Game #53: Minnesota Wild at Dallas Stars, Saturday February 4, 2012 at 7:00pm (CST), American Airlines Arena [GAME PREVIEW]

    
Welcome to another version of the “New Look Minnesota Wild.”

Yesterday, it was announced that the Minnesota Wild had traded Casey Wellman to the New York Rangers for Eric Christensen and a conditional seventh round pick in 2013. Amongst fans, there are two camps.  There is the first camp that believe that we shouldn’t gotten rid of Wellman and that Christensen doesn’t bring enough to the lineup to help this team.  Clearly Christensen has had issues being the player that he and many think him to be.  He’s been on some great lines (ie Sidney Crosby in Pittsburgh and Marion Gaborik in New York), so one would imagine there would be better numbers next to his name.  Yet at the same time, it’s often difficult to make a name for yourself when you are surrounded by such big name players.  Then there is the other camp that says, “you know, Wellman never really fit in.”  Wellman definitely has talent, but one has to remember that when he was signed by Chuck Fletcher, Wellman was pretty much it when it came to the prospect pool.  But with two good, if not excellent drafts, since his acquisition, he found himself moving further and further down the prospect depth chart.  I know I wish Wellman nothing but the best, and I think most fans feel the same.  When we got Wellman, it felt like finally the sun was shining on us.

Yet, with the injuries the team has faced, something needed to be done.  It is obvious to most, if not all who follow this team, that Guillaume Latendresse and Pierre-Marc Bouchard will most likely not be back this season from their concussions.  If I’m honest with myself, I highly doubt we’ll ever see either player in a Minnesota Wild jersey again.  That’s one thing I’d love to be wrong about, but I’m not holding my breath.  One can only hope that Christensen can be the player he’s always meant to be, and he is the player that both Fletcher and head coach Mike Yeo knew from their time with the Pittsburgh organization.  We all know we need offense, but I have to admit that I don’t Christensen is the answer to the problems this team has had this season.  What needs to happen is that everyone needs to get healthy, and go from there.  However, we will get to see Christensen starting tonight in Dallas.

Speaking of new looks and heading to Dallas, it would certainly be nice to see a new result in American Airlines Arena.  Sadly, the home of the Dallas Stars has become a bit of a Waterloo for Minnesota.  The last time the Wild won in that arena, Manny Fernandez was still in net, and the Wild ultimately made it to the Western Conference Finals that season.  When put into that perspective, it truly feels like a lifetime ago.  And when I stop and think about the time-frame, I realize that it’s been about nine years without a victory in Dallas.  That is something that needs to change.  Sure, they’re more offensively gifted than the Wild, but then so are so many other teams in the league.  If we can win in other teams’ buildings, why can’t we win in Dallas?  It is time for that to change, and tonight is as good as any other night for that happen.  And perhaps if we can scratch a certain defensmen yet again tonight, that just might be possible.   

I’ll admit, I’m not overly optimistic.  The Wild was worn out by what according to Michael Russo of the Minneapolis Star Tribune said was a horrible flight in the middle of a snow storm in Denver, supposedly some sort of electrical interference above Dallas, and the plane hit a bird.  We should hope that all bad luck for the Wild was used up on the flight, and that tonight good luck will hit the Wild tonight.   

Injury Report:

Minnesota:     Jarod Palmer (concussion), Guillaume Latendresse (concussion), Pierre-Marc Bouchard (concussion, groin),  Mikko Koivu (left shoulder, doubtful), Clayton Stoner (lower body, doubtful)   

Dallas:    Mike Ribeiro (knee, slightly torn MCL), Jamie Benn (Appendectomy) 

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