Line Combos: 2013 Minnesota Wild

[Jarick]

With hockey likely coming back in two weeks, who ya got on the lines?

First shot:

Parise - Koivu - Heatley
Zucker - Granlund - Setoguchi
Cullen - Brodziak - Clutterbuck
Mitchell - Konopka - Kassian/Palmieri

I think Butch needs a few weeks to get back up to speed and they might keep him on IR just a hair longer to give Zucker a cup of coffee. Zucker is so hot right now. Zucker.

I also think they bring up Palmieri on the fourth line. He's been pretty good this year. McIntyre has been as well but I think he's so key for the AHL and fourth line is such limited minutes they might give Palmieri more of a shot.


Defense:

Suter - Spurgeon
Gilbert - Scandella
Stoner - Falk/Prosser

Not much room for maneuvering here. Spurgeon and Scandella get top four minutes because they've actually been playing hockey, and the three vets get spread out. If I were the Wild I'd love to get a cheap UFA defenseman for a year but not a lot of cap space.


Goalies:

Backstrom
Harding

Again, not much room here. It would be interesting if they were to somehow get Hackett up as neither of the goalies have played. And that makes me wonder if all the other teams' starters will be rusty?

Click to read more...

 

[this providence]

IR/Not Available
Pierre-Marc Bouchard
Jonas Brodin

Parise - Koivu - Coyle
Heatley - Brodziak - Granlund
Setoguchi - Cullen - Clutterbuck
Mitchell - Konopka - Powe
Kassian

Suter - Spurgeon
Gilbert - Stoner
Falk - Scandella
Prosser

Backstrom
Harding


I know the Wild want to have Granlund start at center, but I'd personally get his feet wet at wing at the NHL level. Adding an all-around guy like Brodziak to the mix over a bit of floater like Setoguchi seems to make the most sense to me, in addition to a shooter/net presence like Heatley. Third line is a more fly by the seat of your pants sort of line but it has the offensive ability to be a sound scoring third line with the adept defensive play that Cullen and Clutterbuck provide.

At defense, when Stoner is actually playing this regime likes his game. I think he starts in the top 4 until Scandella shows something in his game and is in need of a move up. He's spent much of the year already nicked and just not playing all that great hockey.

 

[Minnesota]

Methinks Coyle and Zucker will get a couple reward games.

 

[ThatGuy22]

With hockey likely coming back in two weeks, who ya got on the lines?

First shot:

Parise - Koivu - Heatley
Zucker - Granlund - Setoguchi
Cullen - Brodziak - Clutterbuck
Mitchell - Konopka - Kassian/Palmieri

I think Butch needs a few weeks to get back up to speed and they might keep him on IR just a hair longer to give Zucker a cup of coffee. Zucker is so hot right now. Zucker.

I also think they bring up Palmieri on the fourth line. He's been pretty good this year. McIntyre has been as well but I think he's so key for the AHL and fourth line is such limited minutes they might give Palmieri more of a shot.


Defense:

Suter - Spurgeon
Gilbert - Scandella
Stoner - Falk/Prosser

Not much room for maneuvering here. Spurgeon and Scandella get top four minutes because they've actually been playing hockey, and the three vets get spread out. If I were the Wild I'd love to get a cheap UFA defenseman for a year but not a lot of cap space.


Goalies:

Backstrom
Harding

Again, not much room here. It would be interesting if they were to somehow get Hackett up as neither of the goalies have played. And that makes me wonder if all the other teams' starters will be rusty?

I would be weary about have two rookies on a line in the top 6, I also think Zucker's speed and shot would make him extremely dangerous on the top line with Parise and Koivu. I also dream about Heatley's one timer with Granlund play making ability, since Heatley can no longer create his own shot for the most part.

Here is my top 6.

Parise - Koivu - Zucker
Setoguchi- Granlund - Heatley

 

[Jarick]

Conversely, Parise, Heatley, Cullen, Brodz, and Clutter haven't played any competitive hockey in nine months.

Granlund, Zucker, and Coyle have all been playing for a few months now. That could be an advantage.

I honestly wonder about teams like Edmonton where they have half their NHL squad in the minors right now. Could be huge for them.

 

[ThatGuy22]

Conversely, Parise, Heatley, Cullen, Brodz, and Clutter haven't played any competitive hockey in nine months.

Granlund, Zucker, and Coyle have all been playing for a few months now. That could be an advantage.

I honestly wonder about teams like Edmonton where they have half their NHL squad in the minors right now. Could be huge for them.

I wonder if the Wild would not clear PMB just to give one of those guys a shot. If he is ready, I don't think they could do that right? Not clear a healthy player could open themselves up to a grievance.

 

[Minnesota]

Conversely, Parise, Heatley, Cullen, Brodz, and Clutter haven't played any competitive hockey in nine months.

Granlund, Zucker, and Coyle have all been playing for a few months now. That could be an advantage.

I honestly wonder about teams like Edmonton where they have half their NHL squad in the minors right now. Could be huge for them.

God, I hope so. I really don't want to see Tambelllini's trollface for a 4th year.

 

[this providence]

The thing is, if Bouchard is cleared for contact, he really hasn't seen any sort of contact in quite a while. Not to mention the possibility of getting out there in a few exhibition games isn't feasible anymore if they do actually get this thing started. I just can't see Bouchard being ready to be in the actual line-up for a while, even if he's technically cleared for contact.

 

[forthewild]

God, I hope so. I really don't want to see Tambelllini's trollface for a 4th year.

you will, his team will have a gaping hole they wont be able to overcome, they will end up drafting Seth Jones and then in two years they might get somewhere.

seriously the talent they have available, they could have a lethal team in 3 years.

 

[Minnesota]

If Jones goes to a Canadian team, I'll be sad.

 

[pbunder]

If Jones goes to a Canadian team, I'll be sad.

If we get top 3 pick, who do we pick over this guy? I'm watching the USA v CA rerun on firstrow right now. This guy can skate SO well and has a huge shot as well.

 

[Minnesota]

If we get top 3 pick, who do we pick over this guy? I'm watching the USA v CA rerun on firstrow right now. This guy can skate SO well and has a huge shot as well.

Nobody. He's guaranteed to be claimed by pick #2 unless something drastic happens.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

I'm thinking they are going to want as veteran a lineup as they can...

Parise - Koivu - Bouchard
Heatley - Granlund - Setoguchi
Cullen - Brodziak - Clutterbuck
Powe - Konopka - Mitchell
Kassian

Suter - Spurgeon
Scandella - Gilbert
Falk/Stoner - Prosser

Might not start like that, if Bouchard isn't ready to go, then put Zucker/Coyle in his spot for the first few games or so.

 

[rynryn]

by the time Oilers have enough talent to win on talent alone, some of that talent will be forced out by cap constraints. LOL love it.

 

[Beegoalie]

It comes down to Coyle vs. Zucker for that final top 9 forward spot..no way Bouchard plays anytime soon.

Parise-Koivu-Heatley
Cullen-Granlund-Setoguchi
Zucker-Brodziak-Clutterbuck
Mitchell-Konopka-Powe
Kassian

 

[BusQuets]

What about the the pp? Do we stack all them big guns on one?

 

[ThatGuy22]

What about the the pp? Do we stack all them big guns on one?

To start off, it sure would be fun...

Parise-Koivu-Granlund
Suter-Heatley

 

[ThatGuy22]

It comes down to Coyle vs. Zucker for that final top 9 forward spot..no way Bouchard plays anytime soon.

Parise-Koivu-Heatley
Cullen-Granlund-Setoguchi
Zucker-Brodziak-Clutterbuck
Mitchell-Konopka-Powe
Kassian

Honestly, they could very easily leave Zucker and Coyle both in the AHL and do

Parise-Koivu-Heatley
Cullen-Granlund-Setoguchi
Mitchell-Brodziak-Clutterbuck
Dowell/Veileux-Konopka-Powe
Kassian

 

[Jbcraig1883]

I'm thinking they are going to want as veteran a lineup as they can...

Parise - Koivu - Bouchard
Heatley - Granlund - Setoguchi
Cullen - Brodziak - Clutterbuck
Powe - Konopka - Mitchell
Kassian

Suter - Spurgeon
Scandella - Gilbert
Falk/Stoner - Prosser

Might not start like that, if Bouchard isn't ready to go, then put Zucker/Coyle in his spot for the first few games or so.

This is probably what I would do. I would definitely go with Coyle on the top line if Butch is not ready.

Also, the Palmieri-McIntyre-Fontaine line has been very good as an energy, shutdown, forecheck line. I would not be surprised to see some of those guys called up to play bottom 6 roles.

I know they won't scratch Cullen but I would like to see if Palmieri/McIntyre or Palmer (really impressed with him as a bottom 6 guy in Houston this year) could play on the bottom 6.

 

[TZM]

I'd like to give Connelly a chance. I want to see what he can do in a Wild jersey. I liked where Scandella was heading last season but now his development seems to have slowed down. I want him to show he deserves the spot but if he doesn't start smoothly, I'd swap him with Connelly. Genoway too is an intriguing case; he's shown a lot of offensive awarenes, especially with Zucker, Coyle and Granlund.

A while after the Suter signing was made it was pretty clear for me that the top 2 pairings would be:

Suter-Spurgeon
Scandella-Gilbert

but now I think Scandella's spot is something you can discuss about.
Scandy gets to try first tho.

 

[AJ Thelen]

This is probably what I would do. I would definitely go with Coyle on the top line if Butch is not ready

Rather have Zucker than Coyla atm.

 

[this providence]

If they're going to start 2 rookie forward with the Wild, I'd rather it be Granlund and Coyle. Granlund for obvious reasons and Coyle because I think he'll transition more easily into the line-up than anyone else.

I'm probably the biggest Zucker fan around but I'd keep him in the minors playing in the situations he is currently. It will only help him that he will be looked at as the go-to guy in all situations. Helps his game and confidence. If (and when) the Wild sustain their usual multitude of injuries then, by all means, he's deserved his shot.

 

[rynryn]

spurge healthy?

with brodin out, i think we shop for D.

 

[TZM]

Russo:

I'm told yes RT @ShraderD: @Russostrib Is Spurgeon back to 100%?

https://twitter.com/Russostrib/status/287943920996995072

 

[rynryn]

recent injury to spurge, recent to scandella, Brodin. extremely not durable Stoner. we still should try to get someone on D. we're relatively safe on forward, but D is still a gong-show.