It will be a sad day when Spurgeon goes. He’s been my favorite player ever since breaking into the line up. He amazes me with how he can defend with such a small stature. His poise was really showcased on that tying goal game 7 of the first round against the Avs last year…or should I say 2 years ago?
He’s a cap casualty, especially when his contract expires next offseason and he’s due for a big raise. With the West being a big man’s conference, players like Spurgeon are at a distinct disadvantage (watching him try to move players like Backes out of the crease was comical), plus with young talent like Dumba & Olafson on the horizon, he can be replaced with cheaper contracts…
He’s pretty GD good for being at a disadvantage.
I won’t shed any tears over Spurgeon leaving. I liked him, until I saw Dumba for an extended period of time! Spurgeon is a very poor man’s Dumba imho, and struggles too much due to his size.
I don’t see him struggle much for his size. He is a very smart player and either is incredibly strong, or uses leverage to separate much larger players from the puck more often than not. He is the most valuable asset we have that we may be able to trade and get a good return for, that may work out fine if the young D work out. We will miss his puck moving out of our zone. People seem to forget when he was hurt how badly we struggled coming out of our zone.
I won’t shed any tears over Spurgeon leaving. I liked him, until I saw Dumba for an extended period of time! Spurgeon is a very poor man’s Dumba imho, and struggles too much due to his size.
How can you say he’s a poor man’s dumba when he’s better than dumba…by a good margin. I love dumba, but he has a ways to go before you can compare him to a steady vet like sturgeon.
When did we trade Spurgeon?
Russo is speculating something has to be done before next year when his contract is up. Not necessarily now, but between now and trade deadline.
I know. The comments above sound like he’s already gone.
The end of the season is a long ways away. We could be on our third string goalie, granlund could lead the team in goals and vanek could be traded.
It’ll be interesting to see what Fletch does with the remaining cap space.
Who would trade for Vanek? Oh please please trade Vanek.
we need his cap hit to fill other holes, we’re pretty stacked at defense right now. His skillset can be more easily replaced by guys we have on the squad now vs our forward needs…
Who would trade for Vanek? Oh please please trade Vanek.
X2, yes please trade him, even if you get a sack of used baseballs you come out on top!
If it all possible I would like to see Spurgeon stay, I really like him.
I know I bagged on Vanek a time or two, but when he’s on his game, he’s a big help to the squad. I think some of the guys are learning how to play with him. He’s creative and makes passes where if there is someone there anticipating what he might do, its an easy goal.
He had a tough playoff, but I think it was reported he was playing hurt.
How can you say he’s a poor man’s dumba when he’s better than dumba…by a good margin. I love dumba, but he has a ways to go before you can compare him to a steady vet like sturgeon.
Not sure how he’s better by a good margin. Look at their stats. Dumba was a +13 in 58 GP and Spurgeon was +3 in 66 GP. I’ll give you that Spurgeon is likely better defensively (although I don’t know this as a fact). They both struggle against big powerful forwards, especially in front of the net. I like Spurgeon, but if I had to choose, me (and the majority of GM’s I’d guess) would take Dumba 10 out of 10 times.
I know I bagged on Vanek a time or two, but when he’s on his game, he’s a big help to the squad. I think some of the guys are learning how to play with him. He’s creative and makes passes where if there is someone there anticipating what he might do, its an easy goal.
He had a tough playoff, but I think it was reported he was playing hurt.
Very true, he makes great passes and opens up some great scoring opps, but he NEVER hustles, doesn’t back check at all, rarely goes into the corner for the puck, won’t check. He is so one dimensional. He floats around on the ice waiting for the perfect chance then when it comes he looks like the hero.
Sounding like a Granlund deal is likely going to finished today.
One guy I’m interested in bringing back that not too many people are talking about is Stewart. I know he had a rocky finish to the year, but I think he brings some MUCH needed toughness to our team and can probably work in our system. I’m not a big fan of fights, but I’m also not a big fan of seeing Granlund get targeted by COL. Losing Brodziak and Stewart, I’m left to wonder who the hell is going to be willing to throw a punch on our team.
Who would trade for Vanek? Oh please please trade Vanek.
I don’t get this at all. You want to trade off our #3 goal scorer and #3 points producer and #3 power play goal scorer? For who, exactly?
I’m guessing you didn’t know that Vanek was #3 in those categories only behind Parise and Nino in goals (tied with Zucker) and behind only Parise and Pominville in total points? And for a Wild power play that really struggled, NOT having Vanek netting 5 would have turned “bad” into “disaster”.
There’s a weird perception vs. reality thing that Vanek seems to generate. This “doesn’t hustle” critique seems to blind people to the fact that while he’s out there “not hustling”, he for whatever reason seems to generate goals and assists that nobody notices. Add to that the fact that he was playing with a hernia for the last 20 games…
Vanek was a pure gain for the wild in terms of we got him and gave up nothing in terms of goal scoring to get him. Where would we have been with all this Vanek “not hustling” last year?
Well, the Wild would have been on vacation when the playoffs started, that’s where. Without 21 goals, we’d have lost 4-5 more games and possibly more.
Grouse
I think it was reported he was playing hurt.
Maybe I’m cynical but isn’t that sometimes thrown around when guys struggle.
I also hear a lot that “when he’s on his game” We need guys to be on their game when we’re in round two. I just don’t think he has a sense of urgency, great talent but lazy.
I said after they were eliminated that Stewart had played his last game for the Wild and still feel that way. Russo is on KFAN and seems to think unless he signs a one year deal for 1M he’s out.
Also hinting that Leopold might be gone as well. I would think at this stage and being here in MN he would be pretty flexible as far as money. He’s made a bundle over his career and seems bright enough to not have squandered it.
Free agency starts here soon, any surprises coming?
Would have been nice to nab Saad from the Hawks.
Would have been nice to nab Saad from the Hawks.
Well, I think you have to look at who we’d have had to give up. Any deal like this would certainly involve some players like Nino, Poms, Suter, Parise, etc going as part of the package.
Like most of the top 50% teams, the Wild are hard against the salary cap, so any trades are going to involve salary for salary. You’re trading salary as much as talent to bring on a guy like Saad because you have to have the cap space in the first place.
Grouse
Grouse, stats are what they are, but you talk like if Vanek wasn’t out there we would be playing 4 on 5, wouldn’t someone else have been on the ice to possibly get some of those goals? Sure it’s possible we wouldn’t have all his goal, but again, he floats around in front of the net for 90% of the time he is out there. He’s bound to score a bunch of goals if that’s all he does.
How many goals could he have helped stop if he actually back checked? How many goals would other guys have gotten if Vanek went to the corner and they sat out front of the net?
Grouse, I completely agree. It was more of a wishful thinking type comment. It would be nice to see him on the Wild.
I think i saw Saad signed with CBJ last night.
How many goals could he have helped stop if he actually back checked? How many goals would other guys have gotten if Vanek went to the corner and they sat out front of the net?
I agree that defense and fast transitions are Vanek’s biggest weakness. His +/- tells the tale, at -6, which is somewhere between bad and appalling.
However… the only 50+ game player who was worse than Vanek on the +/- side was…wait for it… Zucker! At -7! And for whatever reason, nobody’s talking about Zucker’s lack of responsible defense or his lack of “hustle”.
Would somebody else have during those shifts where Vanek scored? No way to know. To me, what made Vanek worth it is that there were only 2-3 gettable players with 20+ goal scoring potential on UFA the market at the time Vanek was. So to me it’s hard to see how getting one of those 20+ goal scorers can be that much of a downside when we gave up nothing to get him. Obviously, if we had traded players, then you have to look at are we in the positive territory or not, but we didn’t do that.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think Vanek is the greatest thing ever. Class case of taking “the best player available” as they always on draft night. I just look at what was available compared to what the Wild needed (goal scoring) and in this particular case the choice was to either have Vanek and his 52 points on our team or on someone else’s.
Grouse
you make some great points and I agree when we got him and what we got him for was the perfect fit. I just don’t see him being a good fit going forward.
nobody’s talking about Zucker’s lack of responsible defense or his lack of “hustle”.
I’m guessing Zucker is getting a pass due to his age and the perception is he’s still learning. My two cents.
Absolutely right regarding Vanek. Being locked into contracts is great for players but tough on owners and GM’s.
But hey, it’s a crapshoot and you have to take chances. Every team is in the same boat.
I do think Vaneks lack of “hustle” “heart” “desire” whatever it is is what separates him from being a very good player. The talent is obviously there. A lot of it is frustration with getting swept by Chicago. People need to point fingers, human nature. Again just my opinion.
Granlund signed to 2 year deal this morning. So another one signed for now.
Grouse
The Blues traded T.J. Oshie to the Capitals for Troy Brouwer , Pheonix Copley and a third rounder.
Brouwer only missed one game in four seasons since the Hawks traded him, pretty durable!
Surprised to hear the Blues traded him. I don’t know much about Copley, .925 save percentage in the minors.
Wow, that’s a bit shocking. Go Caps.
Must be a salary dump.
Wow, that’s a bit shocking. Go Caps.
I got the feeling that Oshe got branded with the “Underachiever” label and he fell out of favor in St. Louis.
Good for him. I’d call that move an upgrade.
Grouse
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