Good afternoon from the Star Tribune, where I just came from a meeting with our new publisher. HUGE TWINS FAN, so lots of pressure on LaVelle E. Neal the Trois and Joe Christensen.

I'm making a work appearance for the first time in six pay periods according to the stubs in my mailbox.

I did post a blog earlier and I must not have saved it or something because it's M.I.A.

Coach Todd Richards plans to go with the same lineup tonight vs. the defending Stanley Cup champions. That means no Petr Sykora, James Sheppard or Clayton Stoner. Nik Backstrom back in the cage.

FYI, made a sloppy mistake in today's game box: Evgeni Malkin leads the Pens in assists, not the NHL.

Pascal Dupuis and Martin Skoula will play their first games in St. Paul since leaving the Wild, Dupuis via trade to the Rangers and Skoula via free agency.

Richards said Sykora and he had a "brief conversation," and that'll stay between the coach and the frustrated winger.

Also, thanks to Tim Droogsma and John Russo from the Elite League for this press release. The full list can be found on nhl.com

January 11, 2010 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE EIGHT ELITE LEAGUE ALUM IN CENTRAL SCOUTING'S TOP 40 List includes 22 skaters, two goalies from Upper Midwest Fall League New Hope, Minn. – The National Hockey League's Central Scouting Service (CSS) has released its "mid-term rankings" of draft-eligible players and more than 10 percent of the 211 players on the North American Skaters list are former participants in the Upper Midwest High School Elite League. Derek Forbort of Duluth East – currently playing with the National Team Development Program – and Blaine High School's Nick Bjugstad are ranked 10th and 11th to lead the list of Elite League alums. Other current Minnesota high school players on the list include Brock Nelson of Warroad (17th), Max Gardiner of Minnetonka (36th) and Mark Alt of Cretin-Derham Hall (37th). Zane Gothberg of Thief River Falls is #5 on the North American goaltender list, joined by Jacob Meyers of Benilde-St. Margaret's at #31. In addition to Gardiner, Minnetonka High School has two other players on the list, Justin Holl (#54) and Andrew Prochno (#155). Bloomington Jefferson is represented by Caleb Herbert (#100) and Joe Faust (#109). "All of us at the Elite League are very excited for these young men, and proud of the role we played in their development," said John Russo, founder and Commissioner of the Elite League. "Our goal is to provide elite players with strong competition that helps them proceed to the next level, and this list is further evidence that we're meeting our goal." In last June's NHL Entry Draft, 17 Elite League players were selected, including first-round choices Nick Leddy (#16 by the Minnesota Wild) and Jordan Schroeder (#22 by Vancouver). This year's NHL draft will take place June 25-26 in Los Angeles. A complete list of Elite League players on the CSS list is attached. The Upper Midwest High School Elite Hockey League is a non-profit hockey league designed to provide high-level competition supplementing the regular high school hockey season. For more information, and draft-day updates, visit the league's website at www.hselitehockey.com. Upper Midwest High School Elite League Players on NHL Central Scouting Service "Mid-Term Rankings" List of January 11, 2010 Rank Name Team Position 11 FORBORT, DEREK USA U-18 D 12 BJUGSTAD, NICK BLAINE C 13 ETEM, EMERSON MEDICINE HAT RW 17 NELSON, BROCK WARROAD C 21 PITLICK, TYLER MINNESOTA STATE C 36 GARDINER, MAX MINNETONKA C 37 ALT, MARK CRETIN-DERHAM D 39 BASARABA, JOE SHAT.-ST.MARY'S RW 54 HOLL, JUSTIN MINNETONKA D 73 CLARK, JASON SHAT.ST.MARY'S C,LW 86 HARSTAD, AARON GREEN BAY D 100 HERBERT, CALEB BLOOMINGTON-JEFF. C 109 FAUST, JOE BLOOMINGTON-JEFF. D 112 ISACKSON, CHRIS ST. THOMAS RW 136 STERN, BRETT CENTENNIAL D 144 GAEDE, MAX WOODBURY HS RW 147 POLK, JAMES SHAT.ST.MARY'S RW 155 PROCHNO, ANDREW MINNETONKA D 165 LAFONTAINE, J.P. SHAT.ST.MARY'S C,RW 185 HENDRICKSON, GARRETT VIRGINIA C 199 KRAUSE, ADAM HERMANTOWN C 201 MARSHALL, BEN MAHTOMEDI D Goalies 5 GOTHBERG, ZANE THIEF RIVER FALLS 31 MEYERS, JACOB BENILDE-ST. MARGARETS