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

CaptainMusky wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>JoeMX1825 wrote:</div>
ESPN+ is AWESOME for hockey fans! I just hope they maintain the number of games they show… These streaming packages typically start out great but then start removing content over time. Sucks they pulled KHL coverage but I get it with the current RUS situation….

Speaking of ESPN+, remember Leah Hextall? There was a lengthy piece in the Athletic about what she went through with fans just berating her. Pretty sad. She wasnt good, but no one deserves that. Its not her fault she was hired for that job.

it was nice to see MOST of the comments regarding that story said just that, she WAS NOT GOOD ENOUGH to do play by play, but she didn’t deserve the personal/female attacks, being female has nothing to do with her work performance, she just isn’t good. AJ Mleczko does a great job, I hope she eventaully moves into a play by play role vs just the “in the box” commentator…

JoeMX1825 wrote:

AJ Mleczko does a great job, I hope she eventaully moves into a play by play role vs just the “in the box” commentator…

I agree she is very good.

Leah Hextall is objectively terrible at play by play but to get death threats because of that makes you wonder what kind of hell hole those scumbags crawl out of. The crazy thing is where it all came to a head was when she asked Simmons if he’s soft…I actually thought that whole segment was kinda funny and she did fine in between the benches. I think she got the job because of her family name as much as anything.

Agreed on Maletzko, but who does she even work for? Seen her on HNIC and TNT – did she do ESPN stuff too?

tswoboda wrote:

Agreed on Maletzko, but who does she even work for? Seen her on HNIC and TNT – did she do ESPN stuff too?

I think she’s on the TNT crew now because I remember hearing her on games with Derrin Pang, but wikipedia says she works for ESPN…these guys/gals also freelance between Local/National broudcasts alot so maybe that’s why she’s everywhere?…

Here’s the schedule for the Wild vs Hawks Prospect Showcase (The 2 games will be live streamed on blackhawks.com)

9/14 – Practices
9/15 – Practices
9/16 – Game 7pm
9/17 – Practices
9/18 – Game 1pm

Here’s the Wild roster going – https://www.iowawild.com/news/detail/minnesota-wild-announces-roster-for-2022-tom-kurvers-prospect-showcase

No Addison, guess he graduated from the prospect group..

Really good interview story today on the Athletic with Russo and Evason, Russo got him to give alot of honest answers.

My favs:

1) Powerplay will be more personnel focused (no more just throwing out a line) and Addison gets first shot to quarterback it!

2) Penalty kill will be completely revamped with constant pressure on the puck as the foundation.

3) Foligno -Ek – Jost will start off as 2nd line and Boldy – Rossi -Gaudreau as 3rd

4) no more mr nice guy from Deano this year, going to hold players more accountable (yikes)

5) other than Kirill, everyone (players and Coaches) failed in the playoffs, no more sugarcoating it…

6) all signs point to GMBG poaching a good player in camp from a team with cap issues…

JoeMX1825 wrote:

6) all signs point to GMBG poaching a good player in camp from a team with cap issues…

I wonder who they would likely target? I was looking over the cap space of some teams, but it will be tough as many of them have players that will be on LTIR. Penguins, Bruins, Vegas, Panthers, Canadiens, Tampa Bay and Toronto all have issues. Notably Canadiens, Tampa and Vegas have guys who will be on LTIR for sure.

CaptainMusky wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>JoeMX1825 wrote:</div>
6) all signs point to GMBG poaching a good player in camp from a team with cap issues…

I wonder who they would likely target? I was looking over the cap space of some teams, but it will be tough as many of them have players that will be on LTIR.

Yeah, who knows, could also be from a team that is cap complaint, but wants to make a move with somebody else and the Wild gets involved to make the money work? I don’t see how they could make a deal for a defenseman (although I’d love to get Hague from Vegas) with the contracts we already have and Brock likely ready to play next year…so that points to either an upgrade at Wing for Gaudreau or Hartman at center (would need to be somebody on the last year of their deal as money is super tight next year) I really see the Wild sticking with Rossi & Boldy together all season, they ABSOLUTELY NEED Rossi to work out to help get through the next 3 seasons, so he’ll learn on the fly in the NHL, growing pains and all…

I think they’re also keeping a close on on backup goalie Gustavvson, they need to be ready to quickly pull the trigger on a trade if he can’t do the job, backup goalie is key this year as he’ll likely need to play 25-30 games…. Zero chance they’ll mess with Wallstedt this year, he’ll be in Iowa no matter what…maybe a game or two at the end of the year to get a taste of NHL life…

Unless they are moving someone don’t see where this mystery player is going to fit. Lineup to me seems pretty set unless Rossi doesn’t start with the big club.

Ripjiggen wrote:

Unless they are moving someone don’t see where this mystery player is going to fit. Lineup to me seems pretty set unless Rossi doesn’t start with the big club.

It would be hard to do anything without someone going the other way, but a team with cap trouble likely doesnt want money coming back I wouldnt think.

Ripjiggen wrote:

Unless they are moving someone don’t see where this mystery player is going to fit. Lineup to me seems pretty set unless Rossi doesn’t start with the big club.

I could see Jost being moved and the player they get back is an “upgrade” over him…Just looking at the roster and projecting, does Jost get a likely raise over his $2aav after this season? My guess is that Deano will prefer Gaudreau to get resigned after this season over Jost…I guess alot depends on what Boldy’s 2 year bridge deal looks like…

TS mentioned Boesser’s name and with Horvat needing an extension next year and Petterson & Podkolzin in 2 years, Vancouver needs to free up future cap space… now the money involved would take some roster shifting by the Wild the next 2 years, but having a RH shooter would be incredible on the Rossi/Boldy line and the Powerplay….

Sounds like Nathan MacKinnon’s extension with the Avs is getting close to being completed and will make him one of the highest paid players in the NHL… I knew he wouldn’t take a haircut deal AFTER winning the cup, dude wants to get paid and who can blame him…Selfishly for the Wild, hopefully this will make it tough for the Avs to maintain their cup run…

My guess is he comes in at $11aav, if I was GM Sakic signing him long term would scare the crap out of me (of course you still do it) but the speed he plays at it opens himself up for knee on knee hits…

Regarding Mackinnon, it sounds like it isnt as big as some would have thought but that it is not “single digits”.

Ooof…Wild prospects look terrible tonight… nobody looks good… its a shooting gallery in Wallstedt, Rossi better shake the rust off before camp or its another year in Iowa…

Dont let the score fool ya, Wild prospects were really sloppy all night, Wallstedt was dominating (outside of the 1st shot of the game)

I was just about to post didnt they win 5-2.
Not surprising a 1st prospects game would be sloppy.
Does Wallstedt ever give up more than 2 goals? I am sure it happens but I haven’t heard of too many games he has given up 4 or 5.

Ripjiggen wrote:

Does Wallstedt ever give up more than 2 goals? I am sure it happens but I haven’t heard of too many games he has given up 4 or 5.

It doesn’t happen often but I think he did a couple times last year.

Other than the 1st shot, no angle snipe he gave up in the game’s first 30 seconds, he was pretty damn good! as advertised…

Maybe its just me… but our Wild prospects look terrible again in todays game… already losing 3-0 in the 1st period we can’t make a simple 10’ pass, just super sloppy… there’s also an agitator type player for the Hawks that is taking liberties every shift, Hentges “faught” him but it was just a grapple & cover up… we have no muscle or attitude….

Thankfully the real hockey starts Thursday because this is just pathetic…

It’s prospect hockey..so fights are not surprising. But yes people slot these guys into certain spots on the big club, which I think is ridiculous.

Ripjiggen wrote:

It’s prospect hockey..so fights are not surprising. But yes people slot these guys into certain spots on the big club, which I think is ridiculous.

Yeah you are always going to have a guy that is trying to do whatever it takes to make the roster because he doesnt have enough talent alone.

MacKinnon $12.6 AAV x 8 years, highest paid player in the league! I told ya’ll he wouldn’t take a haircut…

Damn $12.6 AAV! Will his body hold up for 8 years?

mark this down, Connor McDavid will sign a UFA contract with the New York Rangers in 2026/2027 for $15+ million aav, the year after Panarin’s deal ends…

Kirill’s deal is up at the same time, so at least the Rangers will be off the table…but if he maintains his production, $12.6aav will be the absolute floor he asks for…. but you pay your superstars…

That’s a bigger deal than I thought he would do, but he is worth it.

KP wrote:

Will his body hold up for 8 years?

With his style of play, I don’t think so….

Absolutely worth it when he’s healthy, deserves his payday too. He’s one of the couple true game breaking players in the league, wouldn’t have won the SCF without him

it will be interesting to see if the Avs can duplicate what the Lightning have done in terms of yearly refreshing of cheap veteran contracts that produce…it’s what they must rely on the next 3-5 years as their core ages and deals with more injuries and they have ZERO prospects in the pipeline they can call up as cheap replacements…Lightning got 2 cups out of it (albeit in covid shortened seasons) but thier stars are getting hurt alot more often now after years of playoff runs,what can the Avs do? To give the Lightning more credit, they managed all of this during a flat cap….Avs will get the benefit of a projected big jump in a few years…

KP wrote:

Damn $12.6 AAV! Will his body hold up for 8 years?

Yeah. Whatever happened to the good old days of cap recapture?

TheFamousGrouse wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>KP wrote:</div>
Damn $12.6 AAV! Will his body hold up for 8 years?

Yeah. Whatever happened to the good old days of cap recapture?

You bring up a good point…there have been several questionable injury/retirement or straight up firing salary cap situations the last few years (Shae Weber/Carey Price/Evander Kane) and the only recapture penalty i’ve seen was a retroactive miniscule one time $2.5 fine the Sharks got for straight up forfieting the remaining 3 years of Evander Kane’s contract (I suspect the NHL just wanted that Kane story to go away asap so they just said “F it”)
I know the strained relationship excuse was a contributing factor used for the Parise & Suter buyouts in terms of them unlikely to play ball and “retire” early, but how could those relationships be any worse than the one between Kane and the Sharks?

It definately deserves a better explanation than what we’ve been given…