Wild prospect Charlie Stramel taking a ‘chip on my shoulder’ to Michigan State after trying year at Wisconsin

Wild prospect Charlie Stramel taking a ‘chip on my shoulder’ to Michigan State after trying year at Wisconsin

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ST. PAUL, Minn. — Charlie Stramel said all the right things Tuesday, mostly that this is now on him and he’s going to have to determine if he’s going to make it to the next level and perhaps one day have a successful NHL career.He made no excuses about what led to his second straight sub-par season at the University of Wisconsin, not blaming early season injuries for his season-long lack of production nor Mike Hastings for playing him down near the bottom of the Badgers’ lineup.Instead, the Wild’s 2023 first-round pick tried to keep the focus on the future and his transfer to Michigan State, calling it a “no-brainer” to leave Wisconsin and attempt to prove all his naysayers wrong during a clean slate under one of his former USA Hockey coaches, Adam Nightingale, with the Spartans.“I’m pumped,” Stramel, the Rosemount, Minn., native, said. “Playing with a chip on my shoulder this season and looking forward to it. … I was always thinking, ‘If I’m ever going to leave, I’m going to go somewhere where I trust somebody and with Nightingale and Michigan State … upcoming here, it was a no-brainer to go there.’”
Charlie Stramel says it was a “no brainer” to transfer to Michigan State and that he’ll be playing with a “chip on my shoulder” this season pic.twitter.com/dO4P7LAMHq
— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) July 9, 2024Stramel, 19, scored three goals and eight points in 35 games during his second year with Wisconsin after having five goals and 12 points in 32 games as a freshman.That lack of productivity and his usage mostly at fourth-line right wing sure didn’t quiet the critics who were already scrutinizing the Wild’s decision to skip skilled forward Gabe Perreault on their draft list and take a leap at Stramel.Stramel was drafted as a center, and at 6-foot-3 with a power game in his arsenal, the Wild were intrigued by the overall package because there’s no doubt that has long been an organizational need.Granted he’s young and it’s way, way too premature to hurl him into the pile of failed Wild first-round picks, Stramel feels the pressure to prove himself now. The Wild have supported him since drafting him. They stick up for him every chance they get.Now he must prove them correct in their faith.He knows it.So, first things first, it’s that power game that Stramel hopes to rediscover at Michigan State.“I think getting back to my identity,” he said. “Just getting back to the power forward, 200-foot center, winning draws, good at the net front. Not straying away from that. I think at times I strayed away from that at Wisconsin and it hurt me. I’ve got to stick to the player I am and the player I’m hopefully going to be at the next level.”Wild director of amateur scouting Judd Brackett believes being reunited with Nightingale after spending two years together at the U.S. National Team Development Program will do wonders.“To be back with a coach he has trust and confidence in is what he needs right now,” Brackett said. “He needs to go in feeling sure of himself, his ability and where his role and opportunity is going to be, but now it’s up to him to perform. It’s a clean slate. It’s the right fit. It’s a great opportunity. But now the rubber’s gotta meet the road. He’s got to do it.”GO DEEPERRusso and Smith: Wild keeping faith in Charlie Stramel, but Judd Brackett says, ‘We want to see progress’Stramel said he learned a lot during his trying season with the Badgers, mostly that it’s up to “you” to work your way out of adverse situations. He had to endure plenty of them last season, from the early injuries to a new coach who didn’t recruit him and seemed to want to rely on veteran players the way he used to during his successful stint as Minnesota State’s coach.Stramel says he has worked hard this offseason to be in better shape and improve his first three steps in his stride. He’ll head to Michigan State after the Wild’s development camp, which wraps up Thursday.“This is a big year,” Stramel admitted. “I think confidence helps a lot in any player. You don’t always have it. You’re always working to get more of it. I think this summer even these first two months of the summer I’ve already felt like my confidence is up a lot more. I’m trying to carry that momentum into State.”Stramel does his best to avoid reading articles or the sometimes mean banter on social media from fans already labeling him a bust. First-round pick Marco Rossi was also smart enough to distance himself from that during his rough start to his NHL career. He worked his butt off last summer, scored 21 goals in his first full NHL season and last month was named to the NHL’s All-Rookie Team.And, by the way, Rossi is three years older than Stramel.“It definitely helps put a chip on my shoulder. I’m coming into this season with something to prove,” Stramel said of the criticism and worry about his future. “Like I said, I didn’t have a great season this year overall. I think everybody knows that. But (the Wild) have been every step of the way — player development, management — super supportive getting me back to the player they drafted and the player I want to be at the next level.”(Photo: Jason Kempin / Getty Images)


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Inside the whacky world of Novak Djokovic: The tennis star whose wild off-court claims get him as much attention as his sporting prowess

Inside the whacky world of Novak Djokovic: The tennis star whose wild off-court claims get him as much attention as his sporting prowess

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Controversial tennis ace Novak Djokovic has once again got attention for all the wrong reasons after he had a temper tantrum when the Wimbledon dared to chant his opponent’s name.It seemed the crowd were simply cheering ‘Ruuuuuuune’ for his opponent Holger Rune but Djokovic, as he often does, saw things differently, claiming they were boos for him.Novak Djokovic’s status as one of this century’s greatest athletes is undisputed – not a description that could ever be applied to his views on health and science as he often dabbles in quackery.His obsession with turning himself into a tennis god has dragged him at times into the realms of faddism and pseudo-science, much to the shock of many of his fans.A few even think people are conspiring against Djokovic, who has a reported net worth of around £200million, owns two New York penthouses, a luxury Miami beach flat and a Marbella mansion. Novak Djokovic had a temper tantrum on Centre Court at Wimbledon last night The controversial tennis star has a variety of whacky views when it comes to health and science His obsession with turning himself into a tennis god has dragged him at times into the realms of faddism and pseudo-science, much to the shock of many of his fans It is just the latest controversial episode involving Djokovic and his wife Jelena (right) On Monday, it seemed the crowd were simply cheering ‘Ruuuuuuune’ for his opponent Holger RuneBut Djokovic, as he often does, saw things differently, claiming they were boos for him His conspiracy theorist wife Jelena Djokovic watched her husband throw a hissy fit at Wimbledon on Monday evening On Monday evening, the seven-time champion turned his on-court interview into a rant about what he felt were boos directed at him during his straight-sets win.’To all the fans that have had respect and stayed here tonight, I thank you from the bottom of my heart and I appreciate it,’ he began. ‘And to all those people that have chosen to disrespect the player – in this case me – have a goooooooood night.’His rather non-plussed BBC interviewer Rishi Persad said: ‘I am hoping they were just commenting on Rune, and they were not disrespecting you.’Djokovic – who has a track record of taking on crowds – was having none of that. ‘They were. They were [disrespecting me],’ he insisted. ‘I am not accepting it. No no no. I know they were cheering for Rune but that’s an excuse to also boo. The seven-time champion turned his on-court interview into a rant about what he felt were boos directed at him Novak Djokovic pretends to play the violin for his daughter as he celebrates winning against Denmark’s Holger Rune The tennis star’s wife Jelena Djokovic looked slightly uncomfortable as Djokovic took on the crowd His outburst came after he saw off Holger Rune in straight sets to move into the quarter-finals ‘Listen, I have been on the tour for more than 20 years. I know all the tricks. I focus on the respectful people that pay for the ticket, and love tennis and appreciate the players. I played in much more hostile environments, trust me – you guys can’t touch me.’Rune himself said: ‘I mean, if you don’t know what was happening, probably it sounded like boo. But if we all know what happened, it was my name.’Djokovic won the match 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 and put in by a distance his best display of the Championships so far. Rune was poor, losing the first 12 points of the match and never really recovering.In his press conference later, Djokovic stood by what he had said.’When I feel a crowd is stepping over the line, I react,’ he said. ‘I don’t regret my words or actions on the court.’He also tweeted a photo after the game of him stretching for a ball across the court, with the caption: ‘Sliding into quarters. Goooooooooooood night.’ Nick Kyrgios – who is also known for his on-court meltdowns, told BBC Sport afterwards: ‘It wasn’t [booing] but I think crowds all around the world need to understand that Novak doesn’t need more of a motive to play better. 

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‘He’s driven, one of the best players in the world and I’ve seen it time and time again, the crowd try to poke the bear and that’s not what you want to do against Novak.’He loves it. I try not to poke the bear when I play him… and I really struggle with that. Obviously it cost me my Wimbledon final.’He doesn’t need more of a motive to go out there and prove to someone he is the greatest of all time.’Clare Balding also waded in, saying: ‘When Sue Barker came out the other day people were shouting ‘Suuuuuuuuuuuue’. I don’t think it’s booing.’ Djokovic’s relationship with the crowd has not always been a friendly one. After beating Roger Federer in the 2019 final, his former coach Boris Becker said he deserved more respect from the crowd who had backed the Swiss star. Djokovic was annoyed with the Wimbledon crowd throughout the match, and would not accept the explanation from a BBC interviewer that they had only been backing his opponent Djokovic has not always had the best relationship with the crowd. He is seen blowing them a kiss here after winning match point against Rune Djokovic pretends to play a violin during his celebrations as he booked his place in the quarter-finals. He has revealed it is a tribute to his daughter who has been playing the violin for six months Djokovic was informed that the crowd were likely shouting ‘Runeeee’ but he did not accept this And two years ago, he was booed after blowing a kiss to fans following his semi-final win over Briton Cameron Norrie.Last year, he also played up to the crowd as he took on 20-year-old Spanish star Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final. With the crowd backing underdog Alcaraz at times, Djokovic again blew kisses at the fans. He was also met with boos during the final when he dented the net post by smashing his racket in frustration, argued with the umpire and glared at the Centre Court crowd.And in January, the tennis superstar screamed at fans to ‘shut the f*** up’ as he hit out at new rules allowing fans to move around between games at the Australian Open. In Wednesday’s quarter-final, fortunately Djokovic will not face a player with a single-syllable surname containing the letter u or a double o. It will be easy to distinguish between boos for him and support for Alex de Minaur.

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But he pair do have history after clashing over Djokovic’s vaccination saga during the pandemic.Aussie star De Minaur was one of the most vocal players in world tennis addressing Djokovic’s deportation and ban from playing in the Australian Open.’Look, Australians have gone through a lot,’ he said at the time. ‘There’s no secret about that. They’ve had it very tough. They’ve done a lot of work to protect themselves and their borders.’He also laughed upon finding out Djokovic had failed in his appeal and was to be deported from Australia while in a press conference with fellow Aussie Jason Kubler.When Djokovic beat him last year, he told reporters: ‘I don’t have any relationship with him.’I respect him as a rival, a colleague, as I respect everyone. I have no problem contacting him, congratulating him, Et cetera.’But I don’t have any other relationship. I don’t have any communication with him. He showed in 2022 what he thinks about me.’Of course, Djokovic has some immensely enviable qualities – from his linguistic ability, speaking seven languages, to his sporting might of his 24 Grand Slam wins, including seven Wimbledon titles.Yet that prowess doesn’t always seem to stretch to the credible. With his self-styled health entrepreneur Chervin Jafarieh he promoted the idea that the power of positive thought could cleanse polluted water into the kind that was safely drinkable.Meanwhile, his wife shared the conspiracy theory that Covid was linked to 5G telecommunication masts.His anti-vaxx views became apparent in 2022 when he posted a triumphant-sounding Facebook update that he had circumvented vaccine requirements for an undisclosed reason and was heading for Australia – which prompted public fury and his eventual deportation.This brutal collision with public opinion had been a long time coming, a course plotted since the onset of the pandemic.Soon after it broke out he took part in a live Facebook discussion with other Serbian sportspeople.’Personally I am opposed to vaccination and I wouldn’t want to be forced by someone to take a vaccine in order to be able to travel,’ he said. ‘But if it becomes compulsory, what will happen? I will have to make a decision.’ The roots of his beliefs on health are entrenched beyond Covid, back to the beginning of the last decade. It was then that he diagnosed himself as having a wheat allergy by pressing a slice of bread into his stomach.In 2016 he began working with Spanish coach Pepe Imaz, a strong believer in meditation whose theories extend to, literally, the power of hugging trees. He instituted the ‘peace and love’ gestures that accompany the Serb’s post-match victories.When Djokovic began developing elbow problems the following year he tried holistic cures before eventually opting for conventional surgery. He later revealed that he cried for three days afterwards at his failure to solve the issue through natural medicine. Djokovic thinks the ‘Bosnian pyramids’ near Sarajevo give off a mystical energy; here Semir Osmanagic, an archaeologist famous for his unorthodox theories on them, stands near one By then he was already a strong believer in using hyperbaric chambers – where his body is exposed to pure oxygen at a much higher pressure than normal – actually bringing a mobile version on a lorry to be parked up at Flushing Meadows for the US Open.It was not until the virus stopped the world in its tracks that the full extent of his left-field views became more evident.And then came his organisation of the ill-fated Adria Tour, a series of exhibitions around the Balkans which stuck two fingers up at any Covid restrictions. Jelena Djokovic has been shamed for spreading a 5G conspiracy on social mediaInstagram produced a ‘False Information’ warning on a video she posted back on April 1, 2021 Djokovic’s online chats with Chevrin Jafarieh (bottom) became notorious in the pandemic Amid nightclub carousing and close quarters games of basketball many of its participants – including Djokovic and his wife – tested positive for the virus. The experience chastened him, but it has not dampened his enthusiasm for spiritual searching. He is, for instance, a regular visitor to the ‘Bosnian pyramids’ which some believe give off a mystic energy.These are a set of pointed hills which a local archaeologist claims are man-made, an idea condemned as a complete hoax by other experts. The Serbian (far right) hosted the ill-fated Adria Tour event in the middle of the pandemic – and it had to be ended prematurely after a number of the players contracted the virus Djokovic (left centre) and fellow tennis stars partied in a Belgrade nightclub in June 2020, with some of the players taking their shirts off during the riotous evening Djokovic lashed away a ball in anger at a line judge in the 2020 US Open fourth round After hitting line judge Laura Clark in the throat, the world No 1 was disqualified from the event Away from the sport’s rectangles many have already condemned him, although his views on vaccines are more nuanced than sometimes portrayed.At the ATP Tour event in Belgrade in 2022, which he and his family own, he arranged for those who wanted the jab to be able to get it on site.It should also be said that no athlete is recorded as having given more to charity through the pandemic than he has done. There is also his work in trying to drive through a tennis players’ union at no gain to himself, being as wealthy as he is.He has always insisted that his vaccine stance is about freedom of choice and what someone puts inside their body. Given the opportunity he missed out on in Melbourne in 2022, his continuing stance could be seen as one of principled self-denial, as well as self-defeating.One group who will always support him, if he ever returns, is the large Serbian population of Victoria. A few of them have been known to attend the Australian Open wearing T-shirts bearing a slogan that has never seemed more appropriate: ‘Novak Against The World.’

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Kylan Boswell’s summer gains are wild

Kylan Boswell’s summer gains are wild

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Here’s your Monday motivation:

Need anymore?
Whatever Illinois pays Adam Fletcher isn’t nearly enough. The Fletch program clearly works because these gains are crazy in just a matter of a couple months.
And whatever Arizona is doing with its strength and conditioning program… I’m not even going to go there.
Bowell projects to be a veteran piece in Illinois’ starting lineup this fall. The Champaign-Urbana native committed to the Illini in mid-April as the third addition of the offseason.

The 6-foot-2 guard averaged 9.6 points and 3.6 assists in 27 minutes per game for the Wildcats. Boswell shared the rock with senior guards Caleb Love and Pelle Larsson in the 2023-24 season.
At Urbana Middle School, Boswell once led the Tigers to an appearance in the state finals.

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Development Camp Preview | Minnesota Wild

Development Camp Preview | Minnesota Wild

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“We’re always excited when we have the opportunity to get all of our prospects together in one place,” Wild Director of Player Development Brad Bombardir told Wild.com.
“This really is the only opportunity that we get to have them all together. Between the time they depart development camp and our NHL and AHL seasons begin to ramp back up in mid-September, our European and Russian prospects are already playing regular season games and our NCAA prospects are back in school — prepping and training with their teams for their upcoming seasons. So when we do return in September, we essentially have our CHL prospects and first-year pros participating in camps and games.”
Thirty five team prospects and invitees are expected to attend this week and will participate in on-and-off ice sessions throughout the duration of camp. There will be daily on-ice and skating sessions and strength and conditioning training, in addition to important off-ice topics — such as social media and leadership training and nutrition education.
This comprehensive camp each summer serves as an important checkpoint, an opportunity for the Wild’s development staff to see each players’ progress.
“While the benefits of NHL development camps — along with vast improvements in player training and prep — have evolved immensely over the past number of years, they can still be beneficial,” Bombardir said. “It allows our prospects and future Wild players to begin to build a connection within the group and to our organization. It gives us the chance to check in on how their training is progressing, and if they’re making headway on their deficiencies. It also allows us to recognize any areas of concern and still gives us some time to respond to those concerns so they can be in the best possible position to create some early success in their upcoming seasons.”

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Yankees should be fine with wild card in new MLB playoffs format

Yankees should be fine with wild card in new MLB playoffs format

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There is panic. There is over-the-top worrying. There is fear that an extremely poor month of baseball means the Yankees are a bad team.

After following Saturday’s rout of the Red Sox with a quick-work 3-0 loss in Sunday night’s rubber game, the Yankees have lost 15 of 20 games and are 10-18 dating back to June 6. They aren’t hitting (four hits on Sunday) or pitching (another two homers allowed to Rafael Devers) or fielding particularly well. A 50-22 record has become 55-37.

Suddenly, they are looking up at the Orioles, three games back in the AL East, which has Yankees fans collectively freaking out.

In the long run, though, this past month isn’t important, as long as it doesn’t continue.

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The Wild Would Send A Message By Making Eriksson Ek Captain – Minnesota Wild

The Wild Would Send A Message By Making Eriksson Ek Captain – Minnesota Wild

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Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin wants the Wild to maintain its identity as a gritty team. Guerin wants to model his team after the Florida Panthers, who just won the Stanley Cup. However, the Wild lack the personnel and size to play like the Panthers.

The Wild would create a new buzz by making Joel Eriksson Ek captain. They would be messaging to the rest of the world that they are made to last under pressure because of Eriksson Ek’s relentless work ethic and determination. Minnesota will thrive playing a two-way style that allows them to carry out an aggressive forecheck to disrupt breakouts and transition up the middle for shots with created screens. 

Due to their lack of overall size, the Wild won’t thrive as a cycling team. However, they can transition the puck and set up for screens and deflections. The forechecking will revolve around Eriksson Ek, Ryan Hartman, Marcus Foligno, and hopefully Matt Boldy, who can develop more toughness. 

Eriksson Ek can take a break from playing center and assist Marco Rossi and Kirill Kaprizov as a wing to help Rossi take the next step as a player. Eriksson Ek gives Rossi a true power forward to develop his game further due to Eriksson Ek playing the style Guerin wants. Eriksson Ek is the kind of player Florida targets. The Wild should turn Eriksson Ek into their centerpiece for this season by making him captain. 

He had his first 30-goal season, and they shouldn’t take him off the top line just because he isn’t flashy with the puck like Boldy. At 23, Boldy has room to grow his game modeling after Eriksson Ek. Still, Boldy isn’t the right mentor to help Rossi bring more intensity when the Wild go up against bigger teams like the Winnipeg Jets, Vegas Golden Knights, and Nashville Predators. Eriksson Ek’s playing style will create more consistency for Rossi than Boldy’s finesse style. Rossi might not become a consistent 30-goal scorer like Eriksson Ek’s turning out to be but count on assists just from getting pucks on net from the perimeter off Rossi’s stick. 

Eriksson Ek becoming captain would spell the end of Jared Spurgeon’s tenure as captain for the Wild. Spurgeon’s teammates respect him, but he isn’t the kind of captain Eriksson Ek can be. Eriksson Ek can lead the Wild, much like Aleksander Barkov did for Florida. However, the Panthers still needed to bring in Tkachuk for more toughness. Eriksson Ek brings more toughness to the game than Barkov since he takes more beatings in front of the net that get uncalled by the referees. 

Did trading for Jakub Lauko show that the Wild are building around Eriksson Ek? The Wild got a restricted free agent (RFA) in exchange for Vinni Lettieri, who’s expected to play bottom-six minutes. Can he help the Wild bring a consistent spark every night with their energy? Can he bring a little more depth than Connor Dewar and Brandon Duhaime? Lauko can learn how to play a gritty game from Eriksson Ek. 

As a center, Lauko allows Eriksson Ek to play wing on the top line. The Wild can make more center depth by letting Lauko be a bottom-six center. But that’s only one element of creating a contender from scratch. Eriksson Ek will bring his new role to the power play to increase his scoring numbers. Will he be able to score 40 goals? That may be a tall order, but no one saw Eriksson Ek scoring 30 goals until he did last year. 

The Wild signed Yakov Trenin to a four-year contract so that Eriksson Ek remains on the top line while Trenin takes on a shutdown role involving penalty-killing minutes. Trenin plays a similar style to Eriksson Ek, especially as an experienced center. 

Eriksson Ek’s captaincy should be a sign of change. Guerin would invest in building a winning culture by making Eriksson Ek captain. He would officially succeed Mikko Koivu as his replacement, and Eriksson Ek was drafted to be just that. Will he get his jersey retired? That has yet to be determined. If Eriksson Ek leads the Wild to a Cup, they should consider retiring his No. 14 alongside Kaprizov’s No. 97. 

Eriksson Ek needs to be captain and play wing. The Wild can improve by making internal changes to their system. They need to be more creative by making the Wild more versatile than before. Eriksson Ek playing permanently with Kaprizov makes Kaprizov’s game better. Still, the Wild must invest in Rossi’s future by playing with Eriksson Ek. They must continue establishing a core, and Eriksson Ek gets to lead that core to victory.

 

 

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Grading the wild 3-team Spurs, Kings, and Bulls DeRozan swap

Grading the wild 3-team Spurs, Kings, and Bulls DeRozan swap

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One of the last big free agents remaining now has a new home, which could have big ramifications for the Western Conference. A three-team deal involving the San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls, and Sacramento Kings saw the Bulls sign Demar DeRozan to a 3-year, $74 million deal and trade him to the Kings.
The Kings will send Harrison Barnes to the Spurs as well as an unprotected first-round pick swap in 2031, Chris Duarte, and a second-round pick to the Bulls. The Spurs will also send the Bulls a second-round pick.
ESPN Sources with @TimBontemps: The Sacramento Kings are agreed on a sign-and-trade that will land DeMar DeRozan on a three-year deal, send Harrison Barnes to the San Antonio Spurs and Chris Duarte, two second-round picks and cash to the Chicago Bulls. pic.twitter.com/eopPkSPBvc— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 7, 2024In theory, that seems to be a potentially beneficial deal for all three teams, with the Bulls getting two seconds for a player they weren’t going to retain anyway, helping them with their apparent rebuild. The Kings, who have been trying to keep pace in a highly competitive West, get a major offensive upgrade in DeRozan. Lastly, the Spurs would get some much-needed shooting with Barnes, who will also provide a veteran presence.
Sign and trades can be hard to evaluate since those deals aren’t meant to provide equal value to each team. However, we will go through and grade how each team made out in the deal.


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NFL analyst suggests Dallas Cowboys pull off wild three-team trade

NFL analyst suggests Dallas Cowboys pull off wild three-team trade

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Making a trade suggestion is one thing, but making one that involves three teams is another thing entirely — and that’s what one NFL analyst recently did with the Dallas Cowboys and two other teams.Three-team trades in the NFL are very rare, but one of the most memorable trades in NFL history was a three-team deal. That was the one that sent Eric Dickerson from the Los Angeles Rams to the Indianapolis Colts, and the deal involved the Buffalo Bills, also.In a recent article suggesting three-team trades ahead of the 2024 season, Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox had the Cowboys landing themselves a young quarterback and a third-round pick, along with two other players.Here’s the full scenario that includes the Detroit Lions and Arizona Cardinals:Cardinals Get: WR Brandin Cooks, Lions’ 2025 fifth-round pick, Cowboys’ 2025 third-round pickCowboys Get: WR Donovan Peoples-Jones, RB Craig Reynolds, QB Hendon Hooker, Lions 2026 third-round pickLions Get: S Budda BakerWhile giving up Cooks would not be ideal considering the Cowboys’ situation at wide receiver, Dallas is getting back a solid depth piece in Donovan Peoples-Jones, who would slot in to the No. 3 role behind Jalen Tolbert and CeeDee Lamb.The trade gives the Cowboys another much-needed option at running back in Craig Reynolds and a potential long-term solution at quarterback in Hendon Hooker, who could end up replacing Dak Prescott if the Cowboys move on.Ideally, the Cowboys hold on to their 2025 third-round pick, as the team could move into some semblance of a rebuilding face next offseason. However, at least Dallas gets back a third-rounder in 2026 in the deal.This trade isn’t exactly a no-brainer, but it would be one the Cowboys would have to seriously consider, and it’s one we would pull the trigger on. That said, the likelihood of it happening is slim, at best.

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Wild Re-Sign Declan Chisholm

Wild Re-Sign Declan Chisholm

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Minnesota had just one remaining restricted free agent who saw regular NHL action with them last season and they’ve quickly reached an agreement with that player.  Michael Russo of The Athletic reports (Twitter link) that the Wild have inked blueliner Declan Chisholm to a one-year, $1MM contract.  Chisholm was eligible to file for salary arbitration by yesterday’s deadline but elected not to do so.
The 24-year-old was a productive blueliner in Winnipeg’s system but failed to land a full-time spot with them over his entry-level contract.  That led to a one-year, two-way deal for the league minimum last season where he was waiver-eligible.  The Jets didn’t want to lose Chisholm for nothing at the end of training camp but weren’t confident enough to play him.  As a result, he got into just two games with them before finally being waived in late January where he was promptly claimed by the Wild.
With Minnesota, Chisholm became much more of a regular, getting into 29 games with them over the final three months when he had eight points and 36 blocked shots in a little under 17 minutes a night.  While that output pales in comparison to the 43 points he had in the minors the year before, the fact he was able to lock down a regular role demonstrated that his defensive game improved enough to the point where he could be relied on.
This deal represents a low-risk move for the Wild as $1MM for someone who can hold their own on the third pairing represents strong value.  At the moment, Minnesota has just six regular blueliners under contract for next season so it wouldn’t be surprising to see them shop around for some more depth over the coming weeks.  However, with minimal cap space to work with, they’ll have to shop for some lower-cost options.

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Making Sense Of the Jake Middleton Extension – Minnesota Wild

Making Sense Of the Jake Middleton Extension – Minnesota Wild

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Jake Middleton has established himself as one of the Minnesota Wild’s most likable players. His toothless grin, bombastic mustache, and blue-collar upbringing call to mind memories of a bygone era of hard-nosed hockey. He’s charismatic on camera and endeared himself further to the entire State of Hockey with a dig at Edina in a feature in The Athletic.

“I don’t think I’m (going to) Cake Eater country just yet,” he joked. “That’s not my speed yet. We’ll see. But not anytime soon.” 

His striking appearance and physical on-ice style combine with that charisma to make Middleton something of a modern enforcer. He’s the type of player that makes fans and teammates glad he’s on their side. 

So why did people meet his extension with groans?

It’s not hard to find analysts and blog posts criticizing the front office for this move. There’s no need to rehash it here: public consensus is that while Middleton is an effective bottom-four defenseman, the Wild overpaid him on his new extension. Furthermore, the timing of this move makes little sense, given that Middleton is 28 years old and under contract for the 2024-25 season. With no pressure to retain him, why would Minnesota feel urgency to sign him to an extension — least of all at this number? 

That’s enough for some people to conclude that the front office had made a massive mistake by signing this extension – and perhaps those people are correct. However, for the curious mind, why? is not an incredulous remark but the beginning of a beautiful journey. 

To answer that why, I started with an interesting piece of reporting from The Athletic’s Michael Russo: “Middleton played through injuries this past season himself, including a knee that had to be cleaned up after the season.” 

Could that injury be the key to explaining this whole extension? 

What comes next will require some speculation about what it means to “clean up a knee.” Please note that I am not reporting the nature of Middleton surgery because I do not have any new information to share. Based on Russo’s wording in his report, I am simply speculating about the nature of that procedure. 

Taking that leap in logic, it sounds like the procedure involves the removal of something from the knee. That could include a meniscus trim or repair. That hypothesis is also supported by the report that Middleton played through injury before the procedure, as is possible with meniscus injuries. It doesn’t prove that Middleton had a meniscus injury, but it’s possible. 

It’s worth continuing down that rabbit hole, even with several degrees of uncertainty, because a meniscus procedure would explain a lot about Middleton’s extension. 

There are two common procedures for treating an injured meniscus: a full repair and a meniscectomy (or a “trim”). The trim simply removes the damaged portion of the meniscus. It’s minimally invasive, and many professional athletes elect this procedure for its short recovery timeline. They can typically return to athletic activity in a month or two.  

The repair has a longer recovery timeline: “Jogging typically begins around three to four months with return to sports around six to nine months.” The tradeoff is that a repair has better outcomes concerning strength, stability, and pain in the knee. These are crucial to the performance and future health of a player like Middleton, who the Wild often task with boxing out opponents at the net. 

When a professional hockey player has the option to return to play sooner but work through more pain, that’s going to sound pretty familiar. Aside from the daily workout schedule, Middleton is no stranger to cross-checks, slashes, and blocking 90 MPH slap shots. But get him back on the ice sooner, and he’ll do it enthusiastically. So, perhaps he opted for the meniscus trim. 

On the other hand, why would the team commit to Middleton this summer after a procedure like that? What if Middleton opted for the full repair, and they offered the extension after a successful surgery? 

Middleton should be ready for the beginning of the season; the team hasn’t indicated otherwise. But with an aggressive timeline, Middleton could return to skating six months after surgery. If the procedure happened just after the season ended on April 18, he could be eyeing a return to the ice right around the October 10 season opener. 

Steven Stamkos had a meniscus surgery in November 2016. It was presumably a full repair, given that it kept him out for the rest of the season; a trim would have allowed him to return before springtime. After that procedure, he never regained the breakneck scoring pace of his younger years, but he still played at an elite level. 

Steven Stamkos career statistics, courtesy of Hockey Reference

Stamkos played a full load of games and minutes the year after his procedure but scored at a lower rate than his rookie season. The long recovery timeline may have played a part in his decreased production. Notably, he had one of the best seasons of his career the following year in 2018-19. 

Stamkos also missed games due to injury in the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons. However, some of that was related to a core muscle injury. The team also termed some of it a “lower-body injury,” which may have been related to his meniscus. When he was healthy in those seasons, he scored at his usual elite rate or just below it. 

If Middleton’s recovery follows this timeline, the four-year extension makes more sense. It also explains the contract’s timing. If Middleton returns to his second-pair form by the end of 2024-25, the whole league will know he’s back. He would then hit the open market, which could increase his price. By extending him this summer, the Wild are taking advantage of their trainers’ knowledge of Middleton’s outlook. In exchange, Middleton gets security. 

That explains the term and the timing, but does it explain the price? Some of the $4.35 Average Annual Value (AAV) can be chalked up to Middleton’s locker room presence and veteran leadership. However, the AAV is well above his projected on-ice value from most publicly available models. As cool as Middleton is, surely Bill Guerin isn’t throwing in an extra $3 million annually for it. 

Take a look at Dom Luszczyszyn’s contract value graphic below. Russo has reported that Middleton’s performance was marred by injury, but this model does not quantify how much injury hampered Middleton’s 2023-24 performance. Some of that is baked in because it predicts age-related decline, which is often related to injury. The model projects a significant dropoff in 2024-25, which could be accurate if Middleton needs time to ramp up to full strength. 

However, if Middleton is poised for a bounce-back in the second year after his surgery (like Stamkos), he could reverse the aging curve in that season (2025-26) and the years after. Those are the years that this extension covers. If Middleton returns closer to his pre-injury performance, his 2022-23 performance is a better benchmark for those years. In that season, his on-ice value was near $5 million. In that scenario, he could live up to the full value of this extension in three or even all four years of the deal. 

Add in his veteran leadership and some cap inflation, and it actually presents a scenario for Minnesota to come out ahead on this deal. However, it’s an unlikely situation. 28-year-old defensemen don’t usually return from injury at 100% of their pre-injury value because even healthy players in their late 20s typically don’t play at the same level as they did two years ago. 

Based on research courtesy of HockeyViz.com

None of this makes the contract a great deal for the Wild. Still, it’s a much more reasonable analysis than looking at the deal and concluding, Man, Minnesota really stepped in it this time. Even if the deal is somewhat inefficient over its lifetime, that’s extremely common for veteran contracts in the NHL. Front offices must spend their money somewhere, and ELC and RFA deals nearly always favor the team. 

On the negative side, remember that it took a few assumptions to get here. For example, we don’t know if Middleton’s injury was related to the meniscus. That’s mostly conjecture based on the wording of Russo’s report. It’s also still fair to criticize this move in light of the need to make room for younger players to join the NHL club. However, Minnesota’s defense prospects still have the opportunity to compete with players like Declan Chisholm. Middleton can also slide to the third pairing in the final years of this extension if those prospects grow into a second-pairing role. 

There’s not much left to do, but watch and see how the deal plays out. In the words of another charismatic professional athlete, “Hate me or love me, you watched. And that’s all that you could do.” 

Ultimately, I’m glad we get to love Jake Middleton for another four years. And if we hate the contract, there may not be a better guy the Wild could overpay. 

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