Wild Plans For Duluth Exhibition Dropped Because of Lockout Concerns

The Minnesota Wild visited Duluth last fall for two training camp practices and team-building time. You might remember that goalie Josh Harding was injured during one of the team-building exercises, forcing Houston Aeros GM Jim Mill to don the goalie pads for the first practice at Amsoil Arena, as Aeros goalie Matt Hackett couldn't get to Duluth in time for it.

At the time, nothing but nice things could be heard from players and staff about their stay in northern Minnesota. They were very complimentary of everything, including the new facility they got to practice in.

It led to people asking if there was a future for the Wild in Duluth that could include a preseason game down the line. After all, the team didn't hold any public events while they visited in October. Maybe next time, right?

Well, "next time" was supposed to be "this fall." According to a source with knowledge of the plans, the Wild were scheduled to visit Amsoil Arena for one of their home preseason games in the fall of 2012. However, those plans were changed because of uncertainty regarding the possible NHL lockout.

The league's collective bargaining agreement expires Sept. 15. The Wild announced their preseason schedule Monday, and that is slated to start ten days later. With such a small lag time between the expiration of the deal and the start of the preseason, the smartest of smart money is on the preseason not starting on time because of a lockout.

Per the source, plans were underway for the game, but those plans were derailed because of Wild management's concerns about the CBA and uncertainty associated with negotiations. Reading between the lines, it's clear that no one would have wanted a situation where tickets were sold and local residents excited over a game that had little chance of happening in the first place.

The Wild are still scheduled to visit Duluth June 25 as part of the annual Wells Fargo Wild Road Tour. Players Nate Prosser and Jason Zucker will be joined by radio broadcasters Bob Kurtz and Tom Reid for the event, which starts at 11:30am at the Duluth Heritage Sports Center.

Game 19: North Dakota at UMD

Here we go. Time to make history.

Lines?

Lines.

UMD
Connolly (Mike) - Connolly (Jack) - Fontaine
Brown - Oleksuk - Seidel
Grun - Flaherty - Hendrickson
DeLisle - Tardy - Basaraba

Bergman - Lamb
Olson - Montgomery
Kishel - Huttel

Crandall - Reiter - Gaffy

UND
Trupp - Malone - Frattin
Marto - Knight - Kristo
Davidson - Lamoureux - Rodwell
Cichy - Rowney - Bruneteau

Blood - Genoway
MacWilliam - LaPoint
Simpson - Gleason

Dell - Eidsness

Amsoil Arena Ready for Show

This was taken Dec. 17, during a special UMD alumni game that was staged at Amsoil Arena. The purpose of the event was to allow arena staff to go through a "dry run" of sorts, along with showing appreciation to the people who worked so hard to make the building happen.

Some 3,000 people showed up, and while the alumni treated them to a fun game, the real star was the new building. It seemed that everything that needs to work was in good working order. People seemed to take to the video board, which is a tremendous upgrade over what we had at the DECC. The lighting was also a big hit. The DECC was, um, a bit dark, especially compared to the new facility.

UMD gets their first real test of the place Thursday, as North Dakota visits for the opening game. If you haven't gotten tickets yet, you might be out of luck, though there are some out there selling extra tickets they were smart enough to get when they had the chance.

Both teams are hampered by players being at the World Junior Championships in Buffalo, and North Dakota is also dealing with some injuries.

The only significant first-half injury for UMD (besides Cody Danberg, who is likely redshirting) was sophomore defenseman Wade Bergman, who suffered an upper-body injury during the Denver series. Bergman missed the Minnesota games, and UMD missed him to an extent. He's a solid player who is rarely caught out of position. Add to that his puck-moving skills, and you have a valuable piece to the blue line.

For UMD, defensemen Dylan Olsen and Justin Faulk are in Buffalo for the WJC. North Dakota's Derek Forbort and Brock Nelson are on the U.S. team. To add to UND's issues, forwards Jason Gregoire and Brett Hextall are injured and won't play.

The winner wins the regular-season series, barring any meetings in the WCHA playoffs, so it's a vitally important game. For UMD, a team that missed the NCAAs by a hair last season, anything that could help them in the Pairwise is a big deal.

UMD Conducting Special Season Ticket Sale

If you haven't yet picked up UMD men's hockey season tickets at Amsoil Arena, you still have an opportunity to get tickets and pick your seats.

This chance will come on Sunday afternoon at the new facility.

The university has announced a special one-day sale that will take place Sunday, less than two months before the rink hosts its first game on Dec. 30.

Details are available after the jump.

UMD Turned Down for NCAA Men's Regional

There was good news and bad news for UMD hockey Monday.

The good: The women's program will host the 2012 Frozen Four at Amsoil Arena, marking the third time UMD has hosted that event. The Bulldogs have won five national titles, with two of them coming at the old DECC.

The bad: The men's team was denied a chance to host an NCAA regional in 2012.

The hosts for the four 2012 regionals were announced Monday. They'll be held in Green Bay (host: Michigan Tech), St. Paul (Minnesota), Bridgeport, Conn. (Fairfield), and Worcester (Holy Cross).

Yeah, yeah, same old, been there, I know.

Remember, it was confirmed in January that UMD bid on this 2012 regional. If you aren't convinced that this process is simply a lame NCAA money grab, you need look no further than the fact that Minnesota is hosting a third regional in four years in 2012, and they're hosting the Frozen Four in 2011.

Naturally, since the rules require that Minnesota be placed in their home regional if they qualify, the NCAA sees nothing but dollar signs when the "U" bids on a regional and uses the XCel Energy Center.

Amsoil Arena will be nice, but it can't compete. Neither can any other rink in this region. Never mind that the Gophers haven't made the NCAAs for two straight years, and the XCel regional was embarrassingly attended in March, thanks to the fact that St. Cloud State fans apparently can't find the facility, despite it being only an hour away from home.

Who cares that only 7,500 people or so showed up in an 18,000-seat cavern? It was like watching the Class A state tournament -- with all due respect -- and that's not what this tournament should be about.

The NCAA has sent a clear message with their decision to ignore a wonderfully-located Duluth and send another hockey event to Minneapolis/St. Paul.

Until they pull their heads out and put the regionals back at campus sites, expect more funeral parlor-like atmospheres at the sport's most visible and significant events, outside of the Frozen Four.

Since the U of M people have had plenty of practice, they have this down to a science, and you should expect a first-class event if you go.

That's not the point.

Instead, the point is that the NCAA is lazy, refuses to think outside of the box they planted themselves in, and they seem determined to ruin the hockey tournament by putting games in places that won't have any atmosphere unless the home team makes it.

AMSOIL Arena

The DECC expansion finally has a name.

Tuesday morning, it was announced that Amsoil, a local manufacturer of synthetic lubricants, has agreed to purchase the naming rights for the new building.

The deal, for $6 million for 20 years, means the arena that houses UMD hockey starting in December will be called AMSOIL Arena.

Here is the press release:

Thanks to the generosity of a locally-based national corporation, the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center’s addition won’t simply be called “the new arena” when it opens this December. It will be called AMSOIL Arena.

On May 11, 2010 the DECC Board approved awarding naming rights for the new facility to AMSOIL INC., a world leading manufacturer of synthetic lubricants and a major Twin Ports employer.

“Throughout the planning and construction process, the DECC Board has always sought ways to make this great new arena even greater for residents of the entire region,” said Mark Emmel, the DECC's board chair. “One important way of doing that is through a naming rights agreement, and we wanted to team up with a company that’s local, has a reach far beyond this area, and has a reputation for excellence. AMSOIL not only met but greatly exceeded all of those criteria, and we’re looking forward to an exciting, long term relationship with them.”

Albert J. Amatuzio, AMSOIL’s founder, president and CEO, said a partnership with the DECC is a perfect fit.

“Although AMSOIL produces products that are used throughout the world, the vast majority of our employees live and work right here in the Twin Ports. This is our home,” said Amatuzio.

“We’re honored to be associated with a facility that is so critical to the community’s economy and image.

AMSOIL Executive Vice Presidents Alan Amatuzio and Dean Alexander echoed that sentiment.

“We have worked closely with the DECC for many years and have established a great relationship,” said Alan Amatuzio. “I think both sides of this partnership realized from the start that this was a good opportunity for everyone, and that includes the entire region.”

“We’re proud to be involved,” said Alexander. “We’ve had many opportunities throughout the years to relocate the company but have chosen to stay here. We’re committed to the area, and our decision to step up and do this deal reflects that commitment.”

The agreement calls for the DECC to receive $6 million over a 20 year term.

One way AMSOIL’s investment will enhance AMSOIL Arena is that it will provide funding that allows the arena to achieve the LEED Gold Standard, making AMSOIL Arena only the second in the nation with this important designation for environmental responsibility. AMSOIL’s funding will also allow the DECC to update AMSOIL Arena as upgrades are needed in coming years.

Great news, in that a local company stepped up and made this happen.

The building is still coming along quite nicely, and should be more than ready for the opening events at the end of the year.