The Bruce Boudreau era has begun for the Minnesota Wild.
For the players, the demands will be many. The expectations will be as straightforward as can be. The experience also promises to be a lot of fun.
“Sometimes he doesn’t even know what’s coming out of his mouth when he’s talking,” forward Charlie Coyle said.
Photo: AP
The rotund new head coach, well-regarded for his regular-season success, well-known for his profane rants and well-liked for his down-to-earth and self-deprecating manner, formally took over on Friday for the first two practices of training camp.
The squad split into two groups and, in addition to plenty of time with the whiteboard picking up Boudreau’s defensive scheme, went through a grueling conditioning test, during which skaters had to complete several laps around the rink under certain times.
The drills were no joke, but Boudreau made sure to keep the mood light even while barking encouragement to the participants.
“We’re huffing and puffing, and he’s still making us laugh,” Coyle said.
NHL training camps began about a week later than usual because of the World Cup of Hockey, and six Minnesota Wild players were given a break for the first three days in their transition back home from competition: forward Zach Parise and defenseman Ryan Suter from Team USA; forwards Mikko Koivu, Mikael Granlund and Erik Haula of Team Finland; and forward Nino Niederreiter of Team Europe.
Only Niederreiter’s team is still competing in the tournament, so he could be delayed further.
However, the learning process will not wait.
“We want to ramp it up as quick as we can. We want to have a lot of pace in our practice. It’s a real mixture, because we have to teach at the same time. It’s not going to be like a practice in December,” Boudreau said. “At the same time, we don’t want anything slow. We want a lot of moving parts.”
The first exhibition game is tomorrow against Buffalo in State College, Pennsylvania, and the season opener is on Oct. 13 at St Louis. That is less than three weeks away. Hence the hard work on the first day, even though players train year-round these days and do not typically need to get back into shape.
“Everyone’s just excited to get this thing going and start playing some real hockey,” defenseman Matt Dumba said.
There will be differences in style, for sure.
“I think they’re still trying to figure me out. ‘What’s this guy like? He seems to be smiling a little too much,’ or: ‘He’s joking around with me. Is he really joking or is he sarcastic?’” Boudreau said. “I think it takes a little bit of time for guys to get to know me.”
Impressions are there to be made for the players, most of whom have never played for Boudreau before.
“Everyone’s here to get a job and knock people out of their jobs, so everyone came prepared,” Coyle said. “It’s good to see that intensity and that competition right away.”
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
Roger Federer on Wednesday said that staying involved with tennis in retirement helped him avoid feeling “like an alien” ahead of this week’s Laver Cup in Berlin. Federer, who helped create the tournament, retired at the Laver Cup in London two years ago and has since stayed involved with the competition as an ambassador. “I’m happy I went back right away to some tournaments,” the 43-year-old told reporters. “I feel I ripped the Band-Aid off quite quickly and when I walk around the tennis sites I still feel I belong there,” he said. “I don’t feel like an alien, which is a
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or
Taiwan yesterday survived Bosnia and Herzegovina to win their Davis Cup World Group I tie at the Taipei Tennis Center. The tight series started on Saturday with world No. 123 Jason Tseng losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to Mirza Basic in the opening singles matchup. However, teammate Tony Wu kept the tie even, dominating world No. 86 Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 6-1. Yesterday, 24-year-old Ray Ho and partner 25-year-old Hsu Yu-hsiou kept up the momentum, making short work of Basic and Nerman Fatic, winning 6-3, 6-4. Tseng then suffered another defeat, losing 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to Dzumhur in a brutal match that lasted more than two