MN Wild 2016-17 – Official thread.

Columbus is certainly a Cinderella story this year no doubt. They have played the one less game as the Wild and have 46 pts! That is crazy. The Wild are one of the tops when it comes to pts per game. The Jackets and the Wild own the current longest winning streaks at 10 and 8. Pretty sweet. I thought when they traded away Johannson last year they were really going to tank, but they have certainly turned it around.
No doubt all of the top teams are riding hot goalies right now. Price, Dubnyk and Bobrovski are all pretty much lights out each night. I guess the surprise would be the Blackhawks since Crawford is out, but Darling has been pretty solid.
Very competitive year this year especially out East. I think the Metropolitan Division has securely taken over the toughest division in hockey from the Central.

I don’t know how Chicago does it year in and year out. I think their record is a little skewed when compared to our because they have played 3 extra home games.

I’m so happy to see the return of the empty net goal.

9 in a row!

Can’t believe the run the Blue Jackets are on too.

Congratulations Jaromir Jagr. What a class act.

You hear guys who played with him and talk about him and he just seems like an all around great and humble guy.

It was Jagrs rookie year when the North stars and pens played for the cup right? I have always been a fan of his, incredible what he has accomplished. Heck, he’s my age and still playing at the highest level. There isn’t much I still do at a high level anymore. Lol
Another great win from top to bottom. Dumba had a rough night but overall the team played very well.

Wow! What a win by the Wild. Getting it done any/every way they can. Jordan Schroeder! Wow, what a time to notch a goal. Huge goals by Spurgeon and then Staal says if you can score shorthanded, I can score shorthanded. What a stud. Grandlund was terrific on both sides of the puck tonight, he doesn’t get nearly enough credit for how much he breaks up plays on D, he has several key pass breakups.

Sweet deal to notch 4 goals on Price. He was looking a bit stiff and the Wild took full advantage.

Totally agree, Pug, I love the return of the empty net dagger. It’s just so awesome to jam one up thier @sses and totally put it out of reach.

This is going to be a tough way to try to get to 10 in a row with a back-to-back against 2 of the best teams in the east. We’ll see what happens.

Grouse

Look everybody, Henrik Lundqvist was spotted leaving the arena after the Wild chased him from the net tonight with 4 goals in 2 periods.

Have to admit, I didn’t see that goal fest coming. I thought the Wild would have to fight had to maybe win by 1.

Way to go, another whole team effort. And without Parise and Haula again. Kuemper looked a little shaky at times, but difficult to expect much more with as little as he plays.

Franchise record for a winning streak. This Wild team is really fun to watch, they just have so much more poise and confidence.

Grouse

Man wouldn’t it be great if we make it to Saturday’s game against the Jackets still on the winning streak and the same with theirs.

Yes, hopefully neither looks past their next opponent, which happens a lot in situations like this.

I still hate the 3 on 3 ot even though we have been better this year.
That was a pretty slick pass from Shroeder to Spurgeon.

You hate 3 on 3? I love it. It seems to have cut down on shootouts. And it’s exciting to watch, in my humble opinion.

It stems mostly from our abysmal record in it last year.

I’ll have to agree with Pug on that one. IMHO 3 on 3 is the best thing they could’ve done. Love watching the fast pace action. The last few years have been rough on the Wild in OT and this year they seem to have a better grasp of playing 3 on 3 and finishing. How about the Tic-Tac-Toe pass for the second goal last night!? They sure are fun to watch right now!! GO WILD!!!

The 3 on 3 is growing on me but I still think the shoot outs are a Joke, they should do away with them. IMHO

It was ugly…but a wins a win…big game sat should be fun to watch

Saturday will be fun. Some defensive break downs and dooby was looking ahead. That’s the only explanation for his play.

My only worry is becoming will the wild be tired come playoffs.

mplspug wrote:

My only worry is becoming will the wild be tired come playoffs.

Well, if they don’t have to pull off some kind of miraculous winning streak in Feb and Mar to make the playoffs, like the past two seasons, I’m confident they’ll be in much better shape come playoffs.

Looking forward to Saturday for sure. The game will probably be a turd, but the result is what we’re looking forward to.

I honestly didn’t see more than one of the goals against tonight but 4 certainly against isn’t great. I hope Doobs rebounds.

Saturday will be fun but it really doesn’t mean much. It’s one game in the grand scheme of things and if they win or lose, it shouldn’t define or change your season. Hopefully Boudreau can keep them level headed afterward.

That was a little tongue in cheek. As a MN fan, we always worry about something.

Despite the defensive breakdowns and shakey tending, they showed some swagger and the ability and confidence to show they could win another way, which is nice. You aren’t always going to be on top of your game and you aren’t always going to give up 2 or less goals.

They just keep finding ways to get it done…IMPRESSIVE

I yelled at the TV after the first goal to pull Doobs. As good as he has been when he is off, he is off and last night he was OFF! I am sure he is shaking his head this morning wondering what happened, but he will be ready Saturday I’m sure.

Helluva good shot on that breakaway. Tough to stop that one.

Did anyone else not see that goal on TV? They were going to commercial and said Columbus was up by one. Was watching on Sling tv and never saw the goal. Not sure if they came back from commercial late?
DT

I saw it live on sling. No issues here. I have a sharp roku tv if that matters.

It’s 4-1 here. I think I’ll drink and forget.

4-2 thanks to Zuk and Granny.

Don’t let that stop you from drinking. It hasn’t for me.

Well, a tough loss for the Wild, but still a terrific run and it takes nothing away from the winning streak because Bruce has made a damn fine team out of this group and it wasn’t by bringing in a bunch of new guys.

Grandlund is a natural on the wing and he IS the setup man that everybody was hoping Vanek would be. Grandlund has really come into his own this year.

Anybody else watching the World Junior Championships?

Wow! The Wild have some HOT draft picks playing. That Kunin kid is wearing the C and looking really good until an unfortunate call sent him off against Canada and the Greenway kid looks like a beast as well against Canada. Greenway is over 200 pounds and when he gets moving, nothing stops him. Even at the pro level he will be very hard to move off the puck or push away from the net. It was funny watching wimpy little 180 pound Canadian players bouncing off him trying to check him.

On top of that, Erickson-Ek is wearing the C for Sweden and looking good. Then the icing on the cake is the Russian Krill Kaprizov wearing the C for Russia and he is racking up points left and right in the KHL. He’s looking really good for such a young prospect.

The Wild have some real talent shaping up. Erickson Ek will almost certainly join the big club next year. Kunin and Greenway have both indicated that they may turn pro after this college season. Kaprizov is in the KHL and there’s no hurry to sign him because the rights to a KHL player won’t expire. Wow.

Grouse

I’m excited about several of these guys definitely appears to be some promise in the youth coming. Up to this year Iowa has been so depleted that anyone of value was with the big club.
I like greenways size, but I haven’t seen him play this year. Kiprisov is interesting. He could be the next Tarasenko. Not tall but thick and strong with a heavy shot. He is blowing up in the khl this year. There will be some definite options for Chuck after this year. Perhaps Pominville gets bought out and a couple of these guys land on entry level deals next year that could help the salary cap situation.

I’m rooting for Krill. I like having a Russian on the team.

How has Tuch been doing? We’ll need someone to step up next year with Vegas being able to rape every team.

CaptainMusky wrote:

Perhaps Pominville gets bought out and a couple of these guys land on entry level deals next year that could help the salary cap situation.

What would you want to do with that extra cap space? I obviously haven’t looked at what other wild players need to be signed, but I can’t imagine there’s anyone else out there that would have much more value than Pomminville. At least you know what you’re getting.

I wouldn’t be disappointed if they bought him out though.

Rfa’s Grandlund, Haula, Niederreiter, Folin, Olofsson, Reilly,Schroeder Ufa’s Prosser, Kuemper. Another issue is who will we lose to Las Vegas?