Sunday, September 15, 2013

Training Camp Thoughts

The last few days, the Wild opened their doors to the fans for practice and scrimmage during the team's training camp. I was able to get down to Xcel Energy Center yesterday for the practice session, and was able to catch today's scrimmage via the team's website (although the video quality was no help). Here are a few thoughts from the past few days:



  • Zach Parise, Mikko Koivu, and Jason Pominville really looked good on a line together. They looked to be in mid season form this afternoon during the scrimmage and I would be shocked if the trio did not play a majority of the season as the team's top line. 
  • Just about everyone else raved about him, so I will be no different. Dany Heatley was a sight to behold in camp. He looks much slimmer and much faster. I truly believe he will be the team's X-Factor this year, and its possible he could light the lamp 30 times this season based on how he looks so far.
  • Matt Dumba appears to be on track to make the team out of camp this year (but most likely just for 9 games before he gets sent back to the CHL so the Wild does not lose a year on his ELC). He looked pretty sharp in the scrimmage this afternoon, but something else that caught my eye at the Saturday practice was his speed. Dumba looked like he could make a run for fastest player on the team (not kidding) as he flat out beat everyone else in a few laps at the end of practice. 
  • Nino Niederreiter is one big kid. I believe he would start the year in Iowa, but if he has a great preseason, that could quickly change.
  • Josh Harding always finds a way to have the best goalie pads.
  • No one booed Matt Cooke this weekend. Either all the haters turned over to the Matt Cooke is good side, or they all are just talk and dont actually attend Wild games. Cooke had a nice little goal at the end of scrimmage today.
  • Preseason starts on Tuesday. It is not televised (save yourself a few Lapanta-less games), or on the radio, so if you wish to see the team in action you have to go down to the X.

Follow Giles on Twitter @gilesferrell

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