Leipold has bought the Wild

[FromthePoint]

Leipold's purchase of Wild approved

Minnesota Sports & Entertainment (MSE), the parent company of the Minnesota Wild, announced today that Craig Leipold's purchase of the Minnesota Wild and its related entities has been approved by the National Hockey League’s (NHL) Board of Governors.

Everything that comes with this sale is....

NHL’s Minnesota Wild, its minor league affiliate the Houston Aeros of the American Hockey League, the National Lacrosse League’s Minnesota Swarm, Wildside Caterers, 317 on Rice Park and the facility management of Xcel Energy Center and the Saint Paul RiverCentre.

Apparently it was finalized last month. I don't remember seeing anything about it and the sale was approved back in January.

[PenaltyKill18]

Leipold was willing to spend some money out in Nashville. I am hoping that with a higher revenue he will be willing to spend even more money in Minnesota. Riser is a good GM and I think with the belt loosened he could fleece a few GM's around the league.

[oscarheyman]

Wild had a cap hit of just over $46 million last season.

I have seen reports of the cap going as high as $56 million next season.

Wild are in good shape cap-wise with 11 players signed (total cap hit of just under $32.5 million). Some key guys left to sign (ie., Bouchard (RFA) and Rolston (UFA)).

BTW: Nice to see you again PK18! How's it going?

[PenaltyKill18]

Pretty good Oscar. Life has treated me well

Rolston should be signed, not just based on the fact that he scored 30 again this season but on his excellent performance in the playoffs (one of the few to show up).

I love Butch, but I would be open to a trade. For all the good things he can do for this team I wouldn't mind having a top line center and he may be able to provide that for us.

I'll help Demo pack his suitcase... he played like crap all year and showed me nothing in the playoffs.

[oscarheyman]

Nice to hear things are going well for you PK!

Yeah much as I would like the Canucks to sign Rolston - I got a feeling he'll be staying in Minny for a while. Sure his numbers *may* go down (as he's getting up there in age) - but he's a good vet to keep around.

Think Koivu could be that "top flight center"; He was going at a pretty good pace up until the two handed slash by Ohlund. I can see him putting up "1st liner type points" in 82 games (ie., around 70+ points) next season.

[PenaltyKill18]

It's a tough situation really.

In my opinion Koivu is a great second line center but not really a first line center. At least not yet. But for the sake of argument let's say he is a first line center -- our top two centers are still weak.

Shep showed promise but he is not a #2 center... at least not for a while. Belanger is without a doubt NOT a #2 center. We tried Demo and we tried Rolston there, they're not natural.

We need a top end center to anchor one of our top two lines. Butch could be the bate for that.

I love him to death but he is tiny. And his lack of intensity is frustrating at times.

[oscarheyman]

Yeah that's the other reason I like Rolston - you can pretty much put him in all three forward positions.

Not sure what legitimate 1st line centers could be available. Perhaps Oli Jokinen in Florida (but he wouldn't come cheap as he's on a decent contract for the next two years). Maybe Jeff Carter (though at this point in his career, he's more of a 2nd line center with the potential to be a 1st line center). More of a goal scorer than a playmaker - but at least he's got some decent size (plus he's more than adequate defensively - shouldn't have a problem playing under Lemaire).

Daymond Langkow numbers are inflated by playing with Ignila. He won't be worth paying for what you get.

[PenaltyKill18]

Right now anything is better than the rumor going around that Minnesota may be talking to Alexei Yashin.... yikes.

That will be a nightmare in so many ways. Save us Riser...

Carter would be nice. I don't think there is anyway of getting Langkow out of Calgary. I do think there is a way to get Marleau of San Jose however. We'll see how things play out this off season though.

[oscarheyman]

Originally Posted by PenaltyKill18

Right now anything is better than the rumor going around that Minnesota may be talking to Alexei Yashin.... yikes.

Yeah that's my fear as well (re: signing with the Canucks to fill the hole we have at center). Alot of talent but not alot of heart.

[PenaltyKill18]

He really wouldn't make sense on either of our rosters. AV or Lemaire would try to kill him two weeks in