MN Wild 2019-2020 Official Thread

Ripjiggen wrote:

I’ll bet Patrick Roy would answer the door if Bill came a knocking.

Grouse

I think if anyone was knocking he would answer.

Russo made the comment that some of the vets had tuned out BB. Although odd timing it was going to happen reguardless. His coaching contract was up at the end of the year but he did have two years remaing on a contract that that put him in an adviser role. I am guessing BB will be fine and collecting a check weather he decides to coach again or not. One name I have not seen mentioned here yet is his very good friend Doug Weight. That would be the 98 Olympic hockey team back together again. BG, Modano, Doug Weight.

I think we all know who Russo is talking about when he says “some of the vets”. Just like they tuned out Yeo. The players don’t choose the coach their job as over payed professionals is to play for the coach. When Russo says they “tuned him out” what does that mean? They don’t like him or the system he’s applying so they roll over and lay down and wait him out until he gets fired? That what I take it to mean. Problem is Billy G is absolutely stuck with these vets due to contracts and ntc’s.

Only way around it is to build a young team that is talented enough and professional enough to play for what ever coach is there and make the current crop of vets inconsequential.

All star athletes in EVERY sport have the same thing in common. EGO, they absolutely believe they are the best on their team at what they do.

You can cut their playing time and scoring opportunities and one of two things happen…..1) Their ego kicks in and they play to prove you wrong. 2) They roll over and quit and become a distraction.

If you are willing to risk #2 to maybe get #1, dropping players to 3rd & 4th lines or last pairings are a option with little to lose. In hockey you can always make them a healthy scratch the money be damned. The fans at this point will support any decision I think.

jeff_huberty wrote:

Let’s not forget the behind the scene discussions,someone stated previously about BG has been on four cup winning teams.
He has an player and organizational sense of what it takes to win the cup.
Then you have Modanno who has also won it advising owner leupold on the backside.
If Leupold lets his hockey guys run the hockey departments they could become a contender.

I know typing is hard but it almost seems that you are finally over the Fenton firing and you are now chasing down the Billy G bandwagon. Good for you.

biggill wrote:

I know typing is hard but it almost seems that you are finally over the Fenton firing and you are now chasing down the Billy G bandwagon. Good for you.

As a Bandwagon Blackhawks fan, what else does he have to do these days? I mean, he was really bored after he fell off the Deadwings bandwagon that he was riding back when they were winning. He’s got a lot of time to kill until there’s another bandwagon headed toward United Center so he can jump back on.

Grouse

Jighead4914 wrote:

There is some Analytics data out on the two wild goalies over the last two + years that say they have face the lowest percentage of qaulity shots in the NHL under the former coach Bruce Boudreau defensive system. We have no Goalies that can win. It not Ryan and Zack’s contracts it poor goalie play.. Quit blaming the two hardest working guys on the team.. Need great goaltending to win the Cup.

I’m pretty on board with this statement… definitely the goalkeeper play, as I’ve stated in other posts.

I’ve not had a problem with Suter’s nor Parise’s play. My impression of Parise is that he’s a positive guy for others to skate with. I had hoped for better scoring out of him, but he has had significant injuries since he came here, AND like everyone else, he’s not staying 29.

Suter is as steady a defender as they get. He’s not a big hitter, sure, but you don’t need to be when you play as effectively as him. Now, as far as my impression of him overall, I have heard many rumblings that he may be one of the key locker room issues and creating bad chemistry issues, especially with the younger guys. If that’s true, the contract truly sucks. I have no problem with the contract based on his play. He wasn’t brought here as a scorer nor and enforcer. He is what he was brought to be.

Jighead4914 wrote:

It not Ryan and Zack’s contracts it poor goalie play.. Quit blaming the two hardest working guys on the team.

Jeepers. You can’t be saying stuff like that here in the land of ten million TMSFs. Don’t you know it’s ALWAYS all the fault of the guy/guys who have the audacity to sign big contracts?

Jighead4914 wrote:

Sober up GROUSE it‘s early in the day..

I was actually agreeing with you. Your sarcasm detector must be iced over.

Grouse

Your still harping on the Blackhawks Stanley Cups

It’s OK Grousehopper you have been walking in the darkness for the past three years telling everyone who may listen how good the Wild really are.
All the while the so-called “TMSF’s” were on point about the talent level this club lacked. Of course; “the Charlie Coyle years were your best” I’ll give you that.
Now with the significant changes that have been made this Hockey team is on the path to better times, maybe even competing with the top tier teams who have won and continue to do so.

Consider me the current President of the MN Wild fan club

Jeff, there is still room on the Bolts bandwagon. I’ll save you a seat.

mplspug wrote:

Jeff, there is still room on the Bolts bandwagon. I’ll save you a seat.

Give me a few weeks here as Wild F-Club pres, I can always change my loyalties.
I just had to resign my Vikings Presidency because I showed up to the club in a Patrick Mahomes Jersey.

It’s a Global world out there with this interweb stuff

So satisfying.

that’s a huge return the Devils got from Tampa, Dumba or Brodin should get a haul…i’m sure BillyG has a few trade possibilities lined up and is waiting for one of the teams to cave to his demands… my money is on Carolina and we get a huge return…

As much as I hate Marchand, he had a nice hair flip after he did that. The man’s got good hair.
DT

Marchand. The guy everybody loves to hate. He puts points on the board for Boston can’t deny that. I’d be alright if he was in a Wild sweater.

Charlie 13 got a shortie in that game too. Good for him.

Dutchboy wrote:

In hockey you can always make them a healthy scratch the money be damned.

I have thought about this a long time. Might be the only option to gain their attention and either they have an attitude change or possibly even lift the no-trade clause.

Koivu has been playing on the 4th line at times. The players we are talking about aren’t going to make it obvious on the ice they are not team players. It’s maybe more of a aloofness in the locker room or lack of interaction with younger players or players outside their click of 3 or 4 guys. Basically doing your job on the ice and going home. Make no effort to create a team chemistry no effort to display leadership in the locker room.

Do you healthy scratch a guy for that? What would you’re explanation be to the media say you sat Parise or Suter, Spurgeon, or Foligno? They don’t play well with others after the game?

Going to be interesting watching Billy G navigate the troubled waters that are the Wild.

After the performance in the last game I’m ready for the blowup to happen now. Let’s get it over with and start moving forward sooner than later.

deertracker wrote:

As much as I hate Marchand, he had a nice hair flip after he did that. The man’s got good hair.

Bah. He’s got no respect for the history of the hair game.

Jager does not approve.

Another 2 goals and an assist for Kaprizov, that’s 4 goals and an assist in his last 2 games…29 goals for the year…

Is that the Russian savior?

Dutchboy wrote:

Is that the Russian savior?

It is. I can’t imagine what he thinks looking at the chaos the Wild are currently going through and knowing he’s not only going to be stepping into this mess but have a enormous amount of fan pressure put on him to lead this team out of the darkness. Expectations are going to be sky high on this kid.
It’s going to be like when Parise and Suter came here 2.0

I know what he thinks

$$$$$$$

The money would be the only reason for him to come over. The pressure here will be nuts and Lord knows he won’t be able to pull this bunch out of the basement by himself.

mplspug wrote:

I know what he thinks

$$$$$$$

The kid is used to winning. The $$ will only keep him happy for a little while and then he will want to go to a team where he can win plus get the $$. That’s assuming he adjusts to the NHL game and keeps playing like he does in the KHL.

I guess that’s Bill G’s job is to bring a winning culture to this team. Hopefully he can push the right buttons and flip the right switches soon.

Minnesota sports fans! Minnesota is finally going to have an elite franchise player, something they have never had.

mplspug wrote:

Minnesota sports fans! Minnesota is finally going to have an elite franchise player, something they have never had.

Lots of hope put on a lot of guys coming to mn over the years in all pro sports and how many have ever lived up to the hype and expectations?

it wouldn’t surprise me to see Dumba and maybe Brodin sit out the next game or so to protect them before the trade deadline. I’m pretty certain now though that BillyG doesn’t want to trade Brodin and is looking to sign him long-term this offseason if the numbers look reasonable for a Defenseman who doesn’t score very much…if Brodin has crazy contract demands, then BillyG can trade him at next years deadline…

My money is still on Dumba going to Carolina and we’re going to love the return…

Ice Cap wrote:

Koivu has been playing on the 4th line at times. The players we are talking about aren’t going to make it obvious on the ice they are not team players. It’s maybe more of a aloofness in the locker room or lack of interaction with younger players or players outside their click of 3 or 4 guys. Basically doing your job on the ice and going home. Make no effort to create a team chemistry no effort to display leadership in the locker room.

I mentioned this very thing at the end of last season when the Wild were circling the drain and they had 2 college Free Agent signings with the team and they both arrived while on the road. Nico Sturm and Mat Robson. The day Nico arrived, he was never even invited to dinner with the other players on the team and Russo cited this in one of his stories. That is quite telling.
You dont see that sort of thing happen very often and when it does its really not a good sign of the culture within the locker room and speaks volumes about the vets and not in a good way.

Dumba is going to be harder to move before the trade dead line with his 6 million $ cap hit. A team looking to bring him on is most likely going to have to move some salary out. Brodin would be easier to move but would be the wrong decision imo. They don’t get much steadier than Brodin on defense but if you want your defenseman to be a 10 to 15 goal scorer as well as being reliable on defense he’s not your guy but neither is Dumba imo.

Billy’s best bet might be to hold them both until after the deadline and see what he can get. Maybe see what you can get for Staal or Foligno, Pateryn, Hartman etc. before the deadline as rentals and hang onto your more high profile guys until after.

I believe that’s more to do with next season than what’s left of this season since his salary is prorated right? There’s also a rule that allows IR salaries to not count as long as they are deemed out this year, so I “think” Dougie Hamilton’s salary would allow Dumba to join? Don’t quote me on those rules, it’s complicated…