Minnesota Wild: Hoping Mikko Koivu has some time off
By Luke Ryan
It’s an odd thing to think I’m hoping the Minnesota Wild are missing their captain for a week or two, but that’s exactly the case when I think about Mikko Koivu.
Mikko Koivu, as was reported on the official Minnesota Wild website, missed the regulation win against the Arizona Coyotes as his wife had gone into labour:
"About a half hour before puck drop, the Wild announced that captain Mikko Koivu would not play because his wife, Helena, was in labor, about to give birth to the couple’s third child. (wild.NHL.com)"
Typically, a player gets injured and much like we did in the summer with Ryan Suter and Luke Kunin; we as Minnesota Wild fans hope that they recover and get back on the ice as soon as humanly possible.
In this case, Koivu isn’t injured, nor is his wife. But childbirth and the whole becoming a father, regardless of it being the third time, is something that should be celebrated.
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Too often, we forget that these players that we’re talking about as solely that are actually humans.
They have human connections, human relationships and in a lot of cases families at home that they leave for the large majority of the year to work.
Now, don’t get me wrong; firefighters, military personnel, police officers and countless others are all leaving their houses each day and spending hours away from their families, but at least when they have children, they’re likely to be taking a little down time.
They’re more likely to be able to interact, in person, on a day-to-day basis.
You look at the Minnesota Wild schedule and there’s at least a couple of periods where it’s unlikely Mikko Koivu will be home for at least a week.
Whilst you don’t want the Minnesota Wild to play down a player, you also want what is best for Mikko Koivu, the person.
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Give him a little time away from the ice, let him get to know his new child, let him help his wife recover somewhat before you race him back to the rink to get ready for the next game.
The Minnesota Wild dealt with adversity against the Coyotes, and with or without Mikko Koivu, they will manage. At least for a couple of weeks.