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Wednesday, June 24, 2009
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'Bogeyman,' Scott elicit oohs, ahs MINNESOTA WILD ROAD TOUR Sports Editor When Derek Boogaard and John Scott appear in public together heads will turn.
When they're on the ice heads often roll.
The 6-8, 257-pound "Bogeyman" and 6-8, 258-pound Scott were at Brainerd Area Civic Center Tuesday as the Minnesota Wild Road Tour stopped at Brainerd Area Civic Center. They signed autographs for more than 500 lakes area hockey fans who patiently stood in a long line inside the civic center following a rainstorm.
Following their appearance, Boogaard, Scott and TV broadcasters Mike Greenlay and Dan Terhaar were honorary coaches for a game featuring past and present Brainerd hockey players.
Boogaard's 439 penalty minutes rank second in Wild history. He has led the team in penalty minutes in three of his four seasons. Scott had 21 penalty minutes in 20 games with the Wild in his first NHL season with the club.
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Minnesota Wild wing Derek Boogaard signed everything from jerseys to babies, like 8-month-old Henry Olsen of Brainerd. Boogaard, defenseman John Scott and TV broadcasters Mike Greenlay and Dan Terhaar stopped at the Brainerd Area Civic Center to meet with fans during the Wild's Road Tour Tuesday. Brainerd Dispatch/Kelly Humphrey
» Purchase reprints of this photo.
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"I don't think people have any idea how big we are when they see us standing on the ice," Scott said. "There are a lot of oohs and ahs and whispers behind our backs. It's funny to see people's reactions."
The reactions of Boogaard and Scott to the Wild's turbulent offseason were similar. Jacques Lemaire, the franchise's only head coach, resigned in April after nine seasons. General manager Doug Risebrough, the Wild's only general manager in those nine seasons, was fired a few days after Lemaire stepped aside.
Chuck Fletcher was hired May 22 to replace Risebrough. He was the assistant general manager of the Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins and has been to the Stanley Cup finals in management with Florida and Anaheim.
"I think it's a great hire," Boogaard said. "He's a smart guy. Everybody in the hockey world seems to like him a lot. Everyone has to put their trust in him that he will do the right things."
"Everywhere he's gone he's won," Scott said. "He's a real successful guy. He knows what he's doing with a team. I haven't had a chance to talk with him but I'm excited to do that."
Todd Richards, a native of Crystal and former San Jose Sharks assistant coach, was hired June 16 to replace Lemaire. In seven seasons as a head coach or assistant coach in the pro ranks, Richards' teams made three league finals.
"He's a good coach, from what everyone has said," Boogaard said. "It's just a matter of getting trust from him and him having trust in the players as well."
"Wherever he goes he seems to do well," Scott said. "I don't know much about him but he seems to have been offensive-minded wherever he goes. That will be a change."
Boogaard was a fan of the Lemaire-Risebrough regime, which gave him an opportunity to play in the NHL.
"Anytime you're with somebody for that period of time it's just human nature to be sad to see someone go, but it's the nature of the beast," Boogaard said.
Fletcher and Richards hope to return the Wild to the playoffs for the first time since 2008. Minnesota missed the playoffs last season despite a 40-33-9 record and third-place finish in the Northwest Division.
"The thing is a lot of guys got injured," Boogaard said. "We were playing hurt, we were banged up, but we hung in there.
"People were saying things about our offense, blah, blah, blah, but we scored one less goal than we did the previous year. It's just everyone complaining. The bottom line was we didn't make the playoffs."
Scott, a native of Ontario, was enjoying Tuesday's hot and humid conditions as the Wild tour visited Grand Rapids before Brainerd.
"This is the first time I'm doing this," he said. "It's been great. I like coming up to northern Minnesota. I'm from northern Ontario so I like scenery and trees. It's been nice so far. It's exactly the same kind of weather (as Ontario)."
MIKE BIALKA may be reached at mike.bialka@brainerddispatch.com or at 855-5861.
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