LGD: Get Wild

Looking to bounce back from an embarrassing defeat in Winnipeg just last night, the Toronto Maple Leafs travel to St. Paul, Minnesota for a date with the dumbest-named team in the NHL. Most teams are named after something with historical importance, or at least after a feared alpha predator. 

But the Wild? “Hello, and welcome to Minnesota. There is literally nothing here.”

Still, that doesn’t take away from the fact that this team is half-decent. And that means they’re better than the Leafs (most are), so if you’re still licking your Jets-inflicted wounds, you may want to prepare yourself for another upset.

Most coaches would look to shake up their lines after a 6-1 drubbing, but not Mike Babcock. He’s either a salty, stubborn guy, or he’s very secretly committed to the tank. That means that Frank Corrado is, again, a healthy scratch – he’ll be watching from the pressbox for the 20th straight game. Sorry Frankie.

Sure, they never win anything of great significance, but the Minnesota Wild have a number of solid pieces and are certainly capable of winning games. But wait, is that lefty Ryan Suter lining up alongside fellow lefty Jonas Brodin? Wow, I hope Ryan doesn’t act like a big baby about it…

Oops. Too late.

James Reimer will return tonight to deliver us from evil (and losing). Devan Dubnyk is in net for the Wild.