Lemaire, Risebrough Gone. Sid Mad.

It's amazing how fast things can go to hell in a hand basket. Just one year ago, the Minnesota Wild won the Northwest Division for the first time in their existence and earned their highest-ever playoff seed. The Wild then proceeded to lose in the first round of the playoffs to Colorado to prematurely end their 2007-08 season. It's been a shit-storm ever since. Brian Rolston and Pavol Demitra left via free agency, Marian Gaborik got injured and missed most of the 2008-09 season and the Wild missed the playoffs for the first time in 3 years. Then, Head Coach Jacques Lemaire stepped down and, surprisingly, General Manager Doug Risebrough was fired.

No official reason was given for Risebrough's firing by owner Craig Liepold, but there were certainly questionable draft choices, the inability to complete trades to improve the team, and the inability to sign Gaborik to a long-term contract. There were also rumors that Risebrough was awful to work for and that many players hated him (i.e. the inability to sign Gaborik to a long-term contract).

I must admit that I have no idea if these moves will pay off with a more successful hockey team. For an expansion team, the Wild has had a nice run, making the playoffs 3 times in 8 years along with a division championship. And "change for the sake of change" is not always good (see Minnesota Timberwolves). The Wild just could not "turn the corner" under Lemaire and Risebrough, however, and become a team that consistently makes the playoffs and wins playoff series. In a hockey-mad place like Minnesota, that is demanded by the fans. Even the North Stars consistently had nice playoff runs. I also have to admit that I am excited about the prospect that the Wild will (must) now move in a different direction. I'd like to see them hire a coach and GM who will implement a more open, offensive style of play. I'd also like to see the team draft more North American (American and Canadian, maybe even some Minnesotans!) players and move away from the European, non-physical, style of play they had under Lemaire and Risebrough. I was sick of seeing their goalies get roughed up and no defensemen come to their aid. I think these types of moves will keep the fans happy and the sellout streak at the X alive. The most important thing in the long run, however, will be "wins." It will be interesting to see what happens.

Lastly, I have to bring up Sid's column today in the Star Tribune in which he lambasts Craig Liepold for firing Risebrough. Sid calls Risebrough "one of the best executives in hockey" He goes on to rip Liepold by saying "...the johnny-come-lately owner of the Wild must not be informed of all the great things that Risebrough did, taking over an expansion club and making it pretty competitive from the start."

Now, as we all know, Sid is entitled to his own opinion and has always been known to take the side of the "current establishment" with local teams. If Sid had his way, Jimmy Rodgers would still be coaching the Timberwolves. However, if you really want to know the motivation behind today's Sid column, here is the only passage you have to read:

"If I were Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor, I would jump for joy, because with Lemaire and Risebrough gone and Gaborik likely gone as well, the Wild figures to be in decline, while the Wolves -- with three first-round draft picks and a young team that will get better -- will have a better chance to compete for the fan's dollar."

There you go. Sid is such a Minneapolis guy, he has never gotten over the fact that St. Paul, and not Minneapolis, landed an NHL team. He is still upset that the Winnipeg Jets did not move to the Target Center in Minneapolis and that St. Paul did the political heavy-lifting to not only land an NHL expansion team but build the state-of-the-art Xcel Energy Center. And while this was happening, the Minneapolis-based Timberwolves (who I wish no ill-will) fell flat on their face and play at the outdated Target Center before 500 people.

If Sid thinks that the Timberwolves, with their "three first-round draft picks and a young team who is going to get better (insert own jokes here)," is going to steal fans from the Wild and the Xcel Energy Center, it may be time for him to call it quits. That simply is the most ridiculous and sad statement that I have ever read. If the Wild start losing, they certainly run the risk of losing fans - no question. Hey those tickets are expensive. But they certainly will not rush down to Target Center to see the Timberwolves, in rebuilding phase #45, take on Oklahoma City. No way.

What the Wild has to watch out for in the near future (2010) is their ticket-buying base to the Minnesota Twins in Target Field and even the Minnesota Gophers in the new TCF Stadium. And that includes the ticket-buying fan writing this post.

Peace,

Jeff