2016 Minnesota Wild Offseason Discussion

[Dr Jan Itor]

so how did they differentiate if you're playing on team USA or team NA?

Age. Team NA is 23 or under.

 

[Wabit]

This makes me happy. He didn't impress me for the Wild.

 

[Minnesota]

I'd have rather kept Fontaine over Carter or Porter.

 

[BagHead]

I'd have rather kept Fontaine over Carter or Porter.

I've got mixed feelings on that. Certainly he's more skilled than Carter, but I'm not so sure he's more effective for our team and for the situation he'd be put in. If we'd signed Cullen, I'd think Fontaine would be a good fit on the 4th line, but if it's going to be centered by, say, Dalpe, he doesn't fit as well.

It also doesn't help that he was just not good at all last season. In the paragraph above I was factoring in age and their careers, but I'd take last season's Carter over last season's Fontaine, regardless of who is centering that line.

 

[Saga of the Elk]

I'd have rather kept Fontaine over Carter or Porter.

No question about it. Far superior player, though I guess you'd take Carter in one of those punching matches the NHL used to have.

Not sure what the Wild's analytics team gets paid to do, but they either have no input into hockey decisions or they make awful recommendations. Florida appears at least to be making some excellent choices as to their team philosophy and player personnel.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

No question about it. Far superior player, though I guess you'd take Carter in one of those punching matches the NHL used to have.

Not sure what the Wild's analytics team gets paid to do, but they either have no input into hockey decisions or they make awful recommendations. Florida appears at least to be making some excellent choices as to their team philosophy and player personnel.

Or the ability to play the center position.

 

[57special]

Fontaine is smallish and has zero physicality combed to either Carter or Porter. Wouldn't be surprised if Porter is faster. Carter is probably about the same.

If Fontaine isn't scoring, he's not much help. Carter and Porter are. There is far more than " face punching" to playing a physical game.

Fontaine was a decent player for us while he was here, but last year he wasn't effective. Not saying that Carter or Porter are great...I suspect that Carter is wearing down.

 

[Saga of the Elk]

Fontaine is smallish and has zero physicality combed to either Carter or Porter. Wouldn't be surprised if Porter is faster. Carter is probably about the same.

If Fontaine isn't scoring, he's not much help. Carter and Porter are. There is far more than " face punching" to playing a physical game.

Fontaine was a decent player for us while he was here, but last year he wasn't effective. Not saying that Carter or Porter are great...I suspect that Carter is wearing down.

he was much more effective at the basic skill of creating shots for and suppressing shots against even though he had a tough season. I'm not saying the Wild should have signed Fonzie either, but he's a better hockey player than Porter and Carter.

Ryan Carter took 38 faceoffs last season. I don't recall him playing a lot of center. I definitely don't think he's a better fit for that fourth line center role than Zac Dalpe at this stage of his career. Not trying to dog Carter (or Porter) but they aren't really good solutions for the Wild this season, and weren't last season either.

 

[DANOZ28]

wheres brodziak when you need him? say peter are you going to post a top 20 wild prospects article soon? thx.

 

[Saga of the Elk]

wheres brodziak when you need him? say peter are you going to post a top 20 wild prospects article soon? thx.

wasn't planning on it since Hockey's Future is no more

I'm not sure what happened with the prospect voting here but it was more or less in line with my opinions as far as it got.

Russo had Soucy in the Top Ten for The Hockey News yearbook, I don't think I'd go there.

Sokolov and Anas crack my Top 20, pretty high on Bouramman and Boka as well.

 

[57special]

I'd take Porter over Fontaine. Faster, stronger. Not a big deal. Neither player is going to make or break this team. Wild could use some depth at the forward spot, but more than that they need top 6 talent. Pominville's and Vanek's decline, together with Parise's back ( and other) injuries, have left us in a bad spot scoring and speed wise. None of the top 6 has speed that will cause the opposition to hang back defensively.

Zucker and Haula are the only speed threats who can stretch the ice, and both are bottom sixers.

Staal and Stewart are average at best speed wise, Koivu gets slower by the year...we are trending the wrong way.

 

[Minnewildsota]

wasn't planning on it since Hockey's Future is no more

I'm not sure what happened with the prospect voting here but it was more or less in line with my opinions as far as it got.

Russo had Soucy in the Top Ten for The Hockey News yearbook, I don't think I'd go there.

Sokolov and Anas crack my Top 20, pretty high on Bouramman and Boka as well.

Wait, what? I feel out of the loop

 

[DANOZ28]

please explain hockey's future is no more? how does that effect this msg board? thx.

 

[Minnesota]

Wait, what? I feel out of the loop

please explain hockey's future is no more? how does that effect this msg board? thx.

As of July 1st, 2016, Evolve Media (the parent company that owns Crave Online, which runs Hockey's Future) essentially 'shut down' Hockey's Future. The site no longer employs writers/staff, and will no longer be producing content/rankings.

From what we've heard, HFBoards (this site) should be unaffected moving forward.

You can check out this thread if you have questions/concerns.

You can also PM myself, Lapa, gphr, or Generic User with any questions.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

I'd take Porter over Fontaine. Faster, stronger. Not a big deal. Neither player is going to make or break this team. Wild could use some depth at the forward spot, but more than that they need top 6 talent. Pominville's and Vanek's decline, together with Parise's back ( and other) injuries, have left us in a bad spot scoring and speed wise. None of the top 6 has speed that will cause the opposition to hang back defensively.

Zucker and Haula are the only speed threats who can stretch the ice, and both are bottom sixers.

Staal and Stewart are average at best speed wise, Koivu gets slower by the year...we are trending the wrong way.

I prefer to look at them as top niners.

 

[BagHead]

As of July 1st, 2016, Evolve Media (the parent company that owns Crave Online, which runs Hockey's Future) essentially 'shut down' Hockey's Future and on July 1st 2016. The site no longer employs writers/staff, and will no longer be producing content/rankings.

From what we've heard, HFBoards (this site) should be unaffected moving forward.
You can check out this thread if you have questions/concerns.

You can also PM myself, Lapa, gphr, or Generic User with any questions.

So you're saying there's a vacancy!
No, kind of just kidding, unfortunately. I don't have time to become a hockey writer (as much as I'd LOVE to be one) on top of college and work.

I prefer to look at them as top niners.

Same here. It's not just optimism, these days most teams try to ice three lines that can score goals, or at least play a scoring type of game, so it's just accurate to call it a top 9, now.

 

[Wabit]

I prefer to look at them as top niners.

I don't like top-9, it's too big of a skill range. Top-9 centers could be listed as Tavares, Towes, Stamkos, and Haula. One of those is not like the other. Just my opinion.

 

[57special]

Did anyone see anything in Bertschy when he played last year?

 

[hirawl]

Fontaine is a good player but absolutely not the kind you'd want to build your 4th line of.

Actually with his age and all I think I would be looking over to Europe and KHL rather than PTOing with the Panthers. I think he would fit great over there and there's a chance he might strike gold and get his big payday. In the NHL that train has long gone.

 

[Minnesota]

Did anyone see anything in Bertschy when he played last year?

Streaky with flashes of skill.

 

[Hall of Faber]

Suter-Niskanen play well together. In hindsight should of signed Niskanen and traded Brodin when is value was highest.

Suter-Niskanen
Scandella-Spurgeon

Boom.

 

[BigT2002]

Suter-Niskanen play well together. In hindsight should of signed Niskanen and traded Brodin when is value was highest.

Suter-Niskanen
Scandella-Spurgeon

Boom.

Why would we have needed to trade? He was a FA the same time Vanek was. Don't sign Vanek and your blue line theoretically would have been:

Suter-Nisk
Brodin-Spurgon
Scandella-Dumba
Reilly

 

[Hall of Faber]

Why would we have needed to trade? He was a FA the same time Vanek was. Don't sign Vanek and your blue line theoretically would have been:

Suter-Nisk
Brodin-Spurgon
Scandella-Dumba
Reilly

Thats overkill. Would like to get some offense talent for Brodin.

 

[plock]

Why would we have needed to trade? He was a FA the same time Vanek was. Don't sign Vanek and your blue line theoretically would have been:

Suter-Nisk
Brodin-Spurgon
Scandella-Dumba
Reilly

So who do you replace Vanek with while staying in budget?

 

[ThatGuy22]

I'd take Porter over Fontaine. Faster, stronger. Not a big deal. Neither player is going to make or break this team. Wild could use some depth at the forward spot, but more than that they need top 6 talent. Pominville's and Vanek's decline, together with Parise's back ( and other) injuries, have left us in a bad spot scoring and speed wise. None of the top 6 has speed that will cause the opposition to hang back defensively.

Zucker and Haula are the only speed threats who can stretch the ice, and both are bottom sixers.

Staal and Stewart are average at best speed wise, Koivu gets slower by the year...we are trending the wrong way.

Fontaine needs to play with good players to be effective. His splits prove it out. His numbers with Coyle/Vanek/Nino/Haula are great. Numbers with Stoll/Porter/Carter terrible.

If Fletcher wasn't actively trying to run the worst 4th line in the league last year by employing Stoll/Porter/carter there, his numbers would have been a lot better. He's never going to drive the bus, but he can be an effective depth scorer for a team on a bottom 6 line.