Wilderness Walk: Schadenfreude Edition

schadenfreude - noun; satisfaction or pleasure from someone else’s misfortune

That about sums up last night, doesn’t it? It’s a little mean-natured to so thoroughly enjoy a big win like last night because of who the Minnesota Wild beat, but when it is the St. Louis Blues, the same team that brought the Wild’s playoff dreams to a premature close last year on the back of stellar goaltending, it is allowed. I joked yesterday in the pregame that the ultimate Coach Yeo swoon would see the Blues, his current team get dragged down for six to eight weeks, and infect the Wild, his former team too. Instead, Eric Staal, Jason Zucker, Mikael Granlund, Ryan Suter, and Mikko Koivu (who all multi-point games) made sure that instead the Wild put a definitive beat down on a division rival behind them in the standings. About the only negatives from the game were Matt Dumba’s defensive blunders (which have become increasingly rare for him overall) and the fact that the Wild still do not have an answer for the offensive force that is Vladimir Tarasenko. Apart from Alex Ovechkin, I don’t think there is anyone in the league that instills that feeling of an inevitable goal like him. Fortunately, hockey is a team sport and Tarasenko can’t always be on the ice. The 16-12-64 line is on absolute fire right now and is more than capable of generating a response to Tarasenko or anyone in the NHL right now.

Wild News

Wild bury free falling Blues to stretch winning streak to five games
After being warned by their coach pregame, the MN Wild followed orders and jumped on the Blues from the onset en route to a convincing 8-3 victory to stretch their season-high winning streak to five games. With the win, the Wild continued to tighten their grip on third place in the Central Division and pulled a comfortable seven points ahead of the Blues in the Western Conference playoff race.

Staal's hat trick leads surging Wild past slumping Blues - Sportsnet.ca
Eric Staal had three goals and two assists to combine with linemates Mikael Granlund and Jason Zucker for 14 points and propel the surging Minnesota Wild to an 8-3 victory on Tuesday over the St. Louis Blues, who lost their seventh straight.

Yeo angry after Blues collapse against Wild | St. Louis Blues | stltoday.com
ST. PAUL, MINN. • Sellers rather than buyers at the trade deadline, the Blues certainly appear to be throwing in the towel on the 2017-18 campaign.

John Shipley: Hats off to Wild's true leader, Eric Staal

Wild call up top prospect Luke Kunin for the home stretch
After spending half the season in the minors, top prospect Luke Kunin has been called up by the Wild for the stretch run. While he isn't expected to play against the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday night at the Xcel Energy Center, there's a good chance the 20-year-old Kunin is in the lineup against the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday night at Gila River Arena.

Wild gain confidence from front office betting on them at trade deadline
As the MN Wild put it, sometimes not making a blockbuster deal at the trade deadline can provide an even bigger boost than bringing in a new face, as it shows the players that the front office truly believes in the current group.

Tending the Fields

2018 NHL Draft: WHL Hidden Gems
The 2018 NHL Draft won't have a lot of Western Hockey League representation in the first round, but there will likely be some great value picks available in later rounds.

The top 10 prospects moved at the trade deadline | The Hockey News
On a special Prospect Need to Know, we look at the top-end kids who changed addresses in the days (and hours) leading up to the NHL's trade deadline

On Frozen Pond

How to follow women’s hockey now that the Olympics are over - The Ice Garden
You’re hooked on women’s hockey and want more? We’ve got all the deets.

Off the Trail

Winnipeg Jets Are 2018 Trade Deadline Winners
Patience is a virtue that the Winnipeg Jets' general manager, Kevin Cheveldayoff has been preaching for years, but this conservative approach was abandoned to increase the odds to lift Lord Stanley's legendary hardware.

Takeaways: Jets-Predators has us eager for a playoff series - Sportsnet.ca
Whatever was paid to get into the rink last night in Winnipeg, it was worth it to see a slugfest between the two top teams in the Central Division.

NHL Trade Deadline Predictions Revisited: Shameful Showing, Again
It's that time of the year again — time for my annual walk of shame. Try as I might, my trade deadline predictions proved to be an epic failure for the fifth year in a row. Spoiler alert: I got skunked, going 0-for-40 and bringing my grand total to 3-for-160, but here are the results for all to see.

2018 NHL Trade Deadline: Winners & Losers | The Hockey News
The 2018 NHL trade deadline was a triumph of quality over quantity, and it might be remembered as the time when two teams involved in the same blockbuster deal emerged as winners.

Which teams hold most draft picks after 2018 NHL trade deadline? - Sportsnet.ca
For the first time in two years a first-round pick was moved on NHL trade deadline day -- and, in fact, a record was set for how many were moved. In a league where draft picks hold a high value, we look at the teams that have the most post-deadline.

Down Goes Brown: NHL Trade Deadline winners and losers - Sportsnet.ca
After a busy deadline day that saw 16 deals involving 31 players, it's going to take some time to sort it all out. Yep, that'll do it, let's get to the winners and losers.