Wilderness Walk: Big Game in town Edition

If you don’t live in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area, you are lucky. If you didn’t somehow hear on the radio, see on the news, or just catch wind that there’s a Big Game in Minneapolis this Sunday featuring some dudes from Boston and a few schmucks from Philly. The whole idea that people and adverts can’t even mention the name “S**** B***” without getting some heavy-handed NFL lawyer slap is ridiculous! We all know what the Super Bowl is and the fact that we hear these awkward commercials that mention the “Big Game,” as if we somehow don’t know that “Big Game” is a totally generic term for Super Bowl when it’s in our own backyard is just some crazy trademark legalese.

Any way, football isn’t the only game in town this week. Nope, you’d be surprised that with the metro area roadways already a complete cluster f—-, that the Wild are playing host to the NHL’s best expansion team ever. The Vegas Golden Knights also happen to be the best team in the NHL as an overtime win last night over the Jets put them one point ahead of the Tampa Bay Lightning in the League standings.

So as we witness a team in the Wild currently contemplating whether or not it wants to be a good team and play for a post-season berth, we can Walk through the daily links.

Today’s music is one of my favorite tunes by this band. There’s just so many good components to this song musically, vocally, and lyrically.

Wild News

These Wild Players Need To Have a Strong Finish | Zone Coverage - Cold Omaha
The other day, Giles laid out just who needs to step it up for the Wild for the rest of this season.

In and out of lineup, Wild's Stewart is 'team guy first' - StarTribune.com
Stewie is the odd-man out, and, frankly, he should be. For a guy that is supposed to bring energy and physicality, he's been more dud and liability. And for heaven's sake, get him to do the egg drill from The Mighty Ducks to soften up those hands of his!

Wild-Vegas gameday preview - StarTribune.com
Sarah gives us a little primer for today's game.

Niederreiter will 'probably' suit up Friday vs. Golden Knights - StarTribune.com
A full line-up? Doth mine eyes deceive me? Will thou be still my quivering heart? Can I shake this flushing at the sight of 22 on the ice once more?

With the trade deadline approaching, Mike Reilly may be on the block – The Athletic
Honestly, this isn't much of a surprise. The Wild need to make a decision and Reilly hasn't taken advantage of his opportunities *PAY WALL*

Off The Trail

Tickets on Sale for 2018 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award Ceremony
Get your chance to see the top female college hockey player be presented with the Patty Kazmaier Award in Minneapolis!

Holl Scores In NHL Debut As Maple Leafs Blank Islanders 5-0
Edina kid scores his irst goal of his NHL career the other night. #MNKid

NHL News

Many in NHL just fine with vague injury descriptions
"Through Jan. 20 games, the Winnipeg Jets, Nashville Predators and Philadelphia Flyers were labeled the most evasive, while the New York Rangers, Vancouver Canucks and Minnesota Wild were the most open." That surprises me

Five players that should make an NHL comeback
It still amazes me that Detroit traded Datsyuk's dead money to Arizona and the Wild couldn't make a good hockey trade for one of their defensemen.

Penguins’ Conor Sheary ‘week-to-week’ with lower body injury – ProHockeyTalk
Too bad for the kid, and too bad for the Wild it didn't happen sooner. All-in-all, Sheary is a solid player. He was Jake Guentzel before Jake Guentzel was Jake Guentzel.

NHL - Why Gary Bettman's decision to cancel the 2004-05 season actually benefited the league
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon out Thursday
For a top heavy team like the Avs, this is a huge blow to them.