2022/2023 NHL/Wild Offseason-Season-Postseason Thread

Ha Faber had 6 blocks tonight. I’m not sure Addison has 6 blocks all year.

So which RHD can play the left side?

Yeah, it was underwhelming for sure, but so were 20 other players not named Faber, Boldy, Johansson…. at least thats what i’m saying to myself

He had like 2-3 plays where he looked the part, but that’s nowhere near enough…. Petan just disappears in the NHL too… I’d still like to see him given a chance with 2 legit skill guys… but he’s not doing enough to warrant an opportunity sofar…

Faber led the team in ice time. 21:49. I’d say they liked how he played. I’d say you could plug him into Merrill’s spot at this point.

They’ll want to see him play the last 2 games to see if he can maintain tonights level of play or if the excitement of playing his 1st NHL game boosted him a little…

Blackhawks are a terrible hockey team, Winnipeg and Nashville will be tougher tests and alot more physical…

Tonight was about as good a 1st game a defensive focused rookie could have only two days after stepping off College Hockey ice…

2 points is 2 points, even when it probably doesn’t matter.

Foligno seems to really get a little unhinged at times for no real reason.

Faber looks right at home. Great to see.

Not even sure what to think of Rossi anymore. Maybe he needs to just get plugged in a full season and ride him out and see if he can find any groove to get into.

Nyquist looks interesting, definitely a lot of rust to his game.

Addison is definitely a defensive liability. Klingberg is to but has a lot more experience to go with it.

Gus was good tonight. He’s the only reason they were still in it in the 3rd.

Coaches and gm seemed more interested in putting the team in a chaotic situation and see what players could fight through in unfamiliar territory and just do something to evaluate who is going to get a chance in the playoffs. Rossi did nothing interesting at all. As painful as the game was to watch, still some positives came out of it and will be interesting to see how they handle the last games and who they keep and ditch going into a first round against one of 2 good, solid teams. Nice to see they have a lotta options to plug and play in different situations. Don’t see them beating either Dallas or Colorado, but you never know. Still think center depth is going to be the achilles heel in the playoffs. Seems we have just as good of a chance to score on the pk vs the pp.

Good to see the Swedes scoring and in goal!

Nyquist is going to be a sneaky deadline pickup and JOhansson is the best acquisition by any team at the deadline. Hes been soo good. I was really watching Rossi last night and a little underwhelmed. I am really hopeful he turns into a top 6 but he has a ways to go. He won a few faceoffs which was good especially in the defensive zone. Faber looked fantastic.
The second goal Gus gave up was probably the only rebound I havent seen him control all year. Uncharacteristic.

Rossi is still just 21 years old so there’s that and he hasn’t played in the NHL for months, so there’s some wiggle room for excuses BUT he’s going to need to show improvement in these next few games or he’s going to be bag skated after practices for the duration of the playoffs because he won’t be in the lineup…

Last night I thought he looked timid again (outside of a few rushes with the puck) but 95% of the team looked timid… I’m sure GMBG just wants to scream in his face and shake him trying to get him to sieze the moment…

Just rewatching the game recap and Rossi didn’t hustle back to cover his guy after his neutral zone turnover that led to a goal…that’s the stuff that doesn’t make sense with his supposed workethic…You’d think a kid fighting to stay in the NHL would bust his a$$ to try and get back to fix his mistake…

CaptainMusky wrote:

Nyquist is going to be a sneaky deadline pickup and JOhansson is the best acquisition by any team at the deadline. Hes been soo good.

It’s unbelievable how everything Guerin touches turns to gold. Since last summer especially he makes trades that look ok/meh on paper and then the guy comes here and is just unreal.

I don’t care what explanation people give it doesn’t make sense that Jojo can be a half point/game 3rd liner for the last 6 seasons and now bam he’s a stud. Gus pretty much given up on by the Sens and now he’s a top 5 goalie this season. Hell he even turned Reavo into a scorer for awhile there, but truly he is having the best season of his career at age 36.

Rossi is so painful to watch. Just do something little buddy… even if it’s bad!

My buddys kid looked pretty good for a the Hawks last night. He had a couple shots and one sneaky almost breakaway. Really pulling for him to have an impact on that team.

tswoboda wrote:

It’s unbelievable how everything Guerin touches turns to gold. Since last summer especially he makes trades that look ok/meh on paper and then the guy comes here and is just unreal.

D-Lo is really his only decision that didn’t work out, the Goligoski extension decision will make more sense after this season when he could be cut for no caphit penatly…Looking to the future, he’ll have tough decisions on Zuccy, Hartman and Foligno next year that will set the direction on how he wants to procede when the caphit pain mostly goes away. Will he want to extend them (at what cost/term) or pave the way for the younger players/prospects to push themselves on the team? Zuccy will probably get a 2 year extension to keep Kirill happy, the other two are questionable based on what their percieved role will be moving forward and how long GMBG wants them for (term)

Im intrigued at the thought of re-signing Johansson this offseason. He has been really fantastic in his second go here.

after watching the game recap video on youtube and Foligno’s meltdown, I now find myself chuckling a bit…it reminded me of some comedy movie where there was a fight and the winner ripped the other guys head off and joyously held it up for the fans (no idea what movie i’m thinking of, maybe a Monte Python movie? or an old SNL skit?)

There’ was zero reason for him to do it at the time he did it (if he wanted to pump up the team he should have done it in the 2nd period or early in the 3rd)

CaptainMusky wrote:

Im intrigued at the thought of re-signing Johansson this offseason. He has been really fantastic in his second go here.

That’s were I think Foligno could be moved, use some of that capspace on JoJo (who wasn’t part of the original offseason signing priority)…Freddy’s play (and stats) are pushing the idea of him taking a sweatheart deal to stay with Deano more and more unlikley…

Athletic had a piece this morning on England telling him one of his hits was dirty. Foligno told him to do something about it and the guy said he wouldn’t fight him on a PP. So after the PP (now a Wild PP), they fought. Guess that really made Moose mad for some reason.

But man, did it wake the team up………..

Get in a fight, get tossed, and take a stupid penalty while on the PP down 1 with 7 minutes left?? All because some career AHLer chirped him. Yeah that’s a bonehead move and he’s lucky the rest of the game went like it did or there’d be a much different narrative today.

But also…..

it was a totally selfish play and his comments regarding having a popcorn party in the lockerroom watching the rest of the game should rub the staff and players the wrong way…as you said, it all worked out, but I don’t think anything would have been done had it not, Foligno gets a hallpass just like he has all season…

at least he himself hasn’t said it was done to spark the team like the reporters/fanbase has…that would be truly foolish…

Rossi probably just needs more time. I mean he has what 16 games or something like that in the NHL.
Took Ek several years to figure it out.
Hell Tage Thompson didn’t figure it out till he was 24.

He will be skating on the side during the playoffs because I can guarantee Steel is 3C to start. Doesn’t matter what Rossi does the next two games.

Ripjiggen wrote:

Rossi probably just needs more time. I mean he has what 16 games or something like that in the NHL.
Took Ek several years to figure it out.
Hell Tage Thompson didn’t figure it out till he was 24.

He will be skating on the side during the playoffs because I can guarantee Steel is 3C to start. Doesn’t matter what Rossi does the next two games.

Yep, Steel has earned it…it was only 1 game, but if Faber plays the next 2 the same way, he should replace Merrill… then the lineup is pretty much set (still waiting on Sundquist, which I haven’t heard a single update on?)

Sundquist has not skated at all since the injury.

What did Sundquist even hurt?

CaptainMusky wrote:

What did Sundquist even hurt?

all I saw was he took a few normal 2 hand crosschecks to the lowr back area from LeTang…

It’s lower-body

tswoboda wrote:

It’s lower-body

Gotta love the NHL and their vague injury updates. I just dont remember what happened. Block a shot or?

JoeMX1825 wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>CaptainMusky wrote:</div>
What did Sundquist even hurt?

all I saw was he took a few normal 2 hand crosschecks to the lowr back area from LeTang…

Yeah I remember that so that just be when he got hurt. I think he left shortly after that.

This is a quote from a scout in the Frozen Four Prospects article that just came out on the Athletic. The scout is talking about Faber:

Scout: “Just a steady defenseman. A simple, good playmaking defenseman and well-rounded. He’s got good offense in him, can see the ice really well. He moves the puck, shoots it well, can join the offense, but also skilled, consistently in position, responsible. He reminds me a bit of Matt Dumba. He takes care of his own end, moves the puck well. All of a sudden, you get that offense and you’re like, “Great, wasn’t expecting that.”

Dear God let’s hope this isn’t a scout for the Wild, talking about Matt Dumba taking care of his own end.

LOL did not see the Dumba comp coming almost spit my water out. To be fair Dumba is a pretty good defender when the puck’s not on his stick. His issues stem from the puck grenading off his stick at the worst time possible or just straight up giving it away way way way too often. But d-zone or on the rush he can defend quite well and is really physical for his size. He’s been much better the 2nd half of the season and not coincidentally he also seems to have the puck a lot less.

Still such a weird name to drop talking about Faber

tswoboda wrote:

LOL did not see the Dumba comp coming almost spit my water out. To be fair Dumba is a pretty good defender when the puck’s not on his stick. His issues stem from the puck grenading off his stick at the worst time possible or just straight up giving it away way way way too often. But d-zone or on the rush he can defend quite well and is really physical for his size. He’s been much better the 2nd half of the season and not coincidentally he also seems to have the puck a lot less.

Still such a weird name to drop talking about Faber

My only real issue with Dumba is he can only skate in a straight line. Any time he has to change direction or cross over it’s over. And the grenades you mentioned.

But yeah, strange comparison.

Ha yeah I guess I left out randomly tripping over his own feet

WTF Fleury

Not looking good for Fleury tonight. Flopping all over the place. Rough bounce on that second one to keep it right at the net front.