Pugs view on the weekend.
No more Cullen.
No more Butch.
No more Setoguchi.
Add Ballard.
Add Matt (gulp) Cooke. 
Now the brain trust of the Wild is selling the promise of the kids and big bucks to spend NEXT year. 
These guys are becoming the Timberwolves. 
They were actually good moves (Cooke is still tbd and if he doesn’t work out, he can be easily traded to a contender at the trade deadline)
I’m not upset about the moves, not being able to drop Heatley’s contract because he’s still technically “hurt” really limited what we could do this off season. Bouchard is a concussion away from retirement, Cullen is too old for the $$ he asked for and got by a desparate team in free agency, Setogchi is too streaky and would not have been resigned after this season anyways (it’s debatable if we could have got more than a 2nd round pick trading him at the deadline) Ballard is servicable and more of a waiting chip until Dumba is ready for the NHL.
The Wild has a TON of $$ freed up after this season, so expect Pommer signed long term and perhaps Vanek or another A1 free agent signed. I also fully expect Koivu to be traded sometime this season, he’s making way too much $$ for being a 2nd line center…
In regards to the younger players stepping up, their rookie contracts are up in a year or so, so to fully evalaute thier talents and if they are worthy of that next contract, they need to play in real NHL games, if they don’t play this year, then when?
So just how much money does a guy need to shell out (season tickets) to watch that puke Cooke play?
I apologize, I shouldn’t have called him a puke, that was uncalled for.
However, he will never change, he is a goon and that’s all he is.
I was one of the biggest Cooke haters (still am) but I’ll admit he’s grown up the past few years and his game has changed (he’s still a huge pest on the ice, but he’s no longer a liability) He’s one of those players that you love to hate when he’s on the other team, but appreciate him when he’s on your team…
at least that’s how i’m looking at it..like I said, he’s easily tradable at the end of the season if it doesn’t work out..
I reacted about the same way everyone did to the Cooke signing. However, I do know he has changed his approach to the game. Seeing all the vitriol from Wild fans has endeared me to him. Trading Clutterbuck for Niederreiter and signing Cooke was a pretty damn good move. Cooke is all around better than Clutterbuck. Niederreiter is a bonus risk worth taking.
Tough to see Cullen go. He’s streaky too, but even when his line isn’t scoring they are making a difference. Its the nature of the business and we are cap strapped. Same goes for Butch and Seto. I liked them all and will be following them this year.
In the vane of Cooke, I know a lot of people are hating we couldn’t buy out Heater. That’s why I hope he has a big year in his final year of his contract. But I have always said since he came here, about 25 goals from him is what I expect. 30+ would be surprising. Even 25 is not worth the $5M we are paying him though.
Koivu is going no where. That is a ludicrous statement. I also relish the hatred throw his way. Every other team would love him on their team. He was never projected to be a goal scorer. He is what he is, a great 2 way player who makes his line mates better.
Ballard? Meh. Serviceable 5th/6th defenseman.
Who knows what next year will bring. I actually expect them to miss the playoffs again. However, there are a lot of intangibles and the margin of error on anyone’s expectations has a wide berth.
The nice thing with losing some of those players is we can play prospects in top 6 roles instead of trying to slot them into the line up here and there. Its a good year to really analyze their talent and potential.
I hope Fletch can sign Pomminville to an extension. Without that, if as people think that Pomminville and Vanek want to play together, if Pomminville isn’t signed, it’ll be another sweepstakes like Parise/Suter. Don’t get your hopes up on the Wild repeating that.
Hopefully the Wild have a successful year that will make them appealing to FAs when they have “all that cap space” next year.
There, you happy Brian? 
Just watch the STANLEY CUP CHAMPION CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS if you want to see a REAL hockey team 
If Fletcher was the GM of the Vikings, would he trade AP?
Things that make you go HMMM?
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Just watch the STANLEY CUP CHAMPION CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS if you want to see a REAL hockey team
I know this is a fishing website, but please go find your own spot instead of trolling ours.
Happy except for your drinking the Kool-Aid on Cooke. He is a thug, always will be.
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Happy except for your drinking the Kool-Aid on Cooke. He is a thug, always will be.
Listen to Russo’s podcast or his blog on him. I am not the only one drinking the Cool-aide, there are plenty of other believers outside of Minnesota.
Despite getting the OK from the Wild and Martin Havlat already wearing the number, Cooke got permission to wear 24. Derek Boogaard’s old number. He got permission after reaching out to his parents.
I think it will take at most 10 games for Wild fans like you to forget the Canuck Cooke and embrace the Wild Cooke.
Hee hee hee
” I think it will take at most 10 games for Wild fans like you to forget the Canuck Cooke and embrace the Wild Cooke.”
Sorry, I’m not that forgiving. I would no more forgive or forget him then I would Robbie Alomar for spitting in a umpires face.
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Sorry, I’m not that forgiving. I would no more forgive or forget him then I would Robbie Alomar for spitting in a umpires face.
OR AP fumbling three times in an NFC championship game 
Really Brian,you should not hold onto things for so long, it’s not good for you.
AP is at his highest market value RIGHT NOW!
Aw, skeeterbite sent me a nasty PM. I love people without a sense of humor. I can’t believe anyone on this site takes me seriously.
Looks like I lost another IDO open seat opportunity. I think I am up to at least 3 now.
How can anyone talk about “sports” seriously…oh yeah, I forgot about the smokers. 
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How can anyone talk about “sports” seriously…oh yeah, I forgot about the smokers.
………..says somebody who fishes in the dead of the night. 
Dang your mean today B. 
Pug made me do it. 
Don’t look at me, I am a moron.
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Don’t look at me, I am a moron.
Hurts when no one comes to your defense doesn’t it?
cricket, cricket….
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Check out the videos from the press conference today, Brian. Come on, give him a chance.
Ryan Braun denies using PED’s.
Anthony Spitzer swears off hookers and runs for Governor of New York again.
Pacman Jones gets arrested again for whacking a women in a nightclub.
Matt Cooke says he is reformed.
It’s easy to say something……lets she what he actually does.
The Wild have done absolutely zero to make me think they will be better next year.
It’s not like he said now he’s reformed. He’s been pretty clean the last few years.
They haven’t improved. It’s time to see what the prospects can do.
I can agree/disagree with any of the trades and aquisitions recently.
But what I love is the aggressiveness of the Wild organiztion and an end of the era of the “waiting for players to develop/play to potential” approach.
I love this new “produce NOW or be gone” approach. Keep swapping the parts until we get something that works. How many years did we waste waiting for players like Gaborik ad “highly touted draft choices” to finally produce and then end up watching them walk away or get traded for little or nothing after it was obvious that they were not going to produce to the expected level?
No more waiting around. Get players who play and dump the ones who don’t while they are still worth something.
My prediction is the Wild are going to be making a even more deals including some in-season trades. Given what’s gone down so far, I can’t see anyone who’s on the “no trade” list if the deal was right.
Grouse
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