Not only can first-round pick Jesper Wallstedt stop the puck, he can shoot the puck. Fresh off his 20th birthday and scoring a goal, Wallstedt joins Russo on SFTS to talk goalie goals, transitioning to North America on and off the ice, gaming, Swedish meatballs, un-retiring No. 1, his love and admiration for Henrik Lundqvist and Connor McDavid, accountability and how long he believes it'll take him to get to the NHL. Plus Russo discusses Mason Shaw being told he isn't going back to the...

Straight From the Source returns with an all new episode featuring Minnesota Wild defenseman Calen Addison, the NHL rookie leader with 7 assists. Calen talks about his ascension to power-play quarterback, his home and family in Manitoba, his confidence, his respect for Erik Karlsson, the perks of being an NHLer and how much he’s pinching himself, his stache, Halloween costume and so much more. Plus Russo provides an update on the Wild, who handled the Habs with ease in a 4-1 home ice victory...

Longtime NHL executive and former Pittsburgh Penguins and New Jersey Devils General Manager Ray Shero joins SFTS to talk about his role with the Bill Guerin's Minnesota Wild, his Hall of Fame dad Fred Shero, and stories of the notorious Philadelphia Flyers. Ray looks back on acquiring Marian Hossa, Jake Guentzel, Chris Kunitz, Bill Guerin and so many others. Shero discusses his time as an assistant in Ottawa and Nashville, and tells lots of fun, entertaining stories on hockey lifers like Don...

In the season debut of Straight from the Source, Russo is joined by Wild captain Jared Spurgeon, director of amateur scouting Judd Brackett and Iowa Wild coach Tim Army, plus new Wild tagteam partner Joe Smith joins for a few minutes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe Smith, the now former writer covering the Tampa Bay Lightning, joins Michael Russo on this edition of Straight From the Source to discuss his move from Tampa Bay to Minnesota, how he got his start in his career, and how excited he is to be joining the Wild beat, working with Russo and expanding the national coverage of the NHL for the Athletic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Michael Russo host of Straight from the Source moderates a live room edition of the podcast, answering Wild fans questions and discussing Minnesota's moves at the draft leading up to free agency, plus the latest on star player Kirill Kaprizov. This podcast originally aired as a live room on Thursday, July 14th at 12pm Central time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wild director of amateur scouting Judd Brackett, armed with 8 picks, 2 first-rounders and 4 picks in the top-56, returns to SFTS to preview next week's NHL draft, review the development of players selected in his first 2 drafts at the helm of the Wild's draft table and talk Brock Faber, acquired Wednesday in the Kevin Fiala trade. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe Smith, The Athletic's Tampa Bay Lightning writer, joins SFTS to talk about covering two Cup winners and a potential third, Jon Cooper, Julien BriseBois, how the Lightning got Brayden Point (sorry, #mnwild fans), Ondrej Palat, his incredible process of how he writes so many quality stories, how he got into the biz and tips for young sportswriters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bill Guerin rejoins SFTS on the heels of his big KFAN interview last week where he almost forecasted a Kevin Fiala trade and lost his cool on "they" who don't know "crap." Plus, Guerin on Fiala, Dumba, Rossi, Fleury/Talbot, special teams, coaching, the disappointing postseason and the busy offseason ahead, plus Billy G answers tons of Twitter questions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Michael Russo answers your comments and questions in a live room SFTS on the season ending disappointment of another first round loss for the Minnesota Wild and what Billy Guerin's plans on for another important off-season.  This show originally aired on Wednesday, May 18th, 2022 as part of an Athletic Live Room Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode two of the Future of Sports series, The Athletic's Mike Smeltz looks at how the team experience may change in the future: increased use of technology in gameplay, robotic umpires and the unique initiatives of a startup sports league. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode one of the Future of Sports series, The Athletic's Mike Smeltz looks at how the fan experience may change: how going to games, watching games at home and how memorabilia is shifting from physical to digital. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Russo updates the Minnesota Wild's disappointing game 5 loss to St. Louis, the teams inability to take advantage of home ice and Marc-Andre Fleury's struggles in the net. Plus Dean Evason's reluctance to make any changes to the line combo's or lineup changes. Iowa Wild coach Tim Army joins SFTS in the 2nd segment to talk about prospects Marco Rossi, Adam Beckman, Calen Addison, Connor Dewar, Alex Khovanov, other prospects, the leadership of Cody McLeod and the hectic life as an AHL coach ("I...

Michael Russo discusses the Minnesota Wild's disappointing start to the playoffs, dropping a 4-0 decision to the St. Louis Blues on Minnesota home ice. Russo dives deep into the performance by the Wild who struggled on special teams and in net and to light the lamp. Mike also offers his opinion as to what the Wild need to do in game two to pull even with the Blues. Russo welcomes St. Louis Blues writer Jeremy Rutherford to a special live room segment of SFTS taking Wild and Blues fans calls...

Longtime NHL player and executive Scott Mellanby joins SFTS to talk about the upcoming Wild-St. Louis playoff series, Kaprizov vs. Tarasenko, leaving the Montreal Canadiens as assistant GM earlier this season, his Florida Panthers "rat trick" and the recent loss of his father, longtime Hockey Night in Canada executive producer Ralph Mellanby, who also produced the 1980 Miracle on Ice telecast. Plus Russo provides an update on the Wild who have a 12 game point streak at home, and are setting...

In an epic Straight From the Source and over a cigar and some drinks, former NHL referee Tim Peel joins Russo to talk all things officiating: His hot mic moment, cancel culture, social media and the support he received after, Plus, Tim touches on the picture he took with Greg Wyshynski, scoring vs. Roberto Luongo, makeup calls, embellishments, tiffs with players and coaches and the treatment of young officials by parents. Enjoy Plus Russo touches on Ryan Hartman's fine for 'saluting' Evander...

Arizona Coyotes scout, former longtime University of Minnesota associate coach and Jake Guentzel's dad, Mike, joins SFTS to talk about what sets his superstar son apart, what scouting life is like compared to coaching, reflects on his playing and coaching career with the Gophers and discusses the great D he coached, like Nate Prosser. Plus, Russo provides his weekly update on the Wild, stick taps Kirill Kaprizov who sets the Minnesota Wild single season scoring record, the Wild's come from...

Minnesota Wild director of team operations Andrew Heydt returns to SFTS to talk about what happens after the Wild trade for or trade a player and opens the curtains to the Winter Classic, Mikko Koivu No. 9 retirement, planning for the playoffs and the schedule reshuffling due to the pandemic. Plus Russo provides and update on the red hot WIld, including Kirill Kaprizov's assault on the Wild's single season points record, how Marc-Andre Fleury and Nicolas Deslauriers are fitting in with...

NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly and Sportsnet Insider Elliotte Friedman, co-host of 32 Thoughts, joins Russo on SFTS to talk about their careers, how they got to this point, they offer advice and, of course, discuss the news from the NHL GM Meetings in Palm Beach, Florida. Plus Michael Russo updates the exciting times the Wild have experienced since the trade deadline concluded ahead of the Wild's home game v s the Flyers tonight.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New Wild bruiser Nicolas Deslauriers joins SFTS to talk about his mighty first impression on the Wild, the hard life of being a tough guy, transitioning from D to forward, his tattoos, his family, how tight knit and hard to play against the Wild are and, of course, Moose. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris Stewart and Pierre-Marc Bouchard, two of the two-dozen former Wild teammates that came in for Sunday's Mikko Koivu No. 9 retirement night, are this week's SFTS guests. Stewart talks about Minnesota Hockey Camps, the Stewie Sprint, a summer beef that led to an NHL fight with Zenon Konopka, the maturation of Matt Dumba, Hockey Diversity Alliance and much more, while Bouchard talks 2003 conference final run, why he wore 96, how concussions derailed his career, the funny friendship he has...

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Former Wild coach and current Flyers assistant coach John Torchetti returns to SFTS for a fun pod on returning to coaching, reuniting with Chuck Fletcher and Mike Yeo, winning a Cup with the Hawks in Philly, old Russo stories, Iron Mike stories, Wild minor-leaguer Alex Khovanov and the recent loss of his best friend, his father. Plus, Jared Spurgeon is set to break Nick Schultz's Wild Defense games played record in front of Schultz, Chuck Fletcher, Mike Yeo and many others who made an impact...

The great Pierre Lebrun, The Athletic and TSN hockey insider joins Russo on Straight From the Source to look back on his career in journalism and hockey. Pierre shares some great stories about learning the ropes from his time with Canadian Press to becoming one of hockey's most trusted voices. Plus, Pierre discusses Minnesota Wild trade targets and NHL trade deadline rumours, with the deadline less than a month away. A always, Russo provides an update on the Minnesota Wild, including the...

Andrew Brunette, the Florida Panthers coach and a former Wild forward joins SFTS on the eve of his return to Minnesota, to talk about his Stanley Cup favorite Florida Panthers, taking over behind the bench for Joel Quenneville and a possible Wild-Panthers final. Plus Bruno talks Sergei Zholtok, Jacques Lemaire, Darby Hendrickson, scoring the final goal on. Hall of Famer Patrick Roy and Andrew tells about the time Jeff Odgers ran over his car twice while he was in there. Learn more about your...