![Minnesota Wild interim head coach John Torchetti spoke with Andrew Brunette in the second period. ] CARLOS GONZALEZ cgonzalez@startribune.com - March 10, 2016, St. Paul, MN, Xcel Energy Center, NHL, Minnesota Wild vs.](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/SH2FH3IJNQG5WI2722GGUYY7WI.jpg?&w=1080)
One of the strangest aspects of covering multiple sports, for me, is seeing the difference between perception and reality.
For example, general perception holds that NHL players are gritty warriors and NBA players are low-energy prima donnas.
When I watch the Timberwolves up close, I see a team that generally plays hard. Ricky Rubio, whatever his flaws, is a maximum-effort players ,and the team's best young players, whatever their flaws, seem to care and make an effort.
When I watch the Wild up close, I see a team that will take entire nights off, that got Mike Yeo fired and that on Thursday night made no effort to play an intelligent, committed game even at home against a bad opponent in the middle of a playoff race.
The Wild played like dogs for Mike Yeo, and on Thursday night they played like dogs for John Torchetti.
Scratch that: Most dogs I know are energetic and loyal. The Wild played more like drugged three-toed sloths.
The roster isn't strong enough. The on-ice leadership is invisible. The young players are not committed enough.
In a market where most of the teams are termed young and promising, the Wild may be the team that has already reached its peak. That Game 7 overtime winner in Colorado two years ago might be as good as it gets for this group.
