MLB Front Page
NBA Front Page
NHL Front Page
NFL Front Page
The Minnesota Wild did not have the opening month of the season it hoped.
The Wild posted a 5-9-0 record, which is bad enough for fourth worst in the NHL and worst in the Western Conference. But, despite the poor record it is only five points out of a playoff spot and has won two consecutive games.
Here are my players of the month for October.
Most Valuable Player
Andrew Brunette. The veteran left wing is third on the team in points, but leads the team in goals with seven. He scored one goal in each of the first three games and has three more than Eric Belanger, who is second on the team. He was the offense when the team was battling through injuries, inconsistency and a lack of cohesion. His seven goals is tied for 20th in the NHL, seven behind the leader.
Offensive Player of the Month
Eric Belanger. The veteran center is tied for the team lead with 12 points, four goals and eight assists. He has solidified the Wild’s No. 2 center position while playing on a line with Martin Havlat and Petr Sykora. He has transformed his game from a fourth line player to a top six forward in the Wild’s new system. His speed and knack for finding the net makes him a great fit for the system.
Defensive Player of the Month
Greg Zanon. The veteran defenseman has been everything we expected of him. He plays sound positioning in the defensive zone and blocks shots. It should be a good battle to see who leads the team in block shots between him and Nick Schultz. The Wild made a lot of mistakes in the defensive zone that has resulted in a lot of goals allowed, but Zanon has not one of the players making the errors.
Minor League Offensive Player of the Month
Robbie Earl. The young left wing is tied for the Aeros team lead in points with six, four goals and two assists. The Aeros, much like the Wild, are struggling to score goals and Earl leads the team. He is a fast forward with a lot of offensive potential.
Minor League Defensive Player of the Month
Anton Khudobin. The young goaltender has a 4-2 record with a 1.77 goals against average and .936 save percentage to lead the Aeros. He played six games for the Aeros before being recalled by the Wild to backup Niklas Backstrom while Josh Harding was recovering from an injury.
Prospect of the Month
Matt Hackett. The goaltender for the Plymouth Whalers of the Ontario Hockey League was named the Canadian Hockey League goaltender of the week in late October. He recorded a 42-save shutout of the Kitchener Rangers, who leads the OHL, and a 34-save victory over the Belleville Bulls during the week.
