Game #62: Minnesota Wild vs San Jose Sharks, Sunday February 26, 2012 at 5:00pm (CST), Xcel Energy Center [GAME PREVIEW]

There are certain classic movies that I can watch a million times and never get tired of.  Strangely enough, they’re movies from the 1970’s.  My short list of these movies are “The Jerk” starring Steve Martin, “Blazing Saddles” with Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder, “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” with John Cleese and the rest of the “Flying Circus” gang, the hockey classic “Slapshot” and of course, the “Blues Brothers.”  I don’t know what it is about these movies, but they just give me a good laugh.  And we all know, a good laugh is a good thing.  In the “Blues Brothers,” the characters of Jake and Elwood Blues claim they’re on a mission from God.  That mission is to raise enough funds to save the parochial school they attended.  To do that, they have to get their band back together. 

Wild fans were in seventh heaven on Friday night.  Just before the start of the game, the much anticipated trade of Marek Zidlicky finally happened.  Fans weren’t expecting a whole lot for him, and for the most part were in the agreement that just getting rid of his bloated contract and bad attitude would be a win-win situation.  However, as the the details came out bit by bit, the smiles got bigger and bigger.  But the strange part of what is coming back to Minnesota, is that we know some of these players.  Like Jake Blues said, we’re getting the band back together.  Those two familiar faces that are playing in today’s game are Kurtis Foster and Stephane Veilleux.  I don’t know about you, but those are two names that I never thought I would see on the ice in a Wild jersey every again.  But it’s happening, and I am much happier having those two than a whiny, under-performing Marek Zidlicky.  Heck, I still have a smile on my face. 

Sometimes, bands break up.  They do so for a multitude of reasons.  Many times, it’s because of money or creative control.  After time, several of the members will decide to get the band back together.  It’s not unusual however for there to be one holdout.  The other band members usually decide then to bring in a new member to take that holdout’s role.  Out of the Zidlicky trade, we now have a completely new member in Nick Palmieri.  Out of the players the Wild received in exchange, Palmieri is probably the one that most fans are excited for.  He’s big and will work hard.  It’s the kind of player this team needs.  Now don’t get me wrong, he’s not going to get us to the playoffs.  However, it will be nice to see a hard-worker out on the ice.  We’re not finished yet with the new faces, however we’re not going to see them for awhile, and we don’t even know who they are yet.  But let me say this, it is very nice to have a second round pick again.

With the thought of bands, I immediately think of the classic Beatles’ album, “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.”  An album by a band about a made up band.  At this point, if the Wild were going to create an album in the strain of the Beatles it could be entitled “Captain Koivu’s Broken Hearts Band.”  There will be no playoffs, but at the very least we can hopefully enjoy what’s left of our season with familiar and new faces.

Injury Report:

Minnesota:  Mikko Koivu (undisclosed, questionable), Mike Lundin (lower body), Carson McMillan (lower body), Clayton Stoner (hip), Guillaume Latendresse (concussion), Pierre-Marc Bouchard (concussion, groin),  Clayton Stoner (leg)    

San Jose:  Douglas Murray (throat), Martin Havlat (hamstring, doubtful), Dominic Moore (undisclosed, questionable),  

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