Wild's Yeo: Decade in NHL testament to Koivu's toughness, versatility
Mikko Koivu was just 22 years old the first time that he took the ice for the Wild, a former top-10 draft pick and the younger brother of acclaimed Montreal Canadiens captain Saku Koivu.
Koivu would go on to rack up more than 500 points for the Wild, earning a "C" of his own in the process and setting franchise records for points (511) and assists (364) along the way.
"I think this year is what's most impressive," Yeo said. "You know, when you talk about 10 years that's an awful long time, and 10 years for a player who, you know he's not a player that drops the gloves, but he's a player that plays a rugged game."
"He's in the corners, he's taking hits, he's physical when he doesn't have the puck; he competes night after night," Yeo said. "To see the way that he's started this season is real impressive. It's a real credit to him, the way that he prepares, the way that he's taken care of himself."
Yeo says that his star center's reliability no matter where he happens to be on the ice has been one of the biggest reasons for his sustained success.
"You like at his play, what he does with the puck as far as creating offense for us, how he makes the players around him better, but defensively he's a guy that you can put on the ice and trust against any line out there, and that's a real bonus for a coach," Yeo said.
