Minnesota Wild General Discussion Part VII

[Dr Jan Itor]

I’m just saying, when making a statement that one isn’t impressive because of draft position shouldn’t be an argument. Sokolov was supposed to be a 1st round draft pick but wasn’t because of medical issues and lack of work ethic. I don’t see anyone questioning Andersson’s work ethic or his defensive capabilities. You know someone who could score but wasn’t really good at anything else? Aberg.

You know who else? Brett Hull. We've now covered both ends of the spectrum.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Around 30-40 between AHL/NHL for Andersson, Sokolov more.

What's the Andersson/Sokolov split?

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

The 2017-19 New York Rangers are remarkably similar to the 2010-2012 Minnesota Wild, just with a little better draft luck.

I'm just saying, let's let them actually accomplish something before we go touting their brilliance.

 

[Digitalbooya]

You know who else? Brett Hull. We've now covered both ends of the spectrum.

Do you think Sokolov is going to be closer to Aberg or Hull?

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Do you think Sokolov is going to be closer to Aberg or Hull?

I think that there's a great chance that he's somewhere in between.

 

[TaLoN]

Sokolov scores more goals per game than Andersson. However, fails to mention Andersson had 20pts in 36 games (46pts over 82 games), which is better than Sokolov’s pace of 41 pts per 82. Goals aren’t everything though. I would do anything for a PMB type playmaker on this team. People sometimes forget that the reason Rolston was so successful here was because of Bouchard’s playmaking ability.

Bouchard was a 2nd assist marvel. He was just passing to the point and the point man was passing to Rolston.

Bouchard was never as good as his points, because he relegated himself to nothing more than a perimeter player.

Granlund was the anti-Bouchard, he was a dynamic playmaker that piled up 1st assists better than anyone not named McDavid, when he was on his game.

 

[nickschultzfan]

The 2017-19 New York Rangers are remarkably similar to the 2010-2012 Minnesota Wild, just with a little better draft luck.

I'm just saying, let's let them actually accomplish something before we go touting their brilliance.

No. Not even in same ballpark.

 

[P10p]

What's the Andersson/Sokolov split?

Sorry dont understand the question. I've watched lias in about 30/40 games and have seen maybe 80+ sokolov games since junior

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

No. Not even in same ballpark.

From 2017 to 2019, the Rangers picked 7th, 21st, 9th, 22nd, 28th and were slated for the 6th pick before getting lucky.
From 2010 to 2012, we picked 9th, 10th, 28th, 7th, and traded for a very recent 28th pick and very recent 5th pick.
Rangers picked up Panarin and Trouba at the end of their "rebuild".
We picked up Parise and Suter at the end of our "rebuild".

Perhaps I am a bit dense, please explain the massive differences.

 

[Uberdachen]

Bouchard was a 2nd assist marvel. He was just passing to the point and the point man was passing to Rolston.

Bouchard was never as good as his points, because he relegated himself to nothing more than a perimeter player.

Granlund was the anti-Bouchard, he was a dynamic playmaker that piled up 1st assists better than anyone not named McDavid, when he was on his game.

Was. Last season he went full Bouchard. You never go full Bouchard.

 

[TaLoN]

Wild ranked 7th best on contract situations... our forwards not looking too good contact wise, but our defense looks stellar across the board.

By the numbers: Grading every team's contract efficiency

When I teased the worst contracts list was coming, many dejected Wild fans in the comments joked that it would be a list full of Wild contracts, and yet here the team is ranked seventh. Hmm.
Minnesota’s biggest problem is in net, and if those contracts were factored in here they’d likely rank lower as a result. By expected goals saved, Dubnyk has been one of the league’s worst goalies over the last couple years.

Aside from that though, the forward contracts on the books give plenty of reason for pessimism. It’s a hodgepodge of bad value aside from the terrific (but short) Eric Staal deal and the bargain Jason Zucker deal that for some reason the team wanted to unload. Zach Parise had a resurgence last season that puts some extra life on his deal, but the last four years might get ugly. Neither of the new signees, Mats Zuccarello and Ryan Hartman, project to offer positive value. And of course there’s the Victor Rask deal, the worst one here as the rehabilitation project hasn’t exactly gone according to plan.
Defence is the team’s bread and butter though (hence why Dubnyk looks so bad after accounting for context), and that’s where the team finds value. Defence is often underrated and it’s likely why my model (now after some improvements anyways) sees the Wild group providing more value than expected. Matt Dumba and Jared Spurgeon are the best deals here, but everyone on the back end looks like a good bet to provide positive value. The Wild are one of three teams without a single bad contract on the blue line.

All the defencemen have a pretty high chance of providing positive value, and aside from Rask, the forwards aren’t bad in that regard either. The Wild rank seventh by that measure and it’s the main reason they’re ranked so highly.

 

[Webster]

^^^^

It's incredible how they keep underrating Zuccarello. But they'll have to eat crow, that's for sure.

 

[AKL]

The Rangers have had 6 firsts in the last three years and all of those picks combined have done approximately f*** all to this point. Their non-firsts in those three years are what one would call "not much". I mean after all that, they've got Kakko, a guy who's almost as good as Kaprizov was at the same age, and their very own Zemgus Girgensons in Andersson. Why are they the benchmark for what we should strive to be?

I mean come on, at least aim for the Flyers or something.

 

[57special]

This constant pumping of Zuccarello's tires is getting kind of old. Maybe let things breathe a little, and wait till he plays a game or two for the Wild?

 

[TaLoN]

^^^^

It's incredible how they keep underrating Zuccarello. But they'll have to eat crow, that's for sure.

They say it's good value the first two years, but don't like the last 3. Considering the Wild have an out with him the last 2 years - I think the Wild agree on it's anchor potential late..

The contract is completely fine for the next two years most likely, and their rating agrees with that.

 

[Webster]

I'm pretty sure Zuccarello stays here for the next 5 years, unless he wants to leave. No team would want his 6 million contract when he's 34 anyway, if his stats are down. So I don't see any trade during the last two years, no matter what.

But there's a big chance his entire contract will be great value. He plays 110% every shift, and nothing indicates his body will break down any time soon. Smaller guys tend to last longer, and Zuccarello only has some 500 games in this league. Undrafted he signed his first contract at age 23, much later than most players.

And Zuccarello is a special guy, he brings so much more than just points. Fenton mentioned this as part of why they really want him...his good personality. There's a reason why "we all love him". He'll be a great locker room guy, something I hear they need around here.

Zuccarello is also a perfect mentor for the kids. If the Rangers weren't in a rebuild mode, he'd most likely be their next captain.
So I don't think there's much to worry about..

 

[57special]

Did you really think that Fenton would sign Zuccarello to a 5 year contract, then start listing his weak points? C'mon! He was in full sales mode.

 

[SomethingGeneric]

So here's what I would do with the current crop of players that the Wild have since it seems like a trade is unlikely at this point.

*This assumes Koivu is injured to start the year
Zucker - Staal - Zucc
Fiala - Kunin - Donato
Parise - Ek - Greenway
Foligno - Rask - Hartman
Brown

*This Assumes Koivu is healthy to start the year
Zucker - Staal - Zucc
Fiala - Ek - Kunin
Parise - Koivu - Donato
Foligno - Rask - Hartman

Suter - Dumba
Brodin - Spurgeon
Hunt - Pateryn
Seeler

 

[TaLoN]

So here's what I would do with the current crop of players that the Wild have since it seems like a trade is unlikely at this point.

*This assumes Koivu is injured to start the year
Zucker - Staal - Zucc
Fiala - Kunin - Donato
Parise - Ek - Greenway
Foligno - Rask - Hartman
Brown

*This Assumes Koivu is healthy to start the year
Zucker - Staal - Zucc
Fiala - Ek - Kunin
Parise - Koivu - Donato
Foligno - Rask - Hartman

Suter - Dumba
Brodin - Spurgeon
Hunt - Pateryn
Seeler

I'd rather play Greenway on the Wing and put Rask in the pressbox and keep Kunin at center if Koivu is healthy.