Michael Russo
@russohockey
31st year covering the NHL, 21st covering the Minnesota Wild. Senior NHL writer, The Athletic. KFAN contributor. Co-host of Worst Seats in the House pod on Talk North Network.
Bill Guerin, Chris MacFarland and Pat Verbeek are the finalists for GM of the Year. First time a #mnwild GM has been a finalist
#mnwild lines with no Hughes makes it look like Bogosian is out for Game 1 Kaprizov-Hartman-Zuccarello Johansson-Eriksson Ek-Boldy Tarasenko-Yurov-Trenin Younger Bro-McCarron-Older Bro Brink, Fabbri, Sturm Brodin-Faber Middleton-Spurgeon Hunt-Petry Kiersted-Bogosian
Met up with Zeev Buium, Marco Rossi and Liam Ohgren yesterday in Denver in advance of their first game back in Minnesota tomorrow. Story in tomorrow’s @TheAthletic.
And that’s a wrap on SNL. Quinn will return to Minnesota to play STL tomorrow, then back to NYC’s 30 Rock to appear on the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Monday night before returning to MN to play the Lightning on Tuesday night on National TV. Wednesday, he sleeps
My feature on Ellen Hughes, Quinn, Jack and Luke’s mom www.nytimes.com/athletic/702...
The MH2 rink at Rho is an amazing transformation of an exhibition hall into a hockey arena. Wrobo says the ice “feels different.” Not just metaphorically bc of the nerves of Olympics, but the new ice needs to be worked in. Will take a couple games but right now brittle and chippy
Filip Gustavsson working in his Team Sweden Olympic pads, blocker and gloves
Rick Komarow’s clients keep scoring tonight. Yurov’s first NHL goal at MSG, Dorofeyev’s 7th coming in gorgeous fashion from Marner
Next #mnwild 25th anniversary night features Butch, Gabby, Rollie and Steph (Wild should do a Veilleux/Cody McLeod reenactment)
Jacques Lemaire, Mario Tremblay and Doug Risebrough catching up with assistant equipment manager Matt Benz. Former assistant coach Mike Ramsey and goalie coach Bob Mason will also be honored tonight as #mnwild have their 25th home opener vs their expansion cousins
John Hynes and Jonas Brodin wrapping up a long conversation. Regular colored sweater for Brodin
#mnwild rally from 2-0 down to take 3-2 lead into the third. 4 great power plays that period, scored on 3 of them. 2 great kills
2 practices today. Sandwiched in between is a special teams practice, so we should finally see PP units.
Liam Ohgren: “I get to practice with Ekky and Vladdy and it’s been really fun for me and I’ve been enjoying my time and I think we’re playing good together. I feel more comfortable and more confident. It’s a good opportunity for me.”