THE OPENER: Sports Take has Olympic tales, an ill-timed injury, Vikings draft speculation, angry parents and the hottest team in Twin Cities sports. But we’re starting with a hockey team of 12-year-old girls who advanced in their district playoffs by winning a game that was played over three nights and went to a shootout . . . after 12 overtimes. Regulation and six overtimes were played Monday, four overtimes on Tuesday and the final two plus the shootout on Wednesday. Play lasted for about 6 1/2 hours. Thanks to KSTP-TV and Chris Long, we have game-ending video and the postgame reaction after Ashlyn Anderson scored in a shootout Wednesday to give the Park Cottage Grove 12U team a 2-1 victory over St. Paul. Listen for the money quote from Ashlyn about what was at stake for her in the game. Savor the joy in this story and hold on to it when sports make you cranky. — Howard Sinker
MY TAKE: Ashlyn’s goal even one-upped the overtime goal that was seen around the world a few hours before, when the Wild’s Quinn Hughes waved off a replacement and scored a few seconds later to give Team USA a 2-1 win over Sweden in the Olympic quarterfinals. Here’s the video of Hughes’ goal, which was set up by Wild teammate Matt Boldy. Hughes’s quote in the postgame TV interview, about why he didn’t want to leave the ice, is a model of low-key understatement: “In the moment, I felt like I could have an opportunity to do something.”
NEXT: Team USA plays Slovakia in the semifinals at 2 p.m. Friday. (TV: NBC, Peacock, almost every bar in Minnesota.) Hughes, Boldy and Brock Faber will likely be facing Iowa Wild goaltender Samuel Hlavaj, who made 27 saves in Slovakia’s 6-2 quarterfinal victory over Germany.
HOTTEST TEAM IN TOWN! That’s the Gophers women’s basketball team, which broke into the Associated Press poll at No. 23 this week, and may still be underrated after beating No. 10 Ohio State 74-61 at the Barn for its ninth straight win and a 21-6 record. The only bad things about the game were the 6-for-30 start from the field by the Gophers and Wednesday’s rotten weather which kept down the size of the crowd. Center Sophie Hart and guard Amaya Battle had double-doubles, the Gophers tightened up their defense after the first quarter and played delightfully loose on offense in the second half.
3 FACTS: (1) Winning moved the Gophers into fourth place in the Big Ten. That’s important because the top four teams get byes in the first two rounds of the conference tournament next month. (2) If the Gophers can win their final two regular season games and make a strong conference tournament run, they could end up seeded among the nation’s 16 best teams — and get a chance to host first- and second-round games in the NCAA tournament. (3) The final regular season home game is at 5 p.m. Sunday against No. 18 Michigan State. (FS1, TICKETS)
AND ONE: Minnesota ranks eighth in the nation in the NCAA’s NET ranking, one of the main criteria used by the NCAA is seeding teams for March Madness. SHORT VERSION: NET takes into account how teams perform, especially against quality opponents, with added emphasis on winning road games. The system does not favor games played later in the season, so the Gophers are working to maintain their elite ranking as much as anything. Beating Ohio State moved Minnesota from ninth to eighth and dropped Ohio State from 17th to 18th. There are 11 Big Ten teams among the NET Top 30. NET EXPLAINED: https://fluence-media.co/net0219.
CURRENT NET RANKINGS: https://fluence-media.co/netrank0219
ACTIVIST POHLAD? Before the family coup that included the addition of minority owners, the Pohlads were saying very little — or the wrong thing when they did speak. Tom Pohlad, the new Twins controlling owner, has so far steered a different course. He was a significant presence at TwinsFest and has been so far at training camp in Fort Myers. Yes, fans still have ample reason to be skeptical of how seriously they pursued Framber Valdez, who was the last big-name pitcher on the market before signing with Detroit. And the players acquired recently — with the exception of former Dodgers reliever Anthony Banda — are more interesting than impactful. But Pohlad has voiced thoughts that haven’t been business-as-usual.
ON VALDEZ: Via Bobby Nightengale at Star Tribune: “It would’ve been fun to make a splash and show the organization and the fans that we’re committed. I do know that payroll matters to people. I mean, it wasn’t just about adding to the payroll. It was a decision that (General Manager Jeremy Zoll) thought was in the best interest of the team, and if he thought that, then I was going to be willing to go there for us.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/pohlad0219
ON HIS NEW ROLE: Via Aaron Gleeman at The Athletic. “In a perfect world, would I love to have been in this role six months ago as we entered the normal cycle of free agency and have Zoll in his spot? Yes, I would have loved that. But we are where we are. I got here two months ago and we’ve done what we can do between now and then.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/morepohlad0219
SKEPTICISM REMAINS: Via Chris Schad at Zone Coverage. VERBATIM: “Everything the Twins have done recently suggests Pohlad is more of a transitional owner. He could be cleaning up the mess of a $500 million-plus debt so they can sell the team after what could be a lengthy lockout beginning in 2027.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/talk0219
MY TAKE: Losing staff ace Pablo Lopez for the season due to an elbow injury 24 hours after talking about how things need to change gives Pohlad a chance to act on his words. The Twins have made major spring training moves over the years and something beyond patchwork needs to be done to replace Lopez. New GM Zoll is on the clock to execute something substantial and convince skeptics that the Twins are more interested in winning than containing costs. And the need for pitching isn’t the only issue that needs fixing on an awkwardly assembled roster neglected by management inaction while the leadership situation was in flux.
NEXT MAN UP? Via Aaron Gleeman at The Athletic. VERBATIM: “Lucas Giolito, Zack Littell and Max Scherzer are the only unsigned starters ranked among The Athletic’s top 50 free agents. Giolito and Littell are presumably willing to settle for one-year deals at this point. Scherzer is 41, so he’d also likely settle for a one-year deal, but it’s not clear the likely future Hall of Famer would want to spend the twilight of his career in Minnesota. It’s also not clear whether the Twins are focused on replacing López by bringing someone in, whether via free agency or trade. . . . ‘We spent a lot of this offseason talking about the strength of our roster being in the rotation depth, and view it as a real opportunity as a next man up,’ Zoll said. ‘In a lot of ways, we view this as a real opportunity for someone to step up and take advantage.’ ”
WORDS TO LIVE BY: “You can’t shrink your way into relevance.”
WHO SAID THAT? How’s this for an “ummmm, well, you know” moment? Those words were spoken in 2017 by, of all people, Jeff Bezos at a newspaper conference in Italy. That was back when he was putting resources into the Washington Post. Those were wise words. But given his apparent intent on diminishing the Post by cutting more than 40% of newsroom staff and shutting down its sports department, it’s also a reminder that talk can be cheap and disingenuous.
SAME QUOTE, DIFFERENT TAKE: I’ve noticed a sharper edge to the Star Tribune sports section in recent weeks. Live updates on the Olympics and spring training have been satisfying and columnists are hitting higher-profile targets. But the good work also highlights areas that are being ignored as a smaller staff scrambles to cover a calendar that only gets busier through end of winter sports and the start of baseball and the WNBA season. The lack of beat writers for Gophers men’s and women’s basketball is especially glaring given the success of the women and the interest in (and struggles of) first-year men’s coach Niko Medved. Every pro sports beat will fray because of travel cuts and staffing — except for the Vikings, who are currently covered by four reporters. Not being in Italy for the Olympics to tell the stories of Jessie Diggins, Lindsey Vonn and the Minnesota-infused hockey and curling teams is an even more regrettable choice as the Games play out.
THE STORIES THEY COULD TELL: My top-of-head list of stories that would have benefited from a reporter or columnist with a Minnesota perspective. (1) Hughes and Boldy combining for that dramatic game-winner vs. Sweden, which also had a Wild contingent on its roster. (2) Duluth curlers Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin winning their silver medal. (3) Lindsey Vonn’s dramatic downhill crash. (4) Jessie Diggins’ final quest for medals and the pain she’s enduring. (5) Team USA vs. Canada in yet another gold medal women’s hockey game. (6) Gus Schumacher’s surprise silver medal in the Nordic team sprint. He’s from Alaska but was the unexpected champion in the 10k World Cup race at Wirth Park in north Minneapolis two years ago. (7) The Nordic skier from Mexico, Regina Martinez Lorenzo, who finished last — and started skiing while in medical school at the U. (8) Others we don’t know about because there weren’t writers with a Minnesota perspective in Italy. Is this enough to revisit the decision in time for the 2028 Games in Los Angeles and the 2030 Games in the French Alps?
TYING THINGS TOGETHER: In the same way that Twins fans expect more commitment from billionaire ownership, it’s right for sports enthusiasts to expect more from Star Tribune owner Glen Taylor, whose net worth is listed at $3.4 billion by Forbes. Taylor did good for Minnesotans by purchasing the Strib in 2014, when his net worth was reported at $1.8 billion. Minnesota fans will respond when the Twins create buzz and play well. As an avid Strib reader and former employee, I will be near the front of the line to donate more to Taylor’s “Local News Fund” when I see Taylor commit to growing his news platform with his money. Sports teams and the media are among community jewels of the Twin Cities. Those who own and operate them have an obligation to not let them shrink into irrelevance.
WEALTHIEST MINNESOTANS? Here’s an October 2025 list via Discover the Cities.
THESE WOMEN HATE EACH OTHER: Via Haley Salvian at The Athletic. You may be reading this while the gold medal women’s hockey game between the United States and Canada is being played — or shortly afterward. Whatever the case, if you need the backstory about the animosity between the teams, here’s a deep dive. The contempt has extended from hotel elevators to fights during exhibition games. VERBATIM: “Canadians and Americans now play together in college and in the Professional Women’s Hockey League, which launched in January 2024. But that doesn’t mean the rivalry is any less heated on the ice. And despite the frequency in which the two sides meet, the games always deliver. ‘I played for the Toronto Furies (in the now-defunct Canadian Women’s Hockey League), so I got to know some of the Canadian girls,’ said American defender Megan Bozek. ‘But when you played it was friends off, because you are fighting blood, tooth and nail to make sure that you are going to win that game.’ “ FULL STORY: https://fluence-media.co/rivalry0219
BAD CALL, NBCUNIVERSAL: Relegating the USA-Canada game to USA Network and Peacock instead of NBC.
MOCK DRAFT KICKOFF: The Vikings currently have the 18th pick in the first round of the NFL Draft, which will be held April 23-25 in Pittsburgh. Based on the poor drafts that helped get Kwesi Adofo-Mensah fired as GM, there isn’t a high bar for his interim replacement — Rob Brzezenski — to exceed. And there’s no shortage of help from the cabal of media draft analyzers. Here’s what the earliest mock drafts predict for the Vikings:
REPLACING HARRISON SMITH? Via Daniel Jeremiah at NFL.com: Safety Dillon Thieneman of Oregon. VERBATIM: “After studying Thieneman’s impressive 2025 tape at Oregon, I went back and watched the film from his career at Purdue, where he played in 2023 and '24. His range and playmaking skills were evident back then, too. He would be an excellent replacement for Harrison Smith.” NOTE: Thieneman just completed his junior season and is likely to be replaced at Oregon by Minnesota transfer Koi Perich, who hopes to be in a similar position for the 2027 draft. MORE: https://fluence-media.co/1mock0219
A VERSATILE D-BACK? Via Field Yates at ESPN: Cornerback Brandon Cisse of South Carolina. VERBATIM: Cisse is one of the most unique prospects in this class, as he’s a cornerback with uncommon strength and athletic ability; if he tests at the combine, get ready for a show. While a perimeter corner at his core, Cisse took occasional slot snaps at South Carolina. He was a force against the run from either alignment and can plaster perimeter wideouts in man coverage, staying physical and matching them stride-for-stride. Cornerback is a need for Minnesota, as Isaiah Rodgers is entering the final year of his deal. Plus, defensive coordinator Brian Flores has the ingenuity to deploy Cisse in many ways. MORE: https://fluence-media.co/2mock0219
HOW ABOUT A TRADE? Via Tom Fornelli at CBS Sports: Guard Olaivavega Ioane of Penn State after trading with the Jets to get the No. 16 pick. VERBATIM: “The Vikings need help on the interior of their offensive line, and Olaivavega Ioane is the lone guard in this class I view as a first-round player. So Minnesota moves up to get him and makes sure Detroit can't.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/3mock0219
VIDEO: Thieneman | Cisse | Ioane
DEEPER DIVES: Here are three-round mock drafts from The Athletic, Pro Football Focus and Purple Insider
CLEARING CAP SPACE: Via Ben Goessling at Star Tribune. The Vikings need to clear at least $40 million in salary cap space by releasing current players or restructuring their contracts. The amounts in play range from modest 2025 contracts, such as Jalon Naylor and his $960,165 cap hit, to pricier teammates including running back Aaron Jones ($14.55 million) and linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel ($19.25 million). CANDIDATE FOR RELEASE? Defensive tackle Javon Hargrave. VERBATIM: “The Vikings would save $10.45 million by cutting Hargrave, who might be one of their most likely release candidates. He played just 50.2% of their defensive snaps and posted only 3½ sacks last season after signing a two-year deal in March 2025.” FULL REPORT: https://fluence-media.co/cap0219
VIKINGS CONTRACTS: Via Spotrac. Includes length, value and assorted notes. https://fluence-media.co/vikings0219
WNBA SEASON IN MORE DANGER? Via Alexa Phillipou at ESPN. The WNBA Players’ Association offered some concessions in its latest contract proposal, which was submitted to the league on Tuesday. By Tuesday night, the WNBA dismissed it as unrealistic. VERBATIM: "The Players Association's latest proposal remains unrealistic and would cause hundreds of millions of dollars of losses for our teams. We still need to complete two drafts [a two-team expansion draft and college draft] and free agency before the start of training camp and are running out of time. We believe the WNBA's proposal would result in a huge win for current players and generations to come."
STILL FAR APART: Players are seeking an average of 27.5% of the WNBA’s gross revenues over the contract’s life. The league has offered 70% of net revenue, which amounts to about 15% of gross revenue. VERBATIM: “Amid the now 16-month negotiation, the league has continually emphasized the importance of business health and sustainability. A source familiar with the situation told ESPN the league projects that the WNBPA's new plan would result in losses of $460 million over the lifetime of the agreement. . . . The union believed its revenue sharing model would still put the league in a ‘profitable position,’ a separate source close to the negotiations said, and called the league's projected loss figure ‘absolutely false,’ citing a difference in whether expansion fees are factored into those calculations.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/wnba0219
DATES: The WNBA draft is scheduled for April 13 with the Lynx having the No. 2 overall pick as the result of moves that started with a deal in 2024 between Minnesota and Chicago that allowed the Sky to draft Angel Reese with the seventh overall pick. . The WNBA regular season is scheduled to begin on May 8. The Lynx opener is set for May 10 at Target Center vs. Atlanta. Dates for the expansion draft and free agency have yet to be set.
CONLEY RETURNS: Via Jace Frederick at Pioneer Press. After being sent to Chicago at the trade deadline, veteran guard and locker room influencer Mike Conley is back with the Wolves. The move was made possible between Conley was traded a second time — to Charlotte — before returning to Minnesota. The deadline deal brought Ayo Dosunmu and Julian Phillips to the Wolves. Conley’s return was delayed for salary cap reasons and gives the Wolves a required 14th player on their roster. The Wolves resume play with home games against Dallas on Friday and Philadelphia on Sunday. VERBATIM: “Even if he doesn’t play much, Conley’s voice and guidance will be valuable for Minnesota over the final third of the regular season and into the postseason.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/conley0219
STAYING RETIRED? Via Sarah McLellan at Star Tribune. Marc-Andre Fleury was on the ice with the Wild on Wednesday, filling in during a practice because the team’s goaltenders — Filip Gustavsson and Jesper Wallstedt — are at the Olympics with Sweden. He downplayed reports that he’s considering coming out of retirement. VERBATIM: “Fleury, who played an exhibition game with the Penguins as a Pittsburgh send-off, reiterated that he’s staying retired and enjoying his added time with his family. ‘I’m good. I’m just trying to help out our guys a little bit.’ He did, however, acknowledge that he does miss the camaraderie of being on a team.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/fleury0219
BEER BUZZ: Via Mike Mazzeo at Sports Business Journal. The Twins captured some marketing buzz last week by announcing they’ll offer $2 beers to season-ticket holders before every game and to all fans on Fridays and Saturdays. VERBATIM: “Twins EVP & CRO Sean Moore explained that early in the offseason, the Twins brought together a cross-functional group of their most fan-focused staff to see where fan sentiment stood and where they needed to improve. The result was a list of initiatives that are now part of their No Place Like Here campaign for the 2026 season, including the $2 beer promo. ‘It may seem simple, but it’s a meaningful step in showing that a day at the ballpark can be approachable, value-based, and fun for all types of fans. We wanted to send a clear message that we’re listening and that we’re committed to making the Target Field experience exceptional.’ “ MORE: https://fluence-media.co/beer0219
FROST PLAYER-COACHES: Via Heather Rule at Written Rule of Sports. Two Minnesota Frost players are also serving as assistant coaches at the high schools they attended. Claire Butorac is on the staff at Andover, which is playing in the Class 2A tournament, and Kelly Pannek is at Benilde-St. Margaret’s. VERBATIM: “That program means a lot to me,” Butorac said. “I was there for five years. I started when I was in eighth grade all the way until I was a senior. The coach is the same coach as when I was playing. Just getting to go back and give back to her, who gave me so much as a player but then also just be around those girls. A lot of the girls that I coach now, I’ve been around them since they were 10 and 12.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/coaches0219
ICE CAVES OPEN, CLOSE: Via Alex Chhith at Star Tribune. The Apostle Island ice caves at Lake Superior opened Monday for the first time in 11 years, attracting thousands of visitors to the area around Bayfield, Wis. On Tuesday, they closed because of a winter storm that damaged ice on the lake. On Wednesday, the National Park Service announced they wouldn’t reopen this season. VERBATIM: “Sustained subzero temperatures are key to forming strong ice miles out from the shore, said Joseph Moore, meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Duluth. Without that, “ice formation again will be nearly impossible.” UPDATE: https://fluence-media.co/weather0219
DAY OF WONDER: Via Andrew Krueger at MPR. VERBATIM: “For those who made it to the ice caves on Monday, it was a stunning day along the lakeshore — making up for the hours-long wait for shuttle buses to the start of the hike. Foggy conditions in the morning gave way to sunshine by the afternoon, the blue skies contrasting with the white ice and orange cliffs. The ice caves — located a few miles east of Cornucopia, Wis., — are formed by water seeping down through the sandstone cliffs and freezing into icicles and other ice formations, similar in appearance to rock formations in a cave. The icy display also can be enhanced by spray from Lake Superior waves. The caves, minus the icicles, are accessible to kayakers during the summer. But access on foot requires a solid, stable ice pack along the shore — something that hadn’t happened since 2014 and 2015.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/icecaves0219
70 POINTS IN RIVALRY GAME: Via Strictly Bball. Roseau vs. Warroad is almost always thought of as a hockey rivalry. But 5-foot-10 guard Jordan Borowicz scored 70 points Tuesday — and passed the 3,000-point career mark — in Roseau’s 86-78 basketball win over its Canadian border rival. Borowicz is leading the state with 35.7 points per game this season, per Strib Varsity. The state record is 90 points by Cash Eggleston of Minnesota Transitions in 2005. VIDEO: https://fluence-media.co/jordan0219
REMEMBERING THE BULL: Via Patrick Reusse at Star Tribune. Ronnie “Bull” Henderson, who led Marshall-University High to a state basketball title in 1976 and played on national tournament teams at Augsburg died earlier this month. He was 68 and stayed involved in the game as a high school official. VERBATIM: “Henderson was an assist machine, and he became a 2001 Auggies Hall of Fame inductee and a 2019 inductee in the Minnesota High School Basketball Hall of Fame. What Bull didn’t receive was the Mr. Basketball Award for which he was a strong contender in 1976. The committee went with a fellow 15 inches taller from Hibbing named Kevin McHale.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/ronnie0219
COACH SURVIVES PARENTS: Via Jess Myers at Pioneer Press. Lakeville North opened the Class 2A girls’ hockey tournament Thursday morning against No. 1 seed Hill-Murray. It was vindication for coach Buck Kochevar, who was almost denied a 21st season of coaching the team due to issues raised by parents. VERBATIM: “A complaint was filed against Kochevar by a small group of parents regarding the coach’s communication with his team. It was fueled by disagreements over playing time. After a six-month investigation by the school, Kochevar was asked to resign his coaching position in early October. He declined, and he was placed on administrative leave. Just a few days later, a Lakeville School Board meeting witnessed 19 Panthers players and several parents testify publicly in support of Kochevar staying on as coach. His administrative leave was lifted the next day.”
KOCHEVAR: “All I know is that’s not the way I wanted to go out, and it wasn’t going to be that way if I had anything to do with it,” he said, stressing that he felt it was vital to push back against what is seen as a growing youth sports culture where coaches have been targets. “That’s when you have the community back me, the school board back me, the girls, the parents and my staff. I did it for all coaches. If you live the job, you’re gonna fight for it, and hopefully that sent a little message to everybody.” FULL STORY: https://fluence-media.co/lakeville0219
THIS COACH HASN’T . . . YET: Via Joe Christensen at Strib Varsity. Lakeville South starts play in the Section 1AA boys’ tournament as the No. 2 seed — and without its coach. Coach Josh Storm was placed on “forced leave” and has been replaced by Kurt Weber, the school’s girls’ hockey coach. Storm, 44, graduated from Lakeville in 2000 and played college hockey at Bethel. No details have been provided by the school because the district’s investigation is in progress, said activities director Eric Albright. Lakeville South plays Rochester Mayo at 7 p.m. today at Haase Arena in Lakeville. MORE: https://fluence-media.co/storm0219
BOYS’ HOCKEY SECTION BRACKETS | GIRLS’ STATE TOURNAMENT BRACKETS
WINTER STATE TOURNAMENT DATES, RESULTS AND SECTION INFORMATION: https://fluence-media.co/state0212
GAME TO WATCH: Undefeated Tartan (22-0), ranked No. 1 in boys’ Class 4A, hosts Alexandria (16-5) at 2 p.m. Saturday. Led by sophomore guard K.J. Wilson, Tartan has a regular-season winning streak of 54 games. The game was rescheduled after the Edina Tip-Off Classic in December was cancelled because of security concerns. TICKETS
FLAG FOOTBALL BOOM: Via Cassidy Hettesheimer at Strib Varsity. Two years ago, the Vikings sponsored a pilot girls’ flag football league with four teams. This spring, the league will grow to 104 schools, more than double the 51 that played in 2025. Participating for the first time will include Edina, Maple Grove, Stillwater and Wayzata — and all but one of the state’s 20 largest schools will field teams. The season will run from late April to early June. Mahtomedi is the defending champion. VERBATIM: “I think our recruitment this year was a little bit more hands off, just because there was so much success with the first real year,” said Emily Weinberg, the Vikings youth and high school football coordinator. “It was schools recruiting other schools in their area saying, ‘Hey, this was a really great opportunity for our students. We think you should join as well.’ ” FULL STORY: https://fluence-media.co/flag0219. MORE INFO: https://fluence-media.co/details0219
AND FINALLY: A qualifying race in the Olympic women’s team sprint Nordic ski competition was crashed by a four-legged finisher. Watch it below or here.
THANKS FOR READING AND WRITING: Back with more next week.
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