That’s the least of there problems, How about moving Heatly “concrete feet” to Iowa. Maybe getting backstrom to stand up befor the puck is shot. Staying out of the penalty box would help too. But Yes maybe Koivu could step it up a little bit or maybe shoot the puck more. Its just a good thing its early in the season and were not falling apart right befor the playoffs. Lots of season left to get things working.
Wallster ><((((>
Because if they demoted Heater to Iowa, someone would claim him and we’d pay half his salary the rest of the year. Don’t worry, there is a chance he gets relegated to the 4th line next game.
Like Russo says, the 3rd line gets as many minutes as the first, especially at home where Yeo gets last line change. Playing with gritty players just may be the ticket for Koivu.
Nice to see Yeo has not only shown he is willing to change by tweaking the system, but also by mixing up the lines.
Granlund and Pominville got some good chemistry going.
The first line of Zach Parise – Coyle – Dany Heatley / Justin Fontaine is missing a playmaker, but that line should score gritty goals around the crease. We’ll see.
Not surprised nor am I excited. Like mike said, it’s good to see Yeo mix it up a bit once in a while. Might be good, might be bad. Only one way to find out.
I’m not one to go into panic mode when they’re 6-4. To me, Bacs is a good goalie and Koivu is a good center. We can all wish for a top 5 center, but not every team can have one. I think we have 2 top ten goalies, which is fantastic.
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I think we have 2 top ten goalies, which is fantastic.
Really? Harding is top 10 now? Maybe 2 years ago the argument could have been made…today I don’t think so. Even if it is they are in the 6-10 range…1-3 gives you a shot at the cup.
Would you have considered Crawford or Emery top 3? Not a chance in my book.
You only need them to play that well in the playoffs. Quick is a good example of that.
Name 5 goalies you’d rather have.
Its funny how much we think alike Matt. On the Wild message boards for years they have tried running down Backstrom and Koivu.
Now I don’t claim to know everything about the Wild, although I may come off that way, but people talk like Koivu is a horrible captain and a prima donna. Now I don’t know anything to the contrary, but people outside the locker room have no idea what is going on in there.
People also talk as if Backstrom is a bottom tier goalie. He’s not. He may not be elite either, but like you said, not every team can have a Tim Thomas circa 2011. Yeah, he’s had a rough start, it happens. If I were to guess, he’s been playng hurt.
People also for years have wanted Harding to start, but he’s always been streaky. This year though, he looks like he may be breaking through. Oddly enough, maybe dealing with MS has helped him focus.
I think it will serve Koivu well playing on that third line playing against other teams #1. He’s a much better overall player in both ends and will never be a playmaker or a sniper.
The problem that the top line is going to have now is that their defense is going to suffer.
I like the idea of spreading the scoring out. Hopefully this experiment works and guys start developing chemistry so we can start scoring 5 on 5.
IMHO of course. 
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You only need them to play that well in the playoffs.
I think you answered your own question.
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You only need them to play that well in the playoffs.
I think you answered your own question.
Like Fluery?
Its Hard to argue against Hardings stats in the first 9 games and not say he is a good goalie.
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You only need them to play that well in the playoffs.
I think you answered your own question.
Like Roloson and Fernandez? These weren’t even top 10 goalies during the season, but were #2 and #3 in the ’03 playoffs. Giguere was #1 of course.
Hards was fantastic last playoffs and it didn’t even help. The wild were greatly under talented compared to the hawks.
Point is, hard to complain about something that can’t be improved. Name just 1 UFA goalie that would make them better.
Ok I’ll put it this way. Do you think Backstrom and/or Harding are in the top three goalies in the NHL?
I would contend that they are good goalies. They are not elite or the goalies that will put a team over the top or carrying them in the playoffs (or since the Wild almost never make the playoffs toward the end of the season). The first 9 games in a season? Ha! So Steen will have 88 goals this year too huh?
The Wild are climbing the ladder from being one of the worst teams in league for the last 10 years. Their supporting staff is getting better but they are not close yet. They don’t have the grit yet to contend and that is why I think the Koivu move was long over due. some guys can play hockey pretty and not be a winner…
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Ok I’ll put it this way. Do you think Backstrom and/or Harding are in the top three goalies in the NHL?
Not a chance. Like you said, 6-10. Bacs signed a 3 or 4 year deal which indicates he’s probably in his last 5 years as a regular starter in the NHL. Hards will probably never get more tgan a 1-2 year deal the rest of his career for obvious reasons.
I am really excited about where the Wild are going. They’ve got some great young talent with size, speed and great scoring ability. Great D. Some invaluable veterans. Still they’ve got some good stuff in the system. They did trade away their better goalie prospect in Hackett, but goalies are very difficult to predict, so they could potentially find one anywhere. Plus, it’s doesn’t seem like a goalies game anymore. We’ll see.
Yours truly is a goalie, so I feel for these guys and understand what it’s like to ride a good or bad streak. Sometimes you feel great, but the puck just finds a way thru, other times you feel terrible and the puck stick to you like a magnet.
At least we don’t have Varlamov. 
I still contend that this team is going to look a lot different by the end of the year and be at the top in the conference. Hopefully that isn’t the kiss of death, but I think they are going to keep improving.
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Ok I’ll put it this way. Do you think Backstrom and/or Harding are in the top three goalies in the NHL?
Name the top 3 goalies. Is it black and white? Crawford isn’t a top 3 goalie. Rask might be a top 3. Quick probably is a top 3. How many Stanley Cups has Ryan Miller won? I bet he’s top 3 in a lot of people’s minds.
Here is a list of Vezina winners
2005–06 Miikka Kiprusoff Calgary Flames 1
2006–07 Martin Brodeur New Jersey Devils 3
2007–08 Martin Brodeur New Jersey Devils 4
2008–09 Tim Thomas Boston Bruins 1
2009–10 Ryan Miller Buffalo Sabres 1
2010–11 Tim Thomas Boston Bruins 2
2011–12 Henrik Lundqvist New York Rangers 1
2012–13 Sergei Bobrovsky Columbus Blue Jackets
How many won the cup or even got to the conference finals that same year?
Might be able to name a rotating top 5.
Rinne
Quick
Miller
Rask
Can’t think of a 5th off hand.
I’m a big Harding fan even though he plays backwards. I say lets bring in former South St. Paul’er Alex Staloc. UMD standout and currently #2 for the Sharks. I predict he wil be one of the top tenders in the league in a few years. 
I did notice that Hards was leading the league. Didn’t Bacs lead the league in wins last year too? Wins are what really matters anyway right?
Not sure what this has to do with Koivu though. Maybe it’s time to move back to the official thread.
Backs did lead the league last year, tied with a few goalies, but that was a result of playing too many games.
I like to look at S% and GAA. S% is the one I really look at because you can have a low GAA just because you see few shots. S% to me measures how good you are no matter how much rubber you see in a game. But like all stats, they can lie and not show the whole picture.
Back to the official thread. Lets let this one ride off into the sunset.
Who or what is a Koivu?
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