MN Wild 2018-19 Official Thread

mplspug wrote:

They’ll probably play better without kuch.

Yes, I was going to say how would they notice they were without him?

Grouse

Pug, how do I put this as delicately as possible? Your Bolts are–errr–well, what’s the polite expression I’m looking for?

Ahhhh, yes. The Bolts are blowing buttski.

CBJs are up 3-0 with a 3-1 win. Yikes. It’s 4 in a row or no, no, no for Tampa. I can’t recall seeing a President’s winner spin into the sea in flames like this before.

Grouse

I expected Tampa to beat Columbus and lose the next round.
Look at their record. They beat all the bad teams all the time but the good teams were only .500 at best.
They better figure it out now or their done.
Not all bad though, maybe the wild can pickup some scraps when they reorg.

Umm, the Wild beat Tampa 3 zip when the Wild couldn’t find the locker room. The fact that Columbus is giving them a beat down is really not that big of a surprise.

This is exactly why I hated seeing them chase the president’s cup and then the redwings record. Like Cooper has said all year long, he was uncomfortable with them not ever really having to deal with adversity.

Im not giving up. Just have to play 240 minutes like they did in the 3rd, get a couple bounces, Vasy stand on his head, stamkos/Kuch figure out how to score and stay out of the box.

It might also help if the ref and linesmen figure out how to call a game.

I think I’ll start watching college football instead like everyone else down here.

Ho-ly S-word. This year’s NHL playoffs have already been a ton of fun. Love how it’s just a doggone fight regardless of seed. Although I’ve heard on KFAN (I don’t know anything about the NBA) that the Warriors are in trouble, seems like basketball as well as some other sports are real top-heavy, whereas no one’s safe in the NHL.

@biggill I think you dismissed my curse too soon. Wild had residual effects and Tampa, well sorry, get used to it

Bracket Busted

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I keep hearing tv talking heads rave about how remarkable Vegas has been in it’s first two years. I agree that getting all of these new players to come together so fast was very impressive, but there needs to be an asterisk in terms of how much talent they got from day 1. Why do they overlook the completely overpowered expansion draft rules that allowed Vegas to pillage a very good player from each team (or in the Wild’s case, 2 good players) and get a franchise goalie due to cap issues a perennial cup winner ran into. They also had a ton of cap space and wasn’t scared to spend it to the max. Vegas is actually over the cap next year and will have to cut players, if you told somebody years ago that an expansion team would have to cut good roster players after 2 years they would laugh at you.

Thinking back to the Wild’s expansion days (are we still in them?) did the Wild management decide not to spend any money and just bank as much profit the first 5+ seasons while they could or could we not get anybody to sign here? Wasn’t our biggest decisions in the first few years whether or not to extend crappy players like Lubimer Sekeras, Stacie Roust, Darby Hendrickson? Compare that to Vegas players like Mark Stone, Paul Stansny, Max Pactoretty, Fleury, etc…

My god how the times have changed! Just look at this list the Wild and Blue Jackets picked

JoeMX1825 wrote:

I agree that getting all of these new players to come together so fast was very impressive, but there needs to be an asterisk in terms of how much talent they got from day 1. Why do they overlook the completely overpowered expansion draft rules that allowed Vegas to pillage a very good player from each team (or in the Wild’s case, 2 good players) and get a franchise goalie due to cap issues a perennial cup winner ran into. They also had a ton of cap space and wasn’t scared to spend it to the max.

Exactly. It’s easy to be a good playoff team when you were literally handed a playoff-ready roster from Day 1. Vegas was the only team in the expansion so they didn’t have to alternate picks with any other expansion team. The 1992, 1993, and 2000 expansions all involved 2 teams having to compete with each other for available players.

Then not only does Vegas get sweetheart draft rules, but they are the ONLY team using them. Bogus! I’m surprised they didn’t have a new rule that spots Vegas a goal in every game just to make really, really sure they won more. Maybe that’s coming with Seattle?

I know the TMSF is quick to blame the Wild, blame Minnesota, etc, but combine the success of the TWO expansion teams from 2000 and then compare to Vegas. Obviously, Vegas was pre-ordained by the league to be a deep-playoff team from day 1.

I want to see Vegas lose and lose badly every time until they finally have to put on the big boy pants and build a legitimate team from scratch like everybody else in the league.

Grouse

Were the VGK given waaayyy better XPac Draft rules than the Wild or Blue Jackets? Yes, absolutely.

Did they pay dearly for it? YES… to the tune of 6 times more buy in cash. $500 million vs $80 million.

Were they “literally given a playoff ready team”? No, not even close! Have you actually looked at their XPac draft roster? It was a bunch of 3rd/4th line and 3rd pair players with a couple well known vets like James Neal and David Perron thrown in. Yes they got a great goalie in Fleury, but don’t forget that he was #2 for a the last couple years in Pitt & they jumped at the chance to get his $6 mil cap hit off the books.

Last year Vegas was a team full of players getting elevated rolls for the first time in their career. They all bought in and took advantage of the opportunity they were given. They had 15 players (!!!) set a career high in points last year… let that sink in. They didn’t have a single defenseman who played top 4 in their career, and 3 of their top 4 were healthy scratched 15+ games the previous season.

Right now Vegas has the best line in the playoffs and none of them (Stone, Statsny, Patch) were acquired in the XPac draft. They all came in on trades or in free agency and so far it’s obviously working out well. Vegas is going to be a market that guys want to play in and their management has done a good job taking advantage of that. They’ve built a team based on speed and skill, which is not only entertaining but also successful in the current NHL.

I think it’s great that the VGK have been a huge success… Just think of how many tourists on vacation get the first taste of hockey at Golden Knight games. What better way to grow the game than to show these future fans a fast, fun, and exciting brand of competitive hockey. Can you imagine if they had to endure the Jacques Lemaire coached Wild?!?!

You realize those trades were possible because of all the extra picks Vegas got because of the ridiculous expansion draft rules, right tswoboda? You’re kind of helping them make their point…

toothyfish wrote:

You realize those trades were possible because of all the extra picks Vegas got because of the ridiculous expansion draft rules, right tswoboda? You’re kind of helping them make their point…

100% yes. Read my first line, I get it. The VGK XPac Draft just isn’t comparable to the Wild/Blue Jackets draft. Vegas paid dearly for a competitive team, the Wild did not. Don’t let that bitterness take away from what the VGK did last year. I just have to believe people who say they were given a playoff team don’t watch much NHL hockey outside of the Wild.

TheFamousGrouse wrote:

I know the TMSF is quick to blame the Wild, blame Minnesota, etc, but

Whats more typicall than the TMSF blaming everyone else for the failure of the home town Wild.

Expansion 2000 The Wild did not start play until the 2000–01 season.
In the Wilds 2002–03 season, they make it to the Western Conference Finals.
It’s been 19 years-they have had plenty of opportunities.
At least they will have 15 more chances here in the State of hockey.

jeff_huberty wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>TheFamousGrouse wrote:</div>
I know the TMSF is quick to blame the Wild, blame Minnesota, etc, but

Whats more typicall than the TMSF blaming everyone else for the failure of the home town Wild.

I was thinking the same thing. Look in the mirror man!

And I have to agree with tswoboda about Vegas. Good for them. The Wild have had many opportunities and blown them all.

tswoboda wrote:

he VGK XPac Draft just isn’t comparable to the Wild/Blue Jackets draft. Vegas paid dearly for a competitive team, the Wild did not.

There’s no relationship between what Vegas and Minnesota paid for their franchise and what they got for players. The two were separated by almost 20 years of franchise price inflation. Vegas didn’t pay more to get more in terms of players, they paid more because of the relative values of NHL franchises overall.

jeff_huberty wrote:

Whats more typicall than the TMSF blaming everyone else for the failure of the home town Wild.

Only the TMSF considers the Wild a, and I quote you, “failure”. TMSF to the core.

Grouse

Time to close the thread.

TheFamousGrouse wrote:

Only the TMSF considers the Wild a, and I quote you, “failure”. TMSF to the core.

Grousehopper

Sorry to burst your Home town hero bubble

Hey how bout your boy Charlie 13 lighting up the Bruins powerplay unit.

I sure hope Charlie can score a few more the next 2 games and get the Wild a 4th round draft pick..

Well, after watching the US/Sweden game in the U-18 tourney, I am pretty sure Cole Caufield is not going to be available at #12. That kid can score some goals!

CSKA won. Will they release the Krill?

JoeMX1825 wrote:

I sure hope Charlie can score a few more the next 2 games and get the Wild a 4th round draft pick..

Charlie 13 has one more opportunity to help the hometown team

Mikkel Broas wrote:

Well, after watching the US/Sweden game in the U-18 tourney, I am pretty sure Cole Caufield is not going to be available at #12. That kid can score some goals!

That kid is playing well, he would look good in a Wild Jersey

mplspug wrote:

CSKA won. Will they release the Krill?

I haven’t seen any info on this yet…

JoeMX1825 wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>mplspug wrote:</div>
CSKA won. Will they release the Krill?

I haven’t seen any info on this yet…

I started following his agent on Twitter in the hopes something develops there. The KHL has granted several other players early release who were still under contract from other teams eliminated earlier in the Playoffs.

Interesting tidbit from the last couple days it appears Leipold’s private Jet (Wild logo on tail) was seen leaving Washington and landing in Toronto, then leaving Toronto and heading to Racine, Wi.
Working on trade talks perhaps?

one clarifying fact I recently found out about the Nakita Gusev and other player from SKA that had their contracts termed by the teams, those contracts were already set to expire this end of April, so really the only thing that the team did was kill the contracts a few weeks early to allow them to sign for the rest of the playoffs, asking CSKA to kill an entire year off Kirill’s contract is really asking alot..

JoeMX1825 wrote:

one clarifying fact I recently found out about the Nakita Gusev and other player from SKA that had their contracts termed by the teams, those contracts were already set to expire this end of April, so really the only thing that the team did was kill the contracts a few weeks early to allow them to sign for the rest of the playoffs, asking CSKA to kill an entire year off Kirill’s contract is really asking alot..

I agree, that would be a much tougher thing to swallow. I thought there were more then 2 and some had contracts into 2020, but I can only find the 2 you referenced now. The number I had initially read was 5, but I can find nothing to support more than the 2. Hmm.

jeff_huberty wrote:

That kid is playing well, he would look good in a Wild Jersey

He is playing lights out. Everyone keeps talking about Jack Hughes, but I have watched all three games that the US has played in this tourney and I think that Caufield is the better player there. Jack seems to have a bit more grit in the corners, but Cole seems to always find quiet ice and his shot is amazing. He doesn’t miss the net much and he can hit some pretty small areas at full speed. He has some wheels for a small guy as well.

11 points (nine of them goals) and a +7 in 3 games is basically the same as Marion Gaborik had in 1999, total. Same with Jack Hughes last year. He already has more goals than McDavid did in this tourney and it is highly likely that he will meet or beat Ovechkin’s record for the most goals in the tournament (14).

I really like this kid and if he slips to #12 and the Wild pick him up, we will be in for a treat when he hits the ice.

JoeMX1825 wrote:

I sure hope Charlie can score a few more the next 2 games and get the Wild a 4th round draft pick..

Well, you know Coyle. If you need a goal, he might give you a goal. If you need 2 goals, he might give you a goal. If you need 3 goals, he’ll probably score most of them next season as long as you don’t need them all in one month.

Some good R1 series being played. And some disappointing ones.

Watched the Sharks vs Vegas and to my delight the Sharks scored in 2nd OT to make Franchise in a Box travel back to San Jose for a decider. Go Sharks.

Jets took their poor play from the end of the regular season and transferred it to the playoffs with predictable results. It shows how hard it is to win in this league in this day/age when you can have a lineup that includes Line, Buff, Wheeler, Schifle, etc and still not get out of R1. I would love to have any/all of those players but it doesn’t guarantee anything.

Grouse