Eric Belanger News

In this transitional season, new Minnesota Wild coach Todd Richards and his staff have relied on veteran Owen Nolan more than any other player.

With many spectators eager to witness the first Twin Cities visit of the New York Islanders' star taken first overall in last June's NHL draft, the old man taken No.

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St. Paul, Minn. -- In this transitional season, new Minnesota Wild coach Todd Richards and his staff have relied on veteran Owen Nolan more than any other player.

It was a grim-faced Chuck Fletcher who took his accustomed position atop the lower section of seats at the Xcel Energy Center to watch Wild practice Thursday morning.

There is a long way to go until this year's trade deadline of March 3, 2010. But with the Winter Olympics, general managers around the league are going to have to do their homework earlier than usual to work around the Olympic break from Feb.

You've got to hand it to Carolina's "Caniacs." Given nothing to cheer about all season, the diehards still arrived early on a beautiful Sunday afternoon for some NHL-style tailgating unique to Carolina Hurricanes fans.

When things are going south, positive imagery is often a big help. Years ago, when Pavel Bure would get into a rare slump, he'd throw on his five-goal game video from the '98 Olympics.

The Toronto Maple Leafs , after scoring a late goal to pull within 4-2, pulled their goalie and then drew two Minnesota penalties, thus sending six skaters onto the ice against the Wild 's three with 56.1 seconds left in the third period.

Phil Kessel has provided a spark for Toronto up front in his first three games. The Toronto Maple Leafs can move up another spot on Tuesday night in their long climb toward respectability and, they hope, a playoff spot.

Preview: The Wild, 4-1 at home, resumes playing after winning its first road game in Pittsburgh on Saturday.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are still in last place in the Northeast Division, but there's certainly a changing feeling as the Minnesota Wild arrive in town for Tuesday night's meeting.

The Wild have been paying attention, it seems. After falling behind and never recovering in a 5-2 loss to Vancouver on Thursday night, the players have been urged, cajoled and prodded by the coaching staff to do things differently.

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The present and past combined for the Minnesota Wild's first complete game of the season.

Marc Crawford might want to get Robidas out against Brunette as much as he can. Robidas was plus-6 in three games against the Wild last season.

Tough guy Darcy Hordichuk and newly signed Matt Pettinger each scored their first goals of the season, forming an unlikely pair to lead the short-handed Vancouver Canucks to a 5-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night.

The Minnesota Wild seem to be turning things around after a rough start to their 2009-10 season.

Eric Belanger has moved up in the Wild's scheme of things. The lithe center with jet-propelled skates has shed a recurring role as defensive specialist under Jacques Lemaire to become a prime scoring threat under Todd Richards.

Niklas Backstrom finally stole a win for the Minnesota Wild on the road, and in the most unlikely of places.

The Minnesota Wild made two first-period goals stand up in notching a 2-1 NHL win over the host Pittsburgh Penguins Saturday.