2024/2025 NHL/WILD Offseason-Season-Postseason Thread

ZERO goals from Mathews, Eichel, Hughes, Miller and Connor is pretty hard to believe, that can’t happen again in the Olympics next year… USA won’t bring back at least 5 players (Fox, Hanifin, Trochek, Nelson, Kreider) to the Olympic team next year, Larkin is a maybe, he played well though and who knows about Connor, they obviously lost faith in him, but I thought he should have played last night, he’s so underrated…I think Keller, Caufield, Thompson, Robertson and Sanderson take their places and then the next pool of young players like Knies, Beniers (if he bounces back) and Tuch will get looks but will be very tough to beat out the established guys…

Nice to see Boldy and Faber absolutely cement themselves into the Team USA future…GMBG took some heat for putting them on the team, they answered all the critics…

Adam Fox’s game has surprisingly fallen off a cliff this year, he looked small and slow all tournament and hasn’t been good for the Rangers either, maybe its a undisclosed injury bothering him? He just looks alot different right now…I think they liked what they saw in Sanderson…

Quite the change of pace from last night to the girls hs tourney today.

I will say this orono warroad game is kinda nuts. Heading to triple ot

Eichel and Matthews maybe didn’t score but were still beasts and among their best players. Thought Miller was ok, definitely high energy. Nelson Kreider Hannifin all looked in over their head. Larkin really surprised me in a good way. Agree Fox looked terrible.

Faber was unbelievable. I thought Boldy was really good early but was panicking with the puck as the final game went on. He was out there a lot, just seemed like he was moving pucks way too quick and first time I remember him looking uncomfortable with the puck on his tape. Still played a ton down the stretch and didn’t do anything wrong, just not trying to make plays like I’m used to seeing him. Can’t really fault him considering the pace. Faber just looked like his usual self the longer the game went on.

How much stock will the OG team selection put on this? It’s only 4 games but it’s also the perfect tryout. Mainly thinking of Fox who’s been among the best D the last 5 years and Jack Hughes, though Hughes will for sure be on the OG team.

Last one is Mike Sullivan. Thought USA was significantly better coached than Canada. If Pittsburgh ever cans that guy, well sorry John Hynes but I hope Billy G snaps him up asap.

For sure this tourney was a sort of tryout for the Olympics, I agree that Mathews and Eichel played well, but Mathews for sure is looked at to score goals…who knows if he’s healthy though…that will always be an issue with him…
Vincent Trochek was a wasted roster spot, I bet most non hardcore hockey fans didn’t even realize he was on the team, he lost most of the draws he took which was likely a big reason he was picked…

Charlie W wrote:

Quite the change of pace from last night to the girls hs tourney today.

I will say this orono warroad game is kinda nuts. Heading to triple ot

We need John King to do a All Hockey Hair team for the Girls state tourney as well, some pretty funny & creative intros just now…

Missed praising Guentzel… guy is a stud will be underrated forever

Jake Guentzel is the US version of Braden Point, under rated big game player.
Brock Faber just continues to impress in his sophomore season. Tasked with containing the McDavid line all night until that final icing denied a line change.
Mathew Tkchuck should have been held out. No way an injured Tkchuck is better than a healthy anyone else on that team.

at what point do the Wild take a long hard look at their trainers and medical staff? Exclude the McAvoy fiasco until we get more details, but these guys cleared Tkachuk to play just like they did Ek last year in the playoffs and that lasted a whole 15 second shift. Lauko’s been cleared and then re-injured again, Kirill’s recovery projections keep slipping week to week, etc. The trainers have the final say, this isn’t a situation where the Athlete clears themselves..

Seems like there’s more than enough smoke to at least take a look at their competence and see if things need to change…

The Twins replaced their entire medical staff a year ago right?

^What do they have to lose? Could it really get much worse? Replace the whole staff.

JoeMX1825 wrote:

at what point do the Wild take a long hard look at their trainers and medical staff? Exclude the McAvoy fiasco until we get more details, but these guys cleared Tkachuk to play just like they did Ek last year in the playoffs and that lasted a whole 15 second shift. Lauko’s been cleared and then re-injured again, Kirill’s recovery projections keep slipping week to week, etc. The trainers have the final say, this isn’t a situation where the Athlete clears themselves..

Seems like there’s more than enough smoke to at least take a look at their competence and see if things need to change…

The Twins replaced their entire medical staff a year ago right?

And what did that fix.

Ripjiggen wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>JoeMX1825 wrote:</div>
at what point do the Wild take a long hard look at their trainers and medical staff? Exclude the McAvoy fiasco until we get more details, but these guys cleared Tkachuk to play just like they did Ek last year in the playoffs and that lasted a whole 15 second shift. Lauko’s been cleared and then re-injured again, Kirill’s recovery projections keep slipping week to week, etc. The trainers have the final say, this isn’t a situation where the Athlete clears themselves..

Seems like there’s more than enough smoke to at least take a look at their competence and see if things need to change…

The Twins replaced their entire medical staff a year ago right?

And what did that fix.

not a ton, bringing them up was mostly to point out replacing the entire staff does happen… not sure Jesus could completely heal Buxton.

No I agree. Just saying that sometimes it runs deeper than the actual medical staff. Sometimes like in the twins case, baseball is different but I think it’s more of an organizational philosophy, and how the staff operates around that.
BG sure seems like a play through pain type of guy.
Could just be dumb luck as well.

GMBG was on KFAN yesterday and said Kirill is behind in his rehab and will be out longer than originally anticipated…

Maybe he talked him into LTIR till playoffs.

They got hosed there, can’t believe the league ruled that as a goal

Oh well doesn’t matter if they can’t score a goal of their own

The ref clearly signaled goal on debrinkats shot and the players stopped except larkin. Agree that is a hose job but whatever. Hinostroza where did this guy come from and why was he cut?

Because he had 3 goals in the last 3 seasons. He’ll be like a Rem Pitlick waiver claim, awesome that he’s providing a little offense right now

tswoboda wrote:

Because he had 3 goals in the last 3 seasons. He’ll be like a Rem Pitlick waiver claim, awesome that he’s providing a little offense right now

You’re probably right but a nice boost right now I guess

I almost gave up on this game and went fishing. What an expected ending.

What a win. Welcome back

Crazy finish. Rossi gets called for a terrible penalty in OT, they survive the penalty kill, and Rossi scores on a breakaway dribbler to win shortly after coming out of the box.

20 goals this season is dang good for that guy already.

Rossi vindicated!

Game tying assist and game winning goal more than make up for the 2 o-zone penalties.

Yes Kane dove but Rossi put his stick right across both feet. He and Boldy take turns with with o-zone stick penalties.

Ek was a beast today. Couple weeks around his Swedish buddies to get back to full strength

Faber played 30:05 today…

My observation from 4 nations is that Faber is an elite player. Boldy is not.

tswoboda wrote:

Game tying assist and game winning goal more than make up for the 2 o-zone penalties.

Yes Kane dove but Rossi put his stick right across both feet. He and Boldy take turns with with o-zone stick penalties.

Ek was a beast today. Couple weeks around his Swedish buddies to get back to full strength

Probably a few team saunas to get him beast mode.

Hard Water Fan wrote:

My observation from 4 nations is that Faber is an elite player. Boldy is not.

X2. Boldy is a very good player but not on the level of Eichel, Mathews or many of the elite.
Meanwhile Faber as a sophomore nhl player is.
If he works on his pp and 3 on 3 game he’ll be in the norris trophy talk.

Hard Water Fan wrote:

My observation from 4 nations is that Faber is an elite player. Boldy is not.

Faber is a thinker and can quickly turn those thoughts into actions that are seamless in game. His hockey iq is off the charts as well as his stamina. Just an incredibly talented young man.

Boldy is naturally gifted but his brain gets in the way. The way he shot out of a cannon in Faber’s defense, he needs that same energy and no thought in game. He is so much better when he doesn’t take time to think and just reacts. Would be fine if he shot the puck 15+ times per game. All he should do is shoot the puck 90% of the time. Hopefully he can get rid of his dopey, doofy 12 yr old boy mentality and grow into an adult human male and inject some anger in his game. He should spend a summer training with Mackinnon. Been hard on him, but just see the potential of what he could be physically. Not sure he’ll ever get there mentally though.

tswoboda wrote:

Game tying assist and game winning goal more than make up for the 2 o-zone penalties.

Yes Kane dove but Rossi put his stick right across both feet. He and Boldy take turns with with o-zone stick penalties.

Ek was a beast today. Couple weeks around his Swedish buddies to get back to full strength

Rossi stuck with that goal and kept his stick in there and all be it not a pretty goal, Foligno was fun watching him giving it to Rossi for that goal all the way till they were off the ice. That pass from Ek was perfection!

Ek is a quiet monster. Larkin coming in on him after that shorty breakaway was entertaining. Ek just man fatted Larkin back like you’re moving not me. Ek is one of those irreplaceable players. His two way ability is second to none in the league. He’s on the pk, the pp and everywhere in between.

Thought there was a bunch of half hearted clears last night and on a couple occasions Bogo was like stop this bs and am liking more and more of his game.

Jojo had a couple good shifts. Not great but good.

Fredy G is no super star and him and Jojo get frustrating at times, but thought Freddy did some nice things yesterday.

22 needs better line mates. He’s got another gear and more to give, just not enough talent on his line.

The Flower was awesome yesterday. For a 40 yr old dude man he still has it.

Vinnie, come in man. Skating that puck out of the air for that goal was impressive. His puck control on the pp is very helpful in the o zone.

When they got it to 2 to 3 thought no way they are getting a point. Then to fight through a pk in ot and win that game that Detroit had pretty much dominated the first 2 periods, thought man this team just don’t quit.

Scratching points out without KK and the cap hits is impressive. Fun finish to the game.

Ovi with the hat trick today, 13 away from breaking the Great One….

29 goals in 41 games this season!!!