2017-2018 Minnesota Wild General Discussion III

[Bazeek]

Or not; looks like Cullen's still in.



Bumps Coyle up into the top-6. Playing with Ennis and Stewart still seems like a pretty tough row to hoe, but maybe he's up to it.

 

[57special]

Coyle going up to the top 6 certainly gives us two viable top lines, but i don't envy Ek having Ennis and Stewart as linemates. Couple of turnover machines, for all that both had a good game in LA. Ideally, either Parise or Kunin would be able to play a role in the top 6. I feel a lot better with Coyle centering a 3rd line.

Mitchell looks OK. Not particularly dangerous, but a bit faster than I expected, and i see him making the smart play more often than not.

 

[Nharris31]

Or not; looks like Cullen's still in.



Bumps Coyle up into the top-6. Playing with Ennis and Stewart still seems like a pretty tough row to hoe, but maybe he's up to it.

Ugh what is even the point of having him up then. His linemates in Iowa(Kloos Kunin)>Minnesota(Stewart,Ennis) lol I mean does that make too much sense that he was ppg playing with players who are capable of offense.

 

[Bazeek]

Downside of Coyle back at RW: we'll have to listen to Greenlay say "Zoyle" again.

 

[57special]

I get why Kunin is down in the AHL. He looked decent as a bottom six grinder, but I want him to discover a top 6 scoring to touch dwon in the minors, then bring it up to the NHL when he is ready. He is still very young

 

[Bazeek]

Ugh what is even the point of having him up then. His linemates in Iowa(Kloos Kunin)>Minnesota(Stewart,Ennis)

We'll see how it goes. It seems like our choices right now are:

1.) Set up two legitimate top lines and hope that Eriksson-Ek can support a 3rd.
2.) Play JEE up in the line-up and drop Koivu down to 3C. He hasn't really been scoring anyway.
3.) Sprinkle guys like Winnik, Stewart, Ennis and Foligno throughout the top-9 to "balance" the lines.

I don't see 2 ever happening, probably for good reason. 3 is sort of what we've been doing, with unimpressive results. 1 seems to be what we're going with, though it sort of leaves the rookie with the short end of the stick. We'll see how he does with it.

 

[Bazeek]

I get why Kunin is down in the AHL. He looked decent as a bottom six grinder, but I want him to discover a top 6 scoring to touch dwon in the minors, then bring it up to the NHL when he is ready. He is still very young

Yeah, he hasn't played a lot of games there but Eriksson-Ek sort of seems to have the AHL figured out pretty well. Kunin seems to have more to work out, which makes sense considering his age.

 

[Nharris31]

We'll see how it goes. It seems like our choices right now are:

1.) Set up two legitimate top lines and hope that Eriksson-Ek can support a 3rd.
2.) Play JEE up in the line-up and drop Koivu down to 3C. He hasn't really been scoring anyway.
3.) Sprinkle guys like Winnik, Stewart, Ennis and Foligno throughout the top-9 to "balance" the lines.

I don't see 2 ever happening, probably for good reason. 3 is sort of what we've been doing, with unimpressive results. 1 seems to be what we're going with, though it sort of leaves the rookie with the short end of the stick. We'll see how he does with it.

Playing with those two is chances are very slim considering he is probably the most defensively responsible one on that line. So good like getting offense out of him when Ennis and Stewart are on his wings.

 

[2Pair]

Spreading the talent out and being just OK or worse on every line isn't working. Worth a shot to make a legit 1st,2nd, and 4th line and just let the 3rd fight for their lives. Interested to see Granlund away from Koivu also.

 

[Saga of the Elk]

Yeah, he hasn't played a lot of games there but Eriksson-Ek sort of seems to have the AHL figured out pretty well. Kunin seems to have more to work out, which makes sense considering his age.

and that JEE had three full seasons of professional hockey in one of the world's top leagues, consistently producing as a teenager against men.

 

[Lapa]

Or not; looks like Cullen's still in.



Bumps Coyle up into the top-6. Playing with Ennis and Stewart still seems like a pretty tough row to hoe, but maybe he's up to it.

I really like that lineup.

 

[nickschultzfan]

Can we just stop with Stewart in the top9?

 

[Saga of the Elk]

Can we just stop with Stewart in the top9?

He hurts more than helps quite often but he has to be on that line against the Ducks. At least I would suspect that's coach's thinking.

 

[123TripleDoge]

Can we just stop with Stewart in the top9?

I'd put him back on the line he was on at the beginning of the year. He sucks as a grinder.

 

[nickschultzfan]

Stewart has made a career out of a 15 game hot scoring streak every other year and then just coasting through the rest of the season by fighting every 10-15 games.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Can we just stop with Stewart in the top9?

Well, the other options at the moment are Winnik, Foligno and Mitchell so I'm not sure which one you'd replace him with.

 

[57special]

Well, the other options at the moment are Winnik, Foligno and Mitchell so I'm not sure which one you'd replace him with.

I would like to see what Mitchell can do, though it's probably because he's the only one of the three that isn't a confirmed 4th liner.

Stewart is funny. He definitely can finish, and has some nice hands. Not really a very good 4th liner. Loses a lot of puck battles, and lacks defensive smarts.

 

[Dee Oh Cee]

Has some of the Vanek coasting in him too. There are just points in a game and it looks like he isn't putting in any effort. That doesn't really make any sense, since obviously he wants to win, but that's what it looks like.

 

[Nharris31]

Well, the other options at the moment are Winnik, Foligno and Mitchell so I'm not sure which one you'd replace him with.

What’s stopping them from calling up Kunin?There are other options but the Wild refuse to use them. Just like begging for offense from Eriksson-Ek than playing him on a line with two worst defensive forwards on the team.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

What’s stopping them from calling up Kunin?There are other options but the Wild refuse to use them. Just like begging for offense from Eriksson-Ek than playing him on a line with two worst defensive forwards on the team.

I'd be fine if Kunin came up to play with Nino/Staal or Koivu/Granlund or something, but putting him with Eriksson Ek and one of the 4th liners is just going to get their line buried again.

 

[Wabit]

What’s stopping them from calling up Kunin?There are other options but the Wild refuse to use them. Just like begging for offense from Eriksson-Ek than playing him on a line with two worst defensive forwards on the team.

JEE had 3g/4a in 7 games in Iowa. Mitchell was on fire in Iowa before his callup. Kunin isn't lighting the world on fire, make him earn the next callup (imo).

 

[Bazeek]

JEE had 3g/4a in 7 games in Iowa. Mitchell was on fire in Iowa before his callup. Kunin isn't lighting the world on fire, make him earn the next callup (imo).

Yeah, the call-ups are being made for the right reasons: as rewards for good play in Iowa. With Kunin especially, who's a first year pro, it makes more sense to leave him down there for awhile. Eriksson-Ek seems closer to the cusp of a full-time NHL'er.

 

[nickschultzfan]

If we cannot play Foligno on the 3rd line over Stewart, I'm not really sure why he's on the team.

 

[Nharris31]

If we cannot play Foligno on the 3rd line over Stewart, I'm not really sure why he's on the team.

Either way It’s a bad spot for Eriksson-Ek.

 

[Lapa]

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