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This is Michael Russo's 18th year covering the National Hockey League. He's covered the Minnesota Wild for the Star Tribune since 2005 following 10 years of covering the Florida Panthers for the Sun-Sentinel. Michael uses “Russo’s Rants” to feed a wide-ranging hockey-centric discussion with readers, and can be heard weekly on KFAN (100.3 FM) radio and seen weekly on Fox Sports North.
Also find Russo on Facebook.
Email Michael to talk about hockey.
Posts about Wild news
Ryan Suter selected as Norris Trophy finalist; Live chat at 3 p.m. today
Posted by: Michael Russo Updated: May 7, 2013 - 9:01 AM
One day after the Wild felt rookie Jonas Brodin was snubbed as a Calder Trophy finalist, Ryan Suter was selected as one of three finalists for the Norris Trophy (Best Defenseman).
Good morning from Minnesota, where tonight at 8:30 p.m. (FSN, KFAN) the Wild will attempt to even the best-of-seven Western Conference quarterfinals with the Chicago Blackhawks.
I will host a live chat on startribune.com today at 3 p.m. Please join in. I will also be on Fox Sports North during Wild Live before the game and during the first intermission. I should also be on KFAN at some point this morning.
If you didn't buy today's newspaper, please go to www.startribune.com/wild for a ton of Wild-Blackhawks coverage from myself, Chip Scoggins, Rachel Blount and Shari Gross.
Remember, the Wild will host a pregame party from 6-8 p.m. between Gates 1 and 3 at the X tonight.
Because of the late starting time for the game, the pregame skates today are later than usual -- 11 a.m. and noon. I will blog again after the skates, but if you want lineup information, follow me on Twitter at @russostrib.
But the Wild will call up several players from Houston today to add to Mikael Granlund, Stephane Veilleux, Jake Dowell, Carson McMillan and Matt Dumba. Those players include Justin Fontaine, Kyle Medvec and others.
Suter was selected as one of three finalists with Montreal's PK Subban and Pittsburgh's Kris Letang.
Suter, signed by the Wild to a 13-year, $98 million last summer, led all NHL skaters in average ice time during the season with a franchise-record 27 minutes, 16 seconds a game. He finished third behind Subban and Letang in points from defensemen with 32 and ranked second behind Letang with 28 assists.
All of this season’s award winners will be announced during the 2013 Stanley Cup Final, with more detail on format to be released at a later date.
The NHL Awards will return to Las Vegas in June 2014.
Following is the schedule of announcements:
Wednesday, May 8 Vezina Trophy (top goaltender)
Thursday, May 9 Ted Lindsay Award (most outstanding player as voted by NHLPA) **Ted Lindsay Award nominees will be announced by the NHLPA
Friday, May 10 Hart Memorial Trophy (most valuable player to his team)
Monday, May 13 General Manager of the Year Award
Tuesday, May 14 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy (perseverance and dedication to hockey) *Josh Harding is the Wild's Professional Hockey Writers' Association (PHWA) nominee
Wednesday, May 15 Frank J. Selke Trophy (top defensive forward)
Thursday, May 16 Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (skill/sportsmanship)
Friday, May 17 Jack Adams Award (top head coach)
Monday, May 20 Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award presented by Bridgestone (player who exemplifies great leadership qualities to his team, on and off the ice)
Pominville practicing for the Wild; Dumba, McMillan recalled
Posted by: Michael Russo Updated: May 6, 2013 - 11:30 AMWild right wing Jason Pominville, who missed the first three games of the postseason and final two games of the regular season, has just taken the ice for today's optional practice.
Don't get your hopes up yet that he is returning for Game 4.
1) He has practiced once since being injured April 23.
2) Even though he looked great in practice, he woke up on the morning of Game 1 and didn't feel right.
In other news, the Wild has recalled forward Carson McMillan and defenseman Matt Dumba from AHL Houston and are practicing today. They join Stephane Veilleux, Mikael Granlund and Jake Dowell, who were recalled yesterday. Again, this doesn't mean they're in the lineup. It means Houston's been eliminated and the Wild can start having so-called "Black Aces" around.
The Blackhawks have eight. That's how Mike Rupp's career began 10 years ago, incidentally. Got in for Jersey and wound up scoring the Cup-clinching goal against Chuck Fletcher's Ducks.
Also, the time of Thursday's Game 5 will be set tomorrow by the NHL.
Jonas Brodin snubbed as Calder Trophy finalist
Posted by: Michael Russo Updated: May 6, 2013 - 9:05 AMJonas Brodin, the youngest defenseman in the NHL at age 19, was arguably the biggest name snubbed as a Calder Trophy finalist this morning.
The finalists are Montreal's Brendan Gallagher, Florida's Jonathan Huberdeau and Chicago's Brandon Saad.
All of this season’s award winners will be announced during the 2013 Stanley Cup Final, with more detail on format to be released at a later date.
You can arguably say no NHL rookie made as much of an impact as Brodin. Paired for most the season with veteran Ryan Suter, Brodin led all rookies in average ice time per game -- 23 minutes, 12 seconds, nearly two minutes over the next guy. He was fourth among Wild blue liners with 11 points in 45 games.
In the playoffs, Brodin ranks fifth among all NHLers at 28:54 a game (Suter leads at 32:42).
The NHL Awards will return to Las Vegas in June 2014.
Following is the schedule of announcements:
Tuesday, May 7 James Norris Memorial Trophy (top defenseman) *Ryan Suter should be a finalist if not the frontrunner
Wednesday, May 8 Vezina Trophy (top goaltender)
Thursday, May 9 Ted Lindsay Award (most outstanding player as voted by NHLPA) **Ted Lindsay Award nominees will be announced by the NHLPA
Friday, May 10 Hart Memorial Trophy (most valuable player to his team)
Monday, May 13 General Manager of the Year Award
Tuesday, May 14 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy (perseverance and dedication to hockey) *Josh Harding is the Wild's Professional Hockey Writers' Association (PHWA) nominee
Wednesday, May 15 Frank J. Selke Trophy (top defensive forward)
Thursday, May 16 Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (skill/sportsmanship)
Friday, May 17 Jack Adams Award (top head coach)
Monday, May 20 Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award presented by Bridgestone (player who exemplifies great leadership qualities to his team, on and off the ice)
Wild's Mike Yeo wants more hatred, physicality today against the Blackhawks
Posted by: Michael Russo Updated: May 5, 2013 - 12:10 PM
New fourth line for the Wild today
Posted by: Michael Russo Updated: May 5, 2013 - 11:42 AMWe will get Mike Yeo in 15 minutes, but I am hearing the Wild will have a new fourth line this afternoon.
Zenon Konopka won't play and Stephane Veilleux will be inserted. The goal is clearly speed, energy and big hits.
Veilleux, called up twice in the past few weeks but scratched in both games, has played 460 regular-season games in the NHL and 11 playoff games for the Wild.
More after we talk to Yeo
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recent posts
- Backstrom has sports hernia surgery
- Harding named a Masterton trophy finalist
- Wild's Fletcher: We're on right path; Yeo coming back
- Postgame: Another Wild season ends; Backstrom had sports hernia
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- Russo blog: Wild has arrived in Chicago for a Thursday must-win
- Postgame: Wild season on the brink after shutout loss
- Kuemper replaces Harding in goal
- Pominville returning tonight
- Pominville skating, status uncertain; Suter honored by Norris nomination
- Wild's Suter is finalist for NHL's top defenseman
- Pominville returns to practice; hockey writers voting process
- Pominville practicing for the Wild; Dumba, McMillan recalled
- Russo: Wild's Brodin snubbed as top rookie finalist
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