Its that tough pill to swallow with a big glass of Conference Final hockey; fans often will align themselves with one of the remaining teams in an effort to stay intertwined in the emotional fabric of the playoffs, hoping to stay (in a masochistic sense of course) in that heightened paranoia-like state where every aspect of the previous game is scrutinized. Most of all, since they can’t do with their own teams (some who have long ago been dispatched), we want to be able to revel in what could be a glorious Stanley Cup victory.  Its the next best thing, right?

I’ve found  that there is a hangover following a series defeat (it gets bigger with every year of one and done); its hard to stay in touch with the goings on of the second season. The injuries, the storylines, etc. that come with the other series’; its just hard to care when the team you want to root for is now making 10 am tee times. Eventually you get over it, much like a broken heart, and you gain that thirst back for playoff hockey, because lets face it, its the Cup. You gotta watch it.

But it just ain’t the same when your team is done for the long, long, hot summer.

With Minnesota’s second consecutive Quarterfinal dismissal from the Stanley Cup Playoffs, all of the parties involved (fans, players, Brass, media types, passers-by) are scratching their heads, wondering “What went wrong?” I just wrote on my blog (ya, you like that shameless self-promotion?) how the high water mark for the franchise, the magical “David vs. Goliaths” run of 2003, has spoiled Wild Nation; we’ve seen the heights we can reach, so why hasn’t The Wild gotten back there since, especially since on paper (a harbinger of doom if there ever was one) each of the teams the past two years are stronger?

Last year it looked promising; the newly assembled roster rallied behind new starting goalie Niklas Backstrom, and roared into the postseason for a match up with the Anaheim Ducks, who promptly kicked our ass. Literally, kicked our ass. For a team not used to the brutal physicality that Anaheim brought, it was an eye-opener for players and Management alike. So in what could be considered a knee jerk reaction, in an effort to boost toughness, we brought in Sean Hill, Todd Fedoruk (a great pickup, but more for his overall play), and in the biggest public relations-egg-in-your-face transaction ever, Chris Simon. (Before you go back to my column on acquiring Simon, I stand by my opinion that it could have been productive. However he saw very little ice time, and when he did, he did very little aside from beating up Jim Vandermeer.)

Onward to this year, where with Division title in tow, we faced off with the Colorado Avalanche; we matched up well because both teams can skate; the added toughness will work to our advantage, right?

Not if the team you face doesn’t fight; maybe it was Anaheim that skewed the definition of “toughness”- its not about just having the firepower to win a line brawl, but more about being consistently physical, and being more of an irritant than a pain-reliever. I realized that playoff hockey isn’t necessarily honest hockey; you need guys who will goad, prod, mock, talk, hit, and instigate because its not about keeping it clean- its about winning the Stanley Cup. Look how effective Sean Avery is in the East; he single handedly drove Martin Brodeur nuts. Even closer to home, which Minnesota fan didn’t want to ring Cody McLeod’s neck? Luckily for Minnesota we’ll have that pest sooner than later- Cal Clutterbuck, come on down!

Its a learning experience with every playoff “run” (for the lack of a better term.) Each series brings about a moral to the tale, whether its to serve the purpose of reminding the management of making that move to enhance depth, whether it be at center or defense, or to bring in that player or two you know can be effective without the puck. Lessons learned indeed; its just that everyone has all summer to rue over it.

Playoff Time is a different animal; both papers now have extended coverage and features, the wretches contribute Wild-Related columns nearly daily (much to the dismay of the Wild faithful, for the reasons stated above), Sports Radio is now aimed at Wild coverage and subsequently flooded with callers, many of whom desire more consistent attention from said radio station. One could surmise that when the playoff berth (and Division Title) was clinched, everyone climbed aboard the bandwagon. Now that its nearly wall-to-wall coverage of the playoff “run” (depending on the first series, of course), I kind of liken the whole situation to some sort of drug-induced haze.

The games are like hits; time drags until the next one. You crave more, despite the fact that the two overtime games so far (a columnist from the Winnipeg Sun had the gaul to say that the playoff season so far has been boring!) has put you on the edge of agony and ecstasy. One more hit like the two before and there is the distinct chance your heart may just explode. I don’t think that is just the case for those rooting for the Red and Green; I’m sure there are Colorado fans whose lifespans are incrementally decreasing with each passing game. But you want the next fix…all the attention just serves to whet your appetite until the faithful for both sides can hunker down for the next dose. Its like everything about the game is heightened; every hit, shift, shot, save, and goal is put under the microscope; trends are looked for and dissected from these aspects of the game, and then the current opinion of the series changes.

Would we pour over the same things if this was game #32? Game #62? The diagnosis? We have Playoffs on the Brain.

The drama is addicting however, and the junkies in all of us (whether you are a Wild Fan, an Avs fan, or just a hockey fan in general) wouldn’t have it any other way.

Many people are attempting to draw similarities between this series and the 2003 playoffs, when the upstart over-achieving Wild squad ended not just the Avs’ playoff run, but also Patrick Roy. The roles are reversed; Minnesota just clinched their first Division Title while Colorado had to work to get in and dealt with injuries to key guys all year long. Minnesota dominated the regular season series, but since the “second season” has started you can throw that out the window. Both teams match up very well; both play a skating game, and have great offensive firepower. Just from talking to the Avs fans who were nice enough to strike up conversations over Jameson Whiskey and Coors Light at Brooklyns, many were glad that this was the matchup to be.

Nick Schultz’ appendectomy is a huge blow; especially for a blueline core in which depth could become a pressing issue. Kurtis Foster went down a short time ago, and now Nick Schultz is out for at least the first round. Suddenly aging guys like Sean Hill and Keith Carney will be asked to step up their minutes; Petteri Nummelin and his ineffective pokecheck will now see time every game. Schultz was going to be the shutdown guy; he would be on the ice everytime Sakic, Stastny, Forsberg, etc. hopped the boards. Now to me, that task has to go to Kim Johnsson and Martin Skoula; these two guys, as a pairing, have played very very good over the past few months, and since they are minute munchers, they will be able to handle an extended workload. Skoula, for one, plays better when he has a huge workload, and Johnsson is no stranger to seeing 30 minutes a game. The skating style will work well for Nummelin; but the real question marks are Carney and Hill. The two veterans, no strangers to playoff hockey, have been bad this year. Carney has been disappointing this year, and Sean Hill, when he has gotten into the lineup, is prone to running around for the big hit, which often leads to goals against or penalties. If Hill can tone it down, he should be able to step into a bigger role. As for Brent Burns, he has to play his game; maybe being paired with Carney can increase his effectiveness.

I like how the forwards match up; Adrian Dater of the Denver Post mentioned that the checking line of Stephane Veilleux, Mikko Koivu, and Branko Radivojevic would be the difference; these guys will have to step it up even more so Schultz out; Colorado’s big guns will see plenty of these guys. With that being said, Dater talked about how the Avs lack a true checking line, one that will be responsible for containing guys like Gaborik and Rolston. Ryan Smyth is not a checking winger. With the dustup between Ian Laperriere and Gaborik Sunday, the tone was set; the star players are going to be receiving physical attention. The Avs didn’t like how the Wild played Peter Forsberg last week, and sent the message that Marian Gaborik and Co. would be getting played the same way. With this, I don’t think you’ll see all three of “The GOONies” in the lineup; Todd Fedoruk is a given. I think you have to go with Chris Simon in this series; don’t get me wrong, we love our Derek Boogaard, but he can’t play. Plain and simple- Simon has the experience and the ability to play to boot, and along with James Sheppard and Mark Parrish they could be an effective 4th line, a team that can get it down low and cycle the hell out of the puck; that has to be the sole purpose for this line. All three are strong along the wall, and can do what they do best to keep the play in the Avs zone, and maybe create a scoring chance or draw a penalty or two.

I really like how Niklas Backstrom is playing coming into this series; he seems like he’s peaking at the right time, and is beginning to look an awful lot like he did last year and into the playoffs, where he even kept us in a few games. He has to be on his game; on paper the defense looks like it took a hit because of the loss of Schultz. However, Colorado has some very good firepower, so its imperative that the D and Backstrom are on the same wavelength.

Granted I speak from a Minnesota perspective, but with Colorado you have experience, but for the most part the key guys are aged; this isn’t 2001 anymore. But with that comes with a ton of playoff experience, which will come in handy when alot of their roster has little to no playoff seasoning, which you could make the argument that Minnesota is similar in that aspect; but I think that we (despite no Schultz) are just the better team, and aside from guys like Scott Hannan and Adam Foote that Colorado will have a hard time shutting down our top lines.

I got Minnesota in 5.

Then there’s Minnesota. Granted, we did ink our 2007 First Round Pick Colton Gillies to a 3-year entry level contract, and then signed him to an Amateur Try Out so he could finish the season gaining valuable experience and development with the playoff-bound Houston Aeros. Gillies, by all accounts, will have every opportunity to make the team out of Training Camp in the fall.

What about Ondrej Fiala, who was Gillies’ teammate on a horrid Saskatoon team, and Minnesota’s 2006 2nd round pick? As Gillies’ linemate, the two put up career totals, and Fiala proved he could stay healthy after reconstructive knee surgery in the offseason. He was a fixture at the Prospects Tournament in September, even drawing praise from the club for his play; yet, no news on whether he’ll be signed at all.

Another wasted pick. Add it to the growing list. Maybe Minnesota should just draft the first 3 rounds and give the rest away…

Maybe there are contingencies with Fiala that I don’t know about; and maybe I am just taking this at surface level, but to me it looks like the Scouting Staff for the Minnesota Wild are doing a terrible job. I get that people can point at picks like Gaborik, Koivu, Sheppard, Bouchard, Burns (a home run if there ever was one), and now Pouliot- those are all first round picks; those guys should be contributing at the NHL level; there shouldn’t be any sort of surprise there. Aside from Nick Schultz and Josh Harding, how many 2nd round picks are playing, or are even signed? 3rd rounders? Anyone else?

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/draft/teams/dr002331.html

There is every draft since Inception; By my count there are 19 guys from those 8 drafts that are under contract (Ryan Jones should get signed, meaning 20 guys), with another another 10 or so guys that have signed, and been busts. To say that outside of the first 3 rounds Minnesota isn’t very good at drafting would be an understatement. They haven’t signed an NCAA free agent since Mark Cullen, and even then he never saw any time at the NHL level; Travis Roche, whom they signed right out of North Dakota, saw 10 games total with Minnesota before they cut him loose. And the list goes on…

I know that scouting is for the most part a crap shoot; that the mythical notion of “projection” is an inexact science, and that opinions all differ. What’s most alarming is that complete lack of action; Why didn’t Minnesota go out and sign a guy like Hillen, or some other high-profile collegiate player? Is it because the Travis Roche experiment failed? Is it because of Hubris? There was a report that came out a few weeks ago, which had Minnesota and Atlanta tied for last with the least amount of draft picks in the current lineup (I think the number was 8, but that was before Benoit Pouliot was called up.)

Not very good, especially for an organization that “builds a team from within.”

Defense:
- Keith Carney, Kurtis Foster, Petteri Nummelin, and Sean Hill. While I don’t consider myself qualified to “general manage”, I’d let them all go; Nummelin is gone regardless, Foster almost didn’t get an offer last summer, maybe keep one of Hill or Carney. You can bring in a decent 5-6 guy in through Free Agency or via trade, but you also have guys like Shawn Belle, Clayton Stoner, Erik Reitz, and John Scott in Houston, who all nearly made the team out of camp, but were ultimately down on the depth chart. Its time for these guys to get a shot at the NHL level, and develop under the limited 5-6 D minutes.

Burns-Schultz-Johnsson-Skoula-FA-Stoner/Reitz/Scott/Belle-Hill/Carney

Forwards:

Pavol Demitra, Brian Rolston, Matt Foy, Todd Fedoruk, Chris Simon, Branko Radivojevic. There are grumblings that Demitra doesn’t want to stay here, whether or not its true has yet to come to light; but that being said, I am not sure if I even want him back. Don’t you think you want more out of a guy than 65-70 games a year, regardless of his chemistry with Gaborik? His departure would make top-6 room for Mark Parrish, who I feel is being grossly misused, and would easily pot 25 goals given constant ice time with skill players. Rolston, well, I am finding myself split. I like what he brings to the team off the ice, but have grown disillusioned with his game; his goal totals are shrinking, and he is slowly becoming one-dimensional. I guess there are questions about whether or not he wants to stay are popping up too. I would bring back Todd Fedoruk in a second; Fridge can play, and brings physical presence without having to fight. Foy can go, as will Simon. I think Branko will be let go as well, not only because the Brass has been disappointed with his game, and also to make room for a Danny Irmen, Cal Clutterbuck, or Colton Gillies.

Goalie:

While we don’t have pressing issues here, there is a possibility that Nik Backstrom could be dealt; not that Josh Harding is absolutely ready, but that he may be worth something that Wild needs, or could be of use in the Draft. Aeros Goalie Nolan Schaefer has NHL experience, and the Brass may want to roll the dice with that tandem. I’m not saying he will get traded, but I’ve always looked at his deal as a one year and gone scenario.

There are some extenuating circumstances here; the lack of help that came in at the deadline and the slow slide down the standings may alienate some of the FA’s to be; That leads us to Gaborik; he may see this as a sinking ship, or a ship going nowhere, and he may want to seek greener pastures, whether or not he is the captain. If he does, you got to shop him, and get what you can, although the deal may handcuff Minnesota because Gaborik will want major money; so the list of Suitors may be shortened, and ideally you’d want to send him East. However, you could work in a conditional pick if he were to be resigned by the team he was dealt to. A Sign and Trade (i.e. Hossa for Heatley) may be a worthy option as well. But there will have to be a contributor coming back.

Minnesota has the pieces in place; Koivu and Sheppard up the middle, Burns and Schultz on the Blueline, and Harding in net, but the landscape changes year to year; I’ve touched on it before, but there is a very real possibility that the Wild go through a reconstruction this summer. The question is to what extent.

The problem is “the perfect pass”. Inevitably a problem that stems from a certain combined skill level, guys will pass up prime scoring chances for that highlight reel assist. The kind where if you’re watching the game on television, you’ll see the recipient of the pass turn around, point at the passer, and mouth “nice fuckin pass!…what a pass!” Of course, a team can’t afford to just run into the zone and fire the puck all willy-nilly, negating any chance of gaining possession, and control of the zone, and the opportunity to put the defense on their heels. But there is a balance too.

You don’t score goals, or win games, by simply playing keep-away. That may be fun out on the shinny rink, but this is the NHL. You have to score goals to win.

Last night (and I guess in the past few games too) Minnesota spent nearly the entire power play moving the puck around the perimeter of the offensive zone, only to end up without a shot. A couple times. In fact, in his post game presser, Coach Jacques Lemaire said that the “power play is why we lost the game.” Yes, we got the tools to move the puck, but not only do we have guys who can hammer it (Rolston, Burns, Gaborik, Foster), but guys who will stand in front of the goalie and get the dirty goal (Parrish, Simon, Fedoruk, Radivojevic). It doesn’t stop there though; with the current defensive vogue of collapsing down around the net to protect the goalie, shots from the point, or even the half wall, may not even get through.

So, that being said, shouldn’t the answer be obvious? As plain as Stephane Veilleux’s goal last night, a product of Eric Belanger crashing the net with the puck, and Veilleux being on the door step to sweep up the garbage? Apparently not, as Marian Gaborik attempted to saucer a puck into Eric Belanger, who was in the middle of the action, with time running out as the Wild frantically tried to tie the score. Gaborik has 34 goals, at the right faceoff dot, with the puck on his stick; he shoots, right? Instead he opted for the perfect pass.

You know, maybe its hubris on the part of Minnesota; knowing and believing in their confidence and skill to a point where there is a certain unwillingness to crash the net, and or score on a play that is unpretty. That, in turn, could lead to more games like last night against Chicago.