2023/2024 NHL/WILD Offseason-Season-Postseason Thread

Prospects that are not proven at the NHL level yet. Time will tell on them. Had Faber been a Wild pick, I would say he has been a surprise 2nd round pick to be playing top pairing right away. Some of their picks have been fine. Rossi was a rated near the top as a prospect and they brought him up too fast and he wasn’t ready. I think he will be a good player and has played better than most on the team this year. Kaprizov no doubt has a lot of talent, but what is up with him this year? He always starts slow, but 20 games in and he is mostly vacant. You can’t have your best player not playing like your best player. When he is on he can many times control the play. He has been very strong on the puck and wins battle after battle. Can you say that about him this year? He is a turnover machine and that is very troubling. I am mostly here to poke the wild fan bears in the room. I will watch game after game, as I always do. I am guessing it won’t be long before they start winning some games and either just miss or get a wild card birth. Bounced in the first round. Getting that coveted 12-16th pick and end up with another highly touted prospect.

CaptainMusky wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>mojogunter wrote:</div>
The Wilds mantra since day one is overachieve each year just high enough to get a 10th pick at best and do a bad job picking that 1st rounder anyway each and every year.

You apparently havent been paying attention to their drafts lately because they have one of the best prospect pools. Their last 2 first rounders and many of the mid range picks are playing very well in their respective leagues. Wallstedt, Lambos, Ohgren, Yurov, Strammel maybe a stretch from last year that those are the last 3 years first rounders alone.

mojogunter wrote:

Prospects that are not proven at the NHL level yet. Time will tell on them. Had Faber been a Wild pick, I would say he has been a surprise 3rd round pick to be playing top pairing right away. Some of their picks have been fine. Rossi was a rated near the top as a prospect and they brought him up too fast and he wasn’t ready. I think he will be a good player and has played better than most on the team this year. Kaprizov no doubt has a lot of talent, but what is up with him this year? He always starts slow, but 20 games in and he is mostly vacant. You can’t have your best player not playing like your best player. When he is on he can many times control the play. He has been very strong on the puck and wins battle after battle. Can you say that about him this year? He is a turnover machine and that is very troubling. I am mostly here to poke the wild fan bears in the room. I will watch game after game, as I always do. I am guessing it won’t be long before they start winning some games and either just miss or get a wild card birth. Bounced in the first round. Getting that coveted 12-16th pick and end up with another highly touted prospect.

Faber was a 2nd round pick #45 by the Kings, so teams knew he had talent and would be succesful, but offensive defenseman always get boosted in the draft, so that’s likely what kept Brock out of the 1st round…

and go look at Kirill’s first 19 game splits each of his 3 NHL seasons, he’s basically on track with how he always starts, it’s about game 20 when he typically takes off so we’ll see if that continues this season…

This year’s team is just getting zero scoring help from the bottom 6 (really the bottom 9 minus Ek on the PP) we can’t score 5-5, our defense (besides Brodin and Faber) can’t defend and our goalies can’t stop the shots their supposed to and we take a lot of penalties with a historically dismal PK…

So it’s a perfect storm of ineptitude that has led them to the 3rd worst record in the league 19 games in….

mojogunter wrote:

Strammel maybe a stretch

Whatever you do, don’t look up Gabe Perrault’s numbers this season, it will make you cry….thankfully Judd’s two 2nd rounders (especially Riley Heidt) look like great picks (steal in terms of Heidt)

CaptainMusky wrote:
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>mojogunter wrote:</div>
The Wilds mantra since day one is overachieve each year just high enough to get a 10th pick at best and do a bad job picking that 1st rounder anyway each and every year.

You apparently havent been paying attention to their drafts lately because they have one of the best prospect pools. Their last 2 first rounders and many of the mid range picks are playing very well in their respective leagues. Wallstedt, Lambos, Ohgren, Yurov, Strammel maybe a stretch from last year that those are the last 3 years first rounders alone.

The ranking means nothing at this point.
I also think they rank the Wild higher than others because of Wallstedt.
Having the highest rated prospect at the most important position helps their overall ranking. I also think they have more quantity than most. Whether it’s quality remains to be seen.

Lambos who knows not exactly lighting it up in Iowa.
Ohgren has hardly played.
Yurov seems to be doing well in a weird Russian sort of way.
Strammel-Been hurt. Has played 8 games and has 1 goal.

JoeMX1825 wrote:

You also can’t argue that the team the last few years have been the most skilled of than ANY other year of the franchise…so we should expect them to have the bests seasons…and again, the 113 point year was alot of unexpected successful smoke & mirrors… The Kirill effect is real in that we finally had an superstar who could win games by himself…

I’m not saying this dismal start is who we really are, i’m saying the 113 points team is NOT who we really are and shouldn’t be used as a “but look at how good we were 2 years ago” excuse…

If you overachieve for 3 years straight is it really overachieving?

I’m not pointing to just the 21-22 113 point Wild. I’m talking about 3 full seasons, 220 games worth of results. They have averaged 108 points/season over that span. And if you call them the most talented Wild teams, well guess what – they still have the same core most talented players, sans Fiala, but plug Rossi and Brock Faber into the top of the lineup.

And for the record can you confirm you just referred to the teams with Ryan Hartman as the #1C the most talented in Wild history

tswoboda wrote:

The last 3 seasons they have the 1st 2nd and 5th best regular season records in franchise history. After 3 years of the same they have 19 games of being real bad and you think this is who the team really is? 3 years vs. 19 games cmon.

Yeah, I am not convinced this is the real Wild team we have seen the last 3 years. I agree they are better overall skill wise but we are getting the opposite of lightning in the bottle right now where everything is going wrong. They will figure it out and return to the norm. Firing Dean really solves nothing. Its on the players not him. As we have stated numerous times KK always starts slow he is about to burst. Boldy is playing historically bad right now and taking tons of penalties. If he is on the ice more he would produce more but clearly he is frustrated. They will be just fine we always have these swoons. Hopefully this is the only one we have this year.

Ripjiggen wrote:

The ranking means nothing at this point.
I also think they rank the Wild higher than others because of Wallstedt.
Having the highest rated prospect at the most important position helps their overall ranking. I also think they have more quantity than most. Whether it’s quality remains to be seen.

The ranking does because the dude said they crap out on their draft picks which by experts analysis says otherwise. True they havent done anything at the NHL level and no one expected that yet.

Just a recap of the top prospects:

Wallstedt – We all know how he’s been playing, he’ll be with the Wild next season or earlier as a backup if Flower gets traded…

Lambos – Playing 1st pairing Defense in Iowa as a 20 year old with Mermis called up, Expecedly started slow, but has been one of their best players all season per their coach.

Ohgren – started the season with a mysterious injury that required him to fly to MN during the prospects tounrey, got medically cleared and has played in 2 games in the SEL and scored the GWG in his 2nd game. Will likely captain Sweden as a 1st line wing in the WJC. Will play in Iowa next season.

Yurov – Has taken off this season in the KHL and is playing 2nd line center and 1st PP unit with a good faceoff percentage. His scoring pace 10G + 14A in 31 games is just behind Kirill’s at that age. He’s the #34 ranked scorer in the KHL, 2nd youngest behind only Mitchkov) Will play in Iowa next season.

Marat K – Playing 2C and PP1/PK1 for Sochi in KHL, 9 points in 20 games, playing with Mitchkov. Will play in Iowa next season.

Haight – 9 goals and 20 assists in 22 games in the OHL playing 1C for Saginaw. Will play in Iowa next season.

Strammel – as mentioned had been hurt to start the season, now has 1 goal in 9 games, he’s expected to be the 4C for an absolutely loaded team USA in the WJC. Will most likely stay in WI next season, then get signed…

Heidt – 2nd leading scorer in the WHL and has a 15 game point streak, 41 points in 21 games, kid has been electric every game this season…might get invited to Canada’s loaded WJC tryout camp as an 18 year old…Too young to play in Iowa next season.

Kumpulainen – 10 goals and 22 points in 20 games in the OHL playing 1C/2C (his first season in the USA) is expected to play for Finland in the WJC. Too young to play in Iowa next season.

Yeah, sure looks like a bunch of missed picks to me! Its never a guarantee they are every day NHLers but to say they missed on these guys is a huge overstatement.

Next season 2024/2025 will be the full beginning (of course Rossi already with the Wild) of the Bracket/Guerin draft era in the NHL/AHL with Wallstedt & Khusnutdinov likely to make the Wild out of camp and then Yurov/Ohgren/Lambos/Hunt likely callups throughout the season if they don’t surprise at camp and make the Wild outright…then the next wave of Haight/Spacek/Masters/Stramel/Heidt/Kumpulainen knocking on the door from Iowa in the 2025/2026 season…

Now looking at the existing contracts on the Wild, there’s only a handful of spots that will become open for competition the next 2 seasons (barring any NMC lifted trades)…UNLESS we put big contracts like Foligno/Hartman on the bottom 6…

Current Wild spots opening up after this season are Duhaime, Maroon, Goligoski, Bogosian, Dewar trade? Johansson buyout?

CaptainMusky wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Ripjiggen wrote:</div>
The ranking means nothing at this point.
I also think they rank the Wild higher than others because of Wallstedt.
Having the highest rated prospect at the most important position helps their overall ranking. I also think they have more quantity than most. Whether it’s quality remains to be seen.

The ranking does because the dude said they crap out on their draft picks which by experts analysis says otherwise. True they havent done anything at the NHL level and no one expected that yet.

Not exactly what he said but ok.

Ripjiggen wrote:

Not exactly what he said but ok.

He said they tank on their 1st round picks what did I misunderstand?

“The Wilds mantra since day one is overachieve each year just high enough to get a 10th pick at best and do a bad job picking that 1st rounder anyway each and every year. “

This is what he said. Until they prove otherwise which BG has yet to do. I have to agree with him.
Time will tell but if you think some silly prospect rankings prove anything at this point I just refuse to go there.

So far Boldy is the only pick in recent memory that has performed to where he was drafted in the 1st and 2nd rounds.

We’ll see how Stramel pans out as he’s Judd’s only questionable 1st or 2nd round pick imo, but its still WAY TOO EARLY..

but my god look at all of the wasted 1st round picks we’ve have over the years…look at the 2004-2009 streak!?! that’s how you stall out a franchise…2019 and on have all been great picks (and the highest pick during that time was #9 Rossi)

AJ Theilen (2004)
Colton Gillies (2005)
Benoit Poulliot (2006)
James SHeppard (2007)
Tyler Cuma (2008)
Nick Leddy (2009 – had a good career outside the Wild)
Zack Philips (2011)
Filip Johansson (2018)

For the ‘what has Dean done’ crowd:

Dean has the 21st best points percentage among NHL coaches all time.

He is 8th among active coaches.

And yes I know he’s been very bad in the playoffs.

Ripjiggen wrote:

So far Boldy is the only pick in recent memory that has performed to where he was drafted in the 1st and 2nd rounds.

Rossi is their best player night in and night out all year this year.

2019 and on have all been great picks (and the highest pick during that time was #9 Rossi)

Again that is silly to say they have all been great picks. Like you said way too early.
At this point I’m not sure they selected the right guy in Rossi.

Prospects are just that… prospects. They have amassed a super deep pool of dudes that might be NHL players but likely not top of the lineup players. Wallstedt is probably their only prospect who projects to be an impact player, and it’s at the game’s most volatile and uncertain position.

tswoboda wrote:

For the ‘what has Dean done’ crowd:

Dean has the 21st best points percentage among NHL coaches all time.

He is 8th among active coaches.

And yes I know he’s been very bad in the playoffs.

so what do you attribute his terrible playoff record too? (AHL & NHL) He can’t adjust quick enough to matchups in a 7 game series? He’s too predictable? or is it just dumb luck that he gets players to coach (in different organizations) who can’t adjust their game to playoff hockey?

Serious question…

CaptainMusky wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Ripjiggen wrote:</div>
So far Boldy is the only pick in recent memory that has performed to where he was drafted in the 1st and 2nd rounds.

Rossi is their best player night in and night out all year this year.

Sweet there were players that went after him that are having better careers so far. That is all I am saying. Which is also what mojo was saying.
Or maybe he is just one of those guys overachieving this year.

Ripjiggen wrote:

“The Wilds mantra since day one is overachieve each year just high enough to get a 10th pick at best and do a bad job picking that 1st rounder anyway each and every year.”

Well if you are willing to overlook what experts think about the Wild drafts recently that is on you, but it certainly looks like they have a few guys that have some solid promise and are proving themselves with their current teams. So bad job is again a huge stretch. It will remain to be seen how they pan out at the NHL level or if they ever will, but that is irrelevant right now.

CaptainMusky wrote:

Rossi is their best player night in and night out all year this year.

I’m very happy with Rossi’s play this year and been a big fan of him since before they even drafted him. He’s been consistent this season for sure having a great rookie year, but calling him their best player most nights is a massive overstatement IMO. Again he’s been very good, just think we’re really going over the top because we’re all wanting so bad for him to be good after last year. Giving him the benefit of the doubt on every play. Same thing for Faber, it really happens with every rookie.

Ripjiggen wrote:

Or maybe he is just one of those guys overachieving this year.

Tell me more about the future…

CaptainMusky wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Ripjiggen wrote:</div>
“The Wilds mantra since day one is overachieve each year just high enough to get a 10th pick at best and do a bad job picking that 1st rounder anyway each and every year.”

Well if you are willing to overlook what experts think about the Wild drafts recently that is on you, but it certainly looks like they have a few guys that have some solid promise and are proving themselves with their current teams. So bad job is again a huge stretch. It will remain to be seen how they pan out at the NHL level or if they ever will, but that is irrelevant right now.

But that is exactly what their mantra has been. Again going by someone’s future rankings does little to the overall point.

tswoboda wrote:

I’m very happy with Rossi’s play this year and been a big fan of him since before they even drafted him. He’s been consistent this season for sure having a great rookie year, but calling him their best player most nights is a massive overstatement IMO.

Who would you say is better Faber? That is the only other person that even remotely has a chance to be their best performer right now.

JoeMX1825 wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Ripjiggen wrote:</div>
Or maybe he is just one of those guys overachieving this year.

Tell me more about the future…

Not even sure I understand your comeback.

Ripjiggen wrote:

But that is exactly what their mantra has been. Again going by someone’s future rankings does little to the overall point.

The point he made was that they are terrible at drafting in the first round which is not true in recent years. Like I said we will see how they pan out, but every expert says they have done a very good job with their picks in the first round.

tswoboda wrote:

but calling him their best player most nights is a massive overstatement IMO

The only other players you could argue would be Faber & Brodin…Marco isn’t immune to the typical rookie mistakes (panic when they get the puck, like in yesterday’s game in fornt of the Redwing goalie) defensive miscues, faceoffs, but he’s been as solid if not better than any other Wild forward at least)

Faber’s play continues to impress, especially getting the A1 matchups every game…

CaptainMusky wrote:

Who would you say is better Faber? That is the only other person that even remotely has a chance to be their best performer right now.

Not including Faber or Brodin just looking at forwards easily Eriksson Ek has been better, like not even close.

Kaprizov and Zuccy probably too – we’re just not watching them with Rookie Eyes. Rossi has been more consistent but they’ve all made plays and produced at their best in a way that Rossi hasn’t quite done yet. We have absolutely zero expectations for Rossi coming into this year so we see every single good play this year as a highlight reel awesome. We (rightfully so) have high expectations for 97 and 36 that they’re not playing up to so we in turn think they’re awful.

Again I’m super happy with Rossi, the fact that he’s an obvious top 6 forward is a massive jump in his development from last year and great for the organization. I think we were all pretty nervous where he’d be coming into this year so we’re still in the honeymoon phase with him.

CaptainMusky wrote:

Who would you say is better Faber? That is the only other person that even remotely has a chance to be their best performer right now.

Easily Eriksson Ek has been better, like not even close.

Kaprizov and Zuccy probably too – we’re just not watching them with Rookie Eyes. Rossi has been more consistent but they’ve both made plays and produced at their best in a way that Rossi hasn’t. We have absolutely zero expectations for Rossi coming into this year so we see every single good play this year as a highlight reel awesome. We (rightfully so) have high expectations for 97 and 36 that they’re not playing up to so we in turn think they’re awful.

Again I’m super happy with Rossi, the fact that he’s an obvious top 6 forward is a massive jump in his development from last year and great for the organization. I think we were all pretty nervous where he’d be coming into this year so we’re still in the honeymoon phase with him.