Official Wild Threa – The Playoff Run

They didn’t bury a lot of chances today. The Wild look a bit complacent right now, why I don’t know. The top line seems to be able to push it every couple of shifts and the other 3 don’t seem to be able to. I still prefer Fontaine with Moulson and Koivu. Coyle has good work along the boards. Who cares. It doesn’t seem to ever lead to anything.

I will give him props on the penalty shot. The puck started bouncing on him and he recovered.

There are times where I wish we weren’t as young as we are, but it will pay off eventually. The problem is until these guys like Nino and Coyle get another year or so, they will continue to be inconsistent.

definitely disappointing losing to a team that has over half the lineup out.

Granted it’s the Wings arguably the best organization top to bottom but still disappointing.

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They didn’t bury a lot of chances today. The Wild look a bit complacent right now, why I don’t know. The top line seems to be able to push it every couple of shifts and the other 3 don’t seem to be able to. I still prefer Fontaine with Moulson and Koivu. Coyle has good work along the boards. Who cares. It doesn’t seem to ever lead to anything.

I will give him props on the penalty shot. The puck started bouncing on him and he recovered.

There are times where I wish we weren’t as young as we are, but it will pay off eventually. The problem is until these guys like Nino and Coyle get another year or so, they will continue to be inconsistent.

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I keep forgetting how young they are. We are ahead of last year, so progress is showing a little bit at a time.

Gundy

I’m starting to think “YEO’S GOT TO GO”. Few games left in the season, and still juggeling lines. Really???? Most teams have that figured out by now. His post game yesterday was a joke. He sounds like he trying to buy himself some time. Saying were not on a the verge of falling off the fence. Looks to me like we are. We have GAVE 6pts away this month. Not acceptable this time of year when you are making a playoff push. What do we want, the 8th spot, bc that’s what were going to end up with if we kkep this up. Might even get knocked out if dallas and yotes get hot. Brodziak when are they going to make him a healthy scratch?? The guy was on the ice for 3 of the goals. Hes going threw the motion and hes making cooke look bad. cooke has been playing better then him and he seems to have to follow him on a line.

Back to Yeo, why do you send Houla and fontaine back down. Both guys are husseling and playing good. Houla plays with some grit, finishes his checks, creates offense. Fontaine seems to know how to find ways to score goals. PP. Why do you take Grandlund away from his line for the power play??? They dominate when they are on the ice TOGETHER. They spend most of the game in the offensive zone. So why put koivu out there on the pp with pommer n parise. The PP has not been good lately. Grandlund with those two know how to move and create things. The pp now is so stationary, no movement, easy to run a PK against them. Take notes from other teams that score on us on the pp. They bring the puck down low, make the defenders chase the puck which in return opens guys up on the back side wide open. If not they will be open for rebounds. Not tied up like our guys tend to be. It just seems like the games we have lost we have been simple out coached. Shoot outs, same three guys. Come on, Coyle just showed us something. You don’t think if we go to a shoot out the other team doesn’t know that we are going with parise,koivu,pomer. Easy homework. same three guys, same three moves everytime. Change it up. It wasnt workin.

Lemaire almost took us to the Stanley cup with a team full of guys that were not good enough to play on any other NHL team, with a couple exceptions. Yeo has a team full of talent and we just scratch to make the playoffs. Tonight would be a good night to rebound, come out flying taking the body, shooting the puck, getting the power play going beat this team 4-0 like we should with the guys they have out. We need to get some good momentum going.

Wallster ><((((>

Let’s see if I can make this point without butchering it too badly.
Last year the Wild had a home game, I can’t remember the team but for the opening faceoff they had their big “enforcer” on the ice and it was their intent to be dirty and fight from the very beginning.
Yeo got sucked right into it and changed his first line.

He was interviewed about the decision afterwards and responded(to the best of my recollection) “If that’s the kind of game they want to play then we’ll give it to them”
Another head coach drew up a game plan then boarded a plane to the X.
Yeo changed his game plan and accommodated the opposing coach and they lost.

If I owned the team that would give me serious concern with his resolve.
I don’t chime in much on the Wild but I think they are well behind where they could be given the talent on hand.
Should Yeo be concerned about his job next year?

As they say – – That was a BIG 2 points the Wild earned last night Can they put someone in to fill Niederitter’s hole?? What happened to him??

Gundy

I have to agree with some of the comments about Yeo above and I’ve been in the “Yeo’s got to go” camp for most of the season.

All of this constantly ####ing around with the lines has GOT to be driving the players crazy. Of course, no player is ever going to say anything about it, but… Note to Yeo, STOP ####ing around with the lines. Just stop.

Do teams like St. Louis and Chicago change up their lines every week and even between games in the same week looking for better chemistry?

Yeah, the Haula / Fountain “who to play” problem is a good problem to have. Great. So DEAL WITH IT the same way every other coach in the NHL with any experience deals with it: make a flippin’ decision and send one of them down. Don’t keep chasing line combos, make a decision and let the players play without this constant musical chairs game.

Yeo’s grasping at straws and a desperate coach is an ineffective coach. I’m surprised he survived the Olympic break and it’s hardly likely they’ll chuck him out now, but Yeo needs to go at the end of the season. We need stability and experience, not random access coaching.

Re the game last night, it was a testament to the quality of the Wild players that they were able to mentally stay in that game after going down 2-0.

Brodin is, I think, not appreciated enough. He’s still a very young player, but that OT pass shows you the quality of his mental game. He could have dumped or cranked up a low probability shot, but clear as day you could see a little head turn right before he jogged right to force the goaltender to commit to squaring up to him and staying with Brodin’s angle. He saw Moulson all the way. Not a doubt in my mind, but without putting Howard on the move and making space, there wasn’t a play.

A lot of people in Sweden were baffled that Brodin didn’t make the Olympic team. There’s why.

Way to go Wild players. And Yeo, well, he’s just got to go.

Grouse

It’s a Karma thing……the announcing crew raves about Brodin and minutes later he pulls that pass off.

If one line is doing all the scoring, then you have to find the right mix with the other 3. You can’t just hope at some point they start clicking.

Niederreiter and Coyle have been the biggest issue he has had the last few weeks and one of those guys needs to fill a top 6 role. It seems like Coyle might be getting his game back. Niederreiter’s game seems to have changed, for whatever reason. He isn’t contributing and he isn’t being a pain in the butt like he was earlier in the year.

Considering these 2 are 21 and 22, I am not too worried. I’d expect some inconsistencies in their games now. Not in a year or two though.

I found Blum’s game last night very impressive. He should be on the roster, unfortunately he is the only guy out of Ballard, Stoner and Prosser who has a 2 way contract.

Hopefully we can move some defenseman over the summer and make room for him.

Nino is effective just because he’s dangerous and about the time anyone decides to cheat defensively on him will be the time he scores.

Maybe the whole Yeo Philosophy of Line Musical Chairs makes sense if you know what he’s trying to achieve. I don’t get it and now in the heat of a playoff race, I’m really suspecting neither does Yeo.

What was the deal with Grandlund getting tossed from the circle all the time last night? What was that ref’s problem? Only thing I could think of was he had warned Grandlund not to do something so then he just started tossing him.

Grouse

Nino might be playing better right now if he had better line mates. So there’s that to consider as well. Nice to see Coyle finally show up in the last couple games.

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What was the deal with Grandlund getting tossed from the circle all the time last night? What was that ref’s problem?

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Who knows when it comes to face offs. I’ve been watching it closely for much of the year and I still can’t figure out why anyone gets tossed.

Normally it happens if you make a “swipe” before the puck is dropped or a player not taking the faceoff jumps the gun.

Face Off Procedures Go down to Section 76.3.

By those rules I bet that technically there is rarely a procedurally correct face-off in any game.

For example, I see Koivu turn his body sideways as he swipes many times in an attempt to get leverage, but the puck isn’t dropped. He should get booted for that. Yet he doesn’t and just does it again and wins the draw.

And at the GM meetings they were talking about penalizing players instead of replacing them when they violate a procedure. And by penalizing them I mean make them move back 12-18″, which is ridiculous. Especially when you consider enforcement is so variable from one linesman to the next.

So nobody wants to talk about the Wild game last night vs the Nucks?

Yeah, neither do I. Like the Wild did last night, let’s all just take the day off.

I don’t approve of people booing their own team, but I can understand the frustration on that last power play. Guys, something in the X stunk last night and the bad news was, well, it was the whole freaking Wild team.

Next!

Grouse

I was actually waiting for some Minnesota fan negativity first. I am a little disappointed.

That game needs to be put in the rear view pretty quick. They made a lot of mistakes, despite actually playing pretty well otherwise. The 2 glaring things were Spurgeon’s turnover and Heatley turning it over on the 4th goal I believe. Even down 3-1 I felt like they could come back. That 1st line seems to step it up a notch in the 3rd when they are trailing.

I’m not panicking….yet.

I’d like to finally see Heater sit one out. And I am one of the last hold outs on him. He’s back to struggling again and his turnover last night was huge.

Big test for Kuemper if he gets the start. There is a lot of talk about how well he bounces back. Well, bouncing back after a bad game in November is a lot easier than a crucial game at the end of March.

We have a hell of a hard time against physical teams and the Blues are as tough as they come, so we’ll see, but I am not confident going into tonight. It would be a heck of a boost just to get a point out of it. The good news is that Miller has struggled his last 3 games.

Tomorrow I may be building a nest in the corner ready to go fetal.

I am so sick of these Wild announcers making excuses for these guys. It is a game where you have to play hard all the time.

Gundy

Pug, will the nest have a webcam?

I agree that drives me crazy and it always has especially back a few years when they truly stunk. It was like putting lipstick on a pig. My problem with the team is that for the last several games, there seems to no fire or urgency in their game as a whole team. Every line should come out flying every game. Heatley must have some pretty damaging information on Yeo. How else is he still playing every night? I think Yeo is too much of a buddy to players and not so much a coach. Luckily I have to go to a choir concert tonight and will miss most of the game.

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I am so sick of these Wild announcers making excuses for these guys. It is a game where you have to play hard all the time.

Gundy

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Well, there aren’t many “gimmes” over the next few games, that’s for sure. The Wild are going to need to step up and figure out a way to win or the wildcard race is going to get WAY too “interesting”.

Overall, I don’t feel like the “system” is there. What you’re going to see is kind of “random access Wild”. Different line combos, different goaltender, who’s sitting tonight as a scratch, it’s all so unpredictable.

Grouse

I’m not panicking after the first. I am absolutely pizzed off. These guys should donate their pay for tonight’s game. They aren’t skating. They aren’t battling, except for McCormick. The PP is back to no one skating and pass, pass, pass blocked shot turn it over. This is disgusting.

First goal, everyone collapsed around the net, Heatley wipes out Haula and whoever scored was left untouched to clean up the puck and score.

Then Spurgeon and everyone is half azzed skating moving up ice on the PP and turn it over because of it.

Pug, But YEO says our pp is good. its just an off night now we can look ahead to our next game. GIVE ME A BREAK. Whos this YEO YEO trying to fool. HE HAS TO GO.
When are we going to start calling out our LEADERS? Koivu, sutter, praise. I know praise plays hard game in and game out. But the leaders need to get this team fired up.
Physical play, well that’s all I can say BC we don’t have any of that.
Wallster ><((((>

Backes should be going back to the locker room with a stick shoved down his throat. Someone has to stand up for that bush league crap yelling at Keumper from the bench.

If we make the playoffs, I hope we play a soft team.

Sure would be nice to have a tough guy or a team full of them. Blues, sharks, ducks, kings, were screwed. They are all physical teams.
Wallster ><((((>

It’s official. The Wild are on one of those pathetic aneimic funks where they can’t find net because they’re playing with their hands clasped tightly around thier own necks.

Whatever is wrong with Yeo’s system, nothing short of getting rid of Yeo is going to get this team back on track. There can be no excuses for this kind of inconsistent play given the talent that the wild have. At some point, you have to say that something’s wrong somewhere because the talent is there.

I know St. Lois is a quality team, but 5-1 in the third? That’s not even making a game out of it. St. Louis has controlled every aspect of the game.

Yeo must go.

Grouse

I don’t think you have to worry about Yeo. Nothing short of a miraculous playoff run will save his bacon.

Is it all Yeo though?? Bonehead turnovers, bad passes are not all the coaches fault. I do not agree with some of the player decisions.

heres some random thoughts.

These guys are professionals, and should show some motivation on their own, show that you care at least as much as the fans.

Its really to bad about Harding, I hope his health comes back so he can lead a normal as possible life.

Keumper I think is going to be a good horse, but he’s not quite ready to ride.

I was at the game the other night and for the life of me cannot figure out why Heater is still in the lineup. I like him, but his skills are so diminished, the poor guy cannot skate.. And yet Fontain is a healthy scratch???

I’m hopeful for the future, as little pessimistic of the present

MNice, we are on the same page almost verbatim.

It’s not all Yeo’s fault, however the trends in his tenure cannot be denied. Highly in consistent from being on top of the league to tanking slumps and end of the season disasters. I don’t think the Wild can ride him out another year to see if it is just a coincidence, unless, like I said, he somehow gets the team to the conference finals.

Some of the “blame” also has to fall on the fact that we still have a lot of young guys who we are counting on in big roles. Guys like Nino, Coyle, Haula, Keumper and Fontaine. I don’t include Granlund because he has proven he has made the transition.

Heatley has basically lead the team in – in the +/- the last 2 years. He’s not an asset anymore, he’s a liability. I really though he turned his game around before the trade deadline. But he’s gone back to the old Heatley. I wish it weren’t true. His turnovers and plays always lead to goals. He should be in the pressbox unless we get an injury, but it is hard to imagine Yeo finally making that move this late in the season. If there is one thing we really can be critical of Yeo, it is his handling of Heatley.

Fontaine is tied for 3rd on the team in goals his rookie season, despite playing in 25% less games than everyone else. There is no reason for him to be in the pressbox with a +6 when Heatley is -18 and has scored less goals than him.

I should add that Mike Ribeiro of Phoenix has been a healthy scratch the last 2 games and they have won. While Heater has had a better career, Ribeiro was brought in to add scoring an be a top minute guy.

It does come down to the guys on the ice making plays, but they need a coach that can make a decision. That’s Yeo’s job and he’s falling well short.

Who’s the most likely candidate to replace him?

They’ll just recycle some coach who gets fired at seasons end.