Wild 2015-16

I think I was the only one upset and I had a few Magic Hats in me at the time and I have since retracted my statement in favor of support.

mplspug wrote:

I think I was the only one upset and I had a few Magic Hats in me at the time and I have since retracted my statement in favor of support.

Wasnt a shot directly towards you Pug. Ive just heard from other places that some fans are upset about it. Some people really wanted housley and sure great hes a MN guy but he has never been the head coach on an NHL team and we don’t need another up incoming coach.

KP wrote:

Am I missing something here? How can people get upset with this hiring? Bruce has been one of the best coaches in the league the past 8 years. Can someone please tell me how they think this is a bad hire?

I don’t know how anyone who knows Boudreau’s record and experience thinks this was a bad hire. He was far/away the most sought-after coach on the open market and for very good reasons.

There are LOTS of fans back in Anaheim who think that this was a great hire for the Wild and they’re mad as hell about it.

It’s going to be very interesting to see how things change under this new coach. I’ll also be interested to see what happens this off-season with some of our draft choices from years past. I haven’t heard a word about Tuch, is committed to going back to BC for another year?

What about Erickson Ek? I read he signed a 3 year deal for his Swedish club, not sure what that means for the Wild. Would like to see some of these players start coming up for the Wild and generate a little excitement the way Dumba did.

I hope this our last year where we’ve traded draft picks. Bummer having no R2 pick. I enjoy seeing the new talent come up over the years, it’s exciting to get those new players.

Grouse

Tuch I believed signed. So it’s baby Wild or the roster.

Heads up. Not sure if you have paid attention to the commercials during the playoffs, but you can download the Showtime App and watch free for 30 days. I did it because I want to watch the SC All Access show that starts tonight. With the registration you can also watch on your computer.

I hope it’s an uncensored look behind the scenes, although 1/2 per episode makes me think its going to be all over the place and not focused. I mean, I’d love to see at least 1/2 hour dedicated to the Star v Wild series, if not each game!

It gets me to thinking that I really miss the old days. You guys remember when there was so much said in interviews and through the press in the old days. Now they seem reserved and I wonder if that was mandated by the NHL execs or just another sign of the sissyfication of the US.

Like this

Now we have Milbury v Roenick. When eogs collide. Roenick has a big ego, but I like him. Milbury is just a dope.

This is pretty funny. I love Ovie. I think the arrogance thing is more just schtict.

Looks like the Wild have been doing a little power shopping in the early going already, picking up Hungarian goalie Adam Vey.

Interesting addition, especially since the Wild had 3 (I believe) netminders down in Iowa last season, so this makes either #3 or #4. The question to me is does this signal the beginning of the long talked about possibility of dealing Kuemper? Or did Dubnyk’s play last season put a chill on the idea that Kuemper is surplus to requirements, especially now that Backstrom has been moved on down the road?

Boudreau is supposed to be having meetings with Parise and Suter this week, and Koivu after he’s done at the Worlds.

He’s also said that he will be picking his assistants in the next 2 weeks. Just the fact that he’s putting that out there indicates to me that all the former YeoMen, won’t be staying.

I’d like to see some big deals. To me, there’s no one on this Wild team who’s a “must keep”. Everybody should be on the block for the right trade. All of this nattering about “locker room splits” and chemistry issues indicate to me that it’s time to break up the gangs and shake up the team as a way of hitting the reset button and getting these guys to understand there is only one Wild team.

Grouse

I’m thinking if he could stock the shelves with draft picks this year in a trade for Kuemper, he would.

He’s an RFA. Not sure if that makes him more or less appealing to other teams. There are a lot of rules around that too.

I “think” basically the only way to move him is if another team gives him an offer sheet and he accepts it. If the Wild don’t match it, they get picks from the other team. Offer sheets just don’t happen very often and I think it is considered dirty pool by the GM, especially since the Dustin Penner Oiler/Ducks debacle. But it has happened a couple times since and all were matched.

I don’t read anything into the signing either. I think at one time we had Gustavson, Hackett and Kuemper. I don’t think you can really have too many goalie prospects. You never know how they will develop.

I’m thinking one of our top 4 D will get traded at the draft as well as a top 9 forward… Hoping we can then pickup a steady center (RNH type of player) and take a flyer on a potential sniper (Yakupov type of player)

Everybody always says nobody will ever give up a #1 center or a Top 3 forward, well, Spezza, Seguin & Johansson all got traded, so it can happen…

Druin has looked pretty darn good so far in the playoffs…that was a potential opportunity that was wasted…

I’ve been impressed with Drouin, but my jury is out until I see him perform in the regular season.

JoeMX1825 wrote:

Everybody always says nobody will ever give up a #1 center or a Top 3 forward, well, Spezza, Seguin & Johansson all got traded, so it can happen…

Druin has looked pretty darn good so far in the playoffs…that was a potential opportunity that was wasted…

You’re exactly right, there is no # or position that is off the market. Wayne Gretzky got traded, for heaven’s sake.

Plus, can someone please tell me what the exact definition of “#1 Center” is? To most people, I believe this is like the definition of “obscene”. They know it when they see it, but they can’t tell you how. As has been said before, if the Wild don’t have this mythical “#1 Center” already, then more than half the teams in the league are also missing one.

On Druin, I’m not sure there ever was an opportunity. Even if there was, he’s a headcase with a asshat for an agent. He’d have to get a hell of a lot better before I’d say we’d be willing to live with the potential downside of having a Druin in our locker room. I think we’ll find some options with a more proven track record for whole-season play that doesn’t include temper tantrums and being sent down to the minors and even being booted from there for a time.

Grouse

Grouse, #1 center is about the same thing as “franchise qb”. They are mythical creatures that like you say only about half the team’s are lucky enough to have. Jamie Benn, Toews are clearly #1 centers. Guys that excel on PP, PK, and even strength. Distribute the puck and make separation plays. I watched Vey play in the world championships and he has single handedly kept Hungary in many games.
Good to have depth in goal.
I’ve been impressed by Drouin too but I still am glad we didn’t make that deal, not that it was our choice since what we offered was turned down.

I believe Benn is a winger.

Watched All Access. It was pretty good, but they are just covering the final 2 rounds. It’s basically a documentary if each game.

Wow, do Hitchcock and Cooper have potty mouths. Literally F&$+# is every other word out of their mouth. It surprises me more with Hitch, he just doesn’t seem vulgar.

Benn a winger? Could be I see him taking a ton of faceoffs so I guess I assumed he was center. Of he isn’t he would be a great one imo.
Haven’t taken in the all access yet.
US plays Canada today in world championships. We will get blasted.

I just checked. He’s a LW & C.

mplspug wrote:

I just checked. He’s a LW & C.

so we’re both right. Lol

The behind the bench reshuffle has started. Sydor is out, Wilson is out, Burnette has been moved upstairs.

Torchetti has been told he can look for other options.

Looks like Bruce is bringing a whole new crew in with him.

Nothing against the assistants, they were all experienced players and coaches, but I have to agree with Boudreau’s direction here. It’s not how good the individuals are, it’s how well those goood individuals work as a team. Can’t blame him for wanting to bring his own team in.

Anybody else watching the playoffs? Some good hockey being played there. I thought the blues had them last night in the second, but the Sharks came roaring back. No lead is safe in this one.

I totally admit it, I never saw the Pens getting past the Caps, but they did. Tampa is really playing amazing hockey and has managed to take advantage of the weak spots in the Pens armor so far. Great series, both of them.

Grouse

The Bolts are about as resilient as they get with chemistry that IMHO is completely opposite of the Wild. It’s just too bad Stamkos and Bishop are out.

You remember Bishop playing hurt last year?

The finals each game accept #6 was decided by one goal.

The heart of this team is incredible. They deserve a dang cup. And the future only keeps looking brighter with their youngsters. They may be the new Blackhawks of the East.

The cup should not reside in Florida.

TheFamousGrouse wrote:

You’re exactly right, there is no # or position that is off the market. Wayne Gretzky got traded, for heaven’s sake.

Hmmm… traded to LA. Married to Janet Jones. I always assumed Gretzky was making a life choice and asked for a trade. At age 28 it would surprise the heck out of me Edmonton initiated it.

tegg wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>TheFamousGrouse wrote:</div>
You’re exactly right, there is no # or position that is off the market. Wayne Gretzky got traded, for heaven’s sake.

Hmmm… traded to LA. Married to Janet Jones. I always assumed Gretzky was making a life choice and asked for a trade. At age 28 it would surprise the heck out of me Edmonton initiated it.

I stand corrected…
Looks like the Edmonton owner had other failing business ventures and needed cash.

jeff_huberty wrote:

The cup should not reside in Florida.

With the tax situation in Florida is not hard to understand why players would want to play there.

biggill wrote:

With the tax situation in Florida is not hard to understand why players would want to play there.

What tax?

Don’t they have to play taxes for each game they play in another state…or even province/country?

tegg wrote:

Hmmm… traded to LA. Married to Janet Jones. I always assumed Gretzky was making a life choice and asked for a trade. At age 28 it would surprise the heck out of me Edmonton initiated it.

Of course this was in the background, this was the hockey version of “Yoko broke up the Beatles…” I’m sure there is a significant portion of Oiler fans who still believe this.

ESPN did an excellent documentary on the Gretzky trade. The bottom line was that if Janet played a part, it was a very minor one. Gretzky claims and the story from both LA and Edmonton’s ownership seems to back up the claim that Gretzky was never asked about where he wanted to go, nor did he approach LA about a trade.

As I recall, the main factors in the trade according to ESPN were:

1. Edmonton was weighing up the chances of keeping Gretzky when his contract expired. Consensus was they had almost no chance of resigning him, mainly because…

2. What you pointed out in your second post. Ownership and the club had financial issues and limits to what they could pay and…

3. There was a limit to who the dance partners were for a Gretzky trade. The league was smaller, the money was smaller, and Edmonton wanted lots of players and/or lots of cash. There was a very limited market for that kind of trade.

4. LA’s ownership group was looking to make a splash and finally get on the sporting map. Look at the situation in LA sports at the time. The Kings were the only LA pro team that had not made a mark for itself. The LA ownership was tired of half full home games and the, “What???? We got a hockey team in LA????” attitude of the LA public and media.

Bringing in the biggest name in hockey was their fix-it tactic. And it worked.

Grouse

Here’s an interesting tidbit:
Nick Stajduhar (2 gm NHL career), Jason Miller (6 gm NHL career) & Martin Rucinsky (961 gm NHL career).

Goes to show the crap shoot when trading for draft picks. These are the three 1st rounders included in the Gretzky trade. Rucinsky put together a nice little career with 961 games played, 241 goals & 371 assists. Gretzky put up 918 pts in 539 games played with the Kings.

You see the finals schedule? 2-4 days between games? That is so dumb on so many levels.

Boyle, Callahan and Drouin were the only players that showed up last night it seems. I think Tampa rolls over them game 7.

mplspug wrote:

You see the finals schedule? 2-4 days between games? That is so dumb on so many levels.

Boyle, Callahan and Drouin were the only players that showed up last night it seems. I think Tampa rolls over them game 7.

It seemed like the Pens put it on auto pilot a little too early last night and Boyle was more than happy to take advantage. The problem was Tampa starting going all in and I was just waiting for the Pens to spring somebody, which is exactly what happened.

The refs were evidently also more than happy to assist Tampa, my personal favorite among the 3-4 no-calls was the sweater grab move to prevent a breakaway by the the Pens in the third. Sometimes I wonder WHERE the entire officiating crew could possibly be looking such that they are NOT looking at the place where the puck is while the game is on?

If Murray can keep his head in the game and not be overwhelmed, this series is a coin toss to me. I can’t see either team having a huge advantage in what is now a 1 game series.

Great hockey being played in both east and west. It’s kind of hard to watch in a way because as a Wild fan, it puts on full display just how far we have to go to be able to compete at this level.

Grouse

Grouse, I agree on how far the wild have to go to get to this level. The playoffs this year have been awesome to watch and very entertaining. Early on I thought it would be easy for the blues to make the finals, but the sharks have been impressive when they had to be.
Im interested to see who Boudreau fills out the staff. Kind of disappointed that he retained anyone but I’m sure that’s a money saving tactic since the ones retained didn’t have expiring contracts.

I’m glad he’s not retaining anyone. Let him bring in his guys. There’s only so much house cleaning you can do in the lockeroom and the coaching staff is the easiest.

I hope someone gives Torch a head coach job some day. Hopefully with a team of youngsters that is rebuilding.

Mplspug, he is keeping Hendrickson and Brunette. Hence my disappointment. Like I said I bet it had something to do with their contract status. Perhaps next year he will have a complete staff once Bruno and Hendrickson expire.