MN Wild 2016-17 – Official thread.

These prospects will definitely help with the cap situation the next few years, Granny, Nino and Zucker will all be in line for substantial pay raises after this season alone…

JoeMX1825 wrote:

These prospects will definitely help with the cap situation the next few years, Granny, Nino and Zucker will all be in line for substantial pay raises after this season alone…

I was thinking the same thing. I kinda like how Fletch has done the bridge contracts with a few guys to hold them over hoping some of the draft picks pan out.
Granlund, Nino, Haula and Folin are all RFAs following this year.
Zucker thankfully is signed through next year (Dumba as well, although maybe not as thankfully), but we have the elephant in the room expansion draft. They have to pick someone who is under contract at least through next season.

I’m done. See you in the playoffs. This team still has mental problems just like the previous three years.

mplspug wrote:

This team still has mental problems just like the previous three years.

That’s the depressing thing. A small funk, or just a sloppy streak, would’ve been over by now.

Maybe I’m wrong but one of my thoughts is that maybe the end of the regular season will be a good thing for the team. It’s a literal end of something and a line in the sand and hopefully mentally it has them moving on and mentally and physically adjusting.

I can remember when guys ussd to say it was Yeo’s fault. I guess this proves that theory wrong……….

roosterrouster wrote:

I can remember when guys ussd to say it was Yeo’s fault. I guess this proves that theory wrong……….

And proves my point that they are a group of fragile headcases.

At this point the rest of the season means nothing. As they say, the playoffs are a new season.

mplspug wrote:

I’m done. See you in the playoffs. This team still has mental problems just like the previous three years.

So these mental abnormalities disappear when the playoffs start?

The Player roster of the Wild is made up of to many of the same style players, all 3’s and 4’s maybe a few 2’s.
History proves you can not Win a Stanley Cup without top tier elite players who can change the course of a game.

Without that type of player, the Stanley Cup window is closing on this team as it stands.

jeff_huberty wrote:

So these mental abnormalities disappear when the playoffs start?

Yes, kind of like the first half of the season when the Wild were #1 in the West. I’m not saying they’ll all of a sudden be the first half team, but they will reset mentally. The streak ends at game 82 and now they focus on winning 4 games.

Did you bump your head on a Manatee?

I wish, I love manatees.

After watching Tampa last night, I am inching ever so closer to changing my affiliation.

jeff_huberty wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>mplspug wrote:</div>
I’m done. See you in the playoffs. This team still has mental problems just like the previous three years.

So these mental abnormalities disappear when the playoffs start?

The Player roster of the Wild is made up of to many of the same style players, all 3’s and 4’s maybe a few 2’s.
History proves you can not Win a Stanley Cup without top tier elite players who can change the course of a game.

Without that type of player, the Stanley Cup window is closing on this team as it stands.

Shouldn’t you be getting ready for the NFL draft? I heard the Falcons have a hot tip on a guy…

I’d like to to see the Wild get 100 points just to get a little confidence back. They will be fine in the playoffs, heck they aren’t burning any energy lately, just saving up for the playoffs. If Doobs gets hot again I think that will give a huge boost to this team. He is letting in some really soft goals lately and that is just killing this teams momentum.

mplspug wrote:

After watching Tampa last night, I am inching ever so closer to changing my affiliation.

I don’t know how Tampa has remained at all competitive this season let alone fight for a playoff spot. They were big sellers at the trade deadline, haven’t have Stamkos in months and have started 11 rookies this year due to all of the injuries.
The game last night was crazy. I turned it to watch Breaking Bad (Best of Saul Goodman) marathon only to turn it back and see it was tied!

Did any of you see the hit on Eddie Lack in the Canes/Wings game? Whoa! I am surprised he isn’t paralyzed! Your neck isn’t supposed to bend like that.

http://www.foxsports.com/nhl/story/hurricanes-goalie-eddie-lack-stretchered-off-following-ot-winner-032717

Whoah, that could have been tragic. Thanks for the share. I hope that helmet gave a little and slipped, because that was a nasty snap. I also love how every player on both team stayed on the ice. #brotherhood

It is pretty incredible what Tamps has done, not only this year, but the past several years. Last year without Stamkos as well they had to go on a run to get into the playoffs. Kucherov is 23. He’s going to be a consistent top 5 goal scorer for years and has a chance to lead the league in one or more. It’s incredible that he went #58 in the draft. I hope Krill turns out to be Kucherov 2.0.

I just researched Kaprizov and he reminds me an awful lot of Zach Parise. I am talking it is spookie. Not only his style of play and size, but with the lid on he looks like him. I hope that since their styles are very similar, Parise takes him under his wing and mentors him, that could be huge.

With Krill fulfilling his KHL contract next year, maybe I’ll take a season off from the Wild and come back. When I say take a season off, I am talking not getting Center Ice for the year.

mplspug wrote:

After watching Tampa last night, I am inching ever so closer to changing my affiliation.

I Just Fell Off My Chair!
Things don’t get any easier tonight with the Caps coming to town.

Looking at the Caps sched, it appears they are out of their mini funk….thanks to us.

I completely agree with Sticker that the key is getting Doobs and the D in front of him back on track.

Hanzel seems to be more comfortable now, but he’s not going to do much scoring or play making. He is good in the D zone and tough to knock off the puck around the boards.

Russo just tweeted that Erikson Ek is heading to America according to Bruce.
No word if he’s going to Iowa or not but that’s what I would assume.

belletaine wrote:

Russo just tweeted that Erikson Ek is heading to America according to Bruce.

Sure would be fun to see another Kid line to jump in and bring some energy to this team.

Patrick Division 1981-Neal Broten,Brad Palmer,Steve Christoff

Norris Division 2017?- Kunin-Greenway-Ek

They are set to burn the first year of Eriksson Ek’s contract, but I sincerely doubt Kunin sees any time with the big club this year. At least I hope not.
It sounded like they wanted to bring Ek in jan/feb timeframe, but held off and were planning to bring him back just for the playoffs to allow him to play in World Championships, but changed their tune.
I wonder if he will be center or wing? My guess Wing. This would spell the end to white or shroeder I think.
From what I have seen of Ek is he rarely makes mistakes, but does have a great shot and makes excellent passes. He was amazing in the World Juniors and in the Playoffs for Farjestad back in Sweden.

Lack released from hospital with a neck sprain.

Parise has been playing with a lot of energy lately, hasn’t done much for the team. I’ll use the old cliche the Wild just need to have good things happen to them tonight and regain a little mojo.

Are you all in for a Stanley Cup this year or not? The Grand Trade has done nothing.

mplspug wrote:

Lack released from hospital with a neck sprain.

Parise has been playing with a lot of energy lately, hasn’t done much for the team. I’ll use the old cliche the Wild just need to have good things happen to them tonight and regain a little mojo.

Man I hope so. A 6 and 1 run would be a great way to wrap up the season. Saturday’s game against Nashville could be a big one for home ice.

mplspug wrote:

After watching Tampa last night, I am inching ever so closer to changing my affiliation.

jeff_huberty wrote:

Are you all in for a Stanley Cup this year or not? The Grand Trade has done nothing.

I am always all in.

jeff_huberty wrote:

Are you all in for a Stanley Cup this year or not? The Grand Trade has done nothing.

Here’s the way I look at it this way. There was FAR more good to great hockey from this team during this season than what we have seen the last month and change.
If they get back to that style, they have a legit shot and I like their chances. The roster is essentially in tact with what they have had all season. The guys “displaced” by Hanzal/White were NOT contributors to this team so all this talk about the trade destroying the mojo or whatever is completely ridiculous to me.
A month ago they were Cup favorites, now everyone is jumping off the bandwagon.
I think they are sleepers. They just need a bit a luck and harder work to get back to their game.
They need to polish up their style of play similar to what the did against the Red Wings and get that clicking. That is the style that got them to the top of the West and within spitting distance of the top overall record.
MN Sports fans are all too often what have you don’t for me lately. When they were winning there were so many people interested in them, now people are jumping off as fast as they got on.
My wife sits down to watch the games now and I tell her to go to the bedroom. She is messing with my routine!
Big game tonight boys. It actually means a lot more to the Caps because of their tight race. This could be a ripe one for the picking. Get a jump on them early, get out ahead and lets step on their throat.
Or, come out flat, get behind several goals. Play a gritty 2nd period to make it interesting and lose anyway. Booo!

Can someone send me a pm when game 2 of the first round is on. I’m done watching for this season. I don’t even think they’ll show up for game 1.

I sure as hell hope the got some rest over the past two weeks during this skid. They’ll need it before the playoffs.

I’ll give anyone 10-1 odds if there is a Capitals powerplay, Ovie scores from the top circle on his off wing.

Good to see Stewart:
1.) stick up for Parise (pun intended)

2.) try to get this GD team fired up…

If the rest of these guys don’t show some heart the last 2 periods, they’ll have a pretty short post season.

Some good passing…onto the sticks of Caps players. Just throwing it to places where Wild players aren’t. Avoiding the front of the net. Shooting from impossible angles. Guys not finding the open ares making themselves available. This is just inexplicable.

By the way, the coach isn’t without fault. Somehow Oshie, Ovie and whoever the other guys is are on the ice against our 4th line for that goal. I wouldn’t be surprised if even Fletch has dropped a drink or two in the suite.

Captain, never in the HISTORY of the North Stars / Wild have they been Cup FAVORITES. Contenders maybe, favorites never. But I know what you meant I think.