Feb. 21--Wild interim coach John Torchetti will be behind the bench for his first home game Sunday at TCF Bank Stadium, but Torchetti is no stranger to outdoor hockey -- nor to the Blackhawks.
Torchetti was an assistant with the Hawks (2007-2010) when they participated in the Winter Classic game against the Red Wings at Wrigley Field in 2009.
Torchetti, who was coaching the Wild's AHL affiliate, was promoted on an interim basis after the Wild fired Mike Yeo last week. Torchetti received several congratulatory messages from those in the Hawks organization after landing the job. He had helped run the power play as an assistant to Joel Quenneville when the Hawks won the Stanley Cup in 2010.
"We did some great things with the organization, some great people, had some great texts, from Joel to (President) John McDonough wishing me good luck except for when we play them. So it's a big game. But for us, I want to see where we're at."
The Wild have won three straight since making the move. The Hawks were happy to see Torchetti was off to a good start in his new opportunity.
"I would only have to say good things about Torch," winger Patrick Kane said. "I really liked him. Our power play was very successful when he was here. He was here when I first came in the league too. I remember he would always bring me and (Jonathan) Toews on the ice early before practice to work on different things. ... He's an offensive-minded coach and I really liked him as a person."
No change: Quenneville said the injury timetables for winger Marian Hossa and center Marcus Kruger remain the same. Kruger is expected to be out until the end of the regular season because of a dislocated left wrist while Hossa was expected to be out two weeks after he suffered a leg injury against the Ducks on Feb. 13.
A good time: After their practice Saturday, the Hawks took part in a massive scrimmage with several veterans from the Wounded Warrior Project, an event they also had last season in Washington before to the Winter Classic.
"It's impressive to see some of those guys, how they are even able to skate," defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson said. "One guy ... didn't have any legs and was still out there on blades and skating. It's amazing to see you can do that nowadays. The way they sacrifice themselves, it's fun to give a smile on their faces."
