Starting Six: Minnesota Wild All-Time Lineup

[LastWordArmy]

The Starting Six series comes to you to dive into the best player at each position all-time for every organization. The biggest and best at each position, with the most memorable moments in franchise history. Here is the Minnesota Wild all-time lineup.

http://lastwordonhockey.com/2017/08/03/starting-six-minnesota-wild-all-time-lineup/

Click to read more...

 

[ThatGuy22]

The Starting Six series comes to you to dive into the best player at each position all-time for every organization. The biggest and best at each position, with the most memorable moments in franchise history. Here is the Minnesota Wild all-time lineup.

http://lastwordonhockey.com/2017/08/03/starting-six-minnesota-wild-all-time-lineup/

Ya, Schultz was a good player in his prime and here forever. But Ryan Suter is the best defender the Wild ever had, and it's not particularly close.

 

[Jaykay]

Parise-Koivu-Gaborik
Suter-Burns

 

[HollaHaula]

I would also say that Parise (aside from last year) and Dubnyk are better than Brunette and Backstrom, respectively.

 

[gphr513]

Yeah, not having Suter in there is overthinking it.

 

[ThatGuy22]

I would also say that Parise (aside from last year) and Dubnyk are better than Brunette and Backstrom, respectively.

Bruno/Backstrom are defensible. Their best seasons are as good as Parise/Dubnyk's best seasons in a Wild uniform, and then the added longevity. I feel like we forget Backstrom had a Vezina nomination and won the Jennings trophy with Manny. And Bruno certainly get's an extra bump for the 2003 run and ending Roy's career.

 

[HollaHaula]

Bruno/Backstrom are defensible. Their best seasons are as good as Parise/Dubnyk's best seasons in a Wild uniform, and then the added longevity. I feel like we forget Backstrom had a Vezina nomination and won the Jennings trophy with Manny. And Bruno certainly get's an extra bump for the 2003 run and ending Roy's career.

I will stubornly agree about Bruno. Although, in terms of overall skill, Parise outclasses him by a mile.

With Backstrom I won't, however. Backstrom never won a playoff series (granted we had some garbage teams) and he was the type of goalie that wouldn't steal you games. He was very good positionally but that was it. Not much for reflexes or agility.

Dubnyk has stolen games, won a playoff series, and has had to play with some pretty bad backups while here.

 

[Wabit]

Parise/Koivu/Gaborik
Suter/Spurgeon
Backstrom

Koivu, Gaborik, and Suter are easy choices, not much argument can be made for anyone else.

Parise at LW is the best player, but his injuries have left it open to debate with Brunette. The years left on Parise's contract could really swing him below Burnette easily.

RD I have Spurgeon ahead of Burns too. Burns really wasn't good here, he really didn't take off until he was in SJS for a few years.

Goalie is a coin flip between Backstrom or Dub. Backstrom had a longer career here so I picked him. It's really too bad Harding's career got cut short, he might have been the best goalie the team ever had. Too small of a sample size for him to jump Backstrom and Dub.

Current roster players (non-ELC) that could make the list eventually: Dub, Dumba, Granny, and Nino. Not saying any of them will, just it could be possible if things go well for them.

 

[Generic User]

Parise-Koivu-Gaborik
Suter-Burns

Yup. Not sure this can be disagreed with.

 

[TaLoN]

Sorry, but Parise in his best season was far better than Bruno here.

Not many Wild players have scored 33 goals.

 

[BagHead]

Ya, Schultz was a good player in his prime and here forever. But Ryan Suter is the best defender the Wild ever had, and it's not particularly close.

Kind of what I was thinking. Schultz was a top 4 defender in his prime, but not a #1 defenseman. Suter's also had a decent chunk of his career here, now. I get that they were going for an off the board pick, but that probably wasn't the one to do it with.

I like the Spurgeon pick a lot. The only other guy I might have had in that spot was Burns, but at this point, I think Spurgeon deserves it.

Sorry, but Parise in his best season was far better than Bruno here.

Not many Wild players have scored 33 goals.

He did say memorable moments were a factor. For that, Bruno has the most memorable goal in the Wild history. I had no doubt when I clicked the article that Bruno was in that LW spot.

 

[TaLoN]

Kind of what I was thinking. Schultz was a top 4 defender in his prime, but not a #1 defenseman. Suter's also had a decent chunk of his career here, now. I get that they were going for an off the board pick, but that probably wasn't the one to do it with.

I like the Spurgeon pick a lot. The only other guy I might have had in that spot was Burns, but at this point, I think Spurgeon deserves it.



He did say memorable moments were a factor. For that, Bruno has the most memorable goal in the Wild history. I had no doubt when I clicked the article that Bruno was in that LW spot.

Ok, then how about Granlund or Nino, both better than Bruno as well, both with playoff ot winners.

I get that Bruno had a memorable moment, but come on, on the ice the Wild are better off with someone else.

 

[ThatGuy22]

Sorry, but Parise in his best season was far better than Bruno here.

Not many Wild players have scored 33 goals.

Bruno had a 69 point season pre lockout, which is higher than anyone's had on the Wild but Gaborik, Rolston(juiced post lockout season), Koivu and Granlund just tied. He finished 25th in the NHL that year.

Parise's best season is 62 points with 33 goals, and 40th in the NHL in points.

It's fair to say goals are more important and favor Parise. But far better is an overstatement and picking Bruno is defensible although i'm not sure which one I side on.

 

[TaLoN]

Bruno had a 69 point season pre lockout, which is higher than anyone's had on the Wild but Gaborik, Rolston(juiced post lockout season), Koivu and Granlund just tied. He finished 27th in the NHL that year.

Parise's best season is 62 points with 33 goals, and 40th in the NHL in points.

It's fair to say goals are more important and favor Parise. But far better is an overstatement and picking Bruno is defensible although i'm not sure which one I side on.

Bruno was never vey good defensively... He was a one way player who couldn't skate.

Yes, Parise was eally a far better all around player.

 

[a79krgm]

The Starting Six series comes to you to dive into the best player at each position all-time for every organization. The biggest and best at each position, with the most memorable moments in franchise history. Here is the Minnesota Wild all-time lineup.

http://lastwordonhockey.com/2017/08/03/starting-six-minnesota-wild-all-time-lineup/

Sutter has been far more important to the Wild than Burns was. Burns had a lot of growing up to do in Minnesota while Sutter came to the team as an All-Star and Norris candidate.

Also, would like to see Brian Rolston listed as a HM. He could really bury it when given a "good look". .. Too bad one of his seasons with us came during the full season lockout.

 

[TaLoN]

Sutter has been far more important to the Wild than Burns was. Burns had a lot of growing up to do in Minnesota while Sutter came to the team as an All-Star and Norris candidate.

Also, would like to see Brian Rolston listed as a HM. He could really bury it when given a "good look". .. Too bad one of his seasons with us came during the full season lockout.

Brett Sutter? I didn't realize his 6 games with the Wild were such a big deal.

As for Brian Rolston, he'd be on the list himself, but he played mostly RW, and there's no way he trumps Gaborik on the RW. Had he been on the left, I'd put him ahead of Parise, but he wasn't so he's not.

 

[Digitalbooya]

Demitra-Koivu-Gaborik
Suter-Burns

 

[Saga of the Elk]

Nino is 7th in all-time Wild goals, should pass Rolston this season.

Brodin will be top ten for ice-time, could pass Scandella the first game of this season.

Kai Nurminen is the only player in Wild history to boast a shooting percentage of 100%.

Pierre-Marc Bouchard would be a better choice than Brunette.

 

[DANOZ28]

for goalies i like roloson better than dubnyk (doobs has a way better D core). i agree with koivu & gabby. not sure who's #3

 

[kfan22]

People that are putting Burns on the list are doing that because what he has turned into not for what he did here IMO

 

[W75]

Kai Nurminen is the only player in Wild history to boast a shooting percentage of 100%.

Damn didn't know that! HOF lock for sure

 

[Jaykay]

People that are putting Burns on the list are doing that because what he has turned into not for what he did here IMO

Burns '07-08 and '10-11 seasons are better than anything Spurgeon has done while here.

 

[57special]

A much more interesting lineup would be the best NHL Minnesota franchise players.

Would any of the Wild players make the list? Hartsburg, and Dino are locks, I think? Didn't realize that Smith's time here was so short. Koivu would be picked before him.

 

[TaLoN]

Nino is 7th in all-time Wild goals, should pass Rolston this season.

Brodin will be top ten for ice-time, could pass Scandella the first game of this season.

Kai Nurminen is the only player in Wild history to boast a shooting percentage of 100%.

Pierre-Marc Bouchard would be a better choice than Brunette.

PMB played RW, he's not getting in ahead of Gaborik, so he's out.

Yes Nino will pass Rolston in goals, but Rolston had 3 consecutive 30 goal seasons, something Nino hasn't done even once yet... but Rolston played mostly RW (some center and some LW at times too) and is out anyway because Gaborik runs away with that spot.

 

[Aurinko]

Burns '07-08 and '10-11 seasons are better than anything Spurgeon has done while here.

I don't know. The '10-11 Burns plus-minus -10 , while Spurgeon at -1.

To me this counts.