Nordy, the Minnesota Wild's mascot, might be out of a job. What this team needs is not a nondescript furball in a Christmas-tree sweater. What this team needs is an emotional support animal. Amid all of the optimism the Wild expressed late Friday night after being eliminated from the first round of the Stanley Cup playoff were these two, telling words: "Sideshow." "Stuff." They were uttered by the Wild's two highest-paid and longest-tenured players, Zach Parise and Ryan Suter. By definition, and to borrow another of Suter's words, it's "tough" for a franchise to move on from franchise players.

https://www.startribune.com/with-zach-parise-still-viable-wild-has-to-get-ready-to-make-nice/600062793/

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