Although you seem to notice Mayhew out there when he is on the ice, I think the stage is still a bit big for him. He is getting a good look and opportunity, but with Kunin cleared for play, I dont think Mayhew will be hanging around much longer.
I wish there was a way to watch the KHL games over here. Ovi is hard to stop nearly impossible when he is set up and has any amount of time at all. But the Wild hung with them for the most part so at least it wasn’t a ugly loss. Yuuugge game with the Preds tomorrow night. Could decide their fate. Nashville 6-3-1 in their last 10 so they are rolling pretty hot but it’s the same record as the Wild in their last 10 right now as well.
Heads up that game is not on FSN as the Wolves are you have to have either FSN+ or FSN Wisconsin or stream on Fox Sports Go app if it accepts your providers log in.
The 3 on 5 killed them, but it was fun watching them for the first 2 periods. Then in the 3rd I think Washington sort of tightened up on the defense.
They look like a different team than I’m used to and are fun to watch. We’ll see how ling that lasts.
Ovi sets up in his office and does what Ovi does. Wild who had been great on the PK, its what killed them last night. Stupid Staylock penalties cost them.
There. I fixed that for you. You can’t make boneheaded plays against top teams, of all teams you don’t want to go 3 on 5 against, the Caps would be #1.
Well, standard MN sports disclaimer here, I know nobody can say anything positive about this terrible, awful, no good, very bad Wild team because that’s supporting “mediocrity”.
So not that I’m saying anything positive, but if I were…
The Wild did not get pushed around last night. They hammered the Caps at every opportunity and they gave as many hard hits as they took. This is a major improvement in the team overall since 2-3 seasons ago.
And Dillon got his @ss handed to him by Hartman in that fight, Hartman snapped his head back with 3 separate shots. Nice tilt by Hartman, Dillon was really quiet the rest of the night like he was having trouble talking or something.
Fiala was just terrific again. What a difference, whatever Hendricks has been doing with him during the extra Fix Fiala training sessions he’s been running, it has totally worked.
Now can Hendricks get going with a MGGA program? Make Galchenyuk great again. Man, if we could turn him back into even a 20 goal solid guy, what a win that would be.
The left shot on the PP is just huge and the big bomb from Hartman and Dumba has another dimension because sure, the Caps blocked a few, but Oshie and Backstrom (I think it was) paid the price. Oshie was a non-factor after he took that hit. So keep cutting them loose from the point, worst case scenario we take a few chunks out of the defenders.
And Parise is the worst player in the hockey universe, I know, so I won’t mention that he scored again and he’s well on his way to being north of 30 goals for the season.
Evison looked more engaged last night and didn’t look totally lost. In fact the bench had a different dynamic, so I wonder if something didn’t happen behind the scenes? Or he’s just finding his feet. Either way, things looked much more settled.
But all this positive stuff is the stuff that I’m not going to talk about because that would be embracing “mediocrity”. So another terrible game by the Wild and I did not enjoy watching even a minute of it.
Grouse
And Parise is the worst player in the hockey universe, I know, so I won’t mention that he scored again and he’s well on his way to being north of 30 goals for the season.
How many goals would Donato or Greenway have if they got the same linemates, PP1 and overall icetime that Parise gets? I don’t think anybody ever said Parise is a bad player…
I don’t think anybody ever said Parise is a bad player…
He’s one of the only two reasons for this team’s mediocrity. According to most.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>TheFamousGrouse wrote:</div>
And Parise is the worst player in the hockey universe, I know, so I won’t mention that he scored again and he’s well on his way to being north of 30 goals for the season.How many goals would Donato or Greenway have if they got the same linemates, PP1 and overall icetime that Parise gets? I don’t think anybody ever said Parise is a bad player…
I think the only one who said that was a post a few pages back made by fish59 or something like that. New poster so he was likely just trolling. Other than that I don’t know of anyone calling Parise a bad player.:???: I referred to him as one of the most highly invested, one of the highest point contributors a supposed team leader and the general face of the team. I hope he keeps scoring those goals and hits 30.
How many goals would Donato or Greenway have if they got the same linemates, PP1 and overall icetime that Parise gets? I don’t think anybody ever said Parise is a bad player…
The astounding thing is the ice time that Donato gets, or doesnt get and he still produces. Perhaps it wouldnt be at the same level if he was playing 17 minutes a game, but man, he deserves more than he is getting.
He’s one of the only two reasons for this team’s mediocrity. According to most.
I hope he keeps scoring those goals and hits 30.
I mean, obviously you COULD say those things about Parise if you were rampant supporters of mediocrity. Which, of course, I’m sure you’re not.
How many goals would Donato or Greenway have if they got the same linemates, PP1 and overall icetime that Parise gets? I don’t think anybody ever said Parise is a bad player…
Ok, so what would be the reason that Bruce and now Dean are NOT playing Greenway and Donato on the PP or on a big minutes top line instead of Parise? I mean if that would turn both of them into 30 goal guys, why would the Wild NOT be doing it? I’m not saying that Parise doesn’t get better line billings and more PP time, but I can’t see the reason why he’d be there if there were 2 better options just sitting on the bench.
Grouse
but I can’t see the reason why he’d be there if there were 2 better options just sitting on the bench.
Grouse
I can see $7.525 million with a full NTC reasons…I’m just saying a product of Parise’s production is all the opportunity he gets, but this is true with pretty much all NHL “stars”
Ovi is a hall of famer, but he wouldn’t have 703 goals if he was relegated to the 3rd or 4th line and couldn’t play with Backstrom or Kuznetsov all the time…Who knows how many players careers are held back simply because they are never given a good opportunity to succeed or who’s players careers are overblown because they are given ever opportunity NOT to fail…
Who knows how many players careers are held back simply because they are never given a good opportunity to succeed or who’s players careers are overblown because they are given ever opportunity NOT to fail…
We’ll find about again in the expansion draft. This is where 2nd and 3rd line players become 1st line players.
I mean, obviously you COULD say those things about Parise if you were rampant supporters of mediocrity. Which, of course, I’m sure you’re not.
I am though. Mostly in spite. 
Man how about the Pens dropping 6 in a row! Wow!
I think the Flyers are better than they are this season. Certainly they are right now. That is looking like a possible first round matchup and it should make for a highly entertaining series. Each team is really good at home too so whoever is the higher seed will have an advantage.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Ice Cap wrote:</div>
Man how about the Pens dropping 6 in a row! Wow!I think the Flyers are better than they are this season. Certainly they are right now. That is looking like a possible first round matchup and it should make for a highly entertaining series. Each team is really good at home too so whoever is the higher seed will have an advantage.
The Flyers have been surprising this year but I’m guessing the Pens are going to turn this around and go into the playoffs playing well. And that is going to be a great series no doubt. They have a head to head match up with the Flyers at the end of the month which is a nationally televised game Sunday afternoon. Should be a great game to watch. They play the Caps this Saturday afternoon which should also be a great game. Fun time of year!
The really interesting storyline was the aggressive teams acquiring key assets at the deadline (I think it was mainly in East) were like 3-14-4 after the deadline. Hmm. Zucker is playing pretty well.
i’m expecting (hoping) this team takes a nose dive the rest of the season…I can see some light at the end of the tunnel (Fiala, Kaprizov, Khovanov, Kakhonen) but things could get turned up a notch faster if we can secure a top 5 pick in the draft, the Penguins get bounced in the 1st round and we do some trades at the draft…
i’m expecting (hoping) this team takes a nose dive the rest of the season…I can see some light at the end of the tunnel (Fiala, Kaprizov, Khovanov, Kakhonen) but things could get turned up a notch faster if we can secure a top 5 pick in the draft, the Penguins get bounced in the 1st round and we do some trades at the draft…
Well as we discussed above if the Pens draw the Flyers first round getting bounced could be real for them. Zucker will have a few more years to win it all with Crosby he can wait until after this year. I hard to read the leaves with this Wild team right now. We should know a lot more after they get back from out west. Those are all teams that have worse records than they do and given what the Wild are playing for they should win 2 out of 3 if not sweep but we know how that can go. It’s that time of the year when those kinds of teams love to play the spoilers. After that the schedule gets a bit more difficult.
i’m expecting (hoping) this team takes a nose dive the rest of the season…I can see some light at the end of the tunnel (Fiala, Kaprizov, Khovanov, Kakhonen) but things could get turned up a notch faster if we can secure a top 5 pick in the draft, the Penguins get bounced in the 1st round and we do some trades at the draft…
How do you see them drafting in the top 5 this year? Is Billy G supposed to bank on winning the draft lottery? Maybe trade for UFA Taylor Hall after the season since he gets the #1 pick every year.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>JoeMX1825 wrote:</div>
i’m expecting (hoping) this team takes a nose dive the rest of the season…I can see some light at the end of the tunnel (Fiala, Kaprizov, Khovanov, Kakhonen) but things could get turned up a notch faster if we can secure a top 5 pick in the draft, the Penguins get bounced in the 1st round and we do some trades at the draft…How do you see them drafting in the top 5 this year? Is Billy G supposed to bank on winning the draft lottery? Maybe trade for UFA Taylor Hall after the season since he gets the #1 pick every year.
The Wild are only 7 points ahead of the Devils for 5th worst team in the NHL, if they go into a prolonged slump these last 20 games, they could get passed by every team but the Redwings…
The astounding thing is the ice time that Donato gets, or doesnt get and he still produces. Perhaps it wouldnt be at the same level if he was playing 17 minutes a game, but man, he deserves more than he is getting.
Always on the ball, Russo wrote exactly about this for an upcoming piece and said that Donato’s Goals/60 is 7th best in the NHL. So there’s that…
i’m expecting (hoping) this team takes a nose dive the rest of the season…I can see some light at the end of the tunnel (Fiala, Kaprizov, Khovanov, Kakhonen) but things could get turned up a notch faster if we can secure a top 5 pick in the draft, the Penguins get bounced in the 1st round and we do some trades at the draft…
Khovanov took a nasty nasty two handed slash to the wrist/arm/hands from Lafrieniere. Did NOT look good at all. I saw the video. So his season may be in peril.
The Wild are only 7 points ahead of the Devils for 5th worst team in the NHL, if they go into a prolonged slump these last 20 games, they could get passed by every team but the Redwings…
Right, but I just dont see this team folding like that. Unless there was a big injury or two there is enough pride there and they do have a soft schedule for a while here they will get points. The game tomorrow is HUGE. Win or lose it likely could decide their fate.
The west swing games will be just as important even more so if they lose tomorrow. They still have one more game left with the Preds after tomorrow. They go play the Ducks, Sharks and Kings who are all behind them and the Wild will have to go at least 2 out of 3 out there and if they lose to the Preds they probably need to sweep. Right now they are ranked 22nd out of 31 teams. And as Joe says it’s possible they could fall pretty close to the bottom especially if that west coast swing goes bad. Fun times!
They will be getting a little healthier also Kunin and Soucy will be back. They should have a could push at the end here to make the playoffs. Heading to the game tomorrow night.
I don’t see the Wild folding all the way into the bottom five. So with 20 games left, will the efforts they have been putting in the last 10 games continue? Going forward making the playoffs is far more likely. If they play slightly above .500 hockey the rest of the year I think they would be in.
And then maybe that helps to bring the little Russian over by convincing him we are playoff contenders, I would choose that over a top five draft pick.
Should be a lot of good games remaining to close out the season.
The Wild are only 7 points ahead of the Devils for 5th worst team in the NHL, if they go into a prolonged slump these last 20 games, they could get passed by every team but the Redwings…
The Wild currently have 71 points and are on pace for 90 points.
Bottom 5 teams in the league are on pace for <76 points.
The western conference wild card spots are on pace for 92 points.
Even the bottom 10 teams are on pace for <85 points and almost all are spiraling after selling at the deadline.
I’m not saying the Wild are cup contenders but to suggest they’re even close to the SoCal teams, Ottowa, and Detroit is laughable. I get what you’re hoping for, but with 17 games left it’s just not realistic. They are right back in the thick of mediocrity either squeaking into the playoffs or just missing and landing the #10ish pick.
I think it ends up Nashville and Minnesota as the Western Conference wild cards. No Pacific teams ever take a wild card spot and the Wild and Preds are the only ones playing good hockey in the second half. The Wild dug a deep hole in the first 20 games of the season, but have been much better since.
Other than Detroit, go look at the bottom team records over the past 15 games, they’ve been playing well. all it takes is a 4-5 game losing streak and they are near the bottom of league again..
Boy howdy the Preds took a drubbing last night from the Oilers! 8-3 with Draisaitl having 4 of the 8 goals for Edmonton. Makes tonight’s game even bigger for the Wild.
YUUUGGE game tonight.
What a collapse by the Preds. Tied going into the third and lose by 5? yowsa.
I would have to imagine they play some inspired hockey tonight.
Back to the coaching roundtable for a second. Some have commented they are a hard pass on Laviolette for the next coach. Why would that be? I guess his record does speak highly since he took what 3 different teams to the Cup Finals and won 1? More than could be said for Bruce. I guess I dont know what dirty laundry there may be there…
I have no issues with Laviolette, I would look hard at Gallant though too, need more info on why Vegas let him go…those would be my top 2 to interview…Doug Weight a distant third if BillyG wants to go with a fresh coaching perspective and also hire one of his best friends..
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