Hockey hockey hockey

I know everyone is pumped up for the NFL season, including myself. But my favorite is just around the corner, NHL! What does everyone think about the Wild this year, where do you all see them?

I think alot depends on how the Kane allegations play out… He’s been personally responsible for the Wild’s playoff exits the last 3 years…

as for the Wild, pretty much the same team handicapped again by Backstrom’s “injury”. We’ll need younger players to step up another notch if we expect to get far in the playoffs again, there will be 2-3 really good teams that don’t make the playoffs this year…

At the beginning of last year I had high hopes for the 2015-16 team, but now that the season is upon us, and seeing the moves (or lack thereof) I am not has high on the team this year.
I like the Dubnyck signing, but like said multiple times the Backstrom deal is very complicating to what options the Wild have with roster spots, etc.
The other concerning part is we lost a lot of beef in this offseason. Cooke waived, Brodziak and Stewart signed elsewhere. That is going to hurt.
Next year we could be better positioned to make some moves, but we really didn’t have much money to work with.
I think the Wild will finish on the verge of a playoff spot. Other teams, namely Dallas have improved, while the Wild I think just held serve. Having Dubnyck the whole season should add more stability so that should certainly help. So maybe we wont have the slides like we tend to do about the mid-season point.

Tony Arnold wrote:

…where do you all see them?

At the X or on TV

I think a lot depends on Vanek. I’ll take him on his word that he had a groin issue for the second half of last season. With that behind him, along with (hopefully) the gambling thing and coming back to play in his “home state” distraction, I think he’s set to score 30…dare I say 35?

Yes (Grouse) this is a bit of a turnaround from my “disappointment” during last season. But that way I look at it is he scored 22 with all that went on last year and I can see how those things would affect him. So I do expect a bump in those numbers. Hopefully it isn’t the nagging Gaborik groin ailment.

A part of me wants to be nervous about Doobs. But I look at the work load and pressure he had last year and he never let up. While it is possible to have a little let down because some players just respond to pressure, with Kuemper there on the bench, we should be ok even if Doobs falls off a little and a little competition arises.

Defense we are solid. As solid as any team out there. That helps too.

Hopefully we can fill the void left by Brodz with Carter and Haula.

The biggest thing I am looking forward to is Zucker. If he’s healthy most of the year and gets PP time (and ice time in general), he’s a lock for 30 goals. The second is will Nino continue to progress to a potential 30 goal scorer.

I hope that Bruno and Yeo figured it out from the PP that we cannot rely on the #1 PP as much. The #2 PP needs to spell them as well and get their minutes.

I have high hopes for the Wild this year. I can see them anywhere from #1-3 in the division. I imagine the playoffs are a lock this year. Where they go from there, who knows. Our division remains the best in the league, something that hurts us with the new playoff format.

“I hope that Bruno and Yeo figured it out from the PP that we cannot rely on the #1 PP as much. The #2 PP needs to spell them as well and get their minutes. ”

I contend that our #1 PP last year weren’t even our best PP unit. Get Koivu and Suter out of there for starters. Sub Nino or Coyle for size and Dumba. Scandella should certainly see more time with the #1 unit IMO as well.

The whole Vanek deal, injuries and “distractions” aside, this was a dramatic change for him going from the East to the Western Conference. I think you will see a much better player overall this year. No, he is never going to win the Selke, but I think he will be much better prepared for how to play “Our” style of hockey as its not at all what he’s used to. Conditioning will be key.
What he has the ability to provide on the offensive end FAR outweighs his shortcomings on the defensive end in my eyes. We didn’t bring him in to be a Zach Parise type tenacious player. If anyone thought that they should have their head examined. He was brought in to make plays and finish.
I want to see him take the shot more, but also don’t forget to set up other guys, he showed a lot of great play making last year and honestly I think guys were not prepared to capitalize on it because they expected him to shoot.

Vanek does make some sweet passes. They just need to find a linemate who knows how to play with him.

personally i think we need to get another younger goalie who can take some of the workload off of dubs. I think that we are going to be playing catch up most of the season. I am not having high hopes for this year, but i will stand behind my team no matter what.

as far a vanek goes, he has to get his feet moving and stay strong on the puck like he did when he was a gopher. he was hard to seperate from the puck due to his physical play. last year he looked almost scared to play the puck after his fellow gopher took that shot and is now out of the game.

the coaches need to make the power play units equal, have threats on both squads so they are very strong for the full 2 minuets.

we just need to get aggressive and really take it to them for the full 60 minuets and not just 20 here or 20 there. we need to skate the full 60, they can do it, just need to get the veterans to light a fire under everyone and let the scoring begin.

bring on hockey!!!

I’m surprised Koivu hasn’t been mentioned. How much does he have left in the tank? He seems to catch a lot of heat but who would fill his role?

Vaneks only groin issue is not having any balls… couldn’t resist. When he’s on he’s pretty darn fun to watch, just seems his desire isn’t always there.

Shane Hildebrandt wrote:

personally i think we need to get another younger goalie who can take some of the workload off of dubs.

Younger than Kuemper?

We can’t carry another tender with Backstrom on the payroll.

belletaine wrote:

I’m surprised Koivu hasn’t been mentioned. How much does he have left in the tank? He seems to catch a lot of heat but who would fill his role?

I think you answered your own question.

belletaine wrote:

just seems his desire isn’t always there.

Desire to play defense? I know that has been sitting out there ever since his playoff run for the Habs, but I don’t see it. He’s a little slower, which can make it look like they are disinterested, but I remember every opportunity he missed, he’d always be ticked off on the bench.

Very true regarding Vanuck, Pug. It’s an odd phenomenon that you hear things enough and you start seeing things that way.

One thing is certain, it’s going to a fun season. Anxious to see Dubnyk with the pice of mind of having the new contract.

My main expectation with Dubnyk is that we have more stable goal tending than we have had in the last 3 years. This should eliminate the lengthy skids we have been prone to each of those years especially toward the beginning of the new year.
Around January 1 its been all the talk about Yeo being on the hotseat because of how the team cannot get off the snide, but this year I think it could be different.
Kuemper wont have the pressure of “being #1” and we wont have to fall back on oft injured and elderly Backstrom to carry the team.
Ride Dubnyk, but get Kuemper in there in key spots to get some action and rest Dooobs!
Hopefully we wont have a “mumps” situation or other major injury bug and this team could be respectable. Our division just does not get any easier so moving out of the #7 or #8 spot in the West will be tough. If they could somehow finish #2 in the Division, then I think their playoff chances are greatly improved.

No change for me from the way I was looking at the Wild at the end of last season. I don’t see any of the off season developments as surprising or unpredicatble.

I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: I have no idea why Vanek is such a lightning rod. Q: What would you call the Wild without Vanek last season? A: Playoff spectators. Bottom line is what it is, brothers: Without Vanek’s 21 goals, no playoffs. Simples.

Again, I wonder if any of the Vanek doggers out there realize that Vanek had more goals than Coyle and Grandlund COMBINED!

The Wild have a few more players who slid backward or at best stayed level in 2014-15 including:

– Coyle. He got the big boy contract, now Coyle needs to produce. I’ll stop short of calling his performance lackluster, but Coyle needs to bring much, much more to the table this season.

– Grandlund. Granny didn’t continue his rise last year and he’s another who needs to find his game trajectory and the back of the net more this year.

– Suter. This is more on Yeo than Suter, probably, but they need to adopt a less is more strategy with Suter so he isn’t fried come March 1. Dump the quantity of minutes and give us QUALITY minutes.

– Yeo. Yeo’s challenge for this season is to quit sliding into the playoffs sideways, backwards, and barely with any gas in the tank. It’s still an open question to me, are the Wild winning with Yeo or in spite of him? Yeo needs to deliver an under-control season rather than another bucking bronco “we’ll see how this ends” ride that results in an exhausted team staggering into the playoffs. Or worse, staggering into the bar to watch Round 1 on tv.

I guess I’m not seeing the defensive issues others seem to be seeing. Mike Reilly was an excellent add and I think Folin will be on the same trajectory as Dumba. Speaking of Dumba, do you think anyone in the league will fear his point blasts any less this year? He inflicted so much pain last year, it was absolutely a joy to watch the flinching as word spread that he breaks bones from the point.

Finally, look, about the goaltending. Everybody wants to be the team that has it all figured out between the pipes and for the long haul besides. The reality is that the Wild have enjoyed FAR more than their fair share of goaltender success and stability over the history of the franchise compared to other teams. I think they’ll be solid this year, if not stellar, with the options. The real test at goal is in 2-3 years, not this year. The Wild need to be bringing up some major talent in this area for the future.

The league is just SO talented and even with super-talented teams, it’s here today, gone tomorrow. Look at Chicago. In June they had it all. In August, they’re floundering on the rocks and facing a very uncertain future. It’s hard to get to the top and it’s tougher than ever to stay. All things considered, I think the Wild will arrive at the start line without any glaring holes. What they need to do is get the most out of what they have.

Grouse