2014-2015 General Wild Discussion Thread IV

[BigT2002]

Dat sweet depth. The biggest issue the Wild have always faced (until probably last year) was it relied so heavily on 2 scoring lines and the bottom 6 did absolutely nothing. The defense did not contribute offensively either, short of probably Burns.

Now you have 18 players who are all freaking lethal out there. And if one of those 18 go down, we have another one who is salivating at the chance to play and make a difference.

Honestly, we have NEVER had that.

 

[Granlund 64]

No excuses... sounds like a shot at Roy

 

[MuckOG]

Dumba just keeps on impressing me. His outlet pass to Granlund which led to the first goal by Coyle was a thing of beauty. His confidence seems to grow game by game.

 

[BigT2002]

Dumba just keeps on impressing me. His outlet pass to Granlund which led to the first goal by Coyle was a thing of beauty. His confidence seems to grow game by game.

He's getting used to his linemate. The issue is, do you put him with Leopold on the 5/6 when Scandella and Spurgeon get back, or do you split up the S^2 duo and put him with Scandella?

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

I'd put him back down with Leopold. As impressive as he's been, Spurgeon is still a better player right now.

 

[MuckOG]

He's getting used to his linemate. The issue is, do you put him with Leopold on the 5/6 when Scandella and Spurgeon get back, or do you split up the S^2 duo and put him with Scandella?

Suter - Dumba
Brodin - Spurgeon
Scandella - Folin
Leopold

 

[BigT2002]

I'd put him back down with Leopold. As impressive as he's been, Spurgeon is still a better player right now.

Inclined to agree. Terrible problem to have right think 2 years ago what the blue line looked like and what it is now....

Suter - Dumba
Brodin - Spurgeon
Scandella - Folin
Leopold

Love it, but we all know Leopold is playing over Folin though. The blue line is getting back logged that is for sure. The high point is we easily have 5 guys (when the other 2 come back healthy) that can play 20+ min a game no question.

 

[DeuceMN]

Suter - Brodin : Just very good
Scandella - Spurgy: Good chemistry and, well, a good, balanced second pair
Leopold - Dumba55: I've been quite happy with Leopold and Dumba has just been awesome.

 

[MuckOG]

Dumba also brings a little swagger to this team, which it kinda needs.

 

[DeuceMN]

Dumba also brings a little swagger to this team, which it kinda needs.

Agreed.

We have so many players who always make the safe play, we need a couple who will try the riskier one now and then; just ideally timed well.

 

[tomgilbertfan]

Dumba also brings a little swagger to this team, which it kinda needs.

Also a sexy slapshot.

 

[mnwild16]

Dumba also brings a little swagger to this team, which it kinda needs.

I love how he jumps up in the play in the offensive zone. That second goal he scored against the sens when he drove to the front of the net and buried top shelf was beautiful. Makes me so excited to see him develop. An offensively gifted Dman like Dumba is so sexy to think about. Plus, his defense is nothing to write off.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

The only thing I'd worry about with a Leopold/Dumba pairing, is it seems that both really like to get involved offensively. Dumba is pretty self-explanatory, but Leopold has found himself down by the net a lot so far. They'd really need to watch themselves so they don't give up too much going the other way.

 

[57special]

I've liked Leopold and Prosser better than Folin recently, and that's a flip flop from my previous opinion. I think Prosser is going through the same process that Stoner did. He's finding out what he can and can't do at this level, which is resulting in a simpler, more confident game. Folin still needs more experience, though he's been OK.

I thought Dumba and Brodin looked amazing together when they played had some time a few games back. I'm trying to think of a better skating D pair I've ever seen.

 

[kfan22]

I'm concerned about Dubs playing too much right now though. I'm happy they are still winning and I know he's young, but this reminds me too damn much of 2 years ago when Yeo rode Backstrom hard to the playoffs and then he got hurt pregame before Game 1.

Backstrom was also 35 years old

 

[tomgilbertfan]

Backstrom was also 35 years old

Also Backstrom was able to play 71 games when he was 30.

 

[kfan22]

Also Backstrom was able to play 71 games when he was 30.

WOW I had to look that up, I didnt recall him playing that many but that is correct

 

[El Nino22]

I've liked Leopold and Prosser better than Folin recently, and that's a flip flop from my previous opinion. I think Prosser is going through the same process that Stoner did. He's finding out what he can and can't do at this level, which is resulting in a simpler, more confident game. Folin still needs more experience, though he's been OK.

I thought Dumba and Brodin looked amazing together when they played had some time a few games back. I'm trying to think of a better skating D pair I've ever seen.

I think Folin has really improved since the start of the season though. He just needs confidence and like you said with Prosser he's figuring out what he can and can't do and the timing. I've noticed him trying to step up on players in neutral zone with big hits as well as being real aggressive in front of the net. Folin actually reminds me a lot of Scandella and I can see Folin having a similar development arc.

 

[MNNumbers]

Weekly Saturday night End of Season points prediction done with a purely mathematical model to define the strength of all teams in the league, and then fractionally predict the number of points obtained in each remaining game.

Excludes Anaheim, St Louis, Nashville, and Chicago, although if things go right this week, I might have to include Chicago next week.

PACIFIC:
Ana....................P1 (#1)
Van.........100.2....P2
Cal...........97.3....P3

CENTRAL:
StL.....................C1
Nash...................C2
Chicago...............C3

WILDCARD:
Minnesota....97.6..WC1
Winnipeg......94.5..WC2
Los Ang.......94.2
San Jose......90.6

Ana v Win
Van v Cal

StL v Min
Nash v Chi

With Nashville's current issues (primarily, apparently, that Rinne is no longer Superman, whether that is because of injury or temporary lack of focus), and Chicago's injuries, I believe the entire Central is still in flux.

Possibilities:
Nash..1,2 or 3
St L..1 or 2, likely
Chi...2, 3, or 4
Wild..3 or 4 or maybe 2 if they can pass Chicago and Nashville

 

[BigT2002]

I'm not looking forward to Carter and Cooke coming back tbh. The lines appear to be meshing very well and the first two players out are most likely going to be Fontaine and Haula.

 

[BigT2002]

Backstrom was also 35 years old

True, but it is still one muscle pull from having the same situation though. Less likely obviously.

Also Backstrom was able to play 71 games when he was 30.

That is just unreal when I think about it I really hope they just tell him to retire and take up Assistant Goalie Coach or something with the team. From what I can recall he loves living here and the team.

 

[Hall of Faber]

Just looked at your schedule a little closer and it's not as bad as it seems. When little rest it's a home game and the away games are spread out nicely.

Everyone was hoping that the last home game against WIN would be important but looks now the last three road games @ Chi, Nsh, Stl could be for the division!

 

[El Nino22]

I'm not looking forward to Carter and Cooke coming back tbh. The lines appear to be meshing very well and the first two players out are most likely going to be Fontaine and Haula.

I don't see any way that Cooke gets back into the lineup. Right now I'd be surprised if Carter did either until somebody's play drops off or there's an injury. Haula and Brodziak have been huge on the PK and chipping in on offense along with Fontaine. I don't see how you risk that this late in the season with two guys who have been out a longtime and are 4th liners especially in the final stretch run of the season. Yeo's done stranger things before but I'd be shocked. More so with Cooke. No way he gets back in the lineup this season.

 

[MK9]

I'm not looking forward to Carter and Cooke coming back tbh. The lines appear to be meshing very well and the first two players out are most likely going to be Fontaine and Haula.

They were meshing pretty well when those two were in the lineup. Them coming back shouldn't be seen as a bad thing. Just, more options.

 

[BigT2002]

I don't see any way that Cooke gets back into the lineup. Right now I'd be surprised if Carter did either until somebody's play drops off or there's an injury. Haula and Brodziak have been huge on the PK and chipping in on offense along with Fontaine. I don't see how you risk that this late in the season with two guys who have been out a longtime and are 4th liners especially in the final stretch run of the season. Yeo's done stranger things before but I'd be shocked. More so with Cooke. No way he gets back in the lineup this season.

I can certainly see them with Cooke, but doesn't he have another year on his contract too? I could see the LTIR though being an option and try to move him at the end of the year. I won't lose sleep if they part ways.

They were meshing pretty well when those two were in the lineup. Them coming back shouldn't be seen as a bad thing. Just, more options.

Well Carter, yes. Cooke not so much imo. Zucker coming back maybe by 1st round of the playoffs will really put a damper on it too.