Jacques Lemaire News

Last month, in the heart of the Wild's struggles, there were times it was difficult to ascertain what the team was trying to accomplish.

Petr Sykora #17 of the Minnesota Wild skates against the Philadelphia Flyers in preseason action at the Wachovia Center on September 29, 2009 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

'Go!' bellowed the unmistakable voice, followed by a sharp toot on the whistle dangling around his neck.

The present and past combined for the Minnesota Wild's first complete game of the season.

Which struggling veteran do you feel is on the decline? I guess Olli Jokinen counts as a veteran with his age and his 10 full years of experience.

Eric Belanger has moved up in the Wild's scheme of things. The lithe center with jet-propelled skates has shed a recurring role as defensive specialist under Jacques Lemaire to become a prime scoring threat under Todd Richards.

Asked Monday if he got away with one, Marek Zidlicky smiled nervously like a child caught with his hand in the leftover-candy pumpkin.

Watching Marian Gaborik's explosive start to this season , I've had a recurring thought: How does Gaborik not have a 50-goal season? That thought is usually followed by the realization Gaborik played for the Minnesota Wild for eight seasons, all of them coached by the notoriously defensive-minded Jacques Lemaire.

This is still the team Doug Risebrough put together. A This is still the team that used to rely on the system of Jacques Lemaire to escape with points.

Marty Havlat returns to his former home. Jonathan Toews got roughed up like a peewee at Bantam practice, and watched the game sharing a box of popcorn with Brent Seabrook, who also didn't dress.

Minnesota Wild president and general manager Doug Risebrough says you have to be a realist in this new My NHL.

Todd Richards felt certain that during some stage of his hockey career, either as a player or as a coach, he must have endured an unforgiving start like this one.

He made an impression because every time he took the ice he hammered an opposing player, forcing that player to make an impression on the sideboards.

Mikko Koivu tied the game in regulation and scored on Minnesota's first shot in the shootout, sending the Wild to a 3-2 victory over the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday night.

Todd Richards, looks on during their preseason game against the St. Louis Blues at the Xcel Energy Center on September 24, 2009.

When critics try to explain what they feel is wrong with the N.H.L., they often say the league does not market its stars in the United States as other pro sports do.

Without Andrew Brunette in the lineup, the Minnesota Wild would really be in a lot of trouble.

Assistant coach Jacques Lemaire talks to players during practice on Tuesday, Aug.

Anaheim's Todd Marchant, left, looks on as Minnesota's Andrew Brunette, centre, is pushed off the puck by Ducks teammate Scott Niedermayer during Wednesday's game.

The State of Hockey has been waiting for a team that enters each game with a "play-to-win" style, instead of a "play-to-not-lose" mindset.A When Owner Craig Leipold re-worked the Minnesota Wild's front office this past offseason, he delivered this much-needed system to a fan base that had grown weary of the defense-first hockey Jacques Lemaire had ...