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Jan 10, 2003
ST. PAUL (AP) -- Doug MacLean recognizes the confidence in the Minnesota Wild.
It's the same confidence he saw in the eyes of the Florida Panthers in 1996, the year he led the third-year Panthers to the Stanley Cup finals as a head coach.
"There was just a feeling that we could win every game," said MacLean, now the Columbus Blue Jackets' general manager and interim head coach.
"I see a confident group. An unbelievably confident group with a swagger."
There is, indeed, a different air about the Wild these days. The third-year team shocked everyone by rising to the top of the NHL early in the season and pulled off an even bigger surprise by not going away. Minnesota amassed 50 points in the first half of the season and was among the top five teams in the Western Conference.
The Wild's success is more surprising when comparing them to the Blue Jackets, who entered the NHL with Minnesota in 2000. While Minnesota has thrived this season, Columbus remains at the bottom of the pack. Frustrated by a lack of progress, MacLean fired Dave King on Tuesday and took over head coaching duties.
ST. PAUL (AP) -- Doug MacLean recognizes the confidence in the Minnesota Wild.
It's the same confidence he saw in the eyes of the Florida Panthers in 1996, the year he led the third-year Panthers to the Stanley Cup finals as a head coach.
"There was just a feeling that we could win every game," said MacLean, now the Columbus Blue Jackets' general manager and interim head coach.
"I see a confident group. An unbelievably confident group with a swagger."
There is, indeed, a different air about the Wild these days. The third-year team shocked everyone by rising to the top of the NHL early in the season and pulled off an even bigger surprise by not going away. Minnesota amassed 50 points in the first half of the season and was among the top five teams in the Western Conference.
The Wild's success is more surprising when comparing them to the Blue Jackets, who entered the NHL with Minnesota in 2000. While Minnesota has thrived this season, Columbus remains at the bottom of the pack. Frustrated by a lack of progress, MacLean fired Dave King on Tuesday and took over head coaching duties.
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