Player recap--Tyler Schmidt

Tyler Schmidt is a darn good defenseman.  Especially after he learned (or was told) to shut his trap and just play.  All too often, for three-quarters of the season anyways, he was yapping after every non-call (or call), he was embellishing hits to the point that I just felt embarrassed for him and his acting.  All the time he was playing well, but once he knocked that shit off, his game elevated exponentially.

Schmidt will be a 20 next year and it would be ridiculous for Bob to trade him and his experience.  He plays a shitload of minutes and does so quite well.  He has spent the last 2 pre-seasons with the Minnesota Wild as a free-agent tryout, they kept in into main camp this past year too I believe.  So they like him.  Will they like him again?  Will they like him enough to sign him?  If they like him and they sign him, will they keep him here or do they think he's ready for AHL??  I don't even pretend to know.  This is a team (the Wild) that drafted Riley Emerson (WTF??!).  Then again, they might not even invite him back.  Or some other team might.  Who the hell knows.  

As a fan who would like to see this team be as successful as possible, I hope to hell Schmidt's back as a 20.  The 2010-2011 team has a very young defensive corps, except Schmidt and Mestery.  It would be nice for these two to be around to be the leadership for the D and for the team.

As for Tyler's Look-Alike, he looks like Detroit Tiger baseball player Johnny Damon.  Who used to play for the Red Sox and the Yankees, therefore automatically a tool.  But we're only going on looks here, not personalities.