[Harriet Snodgrass]

From Michael Russo

Quote

These days, it's fashionable to put together an all-decade this and all-decade that, and I'm nothing if not fashionable.

The Wild is a decade old -- with some fuzzy math, of course, since that darn lockout turned this into a nine-year decade. So, without further ado, after polling nobody but General Manager Michael Russo (love the sound of that), here is the Wild's all-decade team:

Goaltenders

• Niklas Backstrom; Manny Fernandez

Defensemen

• Nick Schultz-Kim Johnsson

• Willie Mitchell-Brent Burns

• Filip Kuba-Brad Bombardir

Left wing/center/right wing

• Andrew Brunette/Mikko Koivu/Marian Gaborik

• Brian Rolston/Todd White/ Pierre-Marc Bouchard

• Stephane Veilleux/Wes Walz/ Antti Laaksonen

• Sergei Zholtok/Darby Hendrickson/Derek Boogaard



All-decade extra: Kyle Wanvig, because the guy turned himself into a full-time healthy scratch by costing Lemaire $10,000 for instigating a fight in the last five minutes. Now, that was funny.

All-decade free-agent pickup: Rolston, and it's undeniable.

All-decade trade-deadline pickup: Chris Simon. For such a PR-savvy team, what was the Wild thinking?

All-decade favorite Lemaire quote: This is a hard one because the guy was a joy, but on a reporter's desire to see Boogaard, Simon and Todd Fedoruk on the same line: "Who's going to play center, and how big is the puck?"

Best game: Gaborik's five-goal game vs. Rangers. That was special.

Best victory: Inaugural-season 6-0 drubbing of Dallas, when Neal Broten tore off his old North Stars jersey and had a Wild one underneath before doing "Let's Play Hockey."

What would you change?

[Tashimojo]

I'd throw Nolan on there, not sure who I'd remove to make room for him though. And I'd switch out Brad Bombardir for Foster, cause I have no friggen clue who Bombardir is TBH... but he does have a sweet name.

[SPAMs Mom]

He pretty much nailed it, I have to agree with his choices of good games. Remember the Dallas game and the roof in the kitchen almost come off, those good old days of about 20 people in the kitchen drinking beer and watching hockey. And of course I was at the Ranger game that was sweet!

[Harriet Snodgrass]

Tashimojo, on Dec 28 2009, 12:23 AM, said:

I'd throw Nolan on there, not sure who I'd remove to make room for him though. And I'd switch out Brad Bombardir for Foster, cause I have no friggen clue who Bombardir is TBH... but he does have a sweet name.

Bomber was such a great leader on the team and I'm glad he has a job with the Wild now. Foster did play with a lot of heart and I hated when he broke his leg.

If it were me, I might put Walz on the second line instead of White. That's just me though.

And what about Marc Chouinard? I miss how he used to win faceoffs. Where's the mention of him? Le sigh.

This point has been edited by Harriet Snodgrass: 28 December 2009 - 05:28 PM

[MNHavlatFan]

Richard Park? idk. just saying.

[Tashimojo]

Harriet Snodgrass, on Dec 28 2009, 03:27 PM, said:

Bomber was such a great leader on the team and I'm glad he has a job with the Wild now.

Heh, I went and looked him up on Wikipedia, and saw that he was a captain on the Wild and then I remembered that so was everyone else. He did win a cup with NJ though.

This point has been edited by Tashimojo: 28 December 2009 - 08:50 PM

[cityhockeyfever]

I hate to disagree with that best game choice, but the one that sticks out in my mind is 2003 Western Conference Quarterfinals Game 7.

How the hell does any game not top the very first playoff series clinching victory with Andrew Brunette scoring the overtime winner? HOW?

[Akinzz]

Pavol Demitra???? Jim Dowd???? Richard Park???? Kurtis Foster????

Too tough to tell on those last couple lines, I really dont think boogy should have made it, neither veilleux.

There is just too many players that deserve to mentioned here.