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

Ripjiggen wrote:

He may actually get sent down once greenway is back.

That’s exactly what Russo is saying on his live. I’d rather have him there playing and putting up numbers than wasting away on a 4th line.

I’d give Rossi a shot in Steel’s spot against the Canucks before sending him down, outside of 2 individual efforts for goals what has Boldy done on his regular shift? or Goudreau? That line has generated nothing offensively in 3 games… Steel hasnt shown the speed he did during preseason…

Goaltending wasnt the issue last night. 2 goals were some of the flukiest goals I have seen and 1 was an empty net.

CaptainMusky wrote:

Goaltending wasnt the issue last night. 2 goals were some of the flukiest goals I have seen and 1 was an empty net.

yeah, 2 questionable high stick deflections, 1 dump in goofy bouncer, Girard’s deflected squeeker, Manson’s somehow elite pivot away from the boards and Kaprizov of all players and deflection off Gologoski’s leg and the empty netter… I’d bet the house that combo never happens again, but when it rains, it pours….

Several positives last night though… I think we’ll see the team we thought we had finally show up this Thursday….

JoeMX1825 wrote:

Several positives last night though… I think we’ll see the team we thought we had finally show up this Thursday….

I agree. The PP looks very good. The way Russo is lighting up the goaltending after last night’s game I think is a little ridiculous. I mean, it hasnt been good, but last night it wasnt terrible.

CaptainMusky wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>JoeMX1825 wrote:</div>
Several positives last night though… I think we’ll see the team we thought we had finally show up this Thursday….

I agree. The PP looks very good. The way Russo is lighting up the goaltending after last night’s game I think is a little ridiculous. I mean, it hasnt been good, but last night it wasnt terrible.

I think what’s compounded the goalie situation the first 3 games is the timing of giving up the goals… Wild rally to get the game tied or within 1 and next shift the goalie lets in a questionable goal..they’ve pretty much all been Wild momentum killers…

BINGO! The Wild gain ground then immediately turn it over. What is REALLY frustrating me is Hartman. Man, that guy is off the rails. I saw him slew foot a guy, not called, then the bench minor and several other things he did throughout the game. That’s not how you earn your lineup spot back.

With all of the negatives being so obvious, how about Wild the positives sofar this season:

1) Powerplay is much much improved
2) Kaprizov is off to a hot start offensively…
3) Faceoffs are better (especially the important situational draws)
4) Boldy continues to elevate his game to an elite level (he needs more talented linemates though)
5) Offense in general isn’t a problem, we’re scoring enough goals to win…

CaptainMusky wrote:

BINGO! The Wild gain ground then immediately turn it over. What is REALLY frustrating me is Hartman. Man, that guy is off the rails. I saw him slew foot a guy, not called, then the bench minor and several other things he did throughout the game. That’s not how you earn your lineup spot back.

That’s the greasy/dirty/sandpaper player he’s always been though (before last season)

He looks like a player who’s cutting corners/cheating the game because he can’t hang with the pace of play…not sure if there’s an injury, his head got too big, he’s out of shape or what, but he’s noticebly slower and not sharp with the puck. I think Jost on the 1st line is a sign of things to come…

He could use a game in the press box to clear his head…reset…

Yeah, he’s a gritty player, but it seems to be a bit more this year. I dont like it. He will end up getting suspending. I have to believe the NHL Player Safety will be looking at that slewfoot that went uncalled. Still ticked about that Ek penalty. Makar obviously tripped him right before his high stick and the high stick was really caused by getting tripped. Right in front of the ref no less.

From Russo:

“ You can juggle lines all you want, make BS moves like scratching Marco Rossi after 21 shifts, scramble your D pairs.

Doesn’t matter if you keep giving up the softest goals imaginable”

Never seen him go after the team like this.

I can’t say I disagree though. I agree though most of the goals last night were flukey as hell.

CaptainMusky wrote:

Still ticked about that Ek penalty. Makar obviously tripped him right before his high stick and the high stick was really caused by getting tripped. Right in front of the ref no less.

Refs never see the initial infraction that starts it, they always get the 2nd guy, players know that, Ek can’t do that with 5 minutes left in the 3rd, 45 seconds later the Avs go up by 2…it’s just mental mistakes compounding when you’re not catching the breaks.. self sabotage… don’t get me started on the Too many men penalty on a delayed penalty… mental mistakes…

mahtofire14 wrote:

From Russo:

“ You can juggle lines all you want, make BS moves like scratching Marco Rossi after 21 shifts, scramble your D pairs.

Doesn’t matter if you keep giving up the softest goals imaginable”

Never seen him go after the team like this.

I can’t say I disagree though. I agree though most of the goals last night were flukey as hell.

I keep telling ya’ll, Russo is on the way out for bigger things after this season….

The Rossi move doesn’t bother me at all…he’s a 4th line rookie right now and the team isn’t struggling to score goals, they can’t keep them out, defense isn’t Rossi’s strength…who else should they have sat to get Shaw in? (I thought Shaw brought exactly what was needed on the 4th line, energy and a forecheck)

I think Steel’s game warrants him sitting out against the Canucks and Rossi should take his place to see if he can generate offense with Boldy at even strength…Boldy – Steel – Goudreau hasn’t done anything at even strength sofar…

I dont like Rossi on the 4th line at all. Last night the 4th line looked better. I think they are better with a more energy type player there. Rossi isnt that type of guy and it doesnt help his development at all.

CaptainMusky wrote:

I dont like Rossi on the 4th line at all. Last night the 4th line looked better. I think they are better with a more energy type player there. Rossi isnt that type of guy and it doesnt help his development at all.

Absolutely, so then it’s either Jost or Steel sitting…Jost isn’t going anywhere, so Steel is the only spot for Rossi to replace…

Steel hasn’t done anything to drive offense on that line, BUT that line hasn’t given up goals either (I think they are the only forwards with positive +/-)

Taken on its own last night’s game is not a good data point to make decisions on. Flukey goals and an empty netter, etc. All this coming on the heels of a preseason where I’m betting the wild thought they were pretty good and it’s like jumping into ice water.

Probably more what’s affecting the play is the wild have given up 20 goals in three games so now the pressure is on to change absolutely everything and all at once. Better defense, better offense, better PK, better goaltending, make fewer mistakes, find the line combos, gel the lines faster, etc, etc.

Looking ahead at the schedule the rough ride may not be over. Hopefully getting a win and doing it soon will restore some confidence.

JoeMX1825 wrote:

I keep telling ya’ll, Russo is on the way out for bigger things after this season….

I think he is too. I heard him mention that he is going to the owners meeting. I think he is going to cover the NHL as a whole for the athletic soon.

Joe you sound real confident for a W in Thursday’s game, but there is going to be desperation in the Canucks game as well to get there first win.
This team is on a very slippery slope in my opinion. Confidence is a a big thing and so is the locker room. They might be saying the right things in pressers but once that finger gets pointed and the blame game starts they could fold like a cheap suite.
Flukey goals last night yes but they still gave up 5 plus empty. If they lose to Vancouver it could get ugly.
Especially if it is in similar fashion.

Ripjiggen wrote:

Joe you sound real confident for a W in Thursday’s game, but there is going to be desperation in the Canucks game as well to get there first win.
This team is on a very slippery slope in my opinion. Confidence is a a big thing and so is the locker room. They might be saying the right things in pressers but once that finger gets pointed and the blame game starts they could fold like a cheap suite.
Flukey goals last night yes but they still gave up 5 plus empty. If they lose to Vancouver it could get ugly.
Especially if it is in similar fashion.

I just think Flower will bounce back, take the flukey goals away and the Wild likely beat the champs last night and we wouldn’t be talking about the sky falling…you could sense the team exuding a “Are you f’ing Serious” vibe on those goals against last night…

I think they figured some things out last night, now if they fall flat yet again, then yes that likely points to a bigger underlying problem GMBG will need to figure out asap or the season can slip away quickly….79 games to go, but you can’t get any more desparate than they are right now though, especially for their psyche…

we say it jokingly, but if there’s ever been a season where things just don’t go right and you have a huge setback, this is the season (and draft class) to do it…

There were some good things last night for sure. I thought the overall D zone coverage and the play of the 4th line was pretty dang good. Addison had himself a night and Boldy and KK just doing their thing are all great things to see. I think Middleton is the only D man with a positive +/-. Actually he and Boldy are the only two players on the roster. Sheesh, never saw that coming.

Addison almost singlehandedly saved our power play. Unlike Spurgeon last year, he’s an offensive threat as the power play QB. He’s got a laser of a shot that he has no issue using, which keeps the goalie guessing.

Boldy is nuts.

I honestly want to see Rossi between Kaprizov and Zuccarello for a game, just to see what would happen, especially against a Canucks team struggling just as bad as we are.

Jost did play pretty well on the first line. Loved seeing him hustle after pucks

CaptainMusky wrote:

Actually he and Boldy are the only two players on the roster. Sheesh, never saw that coming.

That’s why I think they might not change the Boldy – Steel – Goudreau line, even though they haven’t scored much or generated much offense outside of Boldy’s solo heroics, they haven’t given up much either…

brandmoney wrote:

I honestly want to see Rossi between Kaprizov and Zuccarello for a game, just to see what would happen, especially against a Canucks team struggling just as bad as we are.

I’m starting to realize putting a good puck destributing center between Kaprizov and Zuccy might be a waste. The Bromance is real and alot of time they’ll forget there’s another Wild forward out there as they pass back & forth with each other. I think Jost is a good plug-in player for them as he has the speed and thinking to zig when they zag…I think Rossi could really shine with Boldy, they lit up the AHL the limited time they played together, not sure what Deano’s hesitance sofar has been…

Ive watched the replay of the one Kaprizov goal about 100 times and I am convinced he aimed directly for Toews skate.

CaptainMusky wrote:

Ive watched the replay of the one Kaprizov goal about 100 times and I am convinced he aimed directly for Toews skate.

There’s no doubt! A guy like KK doesn’t miss the net like that!

How about scoring first or playing with a lead instead of always chasing the game? Other than the glaring problems defensively, they have yet to have a lead.

They have given up 20 goals in 3 games. Kind of hard to score first when avg 6plus GAA. That is just a small issues inside of the bigger issue.
Cool article in Athletic about some great goalies changing teams and getting shelled and turning it around to HOF or win a cup.

NEW YORK — The NHL salary cap could jump by over $4 million next season if the league meets its revenue projections.

“We believe that there’s a good probability that the escrow will be paid off this season. Which means the flat cap would be replaced by a bigger increase,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said after the league’s board of governors meeting Tuesday in Manhattan.

Ripjiggen wrote:

NEW YORK — The NHL salary cap could jump by over $4 million next season if the league meets its revenue projections.

“We believe that there’s a good probability that the escrow will be paid off this season. Which means the flat cap would be replaced by a bigger increase,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said after the league’s board of governors meeting Tuesday in Manhattan.

Would make Boldy’s eventual 8 year extension doable now…

I’d love to get an honest answer from GMBG if they were planning (hoping) this would be the case with the salary cap when they decided to go all in on the buyouts?