Blogging from the sky; Haula makes Finland's world junior roster

Good late afternoon to you from 14,000 feet. We'll be climbing to 36,000 feet, and today our flight will take us over southern Minnesota, a little snippet of South Dakota, Nebraska and into Colorado.

I could be a pilot. Here, you can track my flight.

I'm actually going to be quick because I just finished my daily stuff for Thursday's paper, but I want to get a head start transcribing some interviews for a feature I'm writing on a player for Sunday's paper.

So buy the Sunday paper.

"Russo Radio" tonight at 7:30 p.m. CT on 1500 ESPN.

Tomorrow's notebook is on Cam Barker, who admitted today he needs to be much better.

Barker will be scratched for a second game in a row Thursday night at Colorado even with Nick Schultz missing a second straight game with concussion-like symptoms.

Barring illness or a misstep down the stairs from the plane (Hey, Sandis Ozolinsh did it), same 12 forwards (Brad Staubitz scratched). Same 6 defensemen. Nik Backstrom in goal.

Gophers forward Erik "Holla" Haula, who leads the U with 12 assists, made Finland's roster for the world junior championships. Haula was a seventh round pick in 2009 by the Wild.

Mikael Granlund was asked to play for Finland, but he'll skip the tourney because he missed most the first half for HIFK with a concussion. However, he's been cleared to return and if my Finnish isn't too rusty from my Helsinki trip in October, I believe if I'm reading correctly he returned to practice today.

Haula vs. Bjugstad (his current teammate) and Zucker (maybe his future teammate) Sunday in Game 1 of the world juniors....

As for the Avs, Denver Post's Adrian Dater emailed me that Milan Hejduk and Cody McLeod (both groiners) didn't practice today and are out vs. the Wild. The Avs are ravaged by injuries to significant players yet keep on trucking along.