Confirmed with Link: Wild Trade 7th Round Pick (2024) for Maroon (20% retained) and Cajkovic

[57special]

Our problems are on the ice, not in the locker room.

 

[Digitalbooya]

Our problems are on the ice, not in the locker room.

Starting with our lackluster 1st line center and our tiny defense.

 

[57special]

Starting with our lackluster 1st line center and our tiny defense.

And the overall inability for the team to show up in the playoffs. I mean, isn't that where the intangibles(i.e. locker room) are supposed to make the difference?

Instead, we see teams, year after year, that fold ,and show no signs of being able to overcome adversity.

Give me a toxic room that wins, any day. Pro hockey is about winning. If you want to get along and love one another go on a Yoga retreat.

 

[Digitalbooya]

And the overall inability for the team to show up in the playoffs. I mean, isn't that where the intangibles(i.e. locker room) are supposed to make the difference?

Instead, we see teams, year after year, that fold ,and show no signs of being able to overcome adversity.

Give me a toxic room that wins, any day. Pro hockey is about winning. If you want to get along and love one another go on a Yoga retreat.

Well, the only constants since 2016-17 are Spurgeon, Brodin, Eriksson Ek, and Dumba. Dumba is likely gone and usually he boosted his game for the playoffs. Eriksson Ek is a playoff gamer as well. That leaves… well, you know.

 

[thestonedkoala]

Well, the only constants since 2016-17 are Spurgeon, Brodin, Eriksson Ek, and Dumba. Dumba is likely gone and usually he boosted his game for the playoffs. Eriksson Ek is a playoff gamer as well. That leaves… well, you know.

None of the players have shown up in the playoffs who should be. I've been pointing out the defense for years. I can't remember a team winning without a top 5 defenseman on the team.

 

[Sad People]

And the overall inability for the team to show up in the playoffs. I mean, isn't that where the intangibles(i.e. locker room) are supposed to make the difference?

Instead, we see teams, year after year, that fold ,and show no signs of being able to overcome adversity.

Give me a toxic room that wins, any day. Pro hockey is about winning. If you want to get along and love one another go on a Yoga retreat.

I mean it easy for us fans to say "give me a toxic locker room" when we arent in that said locker room isnt it? Its a bit different when we are on the outside looking in. It so easy for me to say do this or do that when im not the one actually doing it. I mean who wants to work with toxic bozos? I sure as hell didnt.

And i might be miss understanding your first point but changing the locker room isnt just for the playoffs its about the entire season as a whole not 1 singular point during the season.

 

[TaLoN]

I mean it easy for us fans to say "give me a toxic locker room" when we arent in that said locker room isnt it? Its a bit different when we are on the outside looking in. It so easy for me to say do this or do that when im not the one actually doing it. I mean who wants to work with toxic bozos? I sure as hell didnt.

And i might be miss understanding your first point but changing the locker room isnt just for the playoffs its about the entire season as a whole not 1 singular point during the season.

I think what everyone is getting at is how good our locker room supposedly has become, yet we aren't seeing any difference what so ever on the ice.

Our locker room is supposed to be great now by all accounts... and Maroon supposedly has a big impact in the locker room... but ultimately our team's problem is on the ice, not in the locker room.

 

[AKL]

I think what everyone is getting at is how good our locker room supposedly has become, yet we aren't seeing any difference what so ever on the ice.

Don't want a toxic locker room, just don't care about having the best locker room if we're still a mediocre product on the ice.

Would rather have a 9/10 on ice product and 5/10 locker room than a 5/10 on ice product and a 9/10 locker room.

 

[TaLoN]

Don't want a toxic locker room, just don't care about having the best locker room if we're still a mediocre product on the ice.

Would rather have a 9/10 on ice product and 5/10 locker room than a 5/10 on ice product and a 9/10 locker room.

There was a reason fans loved Theo Fleury so much, despite his myriad amount of off ice issues.

 

[BagHead]

Don't want a toxic locker room, just don't care about having the best locker room if we're still a mediocre product on the ice.

Would rather have a 9/10 on ice product and 5/10 locker room than a 5/10 on ice product and a 9/10 locker room.

I was about to suggest they start recording the locker room for our viewing pleasure, and then I realized how boring a 9/10 locker room would actually be. Too harmonious. Need the 5/10 locker room for that, if not lower.

There was a reason fans loved Theo Fleury so much, despite his myriad amount of off ice issues.

I've named my cat Theo after him. He has just as many issues.

 

[AKL]

I was about to suggest they start recording the locker room for our viewing pleasure, and then I realized how boring a 9/10 locker room would actually be. Too harmonious. Need the 5/10 locker room for that, if not lower.


I've named my cat Theo after him. He has just as many issues.

Yeah I'd want some Kardashians/Bachelor level drama before I start watching that

 

[57special]

When i think of a toxic winning team I think of the Steinbrenner/ Bill Martin/Reggie Jackson Yankees.

 

[Wasted Talent]

When i think of a toxic winning team I think of the Steinbrenner/ Bill Martin/Reggie Jackson Yankees.

I was thinking Hawks locker room, but that might be a bit of an extreme example.

 

[Digitalbooya]

Don't want a toxic locker room, just don't care about having the best locker room if we're still a mediocre product on the ice.

Would rather have a 9/10 on ice product and 5/10 locker room than a 5/10 on ice product and a 9/10 locker room.

It feels like this board is drawing some weird conclusion that a worse locker room = better team.

There are valid reasons why we didn't win in this year's playoffs. You could start with the piss poor luck that Kaprizov and Eriksson Ek got injured right before the playoffs and arguably made our top two lines complete non-factors against Dallas. Then move to Dean making a crap adjustment to put Fleury in net after Gus was an absolute monster. Then move to Brodin and Spurgeon being our best dmen and almost always play worse in the playoffs. Top it off with missing the salary cap equivalent of McDavid in cap space.

I don't think the locker room being good or bad had anything to do with the above.

On the Wild on 7th podcast, Guerin basically said that they value character but if you are insanely skilled then you can get away with more. If you are not skilled and you pull crap, then you are out.

 

[TaLoN]

It feels like this board is drawing some weird conclusion that a worse locker room = better team.

Nobody is saying that at all. They're just saying if they had a choice of a bad locker room that had success on the ice, they'd prefer that over a good locker room that doesn't get it done on the ice.

We've apparently had a bad locker room, we were told improving that was essential. What we've gotten is a better locker room with no real difference on the ice.

Thus, from a fan perspective, what did we really gain?

 

[Minnewildsota]

Nobody is saying that at all. They're just saying if they had a choice of a bad locker room that had success on the ice, they'd prefer that over a good locker room that doesn't get it done on the ice.

We've apparently had a bad locker room, we were told improving that was essential. What we've gotten is a better locker room with no real difference on the ice.

Thus, from a fan perspective, what did we really gain?

Maybe. Just maybe. It will entice some free agents to sign here. High end free agents. Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to test that theory due to the cap concerns we have at the moment.

I mean, look at Calgary and Winnipeg. They’re dumpster fires, do you think FAs really want to go to either place (unless massively overpaid)?

 

[MK9]

Really, other than rumblings people hear (or simply perceive), there isn't a one of us has any idea of what goes on in that locker room or what the mood is. Conjecture is fine, it's a mass majority of what we all do here. But, conjecture also isn't reality.

Center depth. Special teams. Not small players or players that play small...and any semblance of reliably decent scoring. Those things generally help a team do well in the playoffs. This team either doesn't have or sucks at those things currently. Until that stuff gets addressed in a way that's meaningful and not some weak ass, cheap knock off, band-aid style fix that the management of this team seem to like to employ, we'll get to continue to watch the 'Minnesota First Round Exits' as a hockey team for a while. Regardless of locker room chemistry.

 

[AKL]

It feels like this board is drawing some weird conclusion that a worse locker room = better team.

Nope, just care about a good team on the ice 1,000,000x more than a good locker room

 

[Sad People]

I think what everyone is getting at is how good our locker room supposedly has become, yet we aren't seeing any difference what so ever on the ice.

Our locker room is supposed to be great now by all accounts... and Maroon supposedly has a big impact in the locker room... but ultimately our team's problem is on the ice, not in the locker room.

To me it sounds like fans started getting false hope or some expectations that an improved locker room would equate to a better on the ice product when it shouldnt. Why all of the sudden should we do better when the organization is at an extreme disadvantage with the cap the way it is? Maybe a year or 2 coming out of the buyouts and were still getting the same results then yes be upset. The owner and GM thought the situation was bad enough to pay people to NOT be here and severely hinder the organization for years. Thats pretty telling in of itself.

You have toxic or crappy employees or co workers at work you do something about it (i.e the buyouts) not just sit on your hands and let it be.

Just getting to the playoffs alone with the cap the way it is is extremely impressive and is all icing on the cake for me. I personally didnt have any expectations or even truly believe we will make a deep run during the buyouts.

 

[BagHead]

To me it sounds like fans started getting false hope or some expectations that an improved locker room would equate to a better on the ice product when it shouldnt. Why all of the sudden should we do better when the organization is at an extreme disadvantage with the cap the way it is? Maybe a year or 2 coming out of the buyouts and were still getting the same results then yes be upset. The owner and GM thought the situation was bad enough to pay people to NOT be here and severely hinder the organization for years. Thats pretty telling in of itself.

You have toxic or crappy employees or co workers at work you do something about it (i.e the buyouts) not just sit on your hands and let it be.

Just getting to the playoffs alone with the cap the way it is is extremely impressive and is all icing on the cake for me. I personally didnt have any expectations or even truly believe we will make a deep run during the buyouts.

I don't think many people actually expected the locker room issues being resolved to actually turn them into contenders or anything, but this is still a great point. I'm not sure how much evidence there is about this in the hockey world specifically, but having a toxic workplace can hurt productivity. Making the workplace more harmonious can improve productivity vs. a toxic environment, but there are going to be diminishing returns on that, dependent on the skill level of the workers. That doesn't mean it's not important to have a healthy workplace, just that a healthy workplace only does so much good.

I can't fault the team for fixing the problems they were able to. The rest of the problems must simply wait for a more appropriate time to be addressed.

 

[57special]

I just get tired of the team, and those around the team, trumpeting what a great, improved locker room that they have, as if it's something that we should celebrate. I get that they might have a better time at work, better jokes, better pranks, more meals together off ice, etc. , but I don't really give a shit, as a fan, if the on ice result is the same, or even worse, come playoff time.

If a better locker room actually results in better effort during the playoffs, and wins us a series or two, then hey, I'm on board, but otherwise, keep it to yourself. What I am seeing since they got rid of the supposed problems in the locker room is a team(coach included) that folds when there is adversity, and makes bad decisions.

 

[thestonedkoala]

On the Wild on 7th podcast, Guerin basically said that they value character but if you are insanely skilled then you can get away with more. If you are not skilled and you pull crap, then you are out.

Or if you're Fiala and don't get in line, then you're out? Guerin seems to be talking out his ass here. It's not like Minnesota isn't struggling to score points - I mean a 72 point producer....yeah we have those in spades.

 

[Digitalbooya]

Nobody is saying that at all. They're just saying if they had a choice of a bad locker room that had success on the ice, they'd prefer that over a good locker room that doesn't get it done on the ice.

We've apparently had a bad locker room, we were told improving that was essential. What we've gotten is a better locker room with no real difference on the ice.

Thus, from a fan perspective, what did we really gain?

It is heavily implied, especially with the rose colored glasses view on Suter from posters around here.

A good or bad locker room did improve the team. It turned in two of the five best seasons in franchise history, including the best season. Hell, even the last year of Suter/Parise they did really well. But it wasn’t because of them. It was because of their reduced roles and Kaprizov arriving (he’s a good locker room guy too btw). Parise was benched by Dean. Remember the meetings to discuss playing time? Suter was already the worst dman in the top 4. Out produced by all three of Spurgeon, Brodin and post-injury Dumba. Looking slow as hell and people still wish he was on this team.

If you look at the recent history, the good locker room vs bad locker room didn’t change anything about the team in the post season.

So, if I had to choose on whether or not to have a good or bad locker room, then I would choose a good locker room.

 

[Digitalbooya]

Nope, just care about a good team on the ice 1,000,000x more than a good locker room

Wasn’t talking about you, but others.

I think there’s something to be said about teams with good players but zero chemistry and a not so great locker room.

How did Jimmy Butler do for the Timberwolves again? Didn’t he have major issues with KAT? That team was and still is a shit show with locker room issues.

Meanwhile, a band of college amateurs could take out the best team in the world in 1980.

What was that saying from Herb Brooks? “I’m not looking for the best players. I’m looking for the right players.”

I think we have a lot of the “right” players (Kap, Eriksson Ek, Boldy, Gus). But we are still at the mercy of the buyouts and that’s the major hamstring to making it past the 1st round in the playoffs. I don’t think the locker room has anything to do with on ice performance at the moment. Our team is filled with holes. It’s a miracle they even made the playoffs With Kaprizov being out for a significant portion of the year.

 

[Minnewildsota]

I don’t care what people say, people will always perform better in places where they want to be. If you want players to perform their best, you create an environment in which they are happy to be in.