Dutcher said.

Others worth watching include Kentucky freshman center Anthony Davis, a popular choice for player of the year, who is extremely athletic for 6-10. And former Gophers coach Dan Monson, now in his fifth season at Long Beach State, has 5-10 guard Casper Ware. “He’s really a dynamic little guy,” Dutcher said.

Long Beach State is in the NCAA tournament for the first time under Monson. The 49ers, a No. 12 seed, play New Mexico, a No. 5 seed, in an opening West Regional game tomorrow afternoon. New Mexico is coached by former Iowa coach Steve Alford, a friend of Monson’s going back to Big Ten days.

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