Shep

Great article on Jimmy Sheppard by Russo today. He's a funny kid.

I dunno about other teams but we've got just a crazy number of rock stars/rock stars-in-the-making on this team. From Burns and Mikko, who started to get some buzz last season, to Shep, who is on the radar of those in the know (obvious by how many calls Riser got asking to make a deal for him in the off-season), to Cuma, who is the next Lidstrom. And of course, if you ask me, Clutterbuck will find a place in the spotlight at some point for something other than his wicked name.

Anyway, someone posted the Under Armor ad that Shep is in on the Wild board. I think it pretty much speaks for itself.

And BTW, I promise this is the last of my drooling for a while. Just so happy to have hockey almost back...

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Wild Pre-season Line-up: Game 4 (and a bunch of other stuff)

At home against Chicago (against whom we are 0-1 in the pre-season) will be, in no particular order:

Forwards: Veilleux, Brunette, Boogaard, Gillies, Kolanos, Koivu, Pouliot, Sheppard, Kalus, Gaborik, Bouchard (maybe--he's still day to day) Clutterbuck, Miettinen

Defensemen: Skoula, Schultz, Scott, Cuma, Mojzis, Bergeron

Goalies: Backstrom, Harding

Doubt I'll get to listen to it, but I'll update later with any significant happenings. Excited for Cuma to have another game. And sort of amused that they keep hoping Scotty will turn into Chara. Hey, you never know, I guess. Better to roll the dice in pre-season than when it counts.

Updated with the news this morning of Cal filling in for Butch. Huzzah!

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Found out tonight that this Sunday's novice league game will be against one of the the Sugar Land Novice league teams. Our red team will travel to Sugar Land to play against them at their rink, and my green team will play their other team at Willowbrook. I'm excited. It should be good fun to play against a new group.

I feel sure we'll whip them because we actually have quite a few ringers on our team. I mean, they really do play novice, but they could easily play C or B league if they wanted to. But we need them because if we only played with true novice players, I'm not sure we'd get better as quickly as we can playing with good players.

It's big hockey for the next couple of weeks: I'm going to try and steal away during lunch Friday for a bit of a skate on the other rink at the Aeros practice facility, and catch the boys practicing a bit, if I can. Then Friday night is the pre-season game. Then Sunday is this novice "championship" (not sure if we're playing for first or third place). Then Saturday is the Toyota Center game and then the Aeros game that night, as well as the first Wild game that night.

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I've fully updated the Aeros TC Roster post with info about each of the tryout players who will be in camp. At least, the ones I know about so far. An interesting assortment of guys. I bet there will be a gem or two in the mix, like Rosa and Awe were last year. Just good, hard-working guys who manage to hustle their way out of the ECHL.

In case it's not painfully obvious, I so miss the boys and cannot wait for Friday to see them on the ice again. Seems like only yesterday was my birthday with the boys losing out of the playoffs (to no one's surprise, unfortunately). I think it's going to be a good year if they can get the chemistry going sooner than later.

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Wild Pre-season Line-up: Game 3

Heading out to Buffalo tomorrow will be:

Brunette - Belanger - Clutterbuck
Gillies - Locke - Nolan
Veilleux - Pouliot - JSchultz
Hamilton - Sheppard - Weller - Boogaard

NSchultz - Skoula - Reitz - Cuma - Noreau - Bergeron - Johnsson

Backstrom - Harding

Very cool that so many youngsters are getting some quality playing time. Unfortunately, I have hockey tomorrow night, so I won't be able to listen to the game. *sniff* ETA: Oh, it starts at 6 so maybe I can listen to most of it before I have to leave. Wee!

Also, my final fantasy hockey draft is tomorrow afternoon. Still haven't decided whether I'm going to auto-draft and see my little experiment through, or make my own picks. I've at least eliminated all the known-to-be-injured players and all the guys on my other team. And Todd Bertuzzi and Brad May, just because I can't stomach those guys being on my team.

Post game Update:
I didn't get to listen to but about half the game and it sounded pretty dreadful. I wasn't really sorry to take the earbuds out and go to my own hockey game.

However, the cool thing is that Cal got props from Lemaire after the game, without any prompting other than, "Which young guys stood out to you?" Cuma, Clutterbuck, Pouliot, Shep, in that order. Booyah! You're a rock star, Cal!

Also, I had a spy in the crowd who was busy watching her own boys (which I totally get), but did take a picture of someone holding a Clutterbuck sign! I think he's from not too far from Buffalo (but I'm too lazy to look up where Welland, ONT is exactly), so I'm sure he had family and friends there, which is terrific for him.

Finally, I think I have a man crush on Cuma. I know I'm not a man, but it's sort of like if you met Jesus or Superman or something. Just sort of awe and excitement about him. I'm already looking very much forward to next season just because I'm guessing he'll make the team handily. Rock that shit, Cuminator!

Has M.A. Bergeron been taking lessons from Avery? WTF is up with two fights in two games? Did we know he did this kind of thing? I'm scratching my head.

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Prospect Tourney: Third Place Game

Ahhh, that was fun. Nice to see the youngsters head into big camp with a nice victory under their belts. Hey, at least someone in the Wild org can beat someone in the Red Wings org!

A few things that stood out to me:

• Cal is still the cat's pajamas. Love the look of the C on my guy there. Great intermission interview, too. He's 007-cool. And he was the top scorer for Minnesota in the tournament.
• Kassian looks like a lumberjack when he skates. Won't someone tell him to get those arms swinging more front to back than side to side when he's skating? Augh. Still love ya though, Kass. WTF was up with the way they were pronouncing his name: Kay-shun? Yeesh.
• Dimples was fan-fucking-tastic, particularly in the shootout. Talk about a guy who is patient and cool. Not quite 007 cool, but certainly Batman-cool.
• I haven't read much about him in the coverage of the games, but I noticed Kevin King quite a bit. Seemed to be doing the right things most of the time. And he's only 18.
  
• I found Madsen frustrating me in the way Pouliot frustrates me. Very graceful skater, big guy, creates great chances for himself, but can't finish.
• Cuma is very very good. Just brimming with confidence and maturity on the ice. Wow. Definitely looked like a guy who could play very well in the AHL right now. Will be interesting to hear reports from big-boy camp about how he looks compared to NHLers. Liked that he showed some emotion, too. You sometimes expect these goody-two-shoes (and he is SUCH a GTS by all accounts), to be sort of hockeybots, but he was jawing and pissed off at one point. I love emotional players who can still play wicked smart.
• Not so impressed by Scandella or Schmidt.
• Hodgman and Almond looked good.
• McMillan didn't make much of an impression. Culligan only slightly more. They were fine but didn't really get my attention.
• Noreau looked good, but I'm still not seeing why everyone has such a hard-on for him. But then, my judgement around defensemen is notoriously lame.
• If I did not call your name, you may leave the runway because you're out.

Man, I was so screwed up by all the goofy numbers. That 78 on Cal was too heavy for him. He needs a lighter number. And 54 on Kassian? Ick. Wrong.

Anyway, that wet my whistle big time. If I was jonesing for hockey before, I've absolutely got the DTs now, man. Time to strap me to the bed until Oct. 3 when I get to see real hockey in person again.

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Prospect Watch 2008: Tyler "Tiger" Cuma

NHL.com sez:

Tyler Cuma -- It had been four years since Minnesota took a defenseman in the first round, so Cuma instantly became the franchise's top prospect on the blue line when he was grabbed at No. 23 on June 20.

After winning Rookie of the Year honors in the OHL for his performance with Ottawa in 2006-07, Cuma was the only member of the 67s to finish with a plus rating in 2007-08. Minnesota loves his offensive ability, as Cuma is willing to rush the puck up ice and has tremendous vision.

"This is the ninth draft that the Minnesota Wild has had, and never before have I ever said I was surprised when the guy was there when he picked," Thompson admitted. "I was very surprised. We're just delighted we have him."

Ms. Conduct sez:
Okay, so I have never seen this kid play other than scouting video and such, which I find hard to tell anything from. So I have very little to add other than I'm pretty excited about this guy. He's got the whole package you look for. In-fucking-credible attitude and work ethic, great hockey sense, great speed, good size. Plus, his NHL idol is Phaneuf, which I love to hear. Can you imagine a Phaneuf-clone AND Burnzie on the blue line for Minnesota? Holy hell.

Since I have so little substance, here's some video:

Draft Montage from the NHL
He'll drop the mitts for his goalie (oh, you know that gets me, right?)
Wild Development Camp video
Scouting Video (this is my favorite... not all souped up like the other stuff, just real hockey)

Of course, being the kind of guy Cuma is, he wants to make the team this year. It seems highly unlikely, but I think camp will be a good experience for him to see what he needs to do next year to make it.

I wish he weren't too young to come to Houston, but he definitely is. Never hurts to have a guy around who is in relentless pursuit of being #1 at everything he does. But then knowing how these kids party down here, it might just be his undoing.

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Kassian's Camp Wrap-Up

Posted on Wild.com today, this little blurb made me laugh.

SUPERLATIVES

Ed note: By way of a very unscientific poll, conducted primarily with Matt Kassian, who had help from others.

Fastest skater: Colton Gillies

Hardest worker: Ryan Hamilton

Hardest shot: Justin Falk, Max Noreau

Sickest hands: Benoit Pouliot

Best stickhandler: Benoit Pouliot

Most agile: Benoit Pouliot, James Sheppard or Colton Gillies. "They're all pretty close."

Best passer: Morten Madsen

Future leader: James Sheppard

Best hockey sense: Tyler Cuma

Best one-on-one: James Sheppard, Beniot Pouliot

Funniest: "Funniest looking is Colton Gillies [who happened to be walking by]. Funniest is possibly Paul Albers or Cal Clutterbuck."

Strongest: "I'd rank myself high there."

Gillies: "You can't pump your own tires."

Kassian: "I'm pumping my own tires. I get to pick myself. Matt Kassian."

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Um. Hi there.

So, it was a little weird for my self-indulgent little blog to get called out by one of the hockey writers at the New York (freaking) Times. I do appreciate it, but now I feel I should probably do more than whine about my aches and pains and freak out over my missing xanax bottle.

Since we're hitting the symphony tonight (sounds fancy but they're playing music from popular video games, so really it's a big dorkfest that I'm not all that excited about, but DH supports my dorking out about hockey, so I'll support his dorking out about the soundtrack to Civilization 4), I'm not getting a workout in. I think this week is pretty much a wash on that front. Not even a mid-week skate. It's going to be brutal on the ice Saturday.

I have, however, been getting my hockey fix and that is surely keeping my head above water right now. The Wild are hosting their week-long prospect development camp, so all my favorite Houston boys, plus the recent draft picks (including the mysterious Eero Elo), plus some invitees, are busting their humps down at the X.

And of course, since this is providing fresh meat for us hockey hounds to chew on, we're chowing down big time. Thankfully the Wild organization is providing great articles and videos and interviews of these guys for us, and Russo is covering the goings on, though not with the rabid fervor that I would prefer. ;)

Go here for all the good stuff. And Russo's blog yesterday has some nice stuff as well. There was a scrimmage this evening, so I'm looking forward to hearing about that.

I have to say, I'm SO impressed with these young guys the Wild have picked up in the last three years. For Tyler Cuma to be so focused and poised and well-spoken at his age... it just blows my mind. And James Shepperd and Colton Gillies seem to be similarly good guys. Down to earth and hard working. Guys that are so easy to cheer for.

Also, while I'm not as big a fan of Benoit Pouliot (aka Benny, Ben, Pouly, Pouls, Princess...), he's looking really good, both in a *wolf whistle* way with his shaved head and looking a bit more filled out and bulked up, which is great from a hockey perspective.

And be sure and listen to the interview with upcoming Aeros enforcer, Matt Kassian. I think I may have my new favorite Aero in that fella. What's not to love?

Finally, the Clutterbuck article is pretty decent and you can't help but want the guy to make the big club this year. You can tell he's gonna do whatever it takes, but if you've been watching the Aeros (or probably any team he's been on), this isn't surprising. He's always 110%.

Okay, off to the symphony/nerdfest.

UPDATE: OH. MY. GOD. That was a bizarre. People were Fist Pumping Excited to hear the Houston Symphony play the theme music for games like Halo, WOW, etc. But watching a guy play Sweet Emotion on Guitar Hero with the symphony backing him, that was pretty cool. But still... the biggest collection of gamer geeks I've EVER seen. And I get uncomfortable just going to Electronics Boutique.

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