2021 MN Wild/NHL Thread

We don’t know what goes on in the locker room or off the ice in meetings because that information is classified to those present, which is not us. So saying a specific player is a “cancer” is pure theory.

I agree Captain Musky. Suter has changed and is working with the guys on the team and the system. Also cutting down on his ice time has made his game alot better and more involved in the game.

No team would want Parise right not not just because of his contract but they also are looking at how he is playing. Why would a team want him right now?

Wonderful piece by Russo and Dom “consonant” in the Athletic making the case for Selke consideration. The kid is a beast and has burst onto the scene. If Rossi can come in next year healthy, we have 2 really strong centers. Neither may be a true 1C, but they should be dang tough matchups for sure. If we had better depth at C right now, ideally Ek would be centering Fiala and KK97. Then you truly could see what Ek is capable of. He gets a lot of flack from some that don’t think he is skilled, I just dont think previous years he shot enough. Those that face him know he has an elite shot, he just needs to use it.

I see him as a really good 3C, he doesn’t have the passing skill or offensive hockey sense/vision to be a 2C. He’s at his best when he can use his frame to get dirty goals in the crease, he cant generate offense himself.

Remember before all the line juggling, having Ek center Foligno and Greenway on the 3rd line just dominated out there. That should be our 3rd line for years to come if we dont lose 1 to the xpac draft.

He doesnt need to generate offense, which I think he’s capable of, but not to a dynamic way like Fiala or Kaprisov. If you stick him with Fiala and or Kaprisov they do all the creating. If you have him with them and expect Ek to create for either of those guys I think you are taking them off their game. The Wild with Hartman in the lineup are probably one of the deepest teams in the NHL. They dont have that super elite line like TB, but if you can put Ek’s line up against them and he shuts them down like he so consistently does, then the other lines have an advantage.
Some of his offensive metrics are right there with Barkov which really surprised me.

I just don’t see it with Ek, he always seems to have great scoring opportunities given to him, but has hands of steel…

We all want him to be something else because we don’t have the proper pieces in place, but it’s not in his game…

JoeMX1825 wrote:

I just don’t see it with Ek, he always seems to have great scoring opportunities given to him, but has hands of steel…

If you look at advanced stats this isn’t accurate. This season his shots/60 is barely above career average but his scoring chances/60 has doubled. He’s getting way better looks than ever before and that’s why his shooting% and goal totals have jumped. Part of that is playing with better linemates and part is Ek still developing as a player. Wild fans were fawning over Anthony Cirelli recently, right? Well Eriksson Ek is beating or even blowing the doors off Cirelli this season in every category with the exception of 2nd assists and PDO. Who does Cirelli play with again?

I think it’s obvious I’m fully on the JEEK bandwagon. I’ve said before he’s not going to be the proverbial “LEGIT #1 CENTER” (whatever that is) but he can certainly be more than a shutdown checking line center with No OfFeNsIvE sKiLl.

He’s never going to be the primary puck carrier on his line, and that’s exactly why he can mesh with a winger like Fiala or KK97. That’s also why Fiala and KK97 are better off on different lines, there’s only 1 puck and both are at their best when having said puck on their stick. So when Fiala or KK97 are flying around with the puck, Ek is a great complimentary player by battling in front of the net and grinding in the corners.

tswoboda wrote:

I think it’s obvious I’m fully on the JEEK bandwagon. I’ve said before he’s not going to be the proverbial “LEGIT #1 CENTER” (whatever that is) but he can certainly be more than a shutdown checking line center with No OfFeNsIvE sKiLl.

He’s never going to be the primary puck carrier on his line, and that’s exactly why he can mesh with a winger like Fiala or KK97. That’s also why Fiala and KK97 are better off on different lines, there’s only 1 puck and both are at their best when having said puck on their stick. So when Fiala or KK97 are flying around with the puck, Ek is a great complimentary player by battling in front of the net and grinding in the corners.

Exactly! I’m not saying he’s a coveted Eichel or whatever I even said as such in my initial post. I just think his ceiling offensively is going up and his defensive side is continuing to be strong.

We can disagree and I hope i’m wrong because that means the Wild then has another potential #2 center.

JoeMX1825 wrote:

We can disagree and I hope i’m wrong because that means the Wild then has another potential #2 center.

Alright, this needs to get settled on the outside rink. Lace em up! LOL

I am more with Tsw on the ek thing. His numbers are getting better the more he plays with better wingers and isn’t the so called shut down center. I think the wild can defiantly build more like Vegas without a true super star 1C. I honestly think that will be the route Bill goes. I just don’t see some blockbuster trade to get a established 1c happening and I’m ok with that. I think it is going to be more of a prospect or 2c type of trade if one actually happens involving Dumba. If they have strong wing play I think they can win with Rossi Ek and a 2C ish center. Basically three 2C ish players down the middle that don’t cost 10 million for one is the route they will go.

If we traded for Ryan Reeves and put him at 1C with our best wingers I bet his numbers would get better too.

Has Fiala played better since playing with Ek? Nope… I honestly cant even think of a single play were Ek STARTED any type of offensive rush with Fiala or Greenway…Ek is a dump and chase, hacking at the puck in the crease player, no offensive creativity to his game. His terrible faceoff % also means a big portion of his shifts are spent first trying to regain possession of the puck…

I sure hope BillyG doesn’t get pressured into paying him like a 2C, because he’s not…we’ll see

I’m not hating on Ek, I think he’s one of the best 3rd line centers in the entire league, but that’s his place in the NHL…thats were he would be on any other team too…

JoeMX1825 wrote:

His terrible faceoff % also means a big portion of his shifts are spent first trying to regain possession of the puck…

How do you feel about Dubois FO%? He is by all accounts a 1C should be a measuring stick right?

Hasn’t he been playing Wing lately?? Is he bad at faceoffs or something?

He has the same faceoff % as Ek.

I sure hope BillyG doesn’t get pressured into paying him like a 2C, because he’s not…we’ll see

I’m not hating on Ek, I think he’s one of the best 3rd line centers in the entire league, but that’s his place in the NHL…thats were he would be on any other team too…
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I hope they can pay him like a third line center as well. Guess this season will play a big part in that.
I just don’t see a trade happening for an established Barkov Eichel type or an true 1C.
I think Ek can play a top six role why Rossi develops and can be interchangeable in that role if they have some better depth at C. If they get another 2C type of player and not an 8+ mill type that they would give up a bunch to get him.

100 percent agree with you Rip! That’s my thought process as well. I’m more resigned to the fact that we will never have a true 1C. If we can have strong 2 or 3s at all 4 lines and save money to retain the strong D we have and keep the skilled guys we want that is a HUGE win for the wild.

Well I kind of agree I think they move Dumba and maybe one of the top picks for best center/center prospect you can get. Need Dumbas money probably anyhow and you need the room for Addison in a top four eventually.
I believe they think Rossi can be at best a 1C at worst a good 2C.

Sick pass by KK on third goal.

Sick passes*
Two back to back made that play end the way it did. Absolutely beautiful.

I’m not sure Kaprisovs game is going to translate to the NHL. Now we have NHL writers with influence in awards voting saying they should change the calder award requirements. WTF. We cannot have anything nice ever.

The Wild needs to watch game tape from other team’s powerplays and steal some set plays to the bumper player in the slot, Kaprizov is being wasted there on our powerplay OR you give him Fiala’s spot.

You can see a difference when the players get moving around and he ends up on the boards…

CaptainMusky wrote:

I’m not sure Kaprisovs game is going to translate to the NHL. Now we have NHL writers with influence in awards voting saying they should change the calder award requirements. WTF. We cannot have anything nice ever.

Just gives Kappo a chance to win.

Dumba is VERY active in the o zone. Love to see it. He’s involved in these rushes and it’s awesome. Needs to make sure he’s got coverage in his place but nice to see.

2 “I’m absolutely ready for the NHL” type goals by Matt Boldy tonight…he never slowed down from his insane scoring pace the back half of last season…he’s gonna be another gem rookie for the Wild!

He has erased any fears of those who wanted the Wild to draft Caufield instead (me)

CaptainMusky wrote:

I’m not sure Kaprisovs game is going to translate to the NHL. Now we have NHL writers with influence in awards voting saying they should change the calder award requirements. WTF. We cannot have anything nice ever.

Lebrun said he would still vote for him, just that they should probably look at the 26 year old age limit again…I agree 26 is too old, should be 23-24…some players take longer to develop…

JoeMX1825 wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>CaptainMusky wrote:</div>
I’m not sure Kaprisovs game is going to translate to the NHL. Now we have NHL writers with influence in awards voting saying they should change the calder award requirements. WTF. We cannot have anything nice ever.

Lebrun said he would still vote for him, just that they should probably look at the 26 year old age limit again…I agree 26 is too old, should be 23-24…some players take longer to develop…

yeah but he also voted for Panarin who was 24 and had no qualms about it then what a hypocrite

Greenway scored the 4th goal with Coles stick. Cole should get some kind of point for that.

JoeMX1825 wrote:

2 “I’m absolutely ready for the NHL” type goals by Matt Boldy tonight…he never slowed down from his insane scoring pace the back half of last season…he’s gonna be another gem rookie for the Wild!

He has erased any fears of those who wanted the Wild to draft Caufield instead (me)

I never wanted Caufield. Yeah he seemed like the better pick but he’s tiny and I don’t think that’s going to translate well. We will see. Boldy is the type of player we need and certainly complements the pieces we have already. I won’t revoke you IDO Wild GM card for this at all

JoeMX1825 wrote:

The Wild needs to watch game tape from other team’s powerplays and steal some set plays to the bumper player in the slot, Kaprizov is being wasted there on our powerplay OR you give him Fiala’s spot.

You can see a difference when the players get moving around and he ends up on the boards…

They have had some good movement and looks tonight but man alive they can’t score on pp.