On Friday alone in a span of 25 minutes, the Wild named a new general manager and Mike Keenan probably still has no clue why he was fired by the Calgary Flames.
The media throng asked about 10 different versions of the same question: Does this mean the Wild will leave behind their traditionally trap-based defensive system? To his credit, Fletcher came up with about eight separate ways to dodge the question before getting super-annoyed with it.
By the way, my money is on "No," Gaborik or no Gaborik.
Keenan, as usual, was given the keys to the kingdom and both of the large protruding ears of GM Darryl Sutter and still managed to spin his wheels over two unsuccessful playoff seasons.
From what was said on TSN and what I read in various reports online, Keenan basically hasn't changed his coaching style and philosophy in 20 years. He's mellowed considerably to match the fact that he no longer is in charge of young players.
That hasn't prevented him from constantly pushing and prodding beyond all normal tolerance to get the players he needs and to get people out of the way who question his methods. I think this goes to show just how special and talented his Flyers and Rangers teams were. Those are the only two stops where you can say he left a favorable mark and attained success.
Then, on Saturday, in a game which I was glad I did not have the opportunity to watch, the Penguins put a stranglehold on a trip to the Stanley Cup finals, blitzing the Canes for three late goals in a 6-2 decision. Yech.
Good for the Penguins, I guess. Bad for Carolina, which is putting up less of a fight in this series than any given cross-section of the French during any major wars of the past 100 years.
Let's hope the Blackhawks don't fold like a cheap card table despite missing two big pieces of their rebuilding puzzle.
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