GDT: 10/3/13 - Los Angeles @ Minnesota - 7:00 PM CDT - NBCSN/TSN2

[Jarick]

They have two elite players who are about 25 years old, one of whom is a generational talent. Very different than signing 30+ year olds to long term deals. Also, note they have TWO guys signed, not four.

The better way to do it IMO is to have your talent spaced out. If you look at Chicago:

Hossa = 34
Sharp = 31
Toews = 25
Kane = 24
Saad = 20

They add a number of guys to fill out roles then move them when they need bigger contracts. Granted Hossa is an elite talent, but their guys are still pretty close to mid-twenties. In theory, they could lose Hossa and Sharp in 3-5 years and still have a couple elite guys close to their prime.

If you look at the Wild:

Koivu = 30
Parise = 29
Pominville = 30
Coyle = 21
Nino = 21
Granlund = 21

HUGE gap between the kids and the vets. Although, Koivu will be up in four years and Pominville in five. So the only one the Wild will be stuck with long term is Parise. I still wouldn't want Parise and Vanek at $7-8m each in their late 30's though.

It really is a team built for success right now. The question is how big that success will be.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Crosby, Malkin and Letang are signed until they are ~35. That'll be a lot of dead space as well. You'll never get perfect contracts for the team.

Problem is, their regression means their production is going to "fall" to 70-80 points. Our guys probably 40-50. Big difference.

 

[Minnewildsota]

They have two elite players who are about 25 years old, one of whom is a generational talent. Very different than signing 30+ year olds to long term deals. Also, note they have TWO guys signed, not four.

The better way to do it IMO is to have your talent spaced out. If you look at Chicago:

Hossa = 34
Sharp = 31
Toews = 25
Kane = 24
Saad = 20

They add a number of guys to fill out roles then move them when they need bigger contracts. Granted Hossa is an elite talent, but their guys are still pretty close to mid-twenties. In theory, they could lose Hossa and Sharp in 3-5 years and still have a couple elite guys close to their prime.

If you look at the Wild:

Koivu = 30
Parise = 29
Pominville = 30
Coyle = 21
Nino = 21
Granlund = 21

HUGE gap between the kids and the vets. Although, Koivu will be up in four years and Pominville in five. So the only one the Wild will be stuck with long term is Parise. I still wouldn't want Parise and Vanek at $7-8m each in their late 30's though.

It really is a team built for success right now. The question is how big that success will be.

They have 3 but thanks for playing.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

They have 3 but thanks for playing.

I think he's being more forward-focused, as it is generally recognized that it's easier for defensemen to keep up their level of play in their mid-30's.

 

[Jarick]

Two forwards signed long-term into their 30's. Defensemen are a completely different animal.

 

[rynryn]

an aside...what was the deal with that early whistle Heatley goal last night? what was the explanation on TV? They let play go on a lot longer for several other net front scrums so just curious if there was something more to it? i mean, there wasn't even a scrum in that one...Quick didn't have it.

 

[Jarick]

I was at the other end of the rink but I just figured the ref lost sight of the puck.

 

[Engebretson]

an aside...what was the deal with that early whistle Heatley goal last night? what was the explanation on TV? They let play go on a lot longer for several other net front scrums so just curious if there was something more to it? i mean, there wasn't even a scrum in that one...Quick didn't have it.

Refs lost sight of the puck?

 

[rynryn]

well it sucks he doesn't get acknowledgement for it. That'd be the game. edit: was sitting right behind Quick at that point. wasn't really all that close...puck never stopped moving.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

an aside...what was the deal with that early whistle Heatley goal last night? what was the explanation on TV? They let play go on a lot longer for several other net front scrums so just curious if there was something more to it? i mean, there wasn't even a scrum in that one...Quick didn't have it.

Just saw the reply on NHLN. Looked like Quick had it, then let it drop when the ref blew his whistle.

 

[Victorious Secret]

I thought they played an incredible game. Just couldn't score. If they would have kept up the same pressure from the first 2 periods, I'm sure they could have scored one in the third. But, alas, they could not.

Wild totally ****ed up on Carter's goal. Everyone just stood around.

All I know is, if we play that for 81 games, the playoffs aren't even a questions. It'll be whether or not we can contend.

 

[BigT2002]

Refs lost sight of the puck?

Section 106 here. They blew it pretty damn quick. I think they thought Quick had it in his pads and with everyone coming down like that they just blew it dead before he got leveled.

 

[TZM]

I thought they played an incredible game. Just couldn't score. If they would have kept up the same pressure from the first 2 periods, I'm sure they could have scored one in the third. But, alas, they could not.

Wild totally ****ed up on Carter's goal. Everyone just stood around.

All I know is, if we play that for 81 games, the playoffs aren't even a questions. It'll be whether or not we can contend.

Agreed. It was the season opener, tho. Good game nevertheless, entertaining as well... atleast from a Wild perspective.

 

[keppel146]

my thoughts on the game:

-we controlled the game for 2 periods.

-coyle looked like a boss

-nino and ballard looked better than I was expecting

-heatley still sucks

-pp looks a little better, I like the passing b/t our defense and the one guy at the top of the circle

 

[Victorious Secret]

Plus, if anyone should be upset it is me. I lost 500vCash on that game.

 

[TZM]

Coyle was great offensively but not as great defensively, imo. It's a better situation than other way around.

 

[rynryn]

Coyle was great offensively but not as great defensively, imo. It's a better situation than other way around.

likewise came away with this impression. maybe product of the matchup, and frankly i think this is sort of what Yeo is aiming for--getting the second line a little freer of pressure.

 

[Northland Wild Man]

Plus, if anyone should be upset it is me. I lost 500vCash on that game.

I would be a tad bit irritated as well.

 

[nickschultzfan]

This is going to be a fun season if people are already this angry.

The Wild aren't a fast team, and the NHL is moving towards faster, counter attacking teams as everybody tries to follow the Blackhawks. Well, that is going to last until most teams are filled with Nick Leddy defenseman and some team goes out and dominates with big, power forwards. That is just kind of how sports work.

The Wild have made their bed with big, powerful centers. Far too soon to claim that isn't a successful strategy.

While the team does need more speed, that's called dumping Heatley and adding Zucker. That single move would be massive in the speed department.

 

[rynryn]

This is going to be a fun season if people are already this angry.

The Wild aren't a fast team, and the NHL is moving towards faster, counter attacking teams as everybody tries to follow the Blackhawks. Well, that is going to last until most teams are filled with Nick Leddy defenseman and some team goes out and dominates with big, power forwards. That is just kind of how sports work.

The Wild have made their bed with big, powerful centers. Far too soon to claim that isn't a successful strategy.

While the team does need more speed, that's called dumping Heatley and adding Zucker. That single move would be massive in the speed department.

and the Goals Against department! edit: they're just waiting for Coyle to have a bad game, then the Fans will be appeased by having a new favorite called up.

 

[Avder]

This is going to be a fun season if people are already this angry.

The Wild aren't a fast team, and the NHL is moving towards faster, counter attacking teams as everybody tries to follow the Blackhawks. Well, that is going to last until most teams are filled with Nick Leddy defenseman and some team goes out and dominates with big, power forwards. That is just kind of how sports work.

The Wild have made their bed with big, powerful centers. Far too soon to claim that isn't a successful strategy.

While the team does need more speed, that's called dumping Heatley and adding Zucker. That single move would be massive in the speed department.

If you recall from last year in the playoffs, we found a blueprint for beating the Hawks: hit the hell out of them. It took the hawks completely off their game and let us dominate them for the whole one game we used that strategy. Sigh. The Wild are still very well equipped to follow that blueprint. It remains to be seen if this year is the year they finally learn what it means to actually check people.

Not gonna get my hopes up.

 

[Jagged Ice]

If you recall from last year in the playoffs, we found a blueprint for beating the Hawks: hit the hell out of them. It took the hawks completely off their game and let us dominate them for the whole one game we used that strategy.

Boston used it successfully in the beginning of the finals against the Hawks as well. One would think Boston would stick to what worked. Especially after using it a couple years prior successfully against the Canucks to earn a ring.

 

[Avder]

Well then i dunno.

 

[Paul Bunyan]

From what I saw from this game, it looked like our favorite squad is going to be more physical in general. I hope what I saw from this game (payback fights, more tough play in crucial areas, finishing checks) continues into the season and it wasn't just because they were fired up for the opener and the return of Brown and his horrible hit from last year.

I'm at the game tonight, with another team who took out a Wild player (Zucker) last year, so it'll be interesting to see what kind of fire they come out with when the Ducks try to do all their chippy crap.

 

[llamapalooza]

Some food for thought: how much more would we all be panicking if Cooke's goal hadn't counted?