The Minnesota Wild, the golden child of local sports franchises, has been roughed up this week following the acquisition of hockey bad boy Chris Simon, the 36-year-old wing whose on ice incidents have drawn multiple career suspensions. While Simon’s incidents can be seen on TV highlights and YouTube videos, the trade earlier this week that brought him here from the New York Islanders for a sixth round draft choice has stirred more negative comment from fans and media than any move by the Wild within memory.
With more than 20 NHL deals made by league teams before Tuesday’s trade deadline, Wild followers were hopeful of adding a top tier player who could enhance the team’s playoff possibilities and end a losing streak that had reached four by Wednesday morning. Despite speculation earlier this month that Peter Forsberg might come this way, he ended up in Colorado.
A star like Forsberg might have been too much to expect but Simon was a let down to fans for a couple of reasons. First, with career statistics that include 18 goals in his last two full seasons they don’t expect his contributions to be high impact here. Second, this isn’t a hockey community that embraces first degree hockey violence.
It might be extreme, but one passionate fan who called Sports Headliners asked: “How could they trade for this guy who maybe one of the worst individuals ever to play in the National Hockey League?”
Another fan e-mailed that “this guy is not the player he used to be, and you can count on him to put his team in a hole with committing stupid suspensions.”
President and general manager Doug Risebrough, according to the team’s Web site, believes that the 6-3, 232-pound Simon will give the Wild a physical presence needed around the net. Risebrough said other teams in the Northwest Division have more size and adding Simon helps make up for that deficiency.
With an easier schedule just ahead and the playoffs not that far away the Wild have to hope for better scoring. Once in the playoffs an extraordinary series of games by goalie Niklas Backstrom seems like the best formula for success.
The Wild, who are tied for first place in the Northwest Division, will set the scene for more complaining from the public and media than ever before if they finish the regular season and playoffs poorly. This is a franchise that has been to the playoffs twice in five seasons but yet has maintained sellout crowds and a popular image with a few exciting players, slick arena and meticulous attention to marketing and customer relations. The golden child lost some glimmer this week, and the weeks, months and years ahead (will Marion Gaborik eventually be traded?) will be interesting.