Game #47: Minnesota Wild at Toronto Maple Leafs, Thursday December 19, 2012, 6:00pm (CST), Air Canada Centre [GAME PREVIEW]

  
We’ve all had them.  Those moments where things are so bad that there really isn’t anything to say.  Well, I’m essentially at that point.  I thought last season was frustrating, but this recent downward spiral is even more frustrating.  Unfortunately for all involved, there are several elements that are causing the frustration.  But what is even worse, is that I’m starting to care less and less.  For a team like Minnesota that truly needed a good season and a playoff appearance, what is happening now isn’t going to attract the fans.  When I was getting ready this morning, the classic Vietnam War protest song by Country Joe and the Fish came to mind:

And it’s one, two, three,
What are we fighting for ?
Don’t ask me, I don’t give a damn,
Next stop is Vietnam;
And it’s five, six, seven,
Open up the pearly gates,
Well there ain’t no time to wonder why,
Whoopee! we’re all gonna die. 

As a fan, I  am starting to wonder why I should even care about this team.  The looks on the faces on the players’ faces on the bench during the third period of the Philadelphia game said to a degree that they didn’t care.  If they don’t care and figure out a way to score some goals, why should I care?  What are the Wild playing for these days?  Just to collect a paycheck?  If you’re simply playing for a paycheck, you deserve a good kick in the pants.

While the lack of anything resembling offense from the likes of Dany Heatley and Devin Setoguchi is beyond annoying, my extreme displeasure is aimed at Minnesota’s horrible blueline.  The sad part is that much of the experience of our blueline is contained in the pairing of Nick Schultz and Marek Zidlicky.  For whatever reason, they are probably the worst pair we have.  When Zidlicky was injured, our blueline actually looked okay and it worked well together.  He comes back from injury and we play him.  I know it’s wrong to pin all problems on one player, but he’s easily become the fans’ scapegoat.  However, he earned a horrible +/- of -3 on Tuesday night.  While Marco Scandella was sent back to Houston for his questionable play, it would definitely be addition by subtraction to recall Scandella and I don’t care do what with Zidlicky.  Heck, I’d risk putting him on waivers simply to get rid of him.  I cannot stand to watch him standing around watching the puck.  Seriously, if a defensemen isn’t physical or can’t score goals, what purpose do they serve.  And just because we gave him a ridiculous contract, we shouldn’t be obligated to play him.  The obligation of the team should be to win, not to justify contracts and salaries.

Well with how things have been lately, I feel that the Wild’s season can pretty much be summed up by the last line of County Joe’s refrain:

Whoopee! we’re all gonna die.

Injury Report:

Minnesota:     Jarod Palmer (concussion), Guillaume Latendresse (concussion), Pierre-Marc Bouchard (concussion, groin),  Mikko Koivu (left shoulder)    

Toronto:  Colby Armstrong (concussion), John-Michael Liles (concussion)

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