Last Updated on Thursday, 09 August 2012 11:39
By Kevin Kurtt
Let’s Play Hockey Editor
From April to October, I’m a casual Minnesota Twins fan. Almost every evening, the channel on my TV will inevitably make its way to Fox Sports North for the broadcast of that night’s game.
I’ll passively watch the game while eating dinner, playing with the kids, talking to my wife, checking Twitter, surfing the Web or just vegging out. Rarely am I so “into the game” that I’m watching every pitch, second-guessing Gardy’s decisions or getting upset at yet another Twins inning ended by grounding into a double play.
The Twins broadcast basically serves as a background for whatever else is happening in my family room that night.
From October to April, I’m a casual Minnesota Wild fan. Almost every evening, the channel on my TV will inevitably make its way to Fox Sports North for the broadcast of that night’s game.
Much like the Twins broadcasts, the Wild games are, more times than not, an afterthought in the Kurtt household.
That is about to change.
On July 4, 2012, the Minnesota Wild made arguably the biggest free agent signings in this state’s sports history when star left wing Zach Parise and elite defenseman Ryan Suter agreed to identical 13-year, $98 million contracts. Suddenly, the Wild became relevant both within and beyond the borders of the State of Hockey.
On the ice, adding Parise and Suter will likely have a significant impact, this season and in the future. By signing a pair of top 10 players at their respective positions, Minnesota immediately becomes a major player in the Western Conference. The expectation of making the playoffs just went from “it could happen” to “it better darn well happen.”
Parise joining a veteran group forwards including Mikko Koivu, Dany Heatley, Devin Setoguchi, Pierre-Marc Bouchard and Kyle Brodziak gives the Wild a formidable lineup of goal-scorers, playmakers and two-way players. No longer will Minnesota look to rely on defense and goaltending to win games. This is a team with the talent to light the lamp.
On the blue line, the addition of Suter provides the Wild with a sorely-needed minute-eating defenseman who is adept at breaking out of the defensive zone, creating offense and running the power play, not to mention offering shut-down defense. Minnesota may still look to improve Suter’s supporting cast before the season begins, but the addition of the Madison, Wis., native is huge for otherwise relatively anonymous defensive corps.
Before adding a pair of NHL All-Stars, the Wild was anticipating the arrival of a slew of highly-touted newcomers. From Finnish sensation Mikael Granlund to a group of top prospects including forwards Charlie Coyle and Zack Phillips, and defenseman Jonas Brodin and 2012 draftee Matt Dumba, Minnesota was looking forward to the not-too-distant future of a team chock full of young and talented players assembled by quality drafting and savvy trades.
Now, those same prospects will enter training camp this fall with fewer chances to earn a spot in a lineup that has fewer holes than existed on July 3. Aside from Granlund, who is a virtual lock to make the team, competition will be fierce among the young prospects, not to mention other offseason acquisitions, for a spot on the NHL roster.
Clearly, the addition of Parise and Suter will have a substantial effect on expectations, on-ice talent and roster decisions, but perhaps the most significant impact will be on the long-suffering fan base. The Wild hasn’t exactly given its fans a whole lot to cheer about in the franchise’s 12-year history.
The Wild enjoyed what must have been the longest honeymoon ever. When teams are created or they move into a new stadium, a season or two of goodwill and forgiving is generally allowed by the fan base. Not here, it seems. The factor of Minnesota Nice, coupled with this state’s love of hockey, allowed the Wild to skate by with several disappointing seasons. Only recently have season-ticket holders started to hold the franchise accountable for unmet expectations and missed playoff years.
For too long, the Wild has succeeded in Minnesota on the basis of a great building and the passion that Minnesotans have for the sport (kudos to the architects in charge of the Xcel Energy Center’s design and the Wild’s marketing and event staff for pretty much keeping this franchise successful in the midst of some dismal seasons on the ice).
Aside from the unlikely 2003 run to the Western Conference Finals, signing Parise and Suter was the easily most exciting thing to happen to the Wild and its fans.
What else has the Wild given this state to be excited about?
• Playoff runs? Nope. Aside from the 2003 playoff run, the Wild has gone 3-8 in a pair of quarterfinal series in 2007 and 2008.
• Star players? Not really. The Wild’s first draft pick, Marian Gaborik, was its first star, but he was too fragile and inconsistent to really excite fans. Mikko Koivu, though an elite two-way player and leader, is hardly star quality that franchises can sell to fans.
• The playing style? Not so much. Under long-time coach Jacques Lemaire, the Wild employed a defense-centered style that seemed to forget that teams need to score goals to win. Lemaire’s replacement, Todd Richards, tried to implement an uptempo style of play that the fans were clamoring for, but the players just weren’t there to pull it off. Second-year coach Mike Yeo looks to finally have the talent on the ice to employ pretty much any system he likes.
• The future? Until Craig Leipold and Chuck Fletcher took over, the cupboard was left essentially bare by Lemaire and Doug Risebrough, leading many to question the direction of a franchise that didn’t offer up much hope for improvement. Thanks to quality drafting and savvy trades, Fletcher has restocked the shelves with top prospects that scouts believe will transform Minnesota into a strong team for years to come.
But the signings of Parise and Suter, in addition to an influx of quality young players, has helped the Wild’s fan base move on from the disappointments of seasons passed. Forgotten, though never forgiven, are the crimes of former North Stars owner Norm Green. In the past are the yawn-inducing days of the franchise under Risebrough and Lemaire.
Minnesota Wild fans have finally been rewarded for their patience.
The fact that Parise is a Minnesota native and Suter is a Midwestern kid with a Minnesotan for a wife has played a factor in the excitement among a fan base and a state known for its provincialism. You can’t deny that having a hometown boy (and his Badger friend) as the face of the franchise is a huge reason the Wild has sold over 2,000 new season tickets and countless Parise and Suter jerseys since the pair signed on July 4.
In a brilliant marketing move in its inaugural season, the Minnesota Wild branded itself very much around the slogan “The State of Hockey.” It’s a slogan that encapsulates the love and passion Minnesotans have for the sport of hockey.
And it can’t be lost that the Wild was the personal choice of players who could have signed with perennial powers Detroit, Pittsburgh, Chicago or Philadelphia. The elation of many Minnesota fans upon learning of the signings brought to mind Sally Field at the 1984 Oscars: “I can't deny the fact that you like me, right now, you like me!”
And I’m as guilty as any of the rest of you. No, I’m not one of the 2,000 new season ticket holders. And, no, I haven’t plunked down $190 for a jersey with another man’s name on the back.
But I am genuinely excited about watching the 2012-13 edition of the Minnesota Wild (provided the threatened lockout doesn’t happen) with a Minnesota native for a superstar.
From October to April, I’m a casual Minnesota Wild fan. The game broadcasts on Fox Sports North basically serve as a background for whatever else is happening in my family room that night.
Not anymore.
The Zach Parise File
Born: July 28, 1984, Minneapolis, Minn.
Height: 5-11
Weight: 195
Position: Left Wing
Shoots: Left
Resides: Orono, Minn.
Personal: Father, J.P., played and coached in the NHL; older brother, Jordan, is a goaltender for the Augsburg Panthers in the German Elite League
Youth Hockey: Bloomington Jefferson (through PeeWee), Shattuck-St. Mary’s School (Bantam)
High School Hockey: Shattuck-St. Mary’s School
College Hockey: University of North Dakota (2002-04)
| Season | Team | GP | G | A | P | PIM |
| 2002-03 | North Dakota | 39 | 26 | 35 | 61 | 34 |
| 2003-04 | North Dakota | 37 | 23 | 32 | 55 | 24 |
Pro Hockey: Drafted: 17th overall by the New Jersey Devils in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft
| Season | Team | GP | G | A | P | PIM |
| 2004-05 | Albany (AHL) | 73 | 18 | 40 | 58 | 56 |
| 2005-06 | New Jersey | 81 | 14 | 18 | 32 | 28 |
| 2006-07 | New Jersey | 82 | 31 | 31 | 62 | 30 |
| 2007-08 | New Jersey | 81 | 32 | 33 | 65 | 25 |
| 2008-09 | New Jersey | 82 | 45 | 49 | 94 | 24 |
| 2009-10 | New Jersey | 81 | 38 | 44 | 82 | 32 |
| 2010-11 | New Jersey | 13 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 6 |
| 2011-12 | New Jersey | 82 | 31 | 38 | 69 | 32 |
The Ryan Suter File
Born: January, 21, 1985, Madison, Wis.
Height: 6-1
Weight: 198
Position: Defense
Shoots: Left
Resides: Madison, Wis.
Personal: Father, Bob, was a member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Team; wife, Becky (Palmer), is a native of Bloomington, Minn.
Youth Hockey: Madison Capitols
High School Hockey: Culver Military Academy, U.S. National Team Development Program
College Hockey: University of Wisconsin (2003-04)
| Season | Team | GP | G | A | P | PIM |
| 2003-04 | Wisconsin | 39 | 3 | 16 | 19 | 93 |
Pro Hockey: Drafted: 7th overall by the Nashville Predators in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft
| Season | Team | GP | G | A | P | PIM |
| 2004-05 | Milwaukee (AHL) | 63 | 7 | 16 | 23 | 70 |
| 2005-06 | Nashville | 71 | 1 | 15 | 16 | 66 |
| 2006-07 | Nashville | 82 | 8 | 16 | 24 | 54 |
| 2007-08 | Nashville | 76 | 7 | 24 | 31 | 71 |
| 2008-09 | Nashville | 82 | 7 | 38 | 45 | 73 |
| 2009-10 | Nashville | 82 | 4 | 33 | 37 | 48 |
| 2010-11 | Nashville | 70 | 4 | 35 | 39 | 54 |
| 2011-12 | Nashville | 79 | 7 | 39 | 46 | 30 |
