MONDAY'S STORYLINE: "Everyone is a little grumpy today. I would have been a little concerned if there was a lot of 'ra ra' and happy guys out there," said Mike Yeo. "The response isn't today at practice, the response is tomorrow," added Yeo.
Tomorrow the Wild will take on the Dallas Stars and try to erase Sunday's 4-3 loss to Calgary. Yeo was visibly upset after Sunday's game, and it is how they lost that bothers him.
"I can handle losing. I don't think there is anyone out there that hates to lose as much as I do, but having said that we can accept it if all the work ethic is there, preparations is there, commitment to playing the right way is there, then we can handle it," added Yeo.
The Wild have been bitten heavily by the injury bug this season. Currently, they are missing big-time players Mikko Koivu, Guillaume Latendresse, Niklas Backstrom, Cal Clutterbuck and Pierre-Marc Bouchard. The Wild have lost a total of 306 man-games to injury, but Yeo won't use injuries as an excuse.
"We didn't lose that game last night because of injuries, we lost it because we weren't ready to come out," noted Yeo. "Last night is gone. I am just anxious to see how we respond tomorrow."
Yeo had the team working on some basic drills today and noted it did bother him a little to being doing basic drills this late in the season, but they will do whatever it takes to improve.
"Whatever it takes, we are willing to do it. We are going to come to the rink and whatever we think we need that day. We aren't just going to ride out this season. Whatever we think our team needs we will be ready to bring it," added Yeo.
INJURY UPDATES: Cal Clutterbuck (Undisclosed) and Mikko Koivu (Upper Body) both skated with the team today and wore non-contact jerseys. There is no timetable for either's return, but Yeo said he felt Clutterbuck looked really good out there. Niklas Backstrom (Lower Body) skated briefly before the team, but there is no timetable for his return either. It doesn't appear either Pierre-Marc Bouchard (Concussion) or Guillaume Latendresse (Concussion) will be back anytime soon, but neither has been shut down for the season.
HE SAID IT: "I want our fans to be proud of the product they see and want to be a part of what we have got going here. For the most part we have done that his year, but we aren't going to let that waver now just because we have got some injuries." – Mike Yeo on putting out an effort for the fans
