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

After watching todays press interview with Kirill and Zuccy there’s no doubt GMBG will need to extend Zuccy in a few years, those two are connected at the hip…

Ripjiggen wrote:

Dumba having the yotes on his ten team list is about as likely as the Wild getting the number one pick next year.

I’m pretty sure Dumba owns a house in AZ and spends a good portion of the off-season there. But realistically yeah he still probably has the Yotes on his NTC.

JoeMX1825 wrote:

After watching todays press interview with Kirill and Zuccy there’s no doubt GMBG will need to extend Zuccy in a few years, those two are connected at the hip…

Kaprizov: Hey guys I’m here to do my first English speaking interview
Reporters: Why does Russia hate you?
Zuccy: Just hockey questions today
Reporters: Were you scared and nervous?
Reporters: Did you think you were going to make it out alive?
Kaprizov translator: Please just keep questions to hockey
Reporters: How did it feel to abandon your family in the country that hates you?

That first part of the interview was tough to watch.

tswoboda wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>JoeMX1825 wrote:</div>
After watching todays press interview with Kirill and Zuccy there’s no doubt GMBG will need to extend Zuccy in a few years, those two are connected at the hip…

Kaprizov: Hey guys I’m here to do my first English speaking interview
Reporters: Why does Russia hate you?
Zuccy: Just hockey questions today
Reporters: Were you scared and nervous?
Reporters: Did you think you were going to make it out alive?
Kaprizov translator: Please just keep questions to hockey
Reporters: How did it feel to abandon your family in the country that hates you?

That first part of the interview was tough to watch.

Totally! and i’m sure the Wild PR guy told them beforehand just to stick with hockey questions… but the Reporters need to ask the questions all fans want answers too, which is why each of them (Russo,Macgloughlin,Pierce) asked consecutively to get on the record asking it…put Kirill in a tough spot, especially for somebody not comfortable already…not a good look by Russo especially….

Ripjiggen wrote:

Dumba having the yotes on his ten team list is about as likely as the Wild getting the number one pick next year.

the next few seasons playing in a college arena on a complete rebuild will be tough, but once they get a new Arena it could be a pretty sweet gig…Arizona is loading up with top prospects and is obviously tanking for Bedard this year, they could be something in 3-4 years (they also have 11 total 1st & 2nd round picks the next 3 drafts, that’s alot of dart throw attempts to hit a bullseye)…They could be looking for an experianced but not too old veteran to help build a good locker room and help guide the young guys. They’ll definately have the capspace to give him the biggest offer in the league, if money is a big factor to him…

There’s NEVER going to be a good time to trade Dumba this season, but if there’s no intention of re-signing him, it needs to be done to get something back in return…

Chychrun’s deal ends the same time as Middleton & Merril, so their salaries could go towards helping extend him if desired, hopefully 1 or 2 of the young D prospects (O’Rourke/Hunt/Lambos/Peart) are ready to step in with their low caphits….

JoeMX1825 wrote:

but if there’s no intention of re-signing him, it needs to be done to get something back in return…

Completely disagree. “Losing players for nothing” is so over-blown when their value is a mid-round pick. Like it’s somehow more important to get a 3rd round pick than to have Dumba on the team for the playoffs?!?! Seriously wtf kinda logic is that.

tswoboda wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>JoeMX1825 wrote:</div>
but if there’s no intention of re-signing him, it needs to be done to get something back in return…

Completely disagree. “Losing players for nothing” is so over-blown when their value is a mid-round pick. Like it’s somehow more important to get a 3rd round pick than to have Dumba on the team for the playoffs?!?! Seriously wtf kinda logic is that.

obviously it’s a pros/cons decison Management will need to make, if Dumba’s percieved value is only a mid round pick, maybe Wild brass thinks he isn’t that valueable on our team anymore? (its no secret GMBG has inquired about trading him) Maybe the team feels Faber playing in March/April is going to be a much better option…There’s no denying Dumba is a great locker room guy (hence the A) but maybe deep down management feels he’s too much a liability on the ice now…

we’ll see

LOL too much of a liability? He’s a top 4 D that plays 25 minutes a night on the team that finished #2 in the West last year. Completely disregard that he wears an A and is a team leader, he’s still an important player to the team and a good player. He’s just a whipping boy for the fans – just like Fiala was first half of last season Fans get this dumb group think thing going on where they all just love to dump on the same players over and over.

Victor Rask (on a PTO) centered Liane and Gaudreau in the Blue Jackets first practice yesterday…I fully expect him to blow up now

tswoboda wrote:

Reporters: Why does Russia hate you?
Zuccy: Just hockey questions today
Reporters: Were you scared and nervous?
Reporters: Did you think you were going to make it out alive?
Kaprizov translator: Please just keep questions to hockey
Reporters: How did it feel to abandon your family in the country that hates you?

That first part of the interview was tough to watch.

That was lame how each reporter kept probing about his whole situation when Zucc said right away to stick to hockey questions.

tswoboda wrote:

Fans get this dumb group think thing going on where they all just love to dump on the same players over and over.

Im over the whole trade Dumba thing. Now that the season is about to start it would make very little sense to do it now. Had they done it in the off-season great, but now that would send shockwaves through the lockerroom.

tswoboda wrote:

LOL too much of a liability? He’s a top 4 D that plays 25 minutes a night on the team that finished #2 in the West last year. Completely disregard that he wears an A and is a team leader, he’s still an important player to the team and a good player. He’s just a whipping boy for the fans – just like Fiala was first half of last season Fans get this dumb group think thing going on where they all just love to dump on the same players over and over.

He’s an injury liability and typically makes 2-3 bonehead mistakes a game, if he’s still viewed as the type of player you described wouldn’t that equate to the team already extending him? or another team in the league wanting to trade for him, especially as a right shot? No disagreement in terms of his leadership ability and being a team guy, but looking at the roster last year, who could be playing ahead of him in the top 4? Goligoski who fell off a cliff the last half of the season? Merril who’s a career 6th/7th defenseman? Kulikov who we scrambled to get in FA after our initial plans failed..Addison who the team obviously felt wasn’t ready? Mermis?

I’m merely pointing out he’s not the player the Wild hoped he could be when they extended him 4 years ago, all signs point to them moving on after this season, so if they view him as being expendable, how much do they truly value him on the ice then? He was a perfect selection for the complete lockerroom overhaul goal GMBG obviously had last season, maybe the brass feels that goal has been reached and they are ready to move on…Ek, Brodin, Hartman, Zuccarello could all easily step into an “A” role if Dumba leaves…

CaptainMusky wrote:

but now that would send shockwaves through the lockerroom.

it’s a business, Players know that…he’s an often injured, on the last year of his deal for a team with cap issues the next 3 season and several young defenseman likely needing playing time soon…not re-siging Fiala should have taught them anybody is expendable right now with the cap hell they are in…

I mean, Gretzky was traded twice…trades should surprise nobody anymore..

Ive been as vocal of a critic of Dumba as anyone here for years. I wanted him gone long ago, but it hasnt happened. I just dont think it makes any sense to do it now that camp has started.

CaptainMusky wrote:

Im over the whole trade Dumba thing. Now that the season is about to start it would make very little sense to do it now. Had they done it in the off-season great, but now that would send shockwaves through the lockerroom.

Trading Dumba isn’t going to happen.

Gurin is a character first guy. Look at how fast whiny players like Talbot and Fiala got their buttskies shipped outta here once Gurin identified them as whiners and not having the character he’s looking for.

Gurin would make a terrible poker player. His emotions and how he feels about a player are completely and totally out in the open. He GUSHES when he talks about Dumba. Compare that with how he always talked about Fiala, talk about damning with faint praise.

I’m not saying that would cause him to pass on a really, really great deal for Dumba, but that offer hasn’t been made. Dumba’s staying because he’s a solid D guy with a huge locker room presence and that’s what Gurin wants.

I’m looking forward to the season start, I’ll be there at the opener with a lot of anticipation.

To me it comes down to what happens with these young players and how well the goaltending stands up. I don’t look for game-changer trades.

CaptainMusky wrote:

Ive been as vocal of a critic of Dumba as anyone here for years. I wanted him gone long ago, but it hasnt happened. I just dont think it makes any sense to do it now that camp has started.

I don’t disagree with the timing, the fact it hasn’t been figured out by now points to nobody really seeing his value anymore… All signs now point to the plan being to sign Faber end of the Gophers season, so they just wait to see the Wild’s playoff status before making a deadline decision? It’s a gamble, I don’t like losing assets for nothing, we can argue that back & forth and it ultimately comes down to value (lost or gained) and that can sometimes take years to see how it played out..

This whole discussion started with Dumba being mentioned as a possible throw in for a Chychrun trade as he’s a similar caphit (to make the money work) on an expiring contract (this takes Chychrun’s $13 million off the Coyotes books the next two years) and a veteran character/lockeroom guy potentially going to a very young team that may want to extend him (they have the leagues most capspace) or trade him at the deadline for additional future assets towards their rebuild.

JoeMX1825 wrote:

or trade him at the deadline for additional future assets towards their rebuild.

Yeah that’s the part I thought was nuts. Unless you’re expecting them to not make playoffs, it makes zero sense to trade Dumba at the deadline.

Now including him in a trade for an upgrade I can see, I just don’t think Chychrun is much a of an upgrade, contract aside. He had a lot of points in the shortened covid season when his on ice shooting percentage went to the moon but the rest of his career has been very MEH. He’s the D version of Christian Dvorak – top player for a bad team so everyone just assumes they’ll be way better on a good team. If they can get him for cheap then sure, but including a 1st or one of the legit prospects is a hard pass from me. His trade value is falling big time – AZ missed their opportunity to trade him last summer when his value was sky high.

Why would they need to extend Dumba now? He obviously wants to be in MN and if they can sign him on a 2-3 year deal for lower cap hit they might after the season. They would not extend him for less now. Not great optics. If he gets lured away as a free agent for more money than the wild could offer or want to offer then so be it. I doubt they trade him at the deadline unless they are out of the race. They would have done it already if they had something. Makes little sense to try and get a third for a guy that you don’t have someone to replace him with the rest of the season if they are in a playoff spot.
Using him as part of a deal for Chy is one thing I just don’t think the Wild are looking as that as an option as much as they are looking for a forward.

Looks like Vegas got a little relief with Nolan Patrick going to IR but sure looks like they need to still clear quite a bit.

tswoboda wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>JoeMX1825 wrote:</div>
or trade him at the deadline for additional future assets towards their rebuild.

Yeah that’s the part I thought was nuts. Unless you’re expecting them to not make playoffs, it makes zero sense to trade Dumba at the deadline.

Now including him in a trade for an upgrade I can see, I just don’t think Chychrun is much a of an upgrade, contract aside. He had a lot of points in the shortened covid season when his on ice shooting percentage went to the moon but the rest of his career has been very MEH. He’s the D version of Christian Dvorak – top player for a bad team so everyone just assumes they’ll be way better on a good team. If they can get him for cheap then sure, but including a 1st or one of the legit prospects is a hard pass from me. His trade value is falling big time – AZ missed their opportunity to trade him last summer when his value was sky high.

I meant this as an option for Arizona, they could either choose to keep Dumba for reason mentioned or simply sell him off at the deadline for whatever they can get, that franchise has likely decided to spend as little money as possible over the next few years to stay afloat until their move/new arean is figured out, that’s why swapping Chychrun for Dumba (+ other assets) could make sense, it’s basically a Chychrun salary dump… again Chychrun could be a good option for the Wild to help stay competitive the next 3 years due to his bargain aav (if he can play like a $6-$7 million dollar player) its essentially giving your team an extra few million to apply elsewhere…

of course his recent injury and playing for god awful teams need to be part of the equation to figure out his value and what you would be willing to give up to get him…

Rossi definitely gained some confidence in todays game…

Yet another new way to watch the Wild this year
Looks like Bally+ is available standalone now for $20/month – a lot of people were asking for this since they were removed from streaming packages, but the price is steep as expected. This gets you all the BSN broadcasted Wild and Wolves games but no national broadcast games so you wouldn’t get games on TNT or ESPN. It’s a lot more expensive than the ESPN+ with VPN option but simpler than having to use a VPN.

Ive read the NBA and NHL and perhaps MLB are considering purchasing Bally outright or something to that effect to ensure their games are broadcast more widely due to this dispute.

Can we all take a minute to appreciate that Calen Addison scored a POWERPLAY goal on a slapshot from the QB spot 👏

Said it about Addison last year around this time, but I’ll say it again. Having a QB that is a threat to shoot or at least acts like a threat to shoot opens everything up for everyone else.

tswoboda wrote:

Yet another new way to watch the Wild this year
Looks like Bally+ is available standalone now for $20/month – a lot of people were asking for this since they were removed from streaming packages, but the price is steep as expected. This gets you all the BSN broadcasted Wild and Wolves games but no national broadcast games so you wouldn’t get games on TNT or ESPN. It’s a lot more expensive than the ESPN+ with VPN option but simpler than having to use a VPN.

One thing to watch for is if the updated Ballys Mobile App allows the ability to project the phone screen onto a TV screen via the HDMI cable or Airplay…The current app does NOT in my experiance from an IOS/Apple device… so you are limited to watching the game only on the small iphone/ipad/possibly Mac screens…

if this has changed or if there’s a different way to watch on a large TV let me know (I’ve been looking for a way to watch BSN from my cabin that does NOT have an Internet connection, so i’m streaming from my phone and trying to project it to a cabin TV set)

tswoboda wrote:

Having a QB that is a threat to shoot or at least acts like a threat to shoot opens everything up for everyone else.

WHAT??? You didn’t appreciate the Ryan Suter stick handle back & forth snapshot that allowed the defenders to get into the shooting lanes strategy all those years?

JoeMX1825 wrote:

WHAT??? You didn’t appreciate the Ryan Suter stick handle back & forth snapshot that allowed the defenders to get into the shooting lanes strategy all those years?

You forgot the part about wristing it right into their shin pads.

Spurgeon was no better, and I love Spurgeon. But the entire building knew he was just sliding the puck left or right every time he touched it. He was really good as a PP2 qb but his time on PP1 has not been good. Addy has the skills to be a Tyson Barrie or Torey Krug type of weapon on the powerplay.

After scoring 3 points in his first 4 games this season, it looks like Danila Yurov’s KHL team is doing what was done to Marat last year, basically give him very limited ice time UNLESS he signs a KHL contract extension… It will be interesting to see what he does, play out a joke of a season in the KHL and call their bluff and come to the US next season and play for Iowa or sign a KHL extension and we don’t see him for 3 years….

JoeMX1825 wrote:

After scoring 3 points in his first 4 games this season, it looks like Danila Yurov’s KHL team is doing what was done to Marat last year, basically give him very limited ice time UNLESS he signs a KHL contract extension… It will be interesting to see what he does, play out a joke of a season in the KHL and call their bluff and come to the US next season and play for Iowa or sign a KHL extension and we don’t see him for 3 years….

Will be interesting to see what happens with him for sure. His situation now has be a bit different with all the uncertainty going on over in Russia and Ukraine. You have to wonder if those weighs in their decisions. Also, he was interviewed a while ago and spoke at length about how he was excited to eventually play with Kaprizov. He likely wouldnt get that chance next year, but getting in the system will certainly help him.

JoeMX1825 wrote:

He’s an injury liability and typically makes 2-3 bonehead mistakes a game

Nailed it.

I don’t mind Dumba on this team, especially with how we saw the D crumble at the end of last season. But for as much as fans love to dump on him, just as many are still acting like he’s a great defender and still scores 12-17 goals a season and commands respect at the point during the PP. He’s just not that guy. And he’s always hurt when you need him.

That being said, I don’t see him being moved. BG’s love for him is approaching Flower levels.