Speculation: 2023-24 Arm Chair Coach Thread

[Digitalbooya]

Congratulations! You are officially the new coach of the Minnesota Wild! The fanbase has been eager for a new voice behind the bench and they would like to hear from you:

What is your first move?

What are your lines?

What kind of changes do you want to see?

How do you get Kaprizov and Boldy going?

How do you stop giving up the 2nd most goals per game?

How do you get Gus/MAF back to the form they had at the end of last year?

Click to read more...

 

[DANOZ28]

its 4th & 10 i punt. normally i have a list of fix it answers, im clueless how we solve any problems while in cap h3ll and now after cap h3ll you might have to buyout guerin's geezers to make open roster spots or trade players retaining 50%! total guerin clusterF!

 

[Parax]

Trade Zucc. It solves so many issues.

Need to stop the insane over-passing of Kaprizov and Zucc? Well if Zucc's gone, so is that issue.

Want to send a message to Kaprizov for half-assed play but can't threaten him with Rask as his center anymore? Well trading his buddy because they are playing like crap is a strong message.

Hartman demoted because Kap+Zucc are being idiots and Rossi is playing well? Now he gets to play RW with Kaprizov and Rossi.

Need roster spots for Yurov and Marat next season? There's one.

Want to avoid aging and declining vets? Well congrats you just got rid of the oldest and most rapidly declining one, and it gets you out of 2 additional seasons with a full NMC.

 

[saywut]

I think this roster is in a position where you have to live or die with a Johnasson - Ek - Boldy line and hope to win the 5 on 5 game. If that can be obtained and games are still lost on special teams take the regularly penalized players out the line-up. Bogo and a Giraffe on the 2nd PP so Brodin-Faber minutes aren't wasted there, that unit doesn't score anyways, 2D should limit shorthanded opportunities. Kap/Zuc/Hartman/Rossi rotation on the other scoring line based on an on-going evaluation of their play, I'd put those 4 on the PP together with Spurgeon and keep the other line intact with the 2D, and try to not use the slingshot 4 times if it failed the first 3 times, actually should just change if you can't gain the zone in 2 tries.

 

[MNRube]

Force yourself to keep 97 & 36 apart for minimum 10 games. You need to see how they mesh with other players anyways. Especially now that Zuccarello will be here until he’s collecting social security. I also agree that they’ve grown easy to defend and predictable

Kap - JEE - Mojo
Boldy - Rossi - Hartman
Foligno - Freddy - Zucc
Duhaime - Dewar - Maroon

Middleton - Spurgeon
Brodin - Faber
Merrill - Mermis

PP1: Kap, JEE, Rossi, Boldy, Faber
PP2: Zucc, Mojo, Hartman, ??, Spurgeon

 

[Wabit]

My first move is to pull a Jimbo Fisher. Take the money and dare them to fire me.

I want nothing to do with coaching the team as it's constructed.

 

[Webster]

It's nice to see that Rossi seems to find chemistry with Zuccarello, this could help the kid a lot. And the best way for Kaprizov to figure out his problems is playing with those two imo. I'd certainly keep that line intact.

 

[Jesus comma Brodin]

It's nice to see that Rossi seems to find chemistry with Zuccarello, this could help the kid a lot. And the best way for Kaprizov to figure out his problems is playing with those two imo. I'd certainly keep that line intact.

I’m sure you would considering Zuccy has provided absolutely zero 5v5 value (actual negative value) to this team and needs all the help he can get.

 

[Digitalbooya]

I’m sure you would considering Zuccy has provided absolutely zero 5v5 value (actual negative value) to this team and needs all the help he can get.

By the numbers:

Zucc is:
-Tied with Rossi for the team lead in 5v5 points at 10.
-2nd in 5v5 p/60

Kaprizov is 13th in 5v5 points and 16th in 5v5 p/60. 13th and 16th on just Minnesota.

Boldy is 10th in 5v5 points and 1st in 5v5 p/60. Injury obviously impacted the first number.

That’s why I would put Boldy-Rossi-Zucc together.

 

[Digitalbooya]

Boldy-Rossi-Zucc
Kaprizov-Eriksson Ek-Johansson
Foligno-Gaudreau-Hartman
Duhaime-Dewar-Maroon

Brodin-Faber
Hunt-Spurgeon
Middleton-Bogosian

Gus
MAF

That’s the lineup I want. I would advise Guerin to send Merrill to waivers in favor of Hunt.

 

[roon]

I double shift the 4th line for the rest of the season and cut the minutes of the 1st 3 lines. This team needs a tank and some good draft picks.

 

[Sweetnut]

I would try a hybrid of torpedo/traditional 1-3-1 depending on the score in the late game part.

The system converts the traditional hockey layout of three forwards and two defensemen, into two torpedoes up front, two halfbacks, and one lone defenceman (or libero). The torpedoes are responsible for forechecking in the corners when the puck is in the offensive zone, and stay around the neutral zone to be sprung into a scoring position (by a stretch pass or torpedo pass). The halfbacks are all-purpose players that run the offense from the faceoff circles in the offensive zone, and defend against the other team's torpedoes. The libero protects the rear of the ice.

Potential lineup would be, with the players that we have, something like this:

13 forwards and 5 defenders, play with 3 centermen and 10 wingers. Rotate wingers by playing very short shifts, approx. 20-30 seconds. Skate at max speed, change, max speed, change, and so on. Centers stay closer to the blue line in O-zone and does not skate as hard.

Wingers:
Kap-Zuke
Mojo-Boldy
Foligno-Freddy
Duhaime-Dewar
Walker-Maroon

Center:
Ek
Rossi
Hartman

Half-D
Faber
Mermaid
Bogo

Libero:
Brodin
Spurge

If team is ahead towards the end of the game, play trap.
If chasing, continue to SKATE HARD.

It is a tank year anyway, why not try to have some fun, and confuse the hell out of the other teams in the process?

 

[63firebird]

I double shift the 4th line for the rest of the season and cut the minutes of the 1st 3 lines. This team needs a tank and some good draft picks.

I doubt that is even necessary to "tank". Inevitable/unavoidable.

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

I doubt that is even necessary to "tank". Inevitable/unavoidable.

I just worry that we’ll pick 12th in a bit very too heavy draft

 

[57special]

I just worry that we’ll pick 12th in a bit very too heavy draft

Seems like a year where you want to be picking in the top 8-9, though there is still plenty of time for things to change.

 

[63firebird]

Seems like a year where you want to be picking in the top 8-9, though there is still plenty of time for things to change.

Dumb question,
Should i believe some media that has said the Wild have a very deep prospect pool....or the opposite ....that the shelves are bare, we are in cap hell and all there is ,is a NMC country club?

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

Seems like a year where you want to be picking in the top 8-9, though there is still plenty of time for things to change.

Probably getting a defensman unless we win the lottery unfortunately

 

[57special]

Probably getting a defensman unless we win the lottery unfortunately

I can live with that. There look to be 4-5 Dmen with top 2 potential, and you can never have too many of those.

Forward wise, Yurov, Ohgren, Marat, Bankier, Heidt, Haight, Milne, Kumpulainen, Lorenz, Stramel is a pretty interesting bunch added to Boldy and Rossi. We aren't going to hit on even half of them, but I can easily see two top 6'ers and a couple of 3rd liners coming out of that bunch.

I can see a run on Dmen after Celebrini and Eiserman are taken, unless Demidov absolutely cements himself as a no doubt guy.

Still really early. Don't really have a tell on the forwards after the first 3-4.

 

[AKL]

Dumb question,
Should i believe some media that has said the Wild have a very deep prospect pool....or the opposite ....that the shelves are bare, we are in cap hell and all there is ,is a NMC country club?

The pool is pretty deep, or it was pretty deep before Rossi and Faber graduated, but there isn't a lot of real top end talent, especially with Rossi and Faber graduating. So it depends on who you ask and what they value. We have a lot of guys who project to be middle or bottom six players.

We definitely seem to have a NMC country club again though, with like 75% of eligible players having some type of trade protection on their current contracts, and we are currently in cap hell, although that should end either next year or the following year, pending Guerin giving out more bad contracts.

 

[Wabit]

Dumb question,
Should i believe some media that has said the Wild have a very deep prospect pool....or the opposite ....that the shelves are bare, we are in cap hell and all there is ,is a NMC country club?

The shelves aren't bare, but (outside of Wallstedt) there is really only middle and bottom of the roster type of talent. Maybe someone like Yurov hits big, but it is lacking the top end talent.

The cap hell part is true. The NMC country club part sure looks to be true.

 

[keppel146]

I can live with that. There look to be 4-5 Dmen with top 2 potential, and you can never have too many of those.

Forward wise, Yurov, Ohgren, Marat, Bankier, Heidt, Haight, Milne, Kumpulainen, Lorenz, Stramel is a pretty interesting bunch added to Boldy and Rossi. We aren't going to hit on even half of them, but I can easily see two top 6'ers and a couple of 3rd liners coming out of that bunch.

I can see a run on Dmen after Celebrini and Eiserman are taken, unless Demidov absolutely cements himself as a no doubt guy.

Still really early. Don't really have a fell on the forwards after the first 3-4.

Catton certainly has top 5 potential.

 

[57special]

Catton certainly has top 5 potential.

Seems that way, but GM's will not be able to resist the big, skilled Dmen like Dickinson, Leyshunov, Jiricek, and Silyayev.

 

[57special]

Was watching the NHL network and a fascinating bit of info came up. The NYR coach responsible for FO's has them switching the handedness when they take draws on their offside, so they are always drawing back. In the case of many Canadian and Euro players, who are RH'ed but shoot left, this allows their stronger hand to get down low. Doing this also gives them the advantage of the curve scooping the puck backwards when taking the FO on that side.

They've gone from being a very poor FO team over the past few years to being the best in the NHL. Maybe if Dean had paid attention to things like this, rather than his golf game, he'd still have a job.

 

[TaLoN]

Was watching the NHL network and a fascinating bit of info came up. The NYR coach responsible for FO's has them switching the handedness when they take draws on their offside, so they are always drawing back. In the case of many Canadian and Euro players, who are RH'ed but shoot left, this allows their stronger hand to get down low. Doing this also gives them the advantage of the curve scooping the puck backwards when taking the FO on that side.

They've gone from being a very poor FO team over the past few years to being the best in the NHL. Maybe if Dean had paid attention to things like this, rather than his golf game, he'd still have a job.

Dean's idea of trying to improve on faceoffs? Paint tennis balls black, and drop those instead of pucks... cause, you know... get good at winning a faceoff with tennis balls, you can totally apply that to something shaped completely different that reacts completely different when dropped.

 

[57special]

Dean's idea of trying to improve on faceoffs? Paint tennis balls black, and drop those instead of pucks... cause, you know... get good at winning a faceoff with tennis balls, you can totally apply that to something shaped completely different that reacts completely different when dropped.

I'm all for trying new things, but the point is that the NYR did try a new thing that worked. Seems to me that is something that should've been picked up on by coaching staffs around the league, not the NHL network.