Gloating

Ok, so it's no secret that I wasn't Gaby's biggest fan, but when I found out he was no longer with the team, I did a cartwheel. Then I remembered the hard way that I am still very much surgically repaired in my left arm, and also that we let him walk for free. That killed the celebration a bit, but still. Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out. I would give my condolences to the Rangers fans, but by being fans of the Rangers, they should pretty much expect them to sign players like this. They know what they are getting themselves into.

Not gonna lie, I kind of thought he'd go to be with his immortal beloved in Vancouver, but then I would have been very suspicious of tampering.

Also, since I haven't posted for a while, I'm extremely pleased that Dougie R got fired, but this does not completely change my attitude towards our...lovely owner. It helps, but still, he smacks of slime to me.

Maybe Baby Hockey Jesus is listening to me after all. Now if only the prank text I got the other day were true and we signed Toews.

General Anger

I've been absent for a while, and I'm sorry, but I had surgery and relatives to visit, so that ate up my time and internet connectivity.

I'm mad at the Wild. There are several reasons for this, and most of them include the management. I'm not a patient person, and for me, I've been plenty patient with this team. There are reasons I'm happy with them too, but I'll make that a seperate post.

1.) Risebrough doesn't seem to be doing anything about Backstrom. He has saved our butts on many, many occasions, and when he's not saving our butts, he has saved us from embarrassment. He wants to come back. He likes it here, likes the fans, wants to sign. I fail to see anything wrong with talking to him, and besides, the better he does, the more we have to pay him. With the theory that the cap is going to come down, less money is good.

2.) The Gaborik thing. I'm just pissed at everyone in this situation. Everyone knows of my great disdain for Gaborik, a disdain that I have held for him since I was like 12. Now that has extended to Risebrough. The second he said he wouldn't sign for the very generous offer this summer, I would have packed him off to another team while he was still worth something. Dragging things out this long has made a mess, and now I wouldn't be surprised if he walks without us getting anything for him. WTF, DR? On a petty note, Marian Gaborik's face looks like a potato. Also, Mr. Gaborik clearly doesn't know how to take one for the team. The team he's being paid a lot of money to take one for.

3.) Benoit Pouliot. I keep hearing all about his mad skillz, but all I see is a lazy young man who isn't going to do anything but have potential. Every coach ever has told us "hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard". Colton Gillies seems to be showing this lesson, too bad Benoit isn't learning it. I seriously doubt any GM in the league will be dumb enough to take him in a trade, they've seen him play, and the #4 overall draft pick won't fool anyone, because as Daigle showed us, being drafted highly doesn't mean automatic awesomeness. (Though in all fairness to Mr. Daigle, I think his situation could have been handled better.) He's the Wild's version of Nilsson, not that any of you care about the Oilers.

4.) The expectation that the fans will just sit through this holding pattern. I'm starting to see that we as fans are getting pissed. There are more and more empty seats in the X, and I'm hoping eventually this will send a message. No message will be sent until the season ticket holders start to not renew their seats, though. You have to suffer to get a good team. Detroit in the 80's, Chicago in the late 90's-early 00's. We need to draft better with the picks we get, we need to either get better and make more rounds of the playoffs, or suck more and get higher picks. Something. I'm sick of just sitting in the middle. If I were in charge of my family's season tickets right now, I'd strongly consider dropping them. I still love the team, but I seriously doubt the management will REALLY do anything until we stop handing them so much money.

5.) Defencemen who don't play defence. I don't have a problem with having one on the team, but we have both MAB and Zidlicky. I heard complaints before I got here, but then I saw for myself, and they're right. Jesus. Also, putting them out at the same time? Bad news bears. It's like Souray only less talented and more liable. Skoula is starting to backslide a little bit too. I almost had to be nice to him for a while.

6.) The new Wild owner. There is something about him that I just don't trust/like. Maybe it's cause he's from Wisconsin? I can't put my finger on why I don't like him, I just don't. Mikko Koivu seems to be kind of creeped out by him too.

I'm sure there are more reasons, but my brain is tired. Why are YOU mad? Any beefs you'd like to get off your chest about the Wild? Let's hear 'em.

Oh crap

Thank you Baby Hockey Jesus for providing us with a stud centerman...
Writing with Paint is hard. Stupid text box function for being wonky.

I watched Monday's game, and it was awesome.
I watched part of Tuesday's game (then I had to go and study, I'm sorry), and it was not so awesome.
I did not watch any of yesterday's game, and it was slightly more awesome than Tuesday's but not much. Sadly Mikko Koivu didn't get the captain's C a goal.

WTF is with Gaborik? Several of my friends say I'm just happy that I get the chance to rip on him, but in all honesty, I'd really rather not get to rip on him, and instead be forced to admit that he's a beast, or in the words of Pierre Mcguire: A MONSTER. I really expect better of Gaborik, isn't he supposed to be the captain? As much as I don't want to say anything nice about Sakic, Gaborik should be watching him and taking notes. Copious notes, but that of course assumes that he can read and write, and you know what they say about assumptions.

I need a Panic Metre Sherry Style for this one.

Stages of the Playoffs when your team is playing like crap:
First: WHOO! MY TEAM MADE IT! STANLEY CUP HERE WE COME!
Second: Awesome, we don't have to play the Flames! They are going to completely destroy Colorado. Parade route is planned.
Third: Where have all the defencemen gone? Oh well, Av's defence kind of sucks, it'll be ok.
Fourth: Many prayers are offered to the Hockey Gods/Baby Hockey Jesus.
Fifth: $%#$*@
Sixth: How bout 'em Avs/Shames/Habs/insert team that isn't sucking here?

Stages of the playoffs when your team is not playing like crap:
First: see above
Second: Who cares who we play? We will destroy them like the vermin they are!
Third: YEAH! We are kicking their butts! Beers for all!
Fourth: I wonder if Detroit and San Jose will get it together and win so we have to play them next rounds?
Fifth: Eat it, #1 and #2 seeds! Watch out east! We are coming to kick your fancy, goal scoring butts!
Sixth: I HAVE THE BEST TEAM IN THE WHOLE WORLD! LET THE PARTY/PARADE/DRINKING/BRAGGING ENDLESSLY BEGIN! WHOOOOOO!

Up next: The Wild play on the road on Saturday. I have strict orders to watch this game since my family will be in Wisconsin for the birthday party of my grandma. (It's in a nursing home. I bet it will be a blast...) This is obviously a must win for the Wild. Maybe since I will be watching the whole thing they will win this time? I have all my pregame rituals all planned out.

Shoutout to my boy Parrish: Feel better soon, bud. I need you to make my Parrish sweater have good karmic value, but in order to do that, you need to play!

***EDIT*** BROTHER OF MIKKO IS GOING TO PLAY FOR THE HABS TONIGHT! Time for them to finish this off once and for all. Eat it, Bruins.

***EDIT #2*** Check out what Brad Bombardir, AKA my favorite Wild player ever, has to say about game 6 here: http://wild.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NHLPage&id=21738