WildHBcommunity: What Exactly is a "Wild"? Unfortunate Nickname Makes Branding Tough
Minnesota Wild Host Pittsburgh Penguins Tonight in Saint Paul
The Minnesota Wild (39-26-1290 points, 7th in Western Conference, 4th in Central Division) enter this evening 4 points ahead of the Phoenix Coyotes and 5 points ahead of the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Wild Card Standings. The Wild has 5 games remaining including tonight while the Coyotes have 4 and the Stars 6 left. Tonight the Wild has to come away with points versus the Pittsburgh Penguins (49-23-5: 103 points, 2nd in Eastern Conference, 1st in Metropolitan Division) by any means necessary. Left on the schedule for the Wild after tonight is a quick flight to Winnipeg followed by 3 home matchups versus Boston, St. Louis, and Nashville. Every point counts and despite missing Mikael Granlund and Darcy Kuemper this team needs to show and prove it is able to compete at a playoff ready level to hold off the teams chasing them in crunch time to close out the 2013-14 NHL regular season.
What Exactly is a "Wild"? Unfortunate Nickname Makes Branding Tough
I would have dismissed rather quickly that a team's logo or nickname could adversely affect their fortunes or ability to compete in professional sports but I think a rational argument exists that upon the return of NHL hockey to Minnesota the ambiguous confusing nature of naming the expansion franchise the "Wild" has negatively affected the brand. Obviously that decision has come and gone but I think it has taken owner Craig Leipold's bold moves combined with general manager Chuck Fletcher recruiting Zach parise and Ryan Suter to change the way this organization is viewed in totality.
I think beyond looking to compete in the standings with the rest of the Western Conference, what has been so crucial for Leipold's hockey organization is branding. In a hockey rich state like Minnesota in a market that should only be considered a major market in the hockey world given the culture here it is only starting to feel like NHL hockey is creating a legacy and tradition that matters beyond the confines of the Xcel Energy Center.
Sure in a perfect world the North Stars would have never been allowed to leave the state or at minimum upon agree to allow an expansion team here, the NHL should have provided the same opportunity to us that was afford recently to Charlotte in the NBA gaining back their Hornets name from New Orleans. When the NHL relocated the Thrashers to Winnipeg there was ZERO doubt that the team should be named the Jets there and although it seems like something less important the affect has been tangible in my opinion.
The NHL is not going to force Dallas into rebranding their NHL franchise so I am not trying to push an unreasonable agenda by any means. My point is that Wild fans should feel beyond the current results and outlook of the team this year, maybe the most gains have been made in the branding of the organization as one that can draw free agent talent and young players attention which wasn't previously the case. Going forward sure this franchise will still be behind the original six franchises in history and prestige but with regard to future forecasting the best hockey for this franchise is on the verge of occurring in my mind.
The Tail of Two Centers Will Determine Wild's Fortunes in Final Six Matchups
The young spark plug Erik Haula has pushed beyond other peoples expectations and projections of where he should be playing and how he would be playing right now in his NHL career. Haula a 7th round pick in the 2009 NHL draft by the Wild will be centering the team' second line this evening filling in for fellow finnish centermen Mikael Granlund. Haula burst onto the scene at the University of Minnesota with back to back season as the Gopher leading scorer despite the team having severally highly thought of NHL prospects and early round draft picks throughout their lineup.
Haula began the season in Iowa of the AHL where he proved to be the team's best player on the ice scoring 27 points in 34 games before his call up to join the Wild this year. With Granlund out of the lineup the center position on the second line is a huge position of need for the team and for Haula to be the first to be afforded the opportunity to fill in it speaks volumes toward how much this team is depending on him right now. Haula in my opinion is quite capable of facilitating for his wingers in the offensive zone with his playmaking skills and speed. Haula must improve his ability to make it tough on opponents in his defensive zone.
With Granlund out of the lineup secondary scoring and offensive zone possession are certain to be under the microscope elements for this team. Beyond the elevation of Haula, the play of the third line and specifically Kyle Brodziak will need to improve. In Brodziak I think his inability to get out of his own heads has shattered his confidence and anticipation with the puck in the offensive zone. Brodziak is a player that has shown he can put the puck in the net as a member of the Wild most specifically in 2011-12 season when the Wild were ravaged with injuries forcing Brodziak to center the second line for a majority of the season. Dont get me wrong I am not looking for Brodziak to become a sniper here but he MUST do more with his opportunities. I think that starts with just firing the puck early and often instead of being so gun shy.
Haula and Brodziak will be depended upon heavily in these last six games before the playoffs with crucial points on the line against some of the NHL's best teams. Both of these centers need to elevate their play in both zones to safe guard the Wild's playoff standing. I think we all realize that the 7th spot and the 8th spot mean the world matchup wise in the 1st round. The Wild has to reinforce their points lead with strong performances on it's home ice beginning tonight versus the Penguins.
MNWild Lineup Tonight:
Parise—Koivu—Coyle
Moulson—Haula—Pominville
Cooke—Brodziak—Fontaine
Veilleux—McCormick—Niederreiter
Spurgeon—Suter
Prosser—Brodin
Blum—Scandella
Bryzgalov
Individual Leaders
Pittsburgh Penguins Minnesota Wild
Points: S. CROSBY (102),E. MALKIN (72),C. KUNITZ (67) J. POMINVILLE (53),Z. PARISE (51),M. KOIVU (49)
Goals: S. CROSBY (36),C. KUNITZ (35),J. NEAL (24) Z. PARISE (28),J. POMINVILLE (27),M. MOULSON (22)
Assists: S. CROSBY (66),E. MALKIN (49),J. JOKINEN (35) M. KOIVU (39),R. SUTER (35),M. GRANLUND (33)
PP Goals: C. KUNITZ (13),S. CROSBY (11),J. NEAL (9) Z. PARISE (13),M. MOULSON (9),J. POMINVILLE (6)
SH Goals: B. SUTTER (3),L. STEMPNIAK (2),O. MAATTA (1) M. COOKE (1),Z. PARISE (1),E. HAULA (1)
GW Goals: C. KUNITZ (8),M. NISKANEN (6),S. CROSBY (5) J. POMINVILLE (5),Z. PARISE (5),M. KOIVU (4)
3+ Goals: S. CROSBY(1),J. JOKINEN(1),J. NEAL(1) R. SUTER(1),J. FONTAINE(1)
PIM: T. GLASS (83),R. BORTUZZO (72),C. KUNITZ (64) C. STONER (82),K. BRODZIAK (59),N. PROSSER (56)
Shots: S. CROSBY (253),J. NEAL (213),C. KUNITZ (208) Z. PARISE (233),J. POMINVILLE (212),M. MOULSON (168)
+/-: M. NISKANEN (+33),C. KUNITZ (+29),S. CROSBY (+17) J. SPURGEON (+12),R. SUTER (+11),Z. PARISE (+11)
Just My Take,
Tony Dean
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