Minnesota Wild Announces Changes To Board Of Directors And Ownership Structure By Wild.com

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1 Minnesota Wild Wild.com 2/25/15 Publication Date Minnesota Wild Announces Changes To Board Of Directors And Ownership Structure By Wild.com The Minnesota Wild today announced changes in the makeup of its board of directors and investment partnership structure. Matthew Hulsizer joins the board of directors as vice chairman and minority owner effective immediately. Hulsizer is cofounder and chief executive officer of PEAK6 Investments, L.P. based in Chicago. He is a passionate hockey enthusiast, played hockey at Amherst College and continues to play and coach in the Chicago area. Hulsizer s ownership stake was unanimously approved by the NHL Board of Governors. I am very honored and excited to be a part of the Wild organization and to be partners with Craig, said Hulsizer. As a life-long hockey player and fan, I have always dreamed of winning a Stanley Cup. Craig and I share a commitment to winning and we look forward to bringing the Stanley Cup to Minnesota. Also effective immediately, Philip Falcone, CEO and chairman of HC2 Holdings in New York, is vacating his minority ownership stake in the Wild after deciding to focus on other opportunities. It s been a great seven years being part of the NHL and the Wild family, said Falcone. As a true Minnesotan, I m as passionate about hockey and the Wild as I ve ever been. Unfortunately given my New York City residency and schedule, I haven t been able to enjoy this asset and spend as much time involved in the organization as I would have liked, so I ve decided to pursue a different path. I wish Craig and the team nothing but the best and hope they can bring the Stanley Cup to the State of Hockey. On behalf of the Minnesota Wild and the State of Hockey, I would like to offer Philip our sincere thanks for his support of the Wild and hockey in general over the past seven years, Leipold said. With Philip s support, we were able to return the franchise to the Stanley Cup Playoffs the past two years. He has been a terrific owner and partner during his tenure with the organization. With these investor changes, the Minnesota Wild board of director s membership now includes Chairman Craig Leipold, Vice Chairman Matthew Hulsizer, Quinn Martin, Mark Pacchini and Jac Sperling.

2 Minnesota Wild Wild.com 2/25/15 Publication Date They Said It: Bergenheim Trade By Katlyn Gambill - Social Media Coordinator Yesterday, the Minnesota Wild acquired forward Sean Bergenheim from the Florida Panthers. Here's what Bergenheim, General Manager Chuck Fletcher and Head Coach Mike Yeo had to say about the acquisition. Wild Forward Sean Bergenheim On being traded to the Minnesota Wild: I was very very happy. I kind of expected something would happen before the trade deadline. I had kind of heard that Minnesota would be interested. I was very happy that they got the trade for me. I m extremely happy and hopefully will bring a lot to the team. On his fellow Finns on the team: I have some good friends on the team. In that way, I ve followed them. With Mikko Koivu, I ve played ever since I was a kid against him or with him on the national team, and often on the same line as him. With Mikael Granlund, I ve practiced with him in the summer. I know Niklas Backstrom too. On whether or not he will make his Wild debut tomorrow in Nashville: It s completely up to them. I feel I m ready. I want to play and I have a lot of energy to play. I want to help this team as soon as possible. But it s not my decision, we ll see what the coaches say tomorrow. On his style of play: I try to bring a lot of energy on the forecheck. I try to create a lot of turnovers for myself and my linemates. I try to get the puck to the net and shoot a lot and try to score some goals. It s a north-south game, I would call my game. I do like some good chemistry with my linemates too, try not only shoot the puck every time I get it. On the Wild's playoffs hopes: I know, we only have one goal and that s make the playoffs and after that anything is possible. I see this team has the potential to do great things. In that regards, I m extremely happy to be joining the Minnesota Wild. On the excitement of playoff hockey: When you re a hockey player, the most fun is when you play a playoff game, by far. I ve been there a few times and had a good run with Tampa Bay especially. It s just so much fun those games because it seems like every single play you make on the ice is very, very important. Obviously in regular season it is also, but it is different in playoffs. At least I think that is the most fun when there s so much on the line. Wild General Manager Chuck Fletcher On making a trade prior to the deadline: The sooner the better, obviously, no sense waiting until the deadline. Florida was willing to move him. Simply, looking for a guy with some experience, looking for depth. Right now, we have three forwards out and playing with 12 guys up front that are playing pretty well for us, but you get one or two more injuries and we ll start really getting into some issues. On what Sean Bergenheim brings to the Wild: The emphasis for us was to find a proven guy, with some playoff experience, a guy that s willing to compete, go to the net and pursue pucks. And Sean brings all those attributes.

3 He s a hardworking guy, again a good forechecker, goes to the net. Plays a north-south game. There s not a lot of fancy playing in his game. But he s a guy that s had a lot of success in the playoffs before and played pretty well for Tampa and Florida the last few years. Obviously brings some experience that will help us down the stretch here. On the Wild's current goal and depth: Our goal right now is to try to find a way to scratch and claw and get into the playoffs. Just another proven player, another NHL player with experience. The biggest thing over the next 23 games besides continuing to have great focus and playing hard every night is to make sure we have enough depth. On whether or not the Wild will make any more trades prior to Monday's deadline: If we can find something that makes sense we ll do it. You always want to make sure you have enough depth. But we ll see. We re not interested in trading our first round pick or our top prospects. But if we can move lesser assets to improve our depth we ll continue to look at it. Obviously, Sean was a significant acquisition for us, and certainly takes [off] a little pressure up front. On holding on to top prospects: The players that we ve already drafted that have developed, our top prospects, we d rather hold onto them obviously a developed prospect is more valuable than a pick because they re closer to playing. We were comfortable with the price and the pick is in 2016 so that s another year down the road, and allowed us to keep another pick this year. Wild Head Coach Mike Yeo On what he thinks Bergenheim can bring to the team: He s a big body, and he s going to hound pucks, which would fit into the way we want to play the game, with a great work ethic, goes well to the net. What I like is he s good at both ends of the ice. On where Bergenheim will fit into the lineup: He s got the ability because of the way that he plays responsibility because of his identity as a player, he s got the ability to move from line to line.

4 Minnesota Wild NHL.com 2/26/15 Publication Date Wild's Scandella credits playoff series for growth By Dan Myers - NHL.com Correspondent The turning point of Minnesota Wild defenseman Marco Scandella's NHL career isn't hard to find. After spending all but six games of the lockout-shortened season in the American Hockey League, Scandella was recalled by the Wild in time to play against the Chicago Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. An injury forced coach Mike Yeo to put Scandella in the lineup for Game 1 despite him not having played a game with the Wild in nearly three months. He responded with a goal in Game 2 and an assist in Game 5. After spending three seasons shuttling back and forth between the Houston Aeros of the AHL and the Wild, Scandella finally had arrived. He hasn't left since, developing into a key part of the Wild defense heading into their game Thursday at the Nashville Predators (8:30 p.m. ET; NBCSN). "You have to take your opportunity and run with it and I did that in the playoffs against Chicago," Scandella said. "I never looked back since and I'm never going to look back. As soon as I got my chance again I knew I wasn't going to let it go." If the 25-year-old sounds like someone with a chip on his shoulder, he is. After being chosen by Minnesota in the second round (No. 55) of the 2008 NHL Draft, he debuted with the Wild as a 20- year old in Several trips between Minnesota and Houston followed, and a rough second season before the lockout made some question whether he would reach the heights the Wild had hoped. That first playoff series against the Blackhawks lasted five games, but it may have been the most important stretch of Scandella's career. "As we got in we saw where his game was at," Yeo said. "He earned more and more ice time and more responsibility. The way he was defending aggressively, the way he was taking away time and space. His confidence was at a completely different level." It's a confidence Scandella hasn't lost since. It's what has helped him develop into one of the most underrated defensemen in the NHL this season, and perhaps the most consistent on the Wild; that's saying something considering one of his teammates is all-star Ryan Suter. That high level of play is what helped him secure a five-year, $20 million contract with the Wild in November that starts next season. That belief in himself began during those playoffs and was reinforced the following season when the Wild signed him to a two-year contract in June "The organization had a lot of trust in me," Scandella said. "They gave me a one-way [contract] so I wasn't worried about if I could play in this League. I knew I could; I just wanted to show and prove that I could play consistently for a whole season." Because Scandella debuted at a young age and has been around since 2010, it's easy to forget how much room for growth remains in his game. "He's going to be a really good player," Suter said. "He already is and I think he has a lot more in him. He's producing and playing a big role on our team. He's always asking questions. He even comes up to me quite often and asks me about certain things." Suter and Scandella are not on the same defense pairing, but the relationship between has been mutually beneficial. With Scandella holding down the second pairing, usually with Jared Spurgeon, Minnesota has a top-four defense that's as good as any in the NHL.

5 "He's one of the best in the game," Scandella said of Suter. "He makes it look easy out there. Just watching him game after game the last couple of years has definitely improved my game and how I look at certain situations and certain plays, how patient I am with the puck, not throwing it away for nothing." Scandella also rediscovered the offensive part of his game. He already has surpassed his previous career highs with nine goals and 20 points this season. With his big shot and smooth skating, Scandella could be scratching the surface of his offensive potential. "I've always had the big shot," he said. "I'm just finding a way to get better looks this year than I have in the past. It's opening up a lot more big chances for me. I'm just trying to keep getting pucks to the net, keep being consistent on trying to get open." Scandella credits playing against and watching the Blackhawks for helping him become a better offensive player. "I'm just trying to be active, trying to be in the rush," Scandella said. "They always have someone jumping in, and the [defensemen] are always moving on the blue line; nobody is stationary. I'm trying to bring that element to my game." Yeo coached Scandella with Houston in "You see the natural ability, you see his strengths, you see the picture of what he could be as an NHL player," Yeo said. When Yeo became Wild coach the following season, Scandella joined him in Minnesota. Around Christmas, the Wild were among the best teams in the NHL and Scandella was off to a solid start. Things went south in a hurry. The Wild missed the playoffs, and Scandella, who had been an even player into mid- December, finished minus-22. That's when the trips back-and-forth to Texas began. "I think most of it was mental," Yeo said. "I felt that he would have games where he would show exactly what we expected he would be. Then when things wouldn't go well it seemed to affect him. It seemed to carry; whether it was a bad shift or a bad game, he carried that with him." The lockout delayed the season but allowed Scandella to work on his game in the AHL without the pressure of trying to make the NHL roster. "I had to go down there and put in the work and get better," Scandella said. "I wasn't disappointed to go back. There was no NHL. I just wanted to keep my game sharp." When the NHL came back in January 2013, Scandella didn't make the Wild. But he was up within a couple of weeks for a six-game stretch that he never forgot. They were games that helped define him for the next time he got the call. "Once you get a little bit of a taste in this League you never want to leave," he said.

6 Minnesota Wild Star Tribune LOADED: With Bergenheim, another Finn joins the Wild mix Minnesota Wild Article by: RACHEL BLOUNT February 25, :57 PM Wild adds new minority owner Sean Bergenheim wasn t surprised when his cellphone rang Tuesday afternoon, while he was in a taxi headed for Chicago s United Center. The Florida forward expected he would have a new employer before the NHL s trade deadline and when he heard it would be the Wild, he was delighted. The 31-year-old Finn traveled from Chicago to Florida on Wednesday to pick up a few things, then continued on to Nashville, where he will join the Wild for Thursday s game against the Predators. Though switching teams in midseason can be difficult, Bergenheim is eager to press the reset button on a season that stalled out in Florida. He s particularly excited to start fresh with a roster full of fellow Finns, including friends Mikko Koivu and Mikael Granlund. Bergenheim said on a conference call Wednesday that he will bring versatility, speed, enthusiasm and grit to the Wild. What he hopes to receive in return is a trip to the playoffs, and a chance to pour his pent-up energy into a larger role. I m pretty happy with how I ve played this season in the role I ve been given, said Bergenheim, who was acquired by the Wild on Tuesday along with a seventh-round pick in the 2016 draft in exchange for a 2016 thirdround pick. But I know there s a lot more energy in me to play a better role. I want to bring energy, I want to bring forechecking, I want to bring pressure in the offensive zone. I want to get the pucks to the net, get myself to the net, and hopefully score some goals. I think in that sense I can help the team. The 22nd overall pick in the 2002 draft, Bergenheim has spent his entire NHL career in the Eastern Conference and is not very familiar with the Wild. He spoke with Wild coach Mike Yeo on Wednesday, though they did not discuss Bergenheim s expected role with the team. Bergenheim anticipates he will learn more about the Wild s system and how he fits in when he joins the team Thursday. During his junior days in Finland, Bergenheim played with and against Koivu, developing an acquaintance that deepened through their stints together on national teams. The sixth Finn to join the Wild roster, Bergenheim also works out in the summer with Granlund. Koivu said Bergenheim has good speed and an honest work ethic, and he brings the valuable experience of having been part of successful teams. That s always an important thing, Koivu said. [He s a] good two-way player. He can help in a lot of areas. After being drafted by the New York Islanders, Bergenheim played with that organization until he signed with Tampa Bay in He signed with the Panthers in 2011; though his time there was interrupted by hip and abdominal injuries, he tied his career high of 29 points last season with 16 goals and 13 assists in 62 games. Bergenheim also developed a reputation for shining in the playoffs, scoring 12 goals and adding five assists in 23 playoff games with Tampa Bay and Florida. As the Panthers gave more ice time to young players this season, Bergenheim s role was reduced. Earlier this month, he asked general manager Dale Tallon to trade him. Bergenheim, who is averaging 14 minutes, 9 seconds of ice time per game this season, had been a healthy scratch in nine of the past 11 games and last played on Feb. 12 against the Wild. I wasn t a healthy scratch once until I asked for a trade, said Bergenheim, who has eight goals and 10 assists in 39 games. I feel I ve played well. It s hard for me to say what went wrong, because I don t have any issues with anybody in that organization in any way. Bergenheim said he is an adaptable player who can handle many different roles. Though he is in the final year of a four-year, $11 million deal, he said he does not feel pressure because of his contract status. As a Finn, Bergenheim said, he is looking forward to seeing snow and living in a state with robust Scandinavian roots. Mostly, he is grateful for the chance to start anew. They have some great, great players, some fast guys, and I think I ll fit in well, he said. I m very excited. Article by: Michael Russo February 25, :00 PM Matthew Hulsizer has become a minority owner of the Wild, and Phil Falcone is out. Hulsizer is CEO of PEAK6 Investments. He purchased 100 percent of Falcone s shares, which were less than 25 percent of the team after majority owner Craig Leipold purchased pieces of Falcone s original stake over the past few years. Hulsizer has been part of bids to buy the Arizona Coyotes and the St. Louis Blues. He also kicked tires in Dallas and Carolina. During a long, comprehensive process that actually delayed this transfer for some time, Hulsizer got revetted by the NHL even though he has been vetted many times during his previous purchase attempts. He met with the executive committee during the All-Star Game and was approved unanimously during a fax vote this week by the Board of Governors. As a result of the agreement, there is no ability for any minority owner to obtain a majority stake in the team. That is different from the old agreement that did have a buy-sell clause, a mechanism for Falcone to eventually become the majority owner by buying Leipold out or Leipold buying Falcone out. Leipold said he s in for the long haul. I m planning to keep this for generations. This is becoming now a family investment. In a statement released by the Wild, Hulsizer said: Craig and I share a commitment to winning and we look forward to bringing the Stanley Cup to Minnesota. Hulsizer lives in Chicago and played college hockey at Amherst. He s just a hockey guy, Leipold said. He loves hockey. He s a hockey fanatic. He watches all games at night. Now he loves the Wild. For the last four months, during almost every game, I get texts from him and we kibbitz back and forth during the games. He s got a pretty good eye for talent, and he s not shy to let me know what s going on with other players. He really believes in the analytical aspect of hockey. That comes from the business that he is in, in statistics and analytics of understanding stock markets and money funds and the value of international currencies. He s a numbers guy. He plays hockey today. He coaches his kids in hockey. He s going to be a fun guy to own the team with. He s made it very clear, he s only about winning. That s why we hit it off so well. Listen, he doesn t ask about the financials of the team. He doesn t ask about the revenue and expenses. He asks one thing: How are we going to win? Leipold said, laughing, That s the kind of guy I want, because frankly I do ask about revenue and I do ask about losses. Leipold said Hulsizer will probably make it to five games a year because he s not a fan of flying. He drives over to [Des Moines] Iowa to watch the American Hockey League games. Falcone, CEO and chairman of HC2 Holdings in New York, has had some well-documented troubles with the SEC, paying an $18 million fine two years ago. Given my New York City residency and schedule, I haven t been able to enjoy this asset and spend as much time involved in the organization as I would have liked, so I ve decided to pursue a different path, Falcone said in a statement. Phil was a really good partner, Leipold said. Similar to Hulsizer, he was focused on winning the Cup as well. I like Phil. We spoke often. He had some personal reasons to exit the investment, and I respect that. But he s going to be a Wild fan forever. Star Tribune LOADED:

7 Minnesota Wild Minnesota Wild Hulsizer in, Falcone out as Wild minority owner Blount: Bergenheim excited about trade to Wild Blog Post by: Michael Russo Blog Post by: Rachel Blount February 25, :18 PM It's not often that someone leaves Florida to come to Minnesota in February and proclaims "it will be nice to see some snow.'' The Wild's newly acquired forward, Sean Bergenheim, said in a conference call Wednesday that he won't be bothered by the cold, because he's from Finland. He also thinks those roots will help him adapt quickly to his new team, which is populated by friends from his home country including Mikko Koivu and Mikael Granlund. Bergenheim, 31, traveled on Wednesday from Florida to Nashville, where he will join the Wild for Thursday's game against the Predators. He is looking to hit the reset button on a season that went sour in Florida. He has been a healthy scratch recently but said he is happy with how he's played when he's been in the lineup. Bergenheim had eight goals and 10 assists in 39 games for the Panthers, averaging 14 minutes, nine seconds of ice time per game. Though he said he doesn't "have any issues'' with anyone in the Panthers organization, Bergenheim noted that he had not been a healthy scratch until he recently asked to be traded. He feels he has plenty to add to a Wild roster scrambling to make the playoffs. "I think one of my strengths is I'm a pretty versatile player,'' said Bergenheim, who said he won't know until Thursday morning whether he will play against the Predators. "I feel I can help in different situations and play in different roles. I want to do whatever I can. "I think there's something I can give to this team. I want to bring energy, I want to bring forechecking, I want to bring pressure in the offensive zone. I want to get the pucks to the net, get myself to the net, and hopefully score some goals for this team.'' Bergenheim said he talked Wednesday with Wild coach Mike Yeo, but he doesn't have a sense yet of what his role might be. He also is unfamiliar with his new team's systems; having spent his entire NHL career in the Eastern Conference, he hasn't seen much of the Wild. Though midseason trades are tough, he said his friendships with Koivu and Granlund will help him adjust. Bergenheim knows Koivu well from their junior days, when they played together on Finland's national team and faced off against each other as well. He has trained with Granlund in the summer, and he also knows Wild goalie Niklas Backstrom. Bergenheim is in the last year of his contract, but he said he doesn't feel any pressure. "I'm pretty happy with how I've played this season in the role I've been given,'' he said. "But I know also there's a lot more energy in me to play a better role. Whatever the role is, there's a lot of energy. "Whether it's my last or first or second or third year of my contract, it doesn t really matter. I just try to do the best I can every time I'm out there. Right now, I just want to play for the Wild, and I really want to play in the playoffs and have some fun there.'' About those playoffs: Bergenheim has a penchant for coming up big in postseason play, with 12 goals and five assists in 23 NHL playoff games for Tampa Bay and Florida. Many of the Wild's top players took Wednesday morning off as the team held an optional practice at Ridder Arena, run by the assistant coaches, before heading to Nashville Wednesday afternoon. Star Tribune LOADED: February 25, :25 PM Matthew Hulsizer has become a minority owner of the Wild and minority owner Phil Falcone is out. Hulsizer, a Chicagoan and former Amherst College hockey player, is CEO of PEAK6 Investments. Hulsizer has purchased 100 percent of Falcone's shares, which was down to less than 25 percent of the team after majority owner Craig Leipold purchased pieces of his stake over the past few years. Hulsizer has been part of bids to buy the Coyotes and the Blues. He also kicked tires in Dallas and Carolina. During a long comprehensive process that actually delayed this transfer for some time, Hulsizer got re-vetted by the NHL even though he has been vetted many times during his previous purchase attempts. Hulsizer met with the executive committee during the All-Star Game and was approved unanimously during a fax vote this week by the Board of Governors. Leipold remains the team's majority owner. As a result of this new agreement, there is no ability for any minority owner to obtain a majority stake in the team. That is different than the old agreement that did have a buy-sell clause. That meant there were mechanisms for Falcone to eventually become the majority owner by buying Leipold out or Leipold buying Falcone out. That is no longer in this agreement with Hulsizer. Leipold said he's in for the long haul. "I'm planning to keep this for generations. This is becoming now a family investment." "He is a hockey gooney," Leipold said, laughing, said of Hulsizer. "He's just a hockey guy. He loves hockey. He's a hockey fanatic. He watches all games at night. Now, he loves the Wild. For the last four months, during almost every game, I get texts from him and we kibbitz back and forth during the games. He's got a pretty good eye for talent and he's not shy to let me know what's going on with other players. "He really believes in the analytical aspect of hockey. That comes from the business that he is in, in statistics and analytics of understanding stock markets and money funds and the value of international currencies. He's a numbers guy. He plays hockey today. He coaches his kids in hockey. He's going to be a fun guy to own the team with. "Being a minority owner with a hockey team in a big hockey market, he's going to fit in real nicely. He loves the game. Let me tell you right now, he's made it very clear, he's only about winning. He's only about winning. That's what it's all about. That's why we hit it off so well. Listen, he doesn't ask about the financials of the team. He doesn't ask about the revenue and expenses. He asks one thing: How are we going to win?" Leipold said, laughing, "That's the kind of guy I want, because frankly I do ask about revenue and I do ask about losses. It's only about winning. No question, he's a huge Wild fan right now. We both have one objective in mind and it's the same as Chuck Fletcher's and all of the players, and that's to win a Cup. That's the perfect partner." Leipold said Hulsizer will probably make it to five games a year because he's not a fan of flying. "He drives over to Iowa to watch the American Hockey League games." (Russo note: Hulsizer must be a glutton for punishment then. I kid, I kid, the Iowa Wild). Falcone has had some well-documented troubles with the SEC, paying an $18 million fine two years ago. "Phil was a really good partner," Leipold said. "Similar to Hulsizer, he was focused on winning the Cup as well. I like Phil. We spoke often. He had some personal reasons to exit the investment, and I respect that. But he's going to be a Wild fan forever and I've encouraged him to come back and watch games with me." A quick hockey-related note: Forward Michael Keranen has been sent back to Iowa. He was scratched four times without making his NHL debut. The Wild's had an optional today. Rachel Blount is covering and she'll be on the Sean Bergenheim conference call this afternoon and blog afterward. Star Tribune LOADED:

8 Minnesota Wild Minnesota Wild Wild like Sean Bergenheim's two-way game, playoff experience Wild: Ownership change strengthens Leipold's stake By Chad Graff Posted: 02/25/ :01:00 AM CST Updated: 02/25/ :27:07 PM CST By Chad Graff Posted: 02/25/ :01:00 AM CST Updated: 02/25/ :48:09 PM CST NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- When Sean Bergenheim asked the Florida Panthers to trade him, he hoped his new team would bring two opportunities. First, he hoped for a chance to make the playoffs. Second, he hoped his style would fit with the new club, something that didn't always happen on a young Florida Panthers team. Traded to the Wild on Tuesday, Bergenheim feels like he's 2 for 2. "I was very happy," he said. "I think I can help this team." In need of depth at forward and playoff experience, the Wild traded a thirdround 2016 draft pick to the Florida for Bergenheim, 31, and a 2016 seventh-round pick. Bergenheim had eight goals and 10 assists in 39 games with the Panthers. But his time in South Florida ended on a sour note when the team made him a healthy scratch for the last six games after he asked to be traded. "I wasn't a healthy scratch once until I asked for a trade," Bergenheim said during a conference call Wednesday. "I'm not looking into being a healthy scratch as worrisome, because I feel like I've played well. I've played good hockey this season. "I still can bring a lot every time I'm been on the ice," he added. "I don't know if (the Panthers) didn't feel that. It's hard for me to say what went wrong because I don't have any issues with anyone in that organization." Bergenheim spoke with Wild coach Mike Yeo over the phone Wednesday morning and was set to meet the team Wednesday night in Nashville, where he likely will make his Minnesota debut against the Predators on Thursday night. Bergenheim, the sixth Finnish player on the Wild's roster, trains with Mikael Granlund in the summer and played juniors in Finland with Wild captain Mikko Koivu. "He's an honest player," Koivu said. "He's had lots of success in this league. And he's been on some good teams and has playoff experience, so he's been on winning teams. That's always an important thing. "His work ethic is good, and he's a good two-way player overall. He can help in a lot of areas." Bergenheim was acquired, in part, because of injuries to forwards Jason Zucker, Ryan Carter and Matt Cooke. But the Wild also were high on Bergenheim's 23 career playoff games. "He's a playoff-type hockey player," Yeo said. "He's a big body (5 feet 10, 201 pounds) and he's going to hound pucks, which would fit with the way we want to play. He has a great work ethic and goes to the net. What I like is he's good on both ends of the ice. "Because of the way he plays responsibly, he's got the ability to move line to line, so we're not sure exactly where he's going to fit; we'll figure that out." Bergenheim is in the final season of a four-year, $11 million contract. He has spent his entire nine-year NHL career playing in the Eastern Conference with three teams, so hasn't spent too much time in the Twin Cities. "It was very, very cold when I was there last time," Bergenheim said. "But I'm a Finn, so I can handle a little bit of cold. It's actually nice to see some snow." Pioneer Press LOADED: A change in minority ownership of the Wild has ended embattled Philip Falcone's relationship with the team and ensured that majority owner Craig Leipold will remain at the helm for the foreseeable future. Falcone, a Harvard-educated Iron Ranger who made his fortune betting against subprime mortgages, was the only minority owner capable of buying out Leipold's majority. The team announced Wednesday that Falcone has sold all of his remaining minority shares to Chicago-based investor Matthew Hulsizer. Falcone's contract allowed him to buy Leipold's shares; Hulsizer's does not. "I'm looking at this now as being a very long-term investment for myself and my family," Leipold said Wednesday. "We have no plans at all in the future to exit this. It's no longer fair to call it an investment; it's more like a way of life." Falcone at one point owned a 39 percent stake in the Wild but in recent years had been selling parts to Leipold. In May 2013, Falcone was fined $18 million and barred from being an investment adviser for two years in a settlement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, according to a Pioneer Press report at the time. It was speculated in recent months, by the New York Times and elsewhere, that Falcone, 52, wanted to pull his money out of investments to reposition himself on Wall Street. "Falcone has decided for personal reasons that he wanted to exit this investment," Leipold said. Falcone selected Hulsizer to replace him as a minority owner. Hulsizer, co-founder and chief executive officer of PEAK6 Investments, wanted to buy the Arizona Coyotes but eventually dropped his bid. Leipold approved the sale to Hulsizer, who, like Falcone, played hockey in college. "This guy is a hockey guy," Leipold said. "He still plays once or twice a week. He coaches his kids. This is going to be the kind of fun investment that he's always looked forward to. I think he's going to be a fun investor to have in the group." Hulsizer might still have interest in one day being the majority owner of a NHL team, something Leipold recognizes, but for now is content as a minority owner of the Wild. "I am very honored and excited to be a part of the Wild organization and to be partners with Craig," Hulsizer said in a team-provided statement. "As a life-long hockey player and fan, I have always dreamed of winning a Stanley Cup. Craig and I share a commitment to winning and we look forward to bringing the Stanley Cup to Minnesota." Falcone, who grew up in Chisholm, Minn., also provided a statement through the team. "It's been a great seven years being part of the NHL and the Wild family," he said. "As a true Minnesotan, I'm as passionate about hockey and the Wild as I've ever been. Unfortunately, given my New York City residency and schedule, I haven't been able to enjoy this asset and spend as much time involved in the organization as I would have liked, so I've decided to pursue a different path." Leipold emphasized that it was Falcone's decision to sell his stake in the team. "Phil was a very good partner with me," he said. "I enjoyed Phil's involvement. He was a big Minnesota boy and hockey fanatic. I would have loved to have Phil stay long term, but he's got other opportunities he's looking at and he decided on his own to exit." Pioneer Press LOADED:

9 Websites ESPN / Rumblings: Wild pickup of Bergenheim could pay off in a big way By Pierre LeBrun Having picked Devan Dubnyk off the scrap heap and seen him turn into Georges Vezina, one assumes newly acquired Sean Bergenheim is now going to turn into a 50-goal scorer for the Minnesota Wild. We jest, we jest, but you have to admire general manager Chuck Fletcher's work here. He gave up just a third-round pick to fix his goaltending issues and now, once again, just a third-round pick in 2016 (plus getting a seventh-rounder back) in return for a versatile player in Bergenheim, a guy the Wild can plug into almost any role on their top three lines. Sean Bergenheim will help the Wild's charge to the playoffs. "He's a straight-line player, he likes to go north, he pursues the puck well, he scores most of his goals right around the paint," Fletcher told ESPN.com on Wednesday. "He likes to shoot the puck, he's a volume shooter and a guy that likes to get in the dirty areas. We lost [Ryan Carter, Matt Cooke] and [Jason Zucker], three guys that play with energy and play hard and get to the net, so we have a void for that type of player and I think Sean will come in and add those elements for us. Plus, he brings a lot of experience." The 31-year-old winger, a UFA July 1, has 17 career points (12-5) in 23 playoff games with the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers, so that was also part of the attraction. Plus, there's the fact Bergenheim represents well in the advanced stats -- he's a good puck-possession man. The Wild are also getting a motivated player who felt miscast in Florida. This could be one of those sleeper pickups who pays big dividends in the playoffs, if the Wild get there. In the meantime, Fletcher might not be done ahead of Monday's trade deadline. "Yeah, we're still looking," Fletcher said. "We like our team, but again, we're down three forwards and two defensemen, with 22 games to go, sometimes it's hard to get healthier. If we can continue to improve our depth and the acquisition cost makes sense, we'll look at it. We're not trying to reinvent our team, we just want to make sure we have enough depth and enough quality veteran players to get through these next 22 games and hopefully make the playoffs." ESPN LOADED:

10 Minnesota Wild FOX Sports North 2/25/15 Publication Date Bergenheim excited with trade to Wild, thinks transition will be easy By Brian Hall During his final days with the Florida Panthers, Sean Bergenheim expected to be traded before the NHL's March 2 trade deadline and had certain hopes for his potential destination. Bergenheim, 31, didn't have much say in the matter. He had expressed his interest to move on, but it was still up to Florida and general manager Dale Tallon to find the right fit. Bergenheim was in a cab Tuesday in Chicago when he got the call informing him of his next stop. The Minnesota Wild, fortunately, offered Bergenheim another opportunity to play and the key factors he hoped for in a new team. "I was very happy," Bergenheim said Wednesday on a conference call with Minnesota reporters. The Wild traded a 2016 third-round draft pick to Florida on Tuesday night, acquiring the veteran forward from Florida along with a 2016 seventh-round draft pick. Minnesota fit Bergenheim's criteria as a team with hopes of playing in the playoffs as well as an easy transition. "One was obviously to be a playoff team that I can see that can go far," Bergenheim said, checking off his reasoning. "I think this Minnesota team is a team like that. That was my first thing. And obviously we have a lot of job left to do to get in the playoffs and do some damage. But I'm very excited about that. "And then the other thing was I had hoped that obviously it would be a team that I can see myself fitting in well with my style of play. I think I can help this team. I think with the guys also that's on that team, the Finnish guys and everything, I think the transition coming into a team midseason is going to be easier knowing those guys so well." Bergenheim isn't well-versed in the Wild's style after playing his entire nine-year career in the Eastern Conference. But Bergenheim does know several players on the team and has played with some of Minnesota's Finnish contingent. From their days playing junior hockey in Finland, Bergenheim has played with captain Mikko Koivu. Bergenheim said the two played with and against each other, even playing on the same line before. Bergenheim knows goaltender Niklas Backstrom and he's played hockey in the summer with Mikael Granlund. "He has some good speed," Koivu said of Bergenheim. "I think his work ethic; he's an honest player and had lots of success in this league. And earlier with good teams has some playoff experience, so he knows. He's been on winning teams and I think that's always an important thing. His work ethic and a good two-way player overall, I think. He can help in a lot of areas." The Wild are counting on it. Bergenheim has eight goals and 10 assists in 39 games this season for Florida, and has tallied 95 goals, 84 assists and 373 penalty minutes in 489 regular-season games. But he's made his mark in the playoffs with 12 goals in 23 career playoff games. "I don't know what it is in the playoffs that just for some reason it suits my style, I guess," Bergenheim said. "I just enjoy those games so much. I enjoy regular season games too, but it's true when they say that the playoffs are a little bit of a different world. For some reason, I don't really have an explanation what it is why I've had success with my previous teams in the playoffs. All I know is that it is so much fun playing playoff games." Bergenheim will join the team in Nashville and likely will join the lineup Thursday as Minnesota continues its push for the playoffs. Despite Tuesday night's loss to Edmonton, the Wild still sit in the eighth spot in the Western Conference playoff standings. "He's a playoff type hockey player," Minnesota head coach Mike Yeo said Tuesday. "He's going to hound pucks, which would fit in the way we want to play the game. Great work ethic, goes well to the net. What I like is he's good at both ends of the ice."

11 In a sense, Bergenheim will be re-entering a playoff chase. Florida is in ninth in the Eastern Conference, but Bergenheim hasn't played since a Feb. 12 game at Minnesota. He had been a healthy scratch for six games previous to the trade. "I don't know really what happened," Bergenheim said of his time with the Panthers. "I wasn't a healthy scratch once until I asked for a trade. I'm not looking into being a healthy scratch. I feel I've played well. I've played good hockey this season and my ice time had been less than what it had been before. But I think I've been able to bring a lot every time I've been on the ice." Bergenheim wasn't surprised by the trade. He knew a move was likely before the trade deadline and he had been given warning a trade could happen as soon as Tuesday. In the final year of his current contract, Bergenheim is looking forward to getting back on the ice. "I know there's a lot more energy in me to play in a better role, so to say," Bergenheim said. "Whatever the role is, there's a lot of energy, I'll put it that way... I don't really think extra pressure of this being my contract year or anything. Right now I just want to play for the Wild. Like I said, I really want to play in the playoffs and have some fun there."

12 Minnesota Wild NHLPA.com 2/25/15 Publication Date Can t Break A Brotherly Bond By Chris Lomon There were times, though not often, when Marco Scandella had to dodge the odd jab from his older brother, Giulio. But, aside from the odd dust-up and disagreement, the two hockey-playing siblings have always had an unbreakable bond. During their respective hockey seasons, Marco, playing defence in the NHL, Giulio, a forward in the Italian Serie A league, are separated by over 4,600 miles. Yet, despite the distance and demands of their shared sport, the pair is in constant communication with one another. We re on Skype all the time, said Marco, who has played in over 215 NHL regular season games since being drafted 55th overall by the Minnesota Wild in If not that, then we re on WhatsApp or we re texting. He s had a huge influence on my career and I really trust and respect what he has to say. Not that it has always been peace and love. There were definitely a few little scraps when we were younger, said Marco, who played three campaigns with Val-d Or of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. But, the one thing I can say is that he had my back. He was always there for me. That hasn t changed. When the Wild went through a swoon that saw them drifting down the Western Conference standings this season, one that put a serious dent in their playoff aspirations, Marco and Giulio had long conversations about it. My brother is a very positive person, noted Marco, six and a half years younger than Giulio. When things were going bad, he didn t just provide that pat on the back, he listened, too. That s what you need in those times. It s something you really appreciate. The Wild have righted the ship, currently finding themselves in the thick of the playoff race, making for more of an upbeat exchange of late between the brothers. Even through the tough stretches, there has always been a lot of character and leadership in our room, noted Marco, who celebrated his 25th birthday on February 23. We didn t give up, we just focused on the next game. Duby (goaltender Devan Dubnyk, acquired in a trade with Arizona) has come in and been lights out for us. But, even though things have turned around, we haven t altered our approach. Every team wants to make the playoffs. Every team wants to be there. That s what we want. There is still plenty of hockey to play for both Scandellas. They won t see each other, at least in-person, until they head back to Montreal for their respective off seasons. They ll be no shortage of things to talk about before that time. I really do owe him a lot, said Marco. When he was in junior (Giulio played four seasons in the QMHL), he d take me with him when he d train. I like to think I was a little further along than most guys my age. Win or lose, he s always been in my corner. Did he ever envision the day he and Giuilio would be trading text messages instead of lefts and rights? We were just like a lot of siblings, recalled Marco. You get on each other s nerves, you have a little spat and then it s all good. He added with a laugh: I actually might get the upper hand if we did fight now. I m a lot bigger than him.

13 Nashville Predators Nashville Predators Predators' Roman Josi steps out of shadows Predators' Seth Jones switches sides John Glennon, 7:03 p.m. CST February 25, 2015 John Glennon, 4:17 p.m. CST February 25, 2015 Roman Josi is not the one with the 108 mph slap shot, the punishing style of play, the perennial Norris Trophy candidacy. But as easy as it might be to be completely overshadowed by Predators defensive partner Shea Weber, Josi simply won't let it happen. His goal and assist in Tuesday's win over Colorado upped his season total to a career-high 44 points, which leads a team with the best group of offensive defensemen in the NHL. Josi's swift skating, smooth passing and increased offensive prowess over the past couple of seasons are drawing impressive reviews, even if unlike Weber he's never fired a puck so hard that it went through the netting. "He deserves all the recognition he can get," goalie Pekka Rinne said. "I'm sure he's a little bit in the shadows, but he's an amazing player and I think he proves that every night on the ice. He's fun to watch and I think people in hockey will start to realize how good a player he is. We are pretty fortunate to have him." Josi and Weber have been paired for the past three seasons, after Ryan Suter who played alongside Weber for the better part of six seasons moved on to Minnesota as a free agent. At the time, the question was whether Josi would ever be able to fill the skates of Suter, who remains one of the NHL's top defensemen. But after producing 40 points (13 goals, 27 assists) last season, and then topping that mark by four points this season with 21 games still remaining, some observers including Weber are drawing favorable comparisons between Suter-Weber and Josi-Weber. "We've played together for so long, it's getting to be just like it was with Ryan and myself," Weber said. "When you play together with someone for that long, you just get used to each other and you almost know what one another is doing beforehand." Said Rinne: "You can't help but think about those days.... We've got a similar thing. (Josi) is the guy who carries the puck and handles the puck, and can skate up and down like the wind, so it's the same kind of situation." Josi's aggressive offensive style he can often be found closer to the opposition's goal line than the blue line appears to be a natural fit for coach Peter Laviolette, who stresses the need for his defensemen to remain in attack mode. That's likely one of the reasons for Josi's jump in offense this season. He has four points in his last four games going into Thursday's meeting with Minnesota at Bridgestone Arena. "We're always going on the attack, always trying to score goals," Josi said. "Our mindset is going forward, creating chances and scoring goals, and I think that definitely helps." Said Laviolette: "His speed, his skating and his attack with the puck is excellent. It puts him in the offense all the time." Josi's impressive offensive numbers shouldn't suggest he's a slouch on defense. The Bern, Switzerland, native's 163 blocked shots rank second in the league and his plus-20 rating is tied for fourth. And even if his overall reputation isn't quite that of Weber's, it doesn't sound as if Josi is bothered. "It's been awesome for me to come into the league and play since my second year with a guy like Shea, who I think is the best defenseman in the world," Josi said. "So I'm fine being known as 'the other guy' if I can play next to him." Injuries: Defenseman Ryan Ellis, who has missed the last 21 games with a lower-body injury, practiced on Wednesday. He was paired with Seth Jones. Defenseman Anton Volchenkov, who's missed the last six games, was limited. Tennessean LOADED: It looks like Predators defenseman Seth Jones will switch sides of the rink and pair with Ryan Ellis when the latter returns from his lower-body injury. Jones is a right-hander and has played on the right side for most of his first two years in the league. But he did play on the left a fair amount in the early portion of the season. He was on the left side again Wednesday during a number of practice drills, with Ellis also a right-hander on the right side. "It was a little confusing at first because I've been playing right all year, so there were a couple times I felt myself drifting toward the right and (Ellis) was like, `Where ya' going?' " Jones said. "But we'll be fine in the game. I just have to get used to it a little bit. "It has some pros and cons to it. I've played pretty well there. Sometimes you get caught in situations where you have to use your backhand a little bit more. But other than that, I honestly think you can see the ice a little better because you're more opened up to the middle. I'm pretty comfortable with it." Ellis missed his 21st straight game on Tuesday, but appears to be getting very close to a return. He's now practiced with the team on a couple of occasions and participated in a couple of morning skates as well. "I've been skating well, so we'll see what happens," Ellis said. "It's not really my call, but hopefully I'll be healthy enough to go (soon). We'll see what the coaches want and what the trainers think." Tennessean LOADED: