2022 MN WILD/NHL THREAD

Freddie Hockey torches Robertson for the win. What a cut.

Ripjiggen wrote:

Vegas is going to get in.
They are catching L.A.
Bank it.

Almost feels inevitable doesn’t it. Tonight puts them back into a playoff spot for the first time in a long time. I don’t expect them to give it back.

I reverse jinxed JRob with my fanboi comments. He’s still a stud, but I’ll save any further comments for if we somehow see them in playoffs.

If they got in was hoping for that last wild card spot. Vegas AVs would have been great but they already have 2 more wins than the kings.

Ripjiggen wrote:

And wild have one regulation loss in there last 15.

Isn’t that something? And they’re on a collision course to meet in round 1. Unbelievable.

Sets up another first round preview on Saturday which is a national telecast on ABC.

Five points in two games for Fiala. He’s got to be keeping BG awake at night wondering what he’s going to do with him or worse without him. Fluery is starting to look like a playoff beast. I wonder how Deano is going to handle this. Keep rotating or hand the team over to Fluery once the playoffs start? Tomorrows game is huge. It’s a must win for the Wild and it needs to be a statement game. I wonder if Deano will break trend and run Fluery again to see if he can get in the Blues heads.

The Hartman Venmo deal. What a moment in Wild history. Don’t under estimate what this means to a already tight team and the bonding with already tight fans. The timing could not be more perfect. Had this happened in October it would all ready be forgotten. This is the sort of story that can carry a team.

I don’t know how this team could be any more fun right now. Well maybe if they get past the first round that might be more fun!

What an assist by the Flower, and dirty dangles by Freddie to shelf it! Fun game to watch, although I was on the edge of my seat when the Bjugstad line got caught out for a long shift at the end of regulation.

I think Dean will continue the goalie rotation assuming they are both playing well. No reason not to. Talbot has been great as well. Fleury was huge last night in the second period. That head man pass to Freddie was unreal. I dont think Talbot gets that done to be honest.

Ice Cap wrote:

I don’t know how this team could be any more fun right now. Well maybe if they get past the first round that might be more fun!

That’s been my wish since the start of the season. If they could win the first series, I’d be happy and call the season a success. It would be something to build on for next year. But secretly, I wouldn’t be disappointed to see Spurgeon be the first to skate around the X with the Cup.

Guys!

Kevin just cannot get any love.

“Freddy Gaudreau protects (Fiala), not only on the PK,” Evason said. “I’m not going to tell Kevin this and hopefully he doesn’t watch (this), but you have to give guys like that a little bit of rein, and you hope that they’re with people that understand, which Freddy does. Kevin might anticipate — I almost said cheat, but I’m going to say anticipate — and try to go (offense) and Freddy won’t. He’ll allow Kevin to do that anticipating, and he’ll take care of the rest.

“When Kevin gets a little excited to go on offense, that’s when he starts cheating a little bit. I think he’s recognized that. Obviously, we’ve talked to him a lot, but more importantly, he’s understanding how and when to go and that he’s taking care of business and not just trying to score goals, because this time of year you can’t do that. You can’t do that or it ends up in our net, and he’s done a good job of recognizing that.”

Grant it Freddy is heating up some but for most of the year he’s been invisible. Fiala could get the game winner in game seven of the Cup finals but Evason would not allow himself to give him the credit. The line ” Kevin gets a little excited to go on offense and that’s when he starts to cheat a little bit” um, Matt Dumba anyone!?!

Yes Fiala is most likely gone at the end of the season and he SHOULD bring a lot in return. But when you don’t value a player it’s hard to get value in return.

Ice Cap wrote:

Yes Fiala is most likely gone at the end of the season and he SHOULD bring a lot in return. But when you don’t value a player it’s hard to get value in return.

Or if you have no leverage.

I have this playing on loop this morning…

“Fluery is starting to look like a playoff beast. I wonder how Deano is going to handle this. Keep rotating or hand the team over to Fluery once the playoffs start? Tomorrows game is huge. It’s a must win for the Wild and it needs to be a statement game. I wonder if Deano will break trend and run Fluery again to see if he can get in the Blues heads.”

It will be Talbot and definitely not a must win.
Get healthy stay healthy get to the playoffs should be the only concern right now.

I’m pretty sure they value Fiala.
Dean has been coaching him for years and knows what buttons to push to keep him on his game.
Can they afford to resign him nope. Just like the AVs probably can’t resign
Kadri, Calgary may not be able to sign Johnny hockey, Forsberg in Nashville, Klingberg in Dallas, Vancouver may or may not resign JT Miller. Long list of good to great players possibly not resigning with their teams.
That’s what happens in a salary cap league.

Yeah pretty obvious they handle Fiala differently than every other player. Been that way since he’s come to MN and they must feel that’s what it takes to keep him motivated. Russo has always insinuated he’s an arrogant guy so maybe the press conference hate on Fiala is the coach trying to keep his ego in check.

The way Evason gushes over Freddy Hockey is comical, just loves the guy. But if you think he’s been invisible most of the season then you haven’t been watching. Maybe invisible on the PP but not anywhere else. Freddy started slow and we all trashed him, but the last 40 games (since Boldy came up) he’s 5th on the team in 5v5 points all while being the safety valve for Fiala/Boldy. He’s also been their best penalty killer for awhile now. I give Freddy a pass on the slow start with a new team, it took Moose and Hartman over a full season to make any kind of impact when they arrived.

Ripjiggen wrote:

I’m pretty sure they value Fiala.
Dean has been coaching him for years and knows what buttons to push to keep him on his game.
Can they afford to resign him nope. Just like the AVs probably can’t resign
Kadri, Calgary may not be able to sign Johnny hockey, Forsberg in Nashville, Klingberg in Dallas, Vancouver may or may not resign JT Miller. Long list of good to great players possibly not resigning with their teams.
That’s what happens in a salary cap league.

Im thinking the same thing on the Dean/Fiala relationship. Dean is the one who lobbied for Gaudreau because he coached him in Milwaukee. So he knows the value he can bring and how he can cover for the warts in Fiala’s game. I see no shame in what Dean said because we all know its true. I think it gets a bit overblown how Dean talks about him but Fiala has been lights out so clearly if its affecting him its in a positive way.
Its too bad the Wild wont be able to capitalize on any of those FA signings.

^^^most good teams won’t be able to. Well unless they use the LTIR maneuver.

tswoboda wrote:

Yeah pretty obvious they handle Fiala differently than every other player. Been that way since he’s come to MN and they must feel that’s what it takes to keep him motivated. Russo has always insinuated he’s an arrogant guy so maybe the press conference hate on Fiala is the coach trying to keep his ego in check.

The way Evason gushes over Freddy Hockey is comical, just loves the guy. But if you think he’s been invisible most of the season then you haven’t been watching. Maybe invisible on the PP but not anywhere else. Freddy started slow and we all trashed him, but the last 40 games (since Boldy came up) he’s 5th on the team in 5v5 points all while being the safety valve for Fiala/Boldy. He’s also been their best penalty killer for awhile now. I give Freddy a pass on the slow start with a new team, it took Moose and Hartman over a full season to make any kind of impact when they arrived.

Agree on your Freddie take. Not the flashiest name/guy. I think a lot of people see the college center names that decided not to sign with the wild. Pitlick add. The Jost acquisition and Rossi sitting in the AHL and hate on Freddie for holding that spot down. There is a reason he is holding that spot down.
He has been very good for more than half the season. Can’t always just play offense in the NHL.

I think part of the hate is that Freddy isn’t a good forchecker so he isn’t as noticed in the O-zone. Fiala and Boldy are both really good at puck retrievals – getting in on the D and stripping pucks or winning 50/50 battles and that really sticks out on TV. That’s not Freddy’s game but where he is effective is defending the neutral zone not giving up odd man rushes and starting the breakout when they are in the D-zone. That stuff isn’t very flashy or noticeable.

Ripjiggen wrote:

^^^most good teams won’t be able to. Well unless they use the LTIR maneuver.

100%. Seems like Price is going to make a return tonight for the Habs. Seemed like his career may have been over (still might), but he’s at least returning tonight. I never got the fascination with him personally. I mean, yeah, he’s a good goalie I just didnt see him as the kind of guy that stole games like Fleury can. Did I miss something?

tswoboda wrote:

Yeah pretty obvious they handle Fiala differently than every other player.

Therein lies the rub at least for me and a lot of other people I talk to. Given what he contributes to this team and the way Evason keeps him at arms length and refuses to give him any praise is baffling at times. The only time I’ve heard any praise from Evason is when Fiala licked his boots apologizing for taking 3 penalties in a game. That does not sound like someone with with a over grown ego to be held in check sounds like a pretty humble guy to me. At any rate a change of scenery might just be what Fiala needs too much water under the bridge here. We can figure out how to replace his 70+ points later. If the Wild know they are not going to or can’t resign him they should be on the rooftops singing his praises loud enough for everyone to hear instead of praising his centerman for always covering his a$$. They should be marketing the crap out of him. That’s where the not recognizing the value comes in.

When do we need someone to cover the warts in Dumba’s game?

Ice Cap wrote:

When do we need someone to cover the warts in Dumba’s game?

3 Years ago.

His name is Jonas Brodin.

Ice Cap wrote:

tswoboda wrote:
Yeah pretty obvious they handle Fiala differently than every other player.

Therein lies the rub at least for me and a lot of other people I talk to.

Understanding that different humans respond to different forms of motivation is called leadership.

The only time I feel bad for Fiala is when the media kept poking and prodding after the contract stuff and cold stretch to start the season.

Price was ridiculous from about 2012 to 2017. He had a sub 2 GAA in one of those seasons which is pretty crazy. Also plays the toughest position in one of the toughest markets, but his days as a goalie are coming to an end.

He was also in the weird cup last year. 🥴

tswoboda wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Ice Cap wrote:</div>
tswoboda wrote:
Yeah pretty obvious they handle Fiala differently than every other player.

Therein lies the rub at least for me and a lot of other people I talk to.

Understanding that different humans respond to different forms of motivation is called leadership.

The only time I feel bad for Fiala is when the media kept poking and prodding after the contract stuff and cold stretch to start the season.

Couldn’t agree more…
I am willing to bet when they win the cup Dean gives him a hug.😂

CaptainMusky wrote:

100%. Seems like Price is going to make a return tonight for the Habs. Seemed like his career may have been over (still might), but he’s at least returning tonight. I never got the fascination with him personally. I mean, yeah, he’s a good goalie I just didnt see him as the kind of guy that stole games like Fleury can. Did I miss something?

Price won a Hart, and deserved to win that Hart. He had one more really good season after that and has been living off reputation ever since.

Couldn’t agree more…
I am willing to bet when they win the cup Dean gives him a hug.😂

Or cold cocks him with one of his victory punches!

I almost went back and edited to say the same thing. That’s how Deano shows his love…

Ice Cap wrote:

Couldn’t agree more…
I am willing to bet when they win the cup Dean gives him a hug.😂

Or cold cocks him with one of his victory punches!

Deano Affection in it’s most sincere form

tswoboda wrote:

Deano Affection in it’s most sincere form

I didnt see his reaction after the win, but I can only imagine it was awesome.