Following five games in seven days and with four games in six nights with travel beginning Wednesday at home against the Vancouver Canucks, the Wild had an optional practice today.

Actually, as Mike Yeo called one a week ago, it's more of a directive day off for a few. The only top-6 forward who practiced today was Charlie Coyle, and the top-2 D, Ryan Suter and Jared Spurgeon, didn't practice either. Also, Matt Cooke didn't skate

So, eight big-minute guys didn't practice. Also, injured Clayton Stoner, who's week-to-week, and Keith Ballard, who's day-to-day, didn't practice.

I'll be on KFAN at 9:55 a.m. Wednesday.

Need your help: Friday, the day I typically write my Sunday Insiders, I have a crazy travel day and a little advance to write on a very important game at Phoenix the next day.

Soooooo, I'm going to try to get my Sunday Insider written Wednesday.

Soooooo, I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to do another Blog Q and A. That's where you ask questions in the comment field of this blog, I pick some good ones and answer them in print Sunday.

Here's the rule though: Please keep the questions short and snappy (remember, space is at a minimum in the paper, so I need brief questions I can quickly answer so the more, the merrier get in the paper). Please also look at some of the other questions so we try to keep duplicates at a minimum. Also, as much as I love to read your opinions, please don't use this particular blog to comment on the Wild or other questions. This way, it's easier for me to pick out questions.

Lastly, because of space issues, I reserve the right to edit your questions to potentially shorten them up. So, get to work and thanks for the help.

On a personal note, longtime Chicago Blackhawks beat writer Tim Sassone has passed away. He was Chicago. He looked like Chicago, he talked like Chicago. He has been a colleague of mine from the moment I began covering the NHL in 1995 and was always a good friend. Just a great man, and my thoughts are with his friends and family, his Blackhawks beat-writing crew members, the team that so loved him and all of us in the Professional Hockey Writers' Association who feel an emptiness in our hearts today.