Tom Powers column: Wolves, Wild showing faint signs of progress

ST. PAUL - For years it has been physically possible to witness, in person, the best of both the Wild and Timberwolves during the same evening. And without defying the laws of science.All a person had to do was show up at Target Center for tip-off and, more often than not, enjoy 24 decent minutes of basketball. Then hop in an Uber and arrive at the Xcel Energy Center just in time to witness a solid 30 minutes or so of hockey. Granted, it makes for a pricey evening. Yet it has been the only way to end the day with positive feelings toward both teams. That’s because the Wolves don’t collapse until the second half. And the Wild don’t start playing until the second period.
Enter coaches Tom Thibodeau, Bruce Boudreau and a new day. A couple of months into their tenure we have noticed distinct trends: The Wolves collapse in the second half and the Wild don’t start playing until the second period. Old habits are hard to break. Furthermore, the Wolves’ defense remains below standard and the Wild’s offense remains below standard. We’ve seen this before.Recently we have seen signs, however faint, that these long-time patterns may be starting to trend in a different direction, although the early data remains inconclusive. The Wolves, despite their typically poor record, have managed to close out a contest or two. By “closing out” I mean they didn’t become completely unhinged down the stretch.The Wild, with a so-so record, have scored at least three goals in a game several times recently thanks to respectable first periods and thanks to their power play, which long has been the bane of their existence.If we really are witnessing change, we are seeing it come about very slowly. My guess is that both coaches are surprised it is taking so long. Thibodeau knew the organization’s history, of course. Yet he probably had no idea that losing was so ingrained in his players’ DNA that they accept defeat without so much as a shrug. They wouldn’t mind winning, but either way the sun still will come up in the morning.Meanwhile, we hear about all of Minnesota’s athleticism and we watch the highlight dunks and we read about the potential. But at the end of the game, the Wolves are down by 16. Yes, they are young. They have been for a long time.Thibodeau is an intense guy. Intense guys can’t understand why others aren’t just as intense. And his players aren’t nearly as intense after years of the same-old drubbings. The two sides may be on an emotional collision course. But there have been signs, such as the swashbuckling comeback against Phoenix last week, that change may be in the offing as a result of Thibodeau’s constant prodding and poking. We’ll keep looking off into the distance for those hints.Boudreau likely is surprised at how slow his Wild players have been to adapt to what should be a much more enjoyable style of play. For years there has been grumbling, both in and out of the dressing room, about the Wild’s defensive style. Boudreau came in and implemented a more aggressive, attacking system. But the Wild have been slow to embrace it.This is especially true over the first 20 minutes when they often skate gingerly, as if the ice were about to crack beneath them. No one ever has been able to figure out why the team is so tentative at the start. Boudreau has expressed frustration, just as the coaches before him did. Even at home, when they should be taking charge, the Wild tip-toe around, content to weather the storm created by the visiting team.Boudreau has been quick to juggle lines and alter minutes. Last week against the defending champs, the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Wild came flying out of the tunnel and scored three times in the first 20 minutes in route to a 6-2 victory at Xcel. They need more of that early panache because goaltender Devan Dubnyk has been playing his best hockey since his performance down the stretch two years ago. And it has been going to waste.There is no law that every Wild game has to be 0-0 after one period. If the Wild can play with energy and skill from the opening faceoff, perhaps they won’t be scrambling for the eighth playoff seed come spring. We’ll keep watching.History says Thibodeau and Boudreau know what they are doing. Current developments may indicate that their tactics are beginning to take hold. Three or four more hints of progress and we actually may have a positive trend on our hands. Tom Powers is a St. Paul Pioneer Press columnist.ST. PAUL - For years it has been physically possible to witness, in person, the best of both the Wild and Timberwolves during the same evening. And without defying the laws of science.All a person had to do was show up at Target Center for tip-off and, more often than not, enjoy 24 decent minutes of basketball. Then hop in an Uber and arrive at the Xcel Energy Center just in time to witness a solid 30 minutes or so of hockey. Granted, it makes for a pricey evening. Yet it has been the only way to end the day with positive feelings toward both teams. That’s because the Wolves don’t collapse until the second half. And the Wild don’t start playing until the second period.
Enter coaches Tom Thibodeau, Bruce Boudreau and a new day. A couple of months into their tenure we have noticed distinct trends: The Wolves collapse in the second half and the Wild don’t start playing until the second period. Old habits are hard to break. Furthermore, the Wolves’ defense remains below standard and the Wild’s offense remains below standard. We’ve seen this before.Recently we have seen signs, however faint, that these long-time patterns may be starting to trend in a different direction, although the early data remains inconclusive. The Wolves, despite their typically poor record, have managed to close out a contest or two. By “closing out” I mean they didn’t become completely unhinged down the stretch.The Wild, with a so-so record, have scored at least three goals in a game several times recently thanks to respectable first periods and thanks to their power play, which long has been the bane of their existence.If we really are witnessing change, we are seeing it come about very slowly. My guess is that both coaches are surprised it is taking so long. Thibodeau knew the organization’s history, of course. Yet he probably had no idea that losing was so ingrained in his players’ DNA that they accept defeat without so much as a shrug. They wouldn’t mind winning, but either way the sun still will come up in the morning.Meanwhile, we hear about all of Minnesota’s athleticism and we watch the highlight dunks and we read about the potential. But at the end of the game, the Wolves are down by 16. Yes, they are young. They have been for a long time.Thibodeau is an intense guy. Intense guys can’t understand why others aren’t just as intense. And his players aren’t nearly as intense after years of the same-old drubbings. The two sides may be on an emotional collision course. But there have been signs, such as the swashbuckling comeback against Phoenix last week, that change may be in the offing as a result of Thibodeau’s constant prodding and poking. We’ll keep looking off into the distance for those hints.Boudreau likely is surprised at how slow his Wild players have been to adapt to what should be a much more enjoyable style of play. For years there has been grumbling, both in and out of the dressing room, about the Wild’s defensive style. Boudreau came in and implemented a more aggressive, attacking system. But the Wild have been slow to embrace it.This is especially true over the first 20 minutes when they often skate gingerly, as if the ice were about to crack beneath them. No one ever has been able to figure out why the team is so tentative at the start. Boudreau has expressed frustration, just as the coaches before him did. Even at home, when they should be taking charge, the Wild tip-toe around, content to weather the storm created by the visiting team.Boudreau has been quick to juggle lines and alter minutes. Last week against the defending champs, the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Wild came flying out of the tunnel and scored three times in the first 20 minutes in route to a 6-2 victory at Xcel. They need more of that early panache because goaltender Devan Dubnyk has been playing his best hockey since his performance down the stretch two years ago. And it has been going to waste.There is no law that every Wild game has to be 0-0 after one period. If the Wild can play with energy and skill from the opening faceoff, perhaps they won’t be scrambling for the eighth playoff seed come spring. We’ll keep watching.History says Thibodeau and Boudreau know what they are doing. Current developments may indicate that their tactics are beginning to take hold. Three or four more hints of progress and we actually may have a positive trend on our hands.Tom Powers is a St. Paul Pioneer Press columnist.