Confirmed with Link: Paul Fenton to be named GM of Minnesota Wild

[Bazeek]

I want to make the Playoffs. Even getting blown up in the Playoffs means that I got to watch good hockey for most of the season (at least in non-bizzaro world years like this).

The fans that want a rebuild and a few years of bad hockey and high picks aren't (for the most part) the ones that are dropping thousands of dollars a year on season tickets. TV fans wants are second tier compared to STHs wants. Less STH and no more sellout crowds means less money made at the arena. No Playoffs means more lost revenue.

Losing teams also have a harder time getting quality UFAs to sign with them. Minnesota doesn't have much going for it to get UFAs (other than #oneofus) as it is. Making it less attractive by being a bottom feeder isn't the smartest idea.

I'm generally on the "**** it, make the playoffs" bus, but our chances of doing anything with our current goaltending is approaching zero. Our chances of falling into a top-5 pick are substantially better, and in the long run that might sell a lot more tickets than another 2 home playoff games.

 

[Wild11MN]

Jesus ****ing christ. Once again; People don't want to "just make the playoffs" and get raped by a good team in the first round! I thought that was obvious at this point!
People aren't falling for the "we are a playoff team" crap anymore.

Do a proper ****ing rebuild and deliever us something better than the mediocre nonsense we have been given so far.

**** sake.

Why would the GM go out and say they're trying to miss the playoffs? That makes zero sense and demoralizes the players when they're technically a point out of 8th.

I don't care what they "should" do, which is absolutely miss. The GM is not going to publicly say that.

 

[Wabit]

The idea with being a bottom feeder would be to stop going heavy in the UFA game so that part doesn't really matter. You're not going to bottom out and then make a pitch to Panarin. You make the pitch to the Panarin-type after you've secured 2 or 3 top talents and they've progressed enough in their careers that guys would want to play with them.

How has that worked for EDM and BUF? Tor got JT because of the #oneofus (for Tor) as much as anything else.

Who is the last UFA that has signed without #oneofus ties (close to home ties)?
-Staal was close to home.
-Parise was from here.
-Suter was close to home.
-Vanek played college here.
-Cullen (who fans were drooling over for years) was from here.
-I can't remember a quality UFA that signed here before Parise/Suter.

 

[Wabit]

Why would the GM go out and say they're trying to miss the playoffs? That makes zero sense and demoralizes the players when they're technically a point out of 8th.

I don't care what they "should" do, which is absolutely miss. The GM is not going to publicly say that.

Except when they do. NYR last year, BUF a few years ago with their firesale, and ANA this year.

 

[Bazeek]

How has that worked for EDM and BUF? Tor got JT because of the #oneofus (for Tor) as much as anything else.

Who is the last UFA that has signed without #oneofus ties (close to home ties)?
-Staal was close to home.
-Parise was from here.
-Suter was close to home.
-Vanek played college here.
-Cullen (who fans were drooling over for years) was from here.
-I can't remember a quality UFA that signed here before Parise/Suter.

Havlat is the one that comes to mind, though it didn't work out well.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Havlat is the one that comes to mind, though it didn't work out well.

And Rolston I think.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

How has that worked for EDM and BUF? Tor got JT because of the #oneofus (for Tor) as much as anything else.

Who is the last UFA that has signed without #oneofus ties (close to home ties)?
-Staal was close to home.
-Parise was from here.
-Suter was close to home.
-Vanek played college here.
-Cullen (who fans were drooling over for years) was from here.
-I can't remember a quality UFA that signed here before Parise/Suter.

When was the last time that we had elite young players to sell to them?

 

[Engebretson]

Havlat is the one that comes to mind, though it didn't work out well.

I'd say Rolston was our first big name free agent, although I thought he was always underrated before he came to the Wild.

Edit: dammit, the Dr beat me to it

 

[Saga of the Elk]

When was the last time that we had elite young players to sell to them?

That's the thing. Guessing Minnesota has tons of appeal from the 'good org, good place to raise a family' angle, but very little from the 'let's go win a Cup' angle. That can change quickly.

 

[Bazeek]

That's the thing. Guessing Minnesota has tons of appeal from the 'good org, good place to raise a family' angle, but very little from the 'let's go win a Cup' angle. That can change quickly.

Maybe too much appeal in Staal's case

 

[Wabit]

When was the last time that we had elite young players to sell to them?

Who are the elite young players getting UFAs to sign with their bottom feeder teams right now? EDM should be a prime UFA destination and all they've gotten is Lucic. Buffalo has gotten who? Col has gotten who? WIN has gotten who? CGY has gotten who?

There needs to be more than "Hey we have a couple of top tier young guys, have gotten used to losing, and plenty of icefishing" as the main selling points.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Who are the elite young players getting UFAs to sign with their bottom feeder teams right now? EDM should be a prime UFA destination and all they've gotten is Lucic. Buffalo has gotten who? Col has gotten who? WIN has gotten who? CGY has gotten who?

There needs to be more than "Hey we have a couple of top tier young guys, have gotten used to losing, and plenty of icefishing" as the main selling points.

Jeez dude. You don't sign them when you're a bottom feeder. You'd sign them as you're on the upswing. After you've accumulated some of the talent that bottom feeders are supposed to.

 

[Wild11MN]

Except when they do. NYR last year, BUF a few years ago with their firesale, and ANA this year.

Guessing they weren't a point out of a playoff spot in mid-February (Anaheim is only 4 points out, though I never heard anyone stated that).

 

[Wabit]

Jeez dude. You don't sign them when you're a bottom feeder. You'd sign them as you're on the upswing. After you've accumulated some of the talent that bottom feeders are supposed to.

On the upswing still means not a good team. EDM and Buffalo have been on the upswing for a couple of years now.

 

[Saga of the Elk]

Who are the elite young players getting UFAs to sign with their bottom feeder teams right now? EDM should be a prime UFA destination and all they've gotten is Lucic. Buffalo has gotten who? Col has gotten who? WIN has gotten who? CGY has gotten who?

There needs to be more than "Hey we have a couple of top tier young guys, have gotten used to losing, and plenty of icefishing" as the main selling points.

Do you think Blake Wheeler is chopped liver? He wouldn't have signed in Winnipeg if they weren't contenders with a strong young core. And you omit Toronto, which was in the Wild's position just a few years ago. Tavares had his pick but knew that Marner would keep his reputation strong. Skinner could very well sign in Buffalo knowing that Eichel and Dahlin give them a chance.

All those teams (except the moronic Oilers) kept their elite guys and added around the edges, overpaying in the (moronic) Oilers case for Russell and Lucic.

Get good players first, then find the pieces. It's the only way in the cap era.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

On the upswing still means not a good team. EDM and Buffalo have been on the upswing for a couple of years now.

They actually haven't. They would have if they would've drafted the right guys.

 

[Wabit]

Guessing they weren't a point out of a playoff spot in mid-February (Anaheim is only 4 points out, though I never heard anyone stated that).

The GM/head coach said something about it when he fired Carlyle. Dallas' GM blew up his star players after a win and they were in a Playoff spot this year. The Blues GM made some sell them all comments earlier this year too.

I don't think GMPF is just stoking the fanbase and trying to raise his guy's value right before the TDL in public. But behind closed doors he's playing with the draft lottery website and making 15 different mock drafts a day.

 

[Wabit]

Do you think Blake Wheeler is chopped liver? He wouldn't have signed in Winnipeg if they weren't contenders with a strong young core. And you omit Toronto, which was in the Wild's position just a few years ago. Tavares had his pick but knew that Marner would keep his reputation strong. Skinner could very well sign in Buffalo knowing that Eichel and Dahlin give them a chance.

All those teams (except the moronic Oilers) kept their elite guys and added around the edges, overpaying in the (moronic) Oilers case for Russell and Lucic.

Get good players first, then find the pieces. It's the only way in the cap era.

I mentioned JT earlier and it was as much of a hometown thing as the elite talent in Tor.

Wheeler was traded as a RFA to the ATL/Jets.

Skinner would be a re-signing after being traded there this year.

 

[Saga of the Elk]

I mentioned JT earlier and it was as much of a hometown thing as the elite talent in Tor.

Wheeler was traded as a RFA to the ATL/Jets.

Skinner would be a re-signing after being traded there this year.

But you're saying that guys who have the chance to pick wouldn't pick and haven't picked those teams. That's clearly not the case. Everyone says winning is the important thing - who wants to go to work every day and lose at it?

 

[DANOZ28]

well i'd atleast pitch panarin that kaprizov is coming (cross fingers) in a year and we'd luv to see you in a wild uniform.

 

[Saga of the Elk]

well i'd atleast pitch panarin that kaprizov is coming (cross fingers) in a year and we'd luv to see you in a wild uniform.

but Matt Duchene loves fishing and boating and is getting old too!

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

I mentioned JT earlier and it was as much of a hometown thing as the elite talent in Tor.

Wheeler was traded as a RFA to the ATL/Jets.

Skinner would be a re-signing after being traded there this year.

So no Matthews and no Marner, Toronto picking 6th in the 2018 draft and Tavares still goes there? I have a lot of doubts about that.

 

[Wabit]

But you're saying that guys who have the chance to pick wouldn't pick and haven't picked those teams. That's clearly not the case. Everyone says winning is the important thing - who wants to go to work every day and lose at it?

Wheeler signed his current deal as a RFA. He signed his deal ($8.25 x 5) that kicks in next year back in Sept after a career year as a 31 yo. The Jets threw a lot of money at him so he wouldn't leave. Does another team throw $41m at him as a 33yo UFA?

 

[Wabit]

So no Matthews and no Marner, Toronto picking 6th in the 2018 draft and Tavares still goes there? I have a lot of doubts about that.

Put the team in Vancouver, does JT still go there?

 

[Saga of the Elk]

Wheeler signed his current deal as a RFA. He signed his deal ($8.25 x 5) that kicks in next year back in Sept after a career year as a 31 yo. The Jets threw a lot of money at him so he wouldn't leave. Does another team throw $41m at him as a 33yo UFA?

Is this about what he would get on the open market or about the fact that he could have gone UFA and instead signed with a team full of good young players so that he could win a Cup? What's the point?

And just to get back to Paul Fenton, hadn't checked in on Iowa recently: Michael Kapla, the return for Ryan 'remember him' Murphy, has 5 assists in 7 games! Pretty not bad!