GDT: 1/11/15 - Wild @ Blackhawks - 7PM CST, NBCSN

[plock]

I am not saying that coaching isn't an issue as to why they are playing like they are, because I have no clue why they are playing like they are. What I am saying is that nobody could watch tonights game and come away KNOWING that coaching is the issue. Backchecking is not now nor will it ever be a coaching issue. Backchecking is not something that needs to be worked on in practice.

It's not just tonights game but a frequent thing throughout Yeos tenure.Bakchecking is coachable but is also a motivational thing,part the coaches job is to motivate his team.

Backcheking is absolutely worked on in practice,here is sn example of a backchecking drill...

 

[Antsman41]

You'd think he'd figure out his style, just doesn't work.

 

[J22*]

Actually yes, Spurgeon!

Your point about the whole team garbage is spot on... I guess I was just making a general statement. Not saying it would fix the team

And what has Spurgeon ever done on the PP to make you think he would be an upgrade? I personally don't like Pominville on the point because I don't think he has the instincts to play that spot, but I understand that he's the best option there.

 

[tomgilbertfan]

The Wild’s a depressed, broken, absolutely lost team right now, and I have no clue how the Wild fixes this.

It’s sloppy, has forgotten how to play defense, how to compete for anything remotely close to 60 minutes. It’s lethargic and outskated, outplayed and outworked in almost every single game.

...

The stress is written on Mike Yeo’s face and is in his raspy voice after every loss. He seems sick right now, and not just with the flu.

After every game, red-faced, angry Chuck Fletcher looks like he has been in a prize fight.

Owner Craig Leipold attended tonight’s game with two of his bosom buddies. He, too, just rolled his eyes and said to make sure I get in that he actually stayed for the entire game.

It was indicated in late December and within the past couple days that Yeo’s job was safe, but if the Wild does plan to ride this out and Fletcher’s hands are cuffed by the ability to make meaningful trades because of the way this team is constructed between unmovable veterans and youngsters the Wild doesn’t want to pull the plug on, it’s hard to see how the heck this team’s going to dig out of the muck without Yeo paying the ultimate price.

Collars are tightening in Minnesota, where tension is building as the Wild keeps losing

 

[Northland Wild Man]

Seeds of doubt about what? I legitimately don't know what you're trying to hint at her.

About the legitimacy of the NHL. The officiating steering certain teams into the playoffs. Making sure that NBC get the highest ratings possible in the playoffs. I mostly brought it up because I despise NBC.

I really hate saying that, but like I said this team looked just unstoppable early in the year, then they just forgot how to play. The point was brought up earlier in the thread by another poster that the Wild are not even able to handle the puck correctly like other NHL teams do. People will blame injuries, illness, coaching etc. but I am suspicious of this.

I'll say Yeo deserves to be fired, and there's plenty of blame to go around especially among the vets, but the above stuff is in the back of my mind right now. The collapse is really hard to swallow for me with the amount of talent on the team.

Whatever though I didn't want to send the thread completely OT.

 

[Jesus comma Brodin]

And what has Spurgeon ever done on the PP to make you think he would be an upgrade? I personally don't like Pominville on the point because I don't think he has the instincts to play that spot, but I understand that he's the best option there.

He moves the puck better, he is more mobile and better at keeping the zone. Has a bomb.

 

[Wild11MN]

I just don't even get how you can make that argument. They're paying the players to tank? The coaches? Fletcher? Paying the refs to make maybe 1 call against us every game so somehow we've lost 11 of 13?

 

[gphr513]

About the legitimacy of the NHL. The officiating steering certain teams into the playoffs. Making sure that NBC get the highest ratings possible in the playoffs. I mostly brought it up because I despise NBC.

I really hate saying that, but like I said this team looked just unstoppable early in the year, then they just forgot how to play. The point was brought up earlier in the thread by another poster that the Wild are not even able to handle the puck correctly like other NHL teams do. People will blame injuries, illness, coaching etc. but I am suspicious of this.

I'll say Yeo deserves to be fired, and there's plenty of blame to go around especially among the vets, but the above stuff is in the back of my mind right now. The collapse is really hard to swallow for me with the amount of talent on the team.

Whatever though I didn't want to send the thread completely OT.

The Wild didn't go in the toilet because of some NBC/NHL conspiracy.....

 

[plock]

About the legitimacy of the NHL. The officiating steering certain teams into the playoffs. Making sure that NBC get the highest ratings possible in the playoffs. I mostly brought it up because I despise NBC.

I really hate saying that, but like I said this team looked just unstoppable early in the year, then they just forgot how to play. The point was brought up earlier in the thread by another poster that the Wild are not even able to handle the puck correctly like other NHL teams do. People will blame injuries, illness, coaching etc. but I am suspicious of this.

I'll say Yeo deserves to be fired, and there's plenty of blame to go around especially among the vets, but the above stuff is in the back of my mind right now. The collapse is really hard to swallow for me with the amount of talent on the team.

Whatever though I didn't want to send the thread completely OT.

Do you remember watching hockey on ESPN or FOX?All this conspiracy stuff is pure nonsense.

 

[Billy Mays Here*]

 

[melinko]

About the legitimacy of the NHL. The officiating steering certain teams into the playoffs. Making sure that NBC get the highest ratings possible in the playoffs. I mostly brought it up because I despise NBC.

I really hate saying that, but like I said this team looked just unstoppable early in the year, then they just forgot how to play. The point was brought up earlier in the thread by another poster that the Wild are not even able to handle the puck correctly like other NHL teams do. People will blame injuries, illness, coaching etc. but I am suspicious of this.

I'll say Yeo deserves to be fired, and there's plenty of blame to go around especially among the vets, but the above stuff is in the back of my mind right now. The collapse is really hard to swallow for me with the amount of talent on the team.

Whatever though I didn't want to send the thread completely OT.

We have never handled the puck well. All the skill is coached out of them and they are taught make the simple safe play and just throw the puck on net and hope for a rebound/mistake.

Parise is the only forward we have gotten that looks as good here as he did elsewhere and that's because he has always played as an elite grinder.

We really missed our chance at someone different like Laviolette. Only people left are Deboer and Bylsma(lol team USA). I would ride it out and hope Babcock has a mistress from Minnesota or something.

 

[Northland Wild Man]

Like I said it's very hard for me to swallow this downturn. It's almost unbelievable that a team that took the Blackhawks to 6 games in the second round could play this bad. This is honestly stuff that's in the back of my head right now. I'll just leave it at that.

 

[FVM]

We really missed our chance at someone different like Laviolette. Only people left are Deboer and Bylsma(lol team USA). I would ride it out and hope Babcock has a mistress from Minnesota or something.

You might be on to something here. We have to get Leipold and Fletch on this. What's Anna Chapman doing these days anyway? Hell, Russian intelligence services still have a horde of honey traps on their payroll. I say get their leaders on the horn, they sure could use some money with their ongoing financial collapse.

Leipold's dough + Russian female agent + Fletcher's planning = Babcock is the coach of this team next year. Gais, this is foolproof stuff.

 

[J22*]

He moves the puck better, he is more mobile and better at keeping the zone. Has a bomb.

Disagree with your first 3 points. The only thing that he adds to the PP is his ability to find open ice, and he has good instincts on when to sneak down to the backdoor. As far as his BOMB of a shot, don't you think it's telling that the video you used is from 2013?

Some numbers to back it up-

2013-14 5x4 Points/60
Dumba 5.59
Ballard 3.87
Brodin 3.75
Pominville 3.36
Suter 3.07
Spurgeon 2.99

2014-15 5x4 Points/60
Scandella 5.72
Dumba 4.03
Pominville 2.87
Suter 2.48
Brodin 1.48
Spurgeon 1.36

 

[Jesus comma Brodin]

Disagree with your first 3 points. The only thing that he adds to the PP is his ability to find open ice, and he has good instincts on when to sneak down to the backdoor. As far as his BOMB of a shot, don't you think it's telling that the video you used is from 2013?

Some numbers to back it up-

2013-14 5x4 Points/60
Dumba 5.59
Ballard 3.87
Brodin 3.75
Pominville 3.36
Suter 3.07
Spurgeon 2.99

2014-15 5x4 Points/60
Scandella 5.72
Dumba 4.03
Pominville 2.87
Suter 2.48
Brodin 1.48
Spurgeon 1.36

Guess I don't know why the shot speed and the date on the video correlate but ok. And I will never admit Pomminville is better at moving the puck or holding the zone than Spurgeon. If you truly think that is true, than you are seeing something I am missing. And if we put Spurgeon on the top unit, your numbers would change.

*Also, at this point a change is needed on the PP, so if you have a better one, I am all ears

 

[J22*]

Guess I don't know why the shot speed and the date on the video correlate but ok. And I will never admit Pomminville is better at moving the puck or holding the zone than Spurgeon. If you truly think that is true, than you are seeing something I am missing. And if we put Spurgeon on the top unit, your numbers would change.

*Also, at this point a change is needed on the PP, so if you have a better one, I am all ears

You don't think that if you were to go back through 2 years of video, you couldn't find a clip of just about every player in the NHL with a shot like that? You think Spurgeon has a better shot than Pominville? Pominville isn't great moving the puck or holding the zone, but Spurgeon isn't any better. Spurgeon spent plenty of time on the top unit last year and still proved to be the worst option.

My fix to the PP would be to put Koivu on the goaline and see if either Zucker or Niederreiter could handle the half-wall.

 

[Jesus comma Brodin]

You don't think that if you were to go back through 2 years of video, you couldn't find a clip of just about every player in the NHL with a shot like that? You think Spurgeon has a better shot than Pominville? Pominville isn't great moving the puck or holding the zone, but Spurgeon isn't any better. Spurgeon spent plenty of time on the top unit last year and still proved to be the worst option.

My fix to the PP would be to put Koivu on the goaline and see if either Zucker or Niederreiter could handle the half-wall.

I never said he had a better shot. Also, I specifically remembered that shot for some reason, so I found it. I truly do think Spurgeon is better at moving the puck and holding the zone but to each his own.

Pomminville had double the total PP/TOI (Pom- 283:58 to Spurg- 142:11) time last year, btw. So not as many chances.

As for your fix, interesting and I like it. I think Nino needs more time on the PP and would do well on the half.

Good conversation, have a good night.

 

[Billy Mays Here*]

Here's the coaching change video by the way:

http://www.nbcsports.com/hockey/nhl/time-minnesota-fire-mike-yeo

 

[Sharppi]

Lets draft more Finns and sign more minnesotans, seems to be working really ****ing well.

 

[MNjens]

I don't know if its a MN thing but have any of you guys ever seen a professional organization this mentally fragile? I don't know if its a coaching thing or personel thing but it seems like the organization is so mentally weak like the team forgets they are professionals and lose every bit of confidence they ever had.

 

[Sharppi]

I don't know if its a MN thing but have any of you guys ever seen a professional organization this mentally fragile? I don't know if its a coaching thing or personel thing but it seems like the organization is so mentally weak like the team forgets they are professionals and lose every bit of confidence they ever had.

It might be the scandinavian depressing/humble personality thing. Prone to depression and constant wallowing in stupid ****. I recognize that trait in 99% of people in nordic countries I know more than superficially.

 

[MNjens]

It might be the scandinavian depressing/humble personality thing. Prone to depression and constant wallowing in stupid ****. I recognize that trait in 99% of people in nordic countries I know more than superficially.

It feels like a MN sports thing. I've noticed it with other pro/gopher teams. I can't put my finger on it but other then a couple other teams in the NHL our team is the softest. It sucks to say but its true. No player on this team plays with an edge outside of Cooke and maybe Scandella. Its not something you can really teach but we need some of it on our team. Nothing against Finnish players but i see that mentality with all of them outside of the random angry Koivu outburst. It just gets old and i honestly feel bad for Yeo dealing with these soft, fragile guys on a daily basis.

 

[Sharppi]

It feels like a MN sports thing. I've noticed it with other pro/gopher teams. I can't put my finger on it but other then a couple other teams in the NHL our team is the softest. It sucks to say but its true. No player on this team plays with an edge outside of Cooke and maybe Scandella. Its not something you can really teach but we need some of it on our team. Nothing against Finnish players but i see that mentality with all of them outside of the random angry Koivu outburst. It just gets old and i honestly feel bad for Yeo dealing with these soft, fragile guys on a daily basis.

I know and its ****ing sad. This team lacks aggressiveness, balls and as much as I hate the term, Swagger.

 

[StealthClobber]

This team lacks aggressiveness, balls and as much as I hate the term, Swagger.

Don't hate the swagger, hate the swag.

 

[57special]

It might be the scandinavian depressing/humble personality thing. Prone to depression and constant wallowing in stupid ****. I recognize that trait in 99% of people in nordic countries I know more than superficially.

Lack of B vitamins?

Canadians deal with it by beating the crap out of one another and eating Tim Horton Donuts.