MN Wild 2018-19 Official Thread

TheFamousGrouse wrote:

BTW, where are all the “Parise’s deal was the worst mistake the Wild ever made” guys these days? He’s got what 18 goals and we’re not at the AS break yet?

I believe most if not all of the Parise contract remarks were made AFTER he had back surgery…How many athletes with bad backs requiring surgery have reoccurring back issues again and again afterwards? (I would say most if not all) and how many play the style of game Parise does and then have a guaranteed contract for another 6-7 years?

I think every Wild fan is super happy with Parise this season, but you can’t deny his full contract is now a huge risk for the Wild… Hindsight is 20/20, but it’s our reality now…

JoeMX1825 wrote:

How many athletes with bad backs requiring surgery have reoccurring back issues again and again afterwards? (I would say most if not all) and how many play the style of game Parise does and then have a guaranteed contract for another 6-7 years?

I think every Wild fan is super happy with Parise this season, but you can’t deny his full contract is now a huge risk for the Wild… Hindsight is 20/20, but it’s our reality now…

He’s a good, likeable player. But come playoff time he will get pounded on. That back will be tested to its limits. Refs have always swallowed their whistles for the wild and that’s amplified in the playoffs for all teams. A good, hard fought playoff series and he will be taking many hard cross checks. Question is, if they made a deep run, could his body withstand it?

Parise certainly does take a beating. I sure which the NHL would get rid of those cross checks across the lower back. I cannot fathom why they don’t ever call that. I watched Truba do that to Parise in the playoffs last year 5 times on one play before he was finally knocked to the ice and only THEN was a penalty called.

The Parise deal was the best deal this club has made. He gave hope & promise to a fan base that wants to believe. You can never blame a team for trying to win and you can never blame a player for getting paid. He has been getting beat on his whole hockey life.

CaptainMusky wrote:

Parise certainly does take a beating. I sure which the NHL would get rid of those cross checks across the lower back. I cannot fathom why they don’t ever call that. I watched Truba do that to Parise in the playoffs last year 5 times on one play before he was finally knocked to the ice and only THEN was a penalty called.

It seems like the front of the net is a no penalty zone. Parise has made a living in there, no doubt that if the so called big bodies on the Wild had his effort and will, the club would be in a much better spot.

Kunin and Greenway look to be simular type players.

The Wild have won two games in a row. I’m glad to see they fought back after giving up stupid early goals…… but I’m still not impressed.

Dutchboy is right about “giving the fans something to believe in”. The problem is the belief is fading fast. After 5+ years of watching and supporting this core group of players there is no reason to believe this year’s outcome will be any different. The problem is with leadership.

And, if the ZP signing was the best deal this club has made (it’s not), what about the RS signing. Sure, RS is composed on the puck, makes lots of assists and has solid stats (if you don’t ask him to score). But he’s not threatening to any forwards. He doesn’t step up to challenge the player with the puck, constantly skating backwards, can’t be bothered to throw a real hit, rarely takes a slap shot, and oh did I mention he doesn’t score?

These two were supposed to be the guys to build around. Build a team to propel the Wild deep into the playoffs. Instead, the Wild haven’t even come close to a Conference Final, much less a Cup.

Suter was expected to be a goal scorer?

He’s doing everything he was expected to as far as I can see…Leads in Ice-time, typically has a high +/-, He’s the Defensive core on this team… He’s even scored more points per season with the Wild than the Predators and he had Weber for a partner to pass to back then…

After his rough first 10 or so games this season (due to getting over his injury) I really don’t see Suter’s game declining at all…there are some situations (like OT 3-3) that just don’t suit his game anymore and he probably should defer to players like Dumba & Spurgeon more…

I have no worries about Suter’s health moving into the final 1/2 of his contract (he’s a magician in terms of not taking hits on the ice)

JoeMX1825 wrote:

he’s a magician in terms of not taking hits on the ice

He’s also a magician in terms of not GIVING hits.

Not saying he’s not a good player, ice time, efficiency, blah, blah blah. But THE GUY to build around. Nope.

Typically delivering hits puts the defensemen out of position…Do you want him to be like the new Matt Dumba who delivers big open ice hits? because he’s not that type of defenseman, never has been…

Suter rubs players out on the boards and that allows him to maintain body position and stay with the flow of the play…do you complain about Spurgeon then? or what about Erik Karlson, Roman Josi, Torri Krug, PK Subban, Victor Hedman, Dunkin Keith, etc etc…

Name another current defenseman that is a “hitter” that you would build around? Shae Weber is about the only person close to that description and he can’t stay healthy…

JoeMX1825 wrote:

Suter rubs players out on the boards and that allows him to maintain body position and stay with the flow of the play…

I think Suters play may be the most consistent of the entire team, you know exactly what you have, and what kind of plays he makes. He may just play at that level for the next six years. You know what your getting when he is on the ice.

Keep an eye on that Price guy. He’s going to be a really good goalie one day.

Oh, looky there. On the inside looking out now. Still have two games in hand on the teams above and below them.

Nice win by the Wild against a pretty determined Canadians team obviously keen to avenge the A55 whipping the Wild laid on them in the last meeting.

And right back in the Wildcard spot. Hopefully, this also is the start of a Granny hot streak, it’s been a while since he’s scored, but what a great time to start again.

Basically a great example of how NOT to ref a hockey game. Absolutely terrible officiating with multiple blown calls. Zuker had his stick chopped in half 3 feet from a ref with no call. What a crock. Wild got away with 1 too with Pateryn’s high hit, but overall a terrible show by the refs.

Grouse

Sloppy game by both sides, has anybody been able to find Nino on the ice lately? talk about falling off a cliff, it seems he can’t do the most mundane things right lately…

What’s taking Fenton so long unloading Coyle? If the prior 5 seasons taught us anything, it’s that this recent hot streak by him will not last much longer…

Hopefully that gift of a goal gets Granny out of his month long funk, now we need the 4-5 other players to get out of their funks as well and we might have something going…

JoeMX1825 wrote:

Sloppy game by both sides, has anybody been able to find Nino on the ice lately? talk about falling off a cliff, it seems he can’t do the most mundane things right lately…

No kidding! He is absolutely terrible right now and Staal is pretty much right there with him. Neither one of them can find their A55 with both hands.
The problem with this team is that we need consistent contributions from up and down the lineup because we all know what when its consistently one line doing all the scoring, it will dry up and then we have a major funk!

Dubnyk played pretty good again. I knew he was playing a lot, but didn’t realize it was 13 in a row. That is too much.

Tough one tonight against the Bruins. I have a feeling the Chahlie will play hard as an audition for his future employer. He has been playing really well lately, but as has been said, history has shown it doesn’t last, but playing with Kunin and Parise has been great for him the last couple weeks.

Nice Winning streak,no doubt.

The big question remains is that all it is? Time will tell.

JoeMX1825 wrote:

What’s taking Fenton so long unloading Coyle? If the prior 5 seasons taught us anything, it’s that this recent hot streak by him will not last much longer…

Oh don’t worry, IDO’s favorite whipping boy ain’t going no where!

Here’s a postgame interview from a couple weeks ago when they were losing. Rough stretch for sure.

My favorite hockey interview canned answer is “we need to keep it simple. We can’t try and do it all ourselves.”

JoeMX1825 wrote:

What’s taking Fenton so long unloading Coyle? If the prior 5 seasons taught us anything, it’s that this recent hot streak by him will not last much longer…

What’s taking so long is that teams are looking at Coyle’s stats for more than just the last 5 games. And then they politely decline…

The time to deal Coyle was 3 seasons ago. Sure, I can see some teams taking him on thinking that under their scheme he might perform better, but I can’t see any team risking a trade on the hope the Coyle will turn around. As a free agent they might gamble on a short term deal, but taking on a contract as a trade?

I have to say that Fenton has been on the job what 6 months now? Whatever it is, we have NOTHING to judge him on. Which to me is worrisome. He hasn’t made one significant move. When does the Fenton era begin and how will we tell?

Grouse

TheFamousGrouse wrote:

I have to say that Fenton has been on the job what 6 months now? Whatever it is, we have NOTHING to judge him on. Which to me is worrisome. He hasn’t made one significant move. When does the Fenton era begin and how will we tell?

Grouse

He approved our 1st round pick at the draft…He had to know the other players available due to his draft work for the Preds before we signed him, yet he still went with that godawful pick…

JoeMX1825 wrote:

He approved our 1st round pick at the draft…He had to know the other players available due to his draft work for the Preds before we signed him, yet he still went with that godawful pick…

That and his “no major changes needed” attitude at his first (and practically only) press conference have made me think he’s just an owner’s yes man and really has no decision-making power.

I’m not saying push the Huberty button, but I’d have thought by now there’d have been some move that had “Fenton” written all over it. He’s the Invisible Man so far.

Grouse

TheFamousGrouse wrote:

The time to deal Coyle was 3 seasons ago. Sure, I can see some teams taking him on thinking that under their scheme he might perform better, but I can’t see any team risking a trade on the hope the Coyle will turn around. As a free agent they might gamble on a short term deal, but taking on a contract as a trade?

I have to say that Fenton has been on the job what 6 months now? Whatever it is, we have NOTHING to judge him on. Which to me is worrisome. He hasn’t made one significant move. When does the Fenton era begin and how will we tell?

At the time when trading Coyle to Boston was a hotter topic, there was also talk of the Bruins taking a shot at the Blues Tarasenko.
Kind of a no brainer there for the Bruins.

The team is aging.

We are stuck with a lot of contracts.

Dubnyk is probably the only really valuable, tradable asset. His start numbers long term are worrisome.

There’s not a lot in the cupboards.

The thing I personally don’t get, is why they can look great some games and fall off the cliff so dramatically others. There’s talent there. But the drive at times just completely falls off the map. When they are all, all in, it’s a fun team to watch. When the mental lapses and mental mistakes start adding up, it’s very frustrating to understand why it goes from so good to so bad so fast.

If the team makes the playoffs and has a dismal showing or doesn’t get in, there needs to be some sort of move beyond a single aging vet brought in for a short term deal. They need consistent scoring help.

basseyes wrote:

The team is aging.
We are stuck with a lot of contracts.

Dubnyk is probably the only really valuable, tradable asset. His start numbers long term are worrisome.

Agreed; I would have no issue with trading Dubnyk, his value could bring in
more assets than anyone else on the team. Stall could get some value at the trade deadline,although he does needs to start scoring.

basseyes wrote:

The thing I personally don’t get, is why they can look great some games and fall off the cliff so dramatically others. There’s talent there. But the drive at times just completely falls off the map.

basseyes wrote:

They need consistent scoring help.

I feel your pain, but setting aside the Minnesota “woe was us” thing where everything is a problem only we have, isn’t almost every team in the league wanting the same thing at different times during the season? Whether it’s goal scoring or goaltending or defense or whatever.

Look at what’s happened to Anaheim who has lost 8 straight. Or Dallas might be a better example yet with two “star” players who never seem to manage to get it together at the same time.

We’re in the Fletcher Hangover Era now. Fletcher hollowed out the middle of the team with all his easy giveups of 1st round picks in trades. I believe we are finally clear of these, but right now we should have at least 2 more decent first rounders in the lineup and we don’t. Which kind of explains why Coyle is still here…

Grouse

I think Fenton was worried about coming in early with a trade that likely would have looked bad from the Wild’s perspective. Think about it, if you were another team in the league talking to the Wild about a trade, who would you be asking for? Kaprizov? Dumba? Greenway? maybe Kunin or Brodin due to his nice contract… If Fenton would have given any of those pieces up he would have been dogged by fans and the media…so I give him a pass on that just based on the fact that we have pieces we all want to get rid of (Coyle for lack of production even though his contract is decent, Nino for lack of production at $5 million per season contract, Foligno perhaps too) but why would any other team want those players at that contract in the first place? so his hands were tied…

I’m holding out hope that he’s simply waiting for the trade deadline to offload a contract or two to a disparate team that thinks they are a player away from the cup. I’m in the crowd that thinks we need to reload and plan for making another run in 2 years.

like I said earlier, I give Fenton no pass on the terrible 1st round pick last draft…when your an organization that has a problem scoring goals and has no goal scorers in your system, why pass on a player like Joey Veleno and instead take a projected 2d or 3rd D pair defenseman with little upside? Makes zero sense…

Filip Johansson’s stats this season (in the Swedish minor leagues – not the Elite league) 31 games played, 1 assist and 22 penalty minutes…wtf were they thinking?!?

And none of this even matters for a team in playoff contention…

biggill wrote:

And none of this even matters for a team in playoff contention…

Great short sighted insight.

TheFamousGrouse wrote:

Fletcher hollowed out the middle of the team with all his easy giveups of 1st round picks in trades. I believe we are finally clear of these, but right now we should have at least 2 more decent first rounders in the lineup and we don’t. Which kind of explains why Coyle is still here…

Grouse

Agreed, boy did he ever. To many quick fixes that screwed the pooch.