2017-2018 Minnesota Wild General Discussion III

[Victorious Secret]

nm..

 

[saywut]

Russo was on Sermons this morning. Pretty much said exactly what I think many of us were thinking this whole time: Team is too small. Blues defense killed them and pushed them out of the prime scoring chances and the Wild were relying too heavily on one shot goals instead of rebounds.

Also made mention that Granlund is probably too small to retain for more than a couple years if he's going to be a complete non factor against those types of teams.

Another key point that many on here were bringing up before the playoffs even started was Fletcher/Bruce making all the changes in Feb to see what they needed to get at the deadline appeared to take them off their mojo. They couldn't find chemistry and also believed that they hindered their speed/passing when Bruce was putting the bigger less skilled players in the game.

Just don't agree at all. We didn't play smart enough to win. Maybe its coaching, maybe its the players but we have guys trying 10% plays all over the ice, guys constantly dumping the puck to Allen for clean breakouts, throwing pucks into the slot where its 1 against 5, skating in circles around the perimeter not moving the puck, rarely utilizing our wide open points, not getting shots on net, not getting traffic or driving for rebounds, the list goes on. Granlund was pretty much invisible and that is a major concern. Then again I don't think anyone played great for 5 games. Scandella had a great game 1 but he looked like the fringe-NHLer he had looked for months quite often the rest of the way.

Team couldn't survive with Graovac centering the 4th line and needed a top-9 forward. Hanzal was the best rental available and gave us someone to potentially put against Toews. Trade wasn't the problem.

Exactly. Just look at the Crosby, Guentzel, Sheary line for the Pens.

Anyone else feel that BB was pressured by Fletcher to play White over Schroeder since we traded for him?

If we had more players playing like Ryan White we might of been more successful. Wouldn't have minded if Schroeder got a chance but Stewart was the guy to take out, completely useless the entire series, and constantly prolonging his shifts hoping to score a goal with the top line(s).

Yeah, this team was built to be a speed team and it was working quite effectively. But then some moron decides to get slow guys like Hanzel and White and get away from the speed that the team would have had with Schroeder or JEE in there instead.

Hard to imagine Schroeder would've had any more success than Zucker/Granlund who were pretty much non-existent(aside from Zucker's stickwork), though we don't know for certain. JEE certainly isn't a great skater himself, and Hanzal was a top-3 forward for us in the series(which goes back to the real problem).

 

[Eple]

At times there was an effort issue. Usually the first 5-10mins of a game... but overall, no... they played with tons of effort.

Not sure if you're being sarcastic but overall the effort level was BAD in this series. Half of the games Wild let Blues take control in the first period, looking completely lifeless in doing so. Having good effort for 80% of the game might do the job in regular season, but not in the playoffs. Because of their showing in the first periods I'd rank their overall effort level as terrible.

 

[Wild11MN]

Not sure if you're being sarcastic but overall the effort level was BAD in this series. Half of the games Wild let Blues take control in the first period, looking completely lifeless in doing so. Having good effort for 80% of the game might do the job in regular season, but not in the playoffs. Because of their showing in the first periods I'd rank their overall effort level as terrible.

I'm not sure if you're being sarcastic. If we scored in OT both games instead of hitting a pipe would you still say the effort wasn't there? We'd be up 3-2.

And if we had a terrible effort what did the Blues have, going by how you're judging effort?

In reality, who cares, not really worth arguing about. The team didn't cash in.

 

[Eye Floater]

Schroeder would not have made any difference whatsoever.

He is fast, yes, but he simply isn't very good at anything else. That's why he was scratched so often.

I guess I should amend my statement to speed + actual skill > size.

 

[Arturia Pendragon]

You know... I hate to be this person, and I realize the topic has been beat to death...

But had Fletcher signed Cullen, would've Hanzal been such a necessity?

Obviously after the fact revisionist history by me here. But still super bummed we lost this series...

 

[TwiztedHeat]

You know... I hate to be this person, and I realize the topic has been beat to death...

But had Fletcher signed Cullen, would've Hanzal been such a necessity?

Obviously after the fact revisionist history by me here. But still super bummed we lost this series...

100% spot on. Cullen would've been a perfect and cheap signing. It made zero sense to not offer him a contract for 1 year.

 

[Arturia Pendragon]

100% spot on. Cullen would've been a perfect and cheap signing. It made zero sense to not offer him a contract for 1 year.

See here's what I just can't get my head around:
Before the season started Fletcher figured it wouldn't be worth it to upgrade our center depth by adding Cullen. The reasons as to why not are still cloudy; the best of which I believe was wanting to see what Graovac could bring.

However, he then decides we need to upgrade our center depth in the midst of leading the conference in nearly all stats? There was this narrative that Hanzal's size allowed us to better match up with the likes of Toews, Getzlaf, Thornton, etc...

Fletcher should know better than anyone else that "size" doesn't guarantee defensive prowess (*Points at Spurgeon*). Could it not be argued that Cullen's speed allows him to cover other centers in just as an effective manner?

Obviously I'm searching, hindsight is 20/20, still upset, mad as heck about our ineptitudes... cue all the cliches. I get it.

I also get that the difference between Hanzal and Cullen (other than the price paid) doesn't lead us to the cup.

I'm just mad. I'm sick and tired of pouring my heart into a team/state and always getting it ripped out.

 

[TaLoN]

I suggest you stop following sports in general then... only 1 team can win it all. The rest all go home with their hearts ripped out.

Chance of getting your heart ripped out? 99%
Chance off wining it all? 1%

That's just how it is with sports.

 

[Arturia Pendragon]

I suggest you stop following sports in general then... only 1 team can win it all. The rest all go home with their hearts ripped out.

Chance of getting your heart ripped out? 99%
Chance off wining it all? 1%

That's just how it is with sports.

The manner in which it gets ripped out is completely contextual.
Lay off.

 

[TaLoN]

The manner in which it gets ripped out is completely contextual.
Lay off.

Yes, it is contextual... successful regular season teams get more of a taste and a harder fall.

Only one team is a successful post season team though... the closer you get to the ultimate prize and fail, the harder it is to take the failure. I get my heart ripped out too... you're not alone in this, but you just need to regroup, and retool for another go next year... it's all we can ever do.

I'm just saying it's not healthy to wallow in the failure... You have to do your best to set the emotions aside and then analyze what needs to be done to change things for the next go.

 

[Arturia Pendragon]

Yes, it is contextual... successful regular season teams het more of a taste and a harder fall.

Only one team is a successful post season team though... the closer you get to the ultimate prize and fail, the harder it is to take the failure. I get my heart ripped out too... you're not alone in this, but you just need to regroup, and retool for another go next year... it's all we can ever do.

Yea that is all we can do.
And coping goes along with it. So I happen to type out some of my frustration.
I'll be there with you at the beginning of next season.

 

[TaLoN]

Yea that is all we can do.
And coping goes along with it. So I happen to type out some of my frustration.
I'll be there with you at the beginning of next season.

Next season, when we start our Staley Cup run!

 

[AKL]

Next season, when we start our Staley Cup run!

Is the Staley Cup the one awarded to the team with the most moral victories?
I don't know, I'd rather just win the Stanley Cup.

 

[Ban Hammered]

A Staley Cup run may be more fun. 2018 playoff theme?

 

[Nharris31]

As a Ducks fan, I really feel for you guys. I really like BB and always enjoyed the energy and scoring he brought. But he also brought a lot if heartache, especially losing to Chicago in the WCF in 2015.

I think the one issue with Bruce is not a failure to get shots on goal, but getting the match ups to stop the opposing team from scoring. We always got a lot of shots, but we always seemed to be out of position to defend at crucial times and ended up giving up a GWG.

I really hope he can get over the hump with you guys. Bruce is a class act and deserves better. Hope things go better next year.

John

That's the sad Part the Wild actually kept the Blues to the outside more than what Blues kept the Wild to the outside. Stupid Narratives .

 

[Nharris31]

Russo was on Sermons this morning. Pretty much said exactly what I think many of us were thinking this whole time: Team is too small. Blues defense killed them and pushed them out of the prime scoring chances and the Wild were relying too heavily on one shot goals instead of rebounds.

Also made mention that Granlund is probably too small to retain for more than a couple years if he's going to be a complete non factor against those types of teams.

Another key point that many on here were bringing up before the playoffs even started was Fletcher/Bruce making all the changes in Feb to see what they needed to get at the deadline appeared to take them off their mojo. They couldn't find chemistry and also believed that they hindered their speed/passing when Bruce was putting the bigger less skilled players in the game.

Disagree completely and these people said it best. I'm glad he is not the GM otherwise the Wild never make the playoffs.

 

[123TripleDoge]

I was always on the Cullen wagon. Still am, I thought it was an easy sign. Comparing that to Hanzal trade is really bad. Any smart GM would've made those trades this year

 

[MNNumbers]

I would say, once again, this league would be called the National Goaltenders League.

Couple that with puck luck, and you have the answers for what happened.

Which sounds like excuses, but really that is the case. There is always a randomness to hockey.

Oh, well.....

 

[Eye of Ra]

Joel Eriksson Ek will play for Sweden at World Championship. How did he play for you guys?

 

[BigT2002]

Disagree completely and these people said it best. I'm glad he is not the GM otherwise the Wild never make the playoffs.

Not disagreeing or agreeing with what either Russo or the rest of your stuff said. I'm a huge Russo critic myself. But I'll take the guy who travels with this team for 82+ games over stat boards from twittter on this one.

 

[Minnesota]

Not disagreeing or agreeing with what either Russo or the rest of your stuff said. I'm a huge Russo critic myself. But I'll take the guy who travels with this team for 82+ games over stat boards from twittter on this one.

Even watching the teams, I thought the Wild completely dominated 2/5 games. The other 3 were close matches as expected.

The Wild absolutely out-played the Blues offensively, but the Blues' defense and Allen stole the series.

 

[Nharris31]

Not disagreeing or agreeing with what either Russo or the rest of your stuff said. I'm a huge Russo critic myself. But I'll take the guy who travels with this team for 82+ games over stat boards from twittter on this one.

He also was the same guy who said Haula could take over Koivu spot. A couple years ago.He also thought Dubnyk wouldn't help the Wild after the trade. He also didn't think Staal was a good pick up etc. I could go on all day. I don't hate him it's just that I don't think he has very good opinions.

 

[Dickie Dunn]

Kills me to say it but Granlund has gotta go while he still has value unless this series ruined what value he may have had. I loved his game the last half of the regular season but Yeo just provided the blueprint (pun intended) for how to not only shut him down but make him a complete non-factor.

 

[BigT2002]

Even watching the teams, I thought the Wild completely dominated 2/5 games. The other 3 were close matches as expected.

The Wild absolutely out-played the Blues offensively, but the Blues' defense and Allen stole the series.

Once again: not agreeing or disagreeing. We all will have our own opinions on the pitfall. I just don't like to put that much stock on advanced stats. That is just my own take. Everyone is entitled and I prefer not to argue one way or the other.

I think the Wild outplayed them offensively, yes. However, after going to 4 of these games (3 at home and one in STL), the Wild couldn't figure out how to make a solid offensive zone transition once they went down. As many have concluded on here (and those who I know outside of the board), their lives depended on scoring first. The difference between STL and MIN under Yeo was STL was actually holding onto the leads by defensively stifling Wild players from the shots they wanted to take. Shots don't mean anything in my opinion. This is becoming a rebound goal league imho.

He also was the same guy who said Haula could take over Koivu spot. A couple years ago.He also thought Dubnyk wouldn't help the Wild after the trade. He also didn't think Staal was a good pick up etc. I could go on all day. I don't hate him it's just that I don't think he has very good opinions.

He is also the guy who says Haula is nothing more than 4th line fringe NHL player. I've made it clear before that I find Russo's take on many of the players is elementary in thinking. However, after watching Reaves and Upshall manhandle Granlund into the boards: it was pretty clear the Top 6 were having issues.