This was 100 minutes before the opening faceoff between the Wild and the visiting Vancouver Canucks on Saturday at the St. Paul hockey palace, the one we're told needs a publicly financed, much-improved loading dock, among other items.
A Wild turnaround in fortunes, from executives to players
Since hiring John Hynes as head coach, the Wild have gone 7-2. But off the ice, questions still linger.
December 16, 2023 at 11:41PM
The Vikings would be starting in Cincinnati an hour earlier, and amidst the clatter in a rapidly filling lobby at Xcel Energy Center, there was nary a sentence overheard that included the name Nick Mullens or Jake Browning.
Instead, the wearing of Wild jerseys was running at 100%, and the young voices were filled with questions about the excitement that awaited — if only they would be allowed inside those gates right now.
These have been mysterious times for the Wild since the end of November, on both sides of the scale. But what never changes is that spectators of all ages continue to arrive from all directions to fill up the arena, no matter the aged condition in which the tenants apparently see the place in Year 23.
The main questions, both positive and negative, since a Nov. 28 home game vs. St. Louis have been these:
1. How can it be that a mere coaching change from the competent Dean Evason to the twice-fired John Hynes has turned the Wild's play from going nowhere to charging forward?
2. How can it be that an investigation that started with a look into big boss Bill Guerin's treatment toward a hockey operations employee wound up taking a detour with assistant GM Chris O'Hearn losing his job?
Addressing No. 1: Admittedly, the State of Hockey does have a sizable number of greater experts on our frosty sport than an old-timer from Minnesota's southwest corner who never owned a pair of skates, but in my defense:
Attending Hynes' first game vs. St. Louis on the last Tuesday of November, I offered these insights: "They are playing at a faster pace and keeping the puck in the preferred end of the ice for longer stretches."
Sure enough, that resulted in a 3-1 victory to end a seven-game winless streak, and it has continued.
A second consecutive shootout victory at home, 2-1 over a very strong Vancouver club Saturday, behind revitalized goalie Filip Gustavsson. The Flying Hynesies now have seven victories in nine games.
As for No. 2: Guerin's verbal abuse, which the outside investigators concluded did not reach the level of a fireable offense, the lone insight here is that I know the employee from a previous job.
He is not a person without a sense of humor — just the opposite — so what went on with Guerin had to be well beyond traditional sports needling to cause this employee's decision to go to human resources.
Something happened — although in 2023, we are generations removed from what employees involved in arranging accommodations for pro teams once faced here in the Twin Cities.
There was the tale from the 1960s of Howard Fox, a Twins executive and traveling secretary, handing out room keys at a hotel on a road trip. Billy Martin, then a coach, didn't like having to wait and responded by punching Fox.
Alcohol was alleged to be involved in that decision by Martin.
Whatever caused the Guerin incident(s), no one is talking.
Meantime, his judgment on his hockey club — expressed at Hynes' introductory press conference — is looking much better than it did three weeks ago.
Guerin had been taking heat for using most of his limited cap space by giving multiyear, limited-move contracts to veterans adding to the season's wretched start (five wins in 19 games).
Asked that morning if he regretted those deals as his team swan-dived, Guerin said:
"No, I really don't. Hey, I'm sure there are people out there that disagree with me or think I'm crazy. When you're doing contracts like that and you offer things like no moves … it's a negotiation, there's back and forth.
"I feel that we have those players on good deals. Sometimes, is the term a little long for some people's liking? Not mine. I think the money's good.
" … I believe in these players. I don't regret it at all. I think they're all going to turn their seasons around."
Maybe not all those players, but enough for the Wild to get back in the hunt to again reach the playoffs and set up another first-round …
Stop! I'm pulling that jab here. We're going for higher-class behavior in all areas concerning this club.
After letting 135-footer bounce in early, Fleury steadied himself in 5-3 victory.
