David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Four Names to Know as Minnesota Vikings Near 2026 Draft

Posted on April 19, 2026April 19, 2026 by David Shama

The Vikings enter this week’s NFL Draft in Pittsburgh with talent and depth needs at several positions. With nine overall picks, the opportunity is present to accomplish the goal of upgrading the roster.

The first four picks come in rounds 1 through 3. Minnesota selects No. 18 in the first round on Thursday night. Friday has the Vikings at No. 42 overall in the second round and in the third round Minnesota has two spots, No. 82 and 97 (compensatory pick). The remaining rounds of the draft (4-7) are Saturday. In that space the Vikings draft once in the fourth and sixth rounds, and three times in the seventh.

The Vikings’ first four picks in the first two days of the draft will be particularly important to their roster success this year and beyond. With that in mind, here’s a calculated prediction on four players who could well be available based on talent and team need, and might be headed to the Vikings.

Forget about Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq in the first round. The uber athletic Sadiq is all but certain to be selected before the Vikings have their turn at the draft table. But another Duck, Dillon Thieneman, could well be available and the Vikings should grab him.

Thieneman appears to have the size, speed and versatility to replace veteran Harrison Smith, 37, who may announce his retirement as soon as this offseason. Listed at about 6-feet and 208 pounds, Thieneman projects as able to play multiple safety positions. While he’s instinctive, he also is thorough in knowing his assignments, per Lance Zierlein writing for NFL.com/prospects.

A personal favorite while watching national champion Indiana was cornerback D’Angelo Ponds. He should be a welcome fit for the Vikings in the second round. Minnesota has cornerback talent and depth needs. The almost diminutive Ponds, listed at about 5-8 and 182 pounds, has the kind of toughness and smack that could remind fans of former Viking safety Antoine Winfield Sr. who played at a similar size. Ponds has quickness, speed, tenacity and confidence. Hard to see him not on the roster for years despite his size.

Last year’s starting center, Ryan Kelly, retired and it’s possible the Vikings could start a rookie at the position. It might be savvy for Minnesota to use the first of its two third round selections on Kansas State’s Sam Hecht. He played 42 games in college, per NFL.com/prospects which lists him at about 6-4 and 300 pounds. That authority praises his technique, cautions that he needs more muscle, but believes consistency can make him an NFL starter, per Zierlein. If Hect isn’t available, the Vikings could turn to Iowa’s Logan Jones who also is on the short list of best center prospects.

A rookie Vikings running back may well see the field in 2026. The team has no heir apparent to veteran starter Aaron Jones and injuries in the running back room are frequent. Stepping in to help could be Minneapolis native Emmett Johnson who the Gophers didn’t want but the Vikings should.

He became one of college football’s better backs at Nebraska despite not having top speed and looks like a worthy selection by the Vikings when they use their second third round pick.

Local football authority Daniel House, known for his football film breakdown and data driven research, has noticed the former Minnesota Mr. Football. “He was really good…(with) acceleration, deaccelerating,” House said. “Sudden, elusive type of back. I feel like NFL teams are going to like Emmett Johnson quite a bit.”

House predicts Johnson will likely be a round two or three pick. He said Johnson may not have tested that well with scouts but he “transitions” so well in space when he runs that he is an intriguing prospect. “That’s where he is elite. So, I think maybe that’s going to be the calling card for his game is the ability to make people miss. And that’s the bread-and-butter success at the running back position. …”

Worth Noting

There was second guessing on Wild coach John Hynes prior to last night’s playoff opener against the Stars in Dallas. Should he use veteran goalie Filip Gustavsson or rookie Jesper Wallstedt who had been playing well late in the season. Hynes pushed the right button going with Wallstedt who had 27 saves in Minnesota’s surprising 6-1 win.

The pressure is clearly on the Stars now to win Monday night before the possible seven game series switches to Minnesota for dates on Wednesday and Saturday. StubHub lists ticket prices, including fees, starting at $195 for Wednesday night.

The hockey Gophers have eight hockey alums in the Stanley Cup playoffs: Logan Cooley, Utah Mammoth; Brock Faber, Wild; Jackson LaCombe, Anaheim Ducks; Casey Mittelstadt, Boston Bruins; Tommy Novak, Pittsburgh Penguins; Mike Reilly, Carolina Hurricanes; Nate Schmidt, Utah Mammoth;Nick Seeler, Philadelphia Flyers.

The Twins unexpected above .500 start to the season is worth enjoying now with an eye toward how things look after about one-third of the season. Twins World Series champion manager (twice) Tom Kelly is known for saying the truth about a team comes out after about 50 games of the season.

That’s enough time usually for teams to collect data on how to pitch opposing hitters or how to approach enemy pitchers. Fingers crossed for the Twins that new talents like pitchers Taj Bradley and Mick Abel are productive long-term.

The Wisconsin athletics director job is open and longtime Northern Illinois AD Sean Frazier, who once worked for the Badgers, is drawing scuttlebutt. Before Minnesota AD Mark Coyle was hired in 2016, one -time Gopher AD McKinley Boston was promoting Frazier for the position.

Pete Najarian, the finance guru and former Gopher and Viking player, drew interest from his alma mater during that same search. Badger authorities would be wise to make an inquiry about his interest in their opening.

Reminiscing about former Gophers football coach Lou Holtz in last week’s column prompted a response from ex-Brainerd football coaching legend and longtime state prep football advocate Ron Stolski. A huge admirer of Holtz, Stolski emailed about a meeting that happened not long after the iconic coach arrived in Minneapolis in 1984:

“When coach Holtz was hired, I received a call from him. …He asked me to contact some high school coaches and invite them to attend a gathering he was hosting.at a local hotel. I did. About 30-40 attended. Coach told the group that he was totally committed to the high school coaches of Minnesota, would support them in every way he could, and pledged to recruit every player the coaches would recommend. Then he told us the bar was open, and to stay as long as we wished and left us to our musings.”

Longtime Moorhead High School and Concordia College play-by-play radio voice Larry Knutson is retiring. He started with Moorhead sports in 1979 before soon adding Concordia broadcasts, per a news report from the Moorhead Public Schools. He estimates calling 4,000 to 5,000 games, and in more recent years covering grandchildren of athletes from his early years. https://www.isd152.org/o/moorhead/article/2819553

Good news for the United States Tennis Association which promotes the sport throughout the country and stages the annual US Open in New York. According to A.I., tennis players live 9.7 years longer than sedentary individuals. That’s per the Copenhagen City Heart study over a 25-year period. Tennis has other sports beat including badminton (6.2 years), soccer (4.7 years), cycling (3.7 years), swimming (3.4 years), and jogging (3.2 years).

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DiVincenzo: Wolves to Try & ‘Sneak One Game Off’ in Denver

Posted on April 14, 2026April 14, 2026 by David Shama

Enjoy a Tuesday notes column.

The NBA Western Conference No. 6 seeded Timberwolves (regular season record 49-33) open their playoff adventure at Denver Saturday against a No. 3 seeded Nuggets team (54-28) that is favored to win the best of seven games series. Adding to the “mile high” optimism in Denver is that during the regular season the Nuggets won three of four matchups against the Wolves.

The first two playoff games are in Denver and veteran Wolves guard Dante DiVincenzo has a prediction. “…Going on the road those first two games, I think, you know, we’ll be really connected. Try to get in there and sneak one game off.”

Defense will be key for the Wolves gaining a split in Denver and for winning the series. The Nuggets have the league’s highest scoring offense, 122.1 points per game. In the four regular season games Denver scored 127, 123, and 142 points in its wins, while the Nuggets totaled 108 in a March loss to Minnesota.

Denver center Nikola Jokic averaged 27.7 during the season and was a top performer in rebounds and assists. This past season the Wolves did okay defensively against the Nuggets when center Rudy Gobert was on the floor, but things went south when he wasn’t playing.

Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves player — Anthony Edwards photo courtesy of Minnesota Timberwolves

When they play up to their potential, Gobert, guard Anthony Edwards and forward Jaden McDaniels are three of the better defensive players in the NBA. Not only on defense but all around the Wolves played inconsistently during the season but in the last two years have been a strong playoff team reaching the Western Conference Finals.

Edwards had the No. 6 selling player jersey during the NBA season. The top five were Steph Curry (Warriors), Luka Doncic (Lakers), Jalen Brunson (Knicks), Victor Wembanyama (Spurs) and LeBron James (Lakers). Results were based on sales from NBAStore.com, Fanatics.com and Fanatics partner sites.

Wild owner Craig Leipold is more than impressed with new St. Paul mayor Kaohly Her. He told Sports Headliners she has been a “workaholic” lobbying at the State Legislature trying to obtain approval for $200 million for renovations of city owned downtown Grand Casino Arena and Roy Wilkins Auditorium.

If the state approves the $200 million it will be part of a $600 million total that also includes $162.5 million commitments each from the city and Wild. Most of the money will be allocated to upgrading Grand Casino Arena which opened in 2000.

The city and Wild have made past appeals to the legislature without success. The efforts by Her, though, are encouraging to Leipold. “So, I’ve never been as optimistic as I am right now,” he said.

Improvements at the arena will include creation of large communal areas where fans can gather to visit and watch the game, grab and go concession areas with no standing in line to pay, small and local business vendors selling products—and addressing that troublesome bathrooms issue.

“The bathrooms, oh, gracious me,” Leipold said. “Our bathroom lines are so long it’s embarrassing. …If you’re a fan coming to our games, you know exactly what I am talking about.”

Once funding is finalized the arena renovation will likely be done over a period Leipold refers to as “three really good summers.” Renovation during hockey season will only happen if it doesn’t interfere with the fan experience. The Wild will play all their games at their arena, with no intent to play elsewhere during the renovation period.

Leipold recently became a minority owner of the Twins. He likes baseball but there was more motivation than that behind his investment. “I believe in the business of sports,” he said.

As an entrepreneur, his stance is the valuations of sports franchises will steadily increase. After this season baseball owners and players will address a new labor agreement. There is prevailing thought a salary cap will be instituted and Leipold describes this as a “great time to invest in the Twins.”

Would Leipold be interested in buying majority ownership of the Twins from the Pohlad family? He said his understanding is that the Pohlads are committed to continuing their long-term ownership. “I am very happy where I am at.”

Former University of Minnesota and Notre Dame football coach Lou Holtz had a profound reputation for staying in touch with former players and willingness to help when needed. That’s the kind of memory Pete Najarian has of Holtz who passed away in March at the age of 89.

Najarian was a two-time captain of Holtz’s 1984 and 1985 teams. He spoke with Holtz when the coaching legend was in hospice and the “two talked about everything under the sun.”

Not that long ago the two were living in separate cities in Florida and would drive to an agreed-upon destination to spend time together. It was a pattern of connection established over the years. “He invited me to about every event you can imagine,” Najarian told Sports Headliners.

Najarian, because of his long hair and moustache, tested Holtz’s temperament when he played for him. But that didn’t get in the way of the coach’s admiration for the All-Big Ten linebacker’s discipline and commitment to playing football.

Holtz only coached the Gophers for two seasons before moving on to Notre Dame, but he put in place a resurrected program that gave promise to glory days ahead. “Not any doubt in my mind he would have brought us to the Rose Bowl,” said Najarian who used to impersonate his coach’s voice on the Gopher practice field.

Najarian also has a great relationship with former Nebraska football coaching legend Tom Osborne, 89. Osborne tried to bring the former Minneapolis Central High School player to Nebraska. They have stayed in touch over the years including last month when Osborne hosted Najarian at the Nebraska spring game.

“This is my greatest regret,” Osborne says when introducing Najarian to people, referring to his not being able to sell the former NFL player and world of finance guru on coming to Lincoln.

Like a “second dad” is how Najarian refers to the former national championship coach. “As generous a guy as I’ve ever met,” he said.

Former Gophers basketball coach Jim Dutcher, whose 1982 team won the Big Ten championship, turns 93 on Friday.

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Wild Owner: Team Will Get New Contract with Quinn Hughes

Posted on April 12, 2026April 12, 2026 by David Shama

The playoffs start next Saturday for the Minnesota Wild but that doesn’t mean there’s been no discussion about a contract extension for Quinn Hughes. Owner Craig Leipold and GM Bill Guerin have talked about making it happen.

The skilled defenseman, acquired during the season by the Wild from the Canucks, has helped elevate the club to a place among the elite teams in the NHL. “Quinn Hughes is a massive difference maker,” Leipold told Sports Headliners.

Hughes, who set a team record this season for most points by a defenseman (76), is in the fifth season of a six-year $47,100,000 deal. The 26-year-old, a past Norris Award winner recognizing the best defenseman in the NHL, is likely to excel for many more seasons and if he becomes a free agent after next season, he will be among the most coveted players in recent league history.

Hughes is also a workhorse, averaging a league best of over 27 minutes per game on the ice. He was tops in that category for the gold-medal winning U.S. Olympic team last winter.

Leipold sees Hughes’ long-term future in a Wild sweater. “He’s going to be our no. 1 goal…to get him signed and we will.”

Wild owner Craig Leipold — Craig Leipold

The next contract, of course, will include a large increase in compensation and perhaps more than six years in length. But the potential terms don’t seem to discourage the Wild’s owner who is willing to be patient in negotiations. “We’ll take it as long as he wants,” said Leipold who has owned Minnesota’s NHL team since 2008.

Leipold spoke about how Hughes enjoys playing for his new team and is a fan of his in-season home, Minnesota. Regarding prospects for a future signing of the Michigan native, Leipold said he “can’t imagine why he wouldn’t” do a new deal.

In the phone interview with Sports Headliners last Friday, Leipold praised the talent on the team including Kirill Kaprizov, Matt Boldy, Brock Faber and his goalie tandem (Filip Gustavsson and Jesper Wallstedt). “Yes, this is our best team (in franchise history),” Leipold said.

That franchise history dates back to the 2000-2001 season, but Leipold said no team has been as deep in talent as this one. He sees four quality lines where “everybody can score.” The defense is the best ever and the goalies form a quality rotation.

Ironically, though, the Wild plays in the Central Division against the NHL’s No. 1 ranked team, the Avalanche, and also the Stars, considered no worse than the third best. The Wild opens the playoffs against the Stars in Dallas on Saturday.

“We’re playing the two best teams in the National Hockey league. It’s going to be a tough one,” Leipold said about the prospect of getting by the Stars but then having to play the Avalanche.

The Wild and Stars split their season series with two wins each. The last Thursday night 5-4 loss in Dallas was frustrating.

“We know we can play with them,” Leipold said. “We should have won that game. You’re ahead by two (goals twice in the game). That’s happened too many times this year. In fact, this has happened at two (goal leads) throughout the league. A two-goal lead is no longer that safe.

“We have to play with more intensity. I think we have to be more defensively minded. And I think every game…is going to be a tossup against them. So, we’re going to have to get the edge.”

Leipold calls it “very unfortunate” that the Wild play in perhaps the NHL’s best division but said the positive is the competition “prepares you” for the playoffs.

The Wild hasn’t advanced beyond the first round of the playoffs since 2015 and that’s a factor in odds makers predicting the Stars will win the series.

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