Game #77: Florida Panthers at Minnesota Wild, Thursday March 29, 2012 at 7:00pm (CST), Xcel Energy Center [GAME PREVIEW]

One of the worst things that can happen to a writer, including those of us in the world of the blogosphere, is a bad case of writer’s block.  You know you must write something, but knowing what one must do and what one can do are two different beasts entirely.  Obligations often win out, and we somehow find something to write about.  However, I am officially at a point with this season, that it feels like there is absolutely nothing left to say.

I’ve talked about the roller coaster ride this season.  The Wild started slow, and then turned things around.  We all lived on Cloud 9 for a while.  It was great fun while it lasted.  It was a good time for all of us that write and report on the Wild.  We always had things to say.  The feel-good story of the Minnesota Wild being in first place was almost as inspiring of the 2002-03 team that overcame all odds and made the playoffs and went all the way to the Western Conference Finals.  And then things changed.  Now we’re back in the bottom.  For a while there were stories in there, but those have dried up as well.

I’ve talked about positioning for the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.  With the Islanders and Maple Leafs winning and the Wild losing, we’re getting closer and closer to a lottery pick.  We just may get an emotional lift from the Montreal Canadiens, as they just fired their general manager, Pierre Gauthier.  Now the Wild do have two more wins than the Canadiens right now, but in the past, often when a team fires a coach or member of management, they tend to turn their season around.  For proof, one only needs to look at this season’s St. Louis Blues.  And in hockey-mad Montreal, I wouldn’t be shocked to see them pick up their game.  That teams very sanity depends on it.  And when that happens, Minnesota can hopefully slip into that third pick overall spot, with a shot at a better pick through the lottery.

I’ve also talked about the revolving door that is the Wild’s roster this season.  We’ve dressed so many different players this season, that I simply cannot keep track of them any more.  I know I can go look the exact number up, but at this point it doesn’t really matter.  With all the injuries, we officially lead the NHL in number of players dressed.  And tonight, we’re going to add to that number by dressing recently-signed Wild draft pick Jason Zucker.  Many fans are a bit surprised considering how banged up he got in the WCHA Final Five playoffs.  And of course there’s still plenty of time to dress players in Houston that we haven’t called up yet.  Whether we break Boston’s dubious record for this very statistic remains yet to be seen.

I suppose I could talk about tonight’s tribute and reunion of the Minnesota North Stars.  But at this point, I don’t know what the point would be.  We’re beyond the point of needing a feel good story to pick up the morale of fans.  The best morale booster would be the best draft pick possible at this time.  I’m sure the tribute will be fun for all in attendance.  For myself, I won a pair of tickets for tonight’s game, but a three or so hour drive to St. Paul tonight just isn’t in the cards.  I wish I lived closer, because it would have been fun so I’m sending my brother-in-law and his wife instead.  My only hope is that Fox Sports Net North actually shows the festivities.  That will be far more entertaining than hearing the talking heads saying what the team needs to do to win.  Sorry, we don’t need or want them to win.

So yes, I am very much waiting for this season to be over. 

Injury Report:

Minnesota:  Matt Cullen (finger), Mike Lundin (lower body),  Guillaume Latendresse (concussion), Pierre-Marc Bouchard (concussion, groin),     Niklas Backstrom (lower body), Justin Falk (leg), Matt Kassian (groin), Jared Spurgeon (concussion)    

Florida:  Matt Bradley (upper body injury), Jack Skille (shoulder surgery)  

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