2014-15 Wild Predictions

[thestonedkoala]

Hahahahaha that's the boldest of them all. Gustafson in the nhl next year.

Uh, he was backup for Kuemper last season. It's not hard to imagine that the Wild bring him up for some practices while we are down one goaltender. Especially if it is for a game or two stretch.

 

[MuckOG]

Uh, he was backup for Kuemper last season. It's not hard to imagine that the Wild bring him up for some practices while we are down one goaltender. Especially if it is for a game or two stretch.

As long as Backstrom and Kuemper are both healthy and playing relatively well, Gustaffson should stay in Iowa starting the majority of their games. I would expect Curry to be brought up for back-up duty to sit on the bench before him.

 

[tyratoku]

Uh, he was backup for Kuemper last season. It's not hard to imagine that the Wild bring him up for some practices while we are down one goaltender. Especially if it is for a game or two stretch.

Gus struggled in Iowa last year by most accounts.

I can't imagine him ready for the NHL as soon as next year.

 

[Beegoalie]

Uh, he was backup for Kuemper last season. It's not hard to imagine that the Wild bring him up for some practices while we are down one goaltender. Especially if it is for a game or two stretch.

Yep he was and they had to sign curry because Gus looked so lost even just in practices at the nhl level. He is Nowhere near NHL ready. If backstrom/Kuemper go down Curry gets the call. Or Bryz is signed.

Gus is literally #6. It's hard to see him getting an nhl game this year.

Kuemper
Backstrom
Harding(hopefully by the time one of the other two gets hurt, probably inevitable, he's back)
Bryz(guarantee he's back if backs/Kuemper go down before Harding is back)
Curry(wild would call up over Gus cause they want Gus developing)
Gus

 

[Victorious Secret]

Gus struggled in Iowa last year by most accounts.

I can't imagine him ready for the NHL as soon as next year.

While playing on one of the worst AHL team by a wide margin. Kind of hard to develop when you are being absolutely annihilated every night.

 

[57special]

Disagree. Getting bombed with shots every night is a perfect scenario to develop goalies. People evaluating him just have to take into account that the team in front of him is poor.

 

[Victorious Secret]

Disagree. Getting bombed with shots every night is a perfect scenario to develop goalies. People evaluating him just have to take into account that the team in front of him is poor.

I can agree to a degree. (Sup, Dr. Seuss?) However, when you're getting peppered, but your defense can't clear rebounds or the crease, you're on your own. Sure, he may have an okay/sub-par stat line, but nights where I saw him make the first 2 saves, still let in 3-4, which gives an .85-.89 sv percentage. Pretty tough on a goalie's psyche. Whenever I saw him, I thought he was progressing nicely. Sure, he may not be close to being an NHL caliber goaltender. Nonetheless, he's on his way.

 

[awstaf]

Safe

1.) Three players will crack 30 goals (Parise, Vanek & Pominville).
2.) Suter will log over 30 mins of ice time in over 20 regular season games.
3.) Wild will finish in the top 15 in goals per game.

Bold

1.) Dumba will receive more than five 1st place votes for the Calder.
2.) Granlund will finish in the top 10 in assists in the NHL.
3.) The Wild will beat the Chicago Blackhawks in the 1st round of the playoffs.

Art Ross: Granlund (14 goals, 56 assists)
Rocket Richard: Parise (36 goals)
Norris: Suter (50 points while averaging over 28 mins a game)
Calder: Dumba (14 goals, 24 assists)
Vezina: Kuemper (Starts over 40 games, .919 sv%)
Selke: Koivu (although I do think Haula could challenge for this)
Lady Byng: Spurgeon
Hart: Granlund

 

[DANOZ28]

nhl.com expert predictions http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=733261&navid=nhl:topheads

 

[MuckOG]

nhl.com expert predictions http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=733261&navid=nhl:topheads

Lots of love for Chicago and LA......deserved, I guess.

 

[Generic User]

Safe

1.) Three players will crack 30 goals (Parise, Vanek & Pominville).
2.) Suter will log over 30 mins of ice time in over 20 regular season games.
3.) Wild will finish in the top 15 in goals per game.

Bold

1.) Dumba will receive more than five 1st place votes for the Calder.
2.) Granlund will finish in the top 10 in assists in the NHL.
3.) The Wild will beat the Chicago Blackhawks in the 1st round of the playoffs.

Art Ross: Granlund (14 goals, 56 assists)
Rocket Richard: Parise (36 goals)
Norris: Suter (50 points while averaging over 28 mins a game)
Calder: Dumba (14 goals, 24 assists)
Vezina: Kuemper (Starts over 40 games, .919 sv%)
Selke: Koivu (although I do think Haula could challenge for this)
Lady Byng: Spurgeon
Hart: Granlund

Now this guy I like.

 

[DANOZ28]

espn expert predictions http://espn.go.com/nhl/preview2014/story/_/id/11629537/stanley-cup-awards-predictions

 

[MuckOG]

espn expert predictions http://espn.go.com/nhl/preview2014/story/_/id/11629537/stanley-cup-awards-predictions

Bucci be pimpin'

 

[Generic User]

espn expert predictions http://espn.go.com/nhl/preview2014/story/_/id/11629537/stanley-cup-awards-predictions

McDonald picks Dougie Hamilton to win the Norris. Seems like a legit expert pick. GG ESPN.

 

[gphr513]

Jeez yeah, Buccigross has us in the West finals and Parise winning the Hart

 

[Generic User]

McDonald picks Dougie Hamilton to win the Norris. Seems like a legit expert pick. GG ESPN.

Ya know what, if he's wrong it was a bold pick he missed on. If he's right, he's an expert for life. No one will ever question his credentials or qualifications again.

 

[rynryn]

Ya know what, if he's wrong it was a bold pick he missed on. If he's right, he's an expert for life. No one will ever question his credentials or qualifications again.

wonder how much it'd cost to buy off a majority of the sports writers...

 

[awstaf]

espn expert predictions http://espn.go.com/nhl/preview2014/story/_/id/11629537/stanley-cup-awards-predictions

Thats a whole lot of votes for Barry Trotz for the Jack Adams. Caps will be better than last year, but Im not sure they'll be good enough to get Trotz the Jack Adams.

Levy already lost out on his Calder pick which is kinda impressive to do before the season even starts.

 

[DeuceMN]

I am getting tired of hearing about how improved Dallas is, how young and dangerous the Avs are (despite their advanced stats being complete trash), and how the Hawks are this unbeatable group, and how the Wild are pretty much meh. - Latest Puckdaddy article:

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/nhl-western-conference-2014-15--puck-daddy-s-predictions-222142219.html

It just gets annoying, especially since we really have been developing and growing and actually shown improvement. That Chicago series wasn't that far off last year and with a little better luck could have gone the other way.

I guess living in such a large city packed with bandwagon fans makes me a little edgy at times...

Seriously, almost every WC standings has us BELOW the Avs and of course the Stars. Yet we actually played them well last year, got better this summer, and in the Avs case they freakin got worse, yet somehow everyone except the class clown thinks we going to be bottom feeders in our division this year.

I'm surprised people aren't betting on the Jets over us...

I want our guys to get to that next level this year, be a little more consistent, and stick it to the rest of the ****ing NHL.

 

[TaLoN]

EJ Radek listed the Wild as the 5th best team in the west on NHL Network the other day, behind LA, Chicago, Anaheim and St.Louis.

 

[awstaf]

I am getting tired of hearing about how improved Dallas is, how young and dangerous the Avs are (despite their advanced stats being complete trash), and how the Hawks are this unbeatable group, and how the Wild are pretty much meh. - Latest Puckdaddy article:

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/nhl-western-conference-2014-15--puck-daddy-s-predictions-222142219.html

It just gets annoying, especially since we really have been developing and growing and actually shown improvement. That Chicago series wasn't that far off last year and with a little better luck could have gone the other way.

I guess living in such a large city packed with bandwagon fans makes me a little edgy at times...

Seriously, almost every WC standings has us BELOW the Avs and of course the Stars. Yet we actually played them well last year, got better this summer, and in the Avs case they freakin got worse, yet somehow everyone except the class clown thinks we going to be bottom feeders in our division this year.

I'm surprised people aren't betting on the Jets over us...

I want our guys to get to that next level this year, be a little more consistent, and stick it to the rest of the ****ing NHL.

I've seen a lot of people who put Dallas and Colorado in front of Minnesota say that the Wild's defensive depth is questionable. I have no idea how they look at Dallas and Colorado's defense and say Minnesota's is worse off unless they really didn't watch the postseason last year.

 

[Sharppi]

Katie Strang seems like a level-headed person with actually feasible predictions.

 

[Jarick]

I love when people assume the Wild made no major offseason pickups and/or they mark down that we "lost" Moulson.

 

[Victorious Secret]

I love when people assume the Wild made no major offseason pickups and/or they mark down that we "lost" Moulson.

Don't forget Heatley

 

[W75]

And Stoner. Defensive depth, gone.