Rumor: Contract Extension for General Manager Chuck Fletcher

[OpRedDawn*]

Well, based off the standings:
Boston
Montreal
Toronto
Pittsburgh
St. Louis
Chicago
Colorado
Anaheim
San Jose
Los Angeles

Have more points than the Wild

Dallas is just right behind along with New York Rangers, Tampa Bay and Detroit. Phoenix, Ottawa, Washington are having off years. Columbus is surging again.

Minnesota is in the category of Toronto at this point where they aren't an elite team and currently a borderline playoff team.

I mean do you think Chicago or St. Louis is worried about not making the playoffs?



Actually, you can blame him exactly for that. Our draft position is due to how he was building the team. A year or two of just bottoming out like Buffalo or Colorado did might have done some wonders for this organization.

You don't think a player like Alex Galchenyuk would have been better than Dumba? Or Lindholm?

It's the way of the Wild. They'll never be bottom feeders like that.

 

[thestonedkoala]

It's the way of Minnesota teams. They'll never be bottom feeders like that.

FIFY.

I think in all four sports, they've only gotten 1 first overall pick.

 

[IHaveNoCreativity]

He's earned it, we're getting closer.

 

[elnewby]

Lock up Fletcher and Flahr.

 

[BagHead]

I think you get it done. Best thing to happen to the Wild since Leipold took over. Or since the Demitra trade? Not that it ended well, I suppose. Still, I think we won that trade (Lewis and O'Sully? I guess Lewis is at least NHL caliber, but I wouldn't take those winning seasons back to have him).

Whatever, that's off topic. Go Fletch!

 

[BagHead]

(1)Phoenix, Ottawa, Washington are having off years. Columbus is surging again.

(2)Minnesota is in the category of Toronto at this point where they aren't an elite team and currently a borderline playoff team.

(3)You don't think a player like Alex Galchenyuk would have been better than Dumba? Or Lindholm?

(1)When was the last time these teams had an on year? Phoenix is always mediocre, Ottawa's anomaly was last year (they aren't that good), and Washington hasn't been good for several years. This year is the first year that they look like they may be worth something in a while.

(2) Agreed, until we got Moulson. We're a playoff team, now. But we are just short a top 4 defender for being a cup contender, in my opinon.

(3) To be fair, we had a good shot at Trouba, Maata and Forsberg and passed it up. Now you'll say "Fletch should have known!" instead of "Fletch should have tanked!", right?

 

[thestonedkoala]

(1)When was the last time these teams had an on year? Phoenix is always mediocre

With Tippet, the team can always be dangerous. They aren't actually doing that bad this year.

Ottawa's anomaly was last year (they aren't that good)

They made the playoffs two years in a row (11-12, 12-13) and before that (2009-2010) made the playoffs. They've only missed the playoffs twice in five years and 3 in the last ten. We'll see what next year brings.

and Washington hasn't been good for several years. This year is the first year that they look like they may be worth something in a while.

Washington is always dangerous. They need to get their coaching settled though.

(2) Agreed, until we got Moulson. We're a playoff team, now. But we are just short a top 4 defender for being a cup contender, in my opinon.

We're not a top 4 defender from being a cup contender. We need Granlund, Nino and Coyle to become veterans by the time the playoff rolls around, so we have some depth scoring.

(3) To be fair, we had a good shot at Trouba, Maata and Forsberg and passed it up. Now you'll say "Fletch should have known!" instead of "Fletch should have tanked!", right?

Forsberg is meh but you always go with the safer pick in the top 10.

 

[Death of Rats]

Actually, you can blame him exactly for that. Our draft position is due to how he was building the team. A year or two of just bottoming out like Buffalo or Colorado did might have done some wonders for this organization.

You don't think a player like Alex Galchenyuk would have been better than Dumba? Or Lindholm?

You do realize that Fletch can't just run the team exactly how he pleases, Leipold has been quite a factor in the way how Fletch has tried to make this team competitive. If memory serves me right Leipold wanted good results rather fast, leaving complete rebuild out of the picture.

 

[Sharppi]

Good for Fletcher
Great for Wild
Horrible for some fans

 

[Generic User]

Good for Fletcher
Great for Wild
Horrible for some fans

Well yeah, that's how it goes. If the Wild won the Stanley Cup in five games, you can bet your bottom dollar that some here would complain that we didn't win with a complete sweep.

 

[Minnewildsota]

Well yeah, that's how it goes. If the Wild won the Stanley Cup in five games, you can bet your bottom dollar that some here would complain that we didn't win with a complete sweep.

What? They shouldn't even make us play. They should just crown us the champs.

 

[thestonedkoala]

You do realize that Fletch can't just run the team exactly how he pleases, Leipold has been quite a factor in the way how Fletch has tried to make this team competitive. If memory serves me right Leipold wanted good results rather fast, leaving complete rebuild out of the picture.

And Leipold answers to fan pressure.

 

[MuckOG]

And Leipold answers to fan pressure.

Would you have fired Fletcher?

 

[thestonedkoala]

Would you have fired Fletcher?

Now? No but I would have waited until next season to sign an extension.

This comes down to playoffs and our next coach.

 

[AJ Thelen]

Good move.

Fletcher is awesome..

 

[Puhis]

Well, based off the standings:
Boston
Montreal
Toronto
Pittsburgh
St. Louis
Chicago
Colorado
Anaheim
San Jose
Los Angeles

Toronto?! The only reasons they're ahead is weak East and blind luck. Their fancystats are terrible, and you know it. Same applies for Montreal. Boston and PIT I agree with, although outside 71-87, PIT has been really unimpressive this year. STL, Chicago and perhaps Anaheim are still ahead of us, not sure about Colorado. We just match up really badly against them, but they are not really better than us. SJ is beastly. LA has been really disappointing and should probably be below us at this point.

So, being realistic, we're around #7-8 league-wide right now. East has only Pittsburgh and Boston who could really be ranked ahead of us.

 

[thestonedkoala]

Toronto?! The only reasons they're ahead is weak East and blind luck.

Toronto is 12-8-2 against the West. Minnesota is only 12-9-2 against the East..if the East is so weak, why the hell does Minnesota only have 12 wins again them?

Toronto is in the same boat as Minnesota. Some may rank them higher, some may rank them lower.

Same applies for Montreal.

Montreal has missed the playoffs ONCE in the past 5 years, made it to the 3rd round as well two years ago. They only missed the playoffs twice in the past 10 years. They have a good core, a good coach.

Anaheim are still ahead of us

Anaheim is definitely ahead. They have depth and they have some elite players. They have a better defense than us.

not sure about Colorado. We just match up really badly against them, but they are not really better than us.

They have a better group of forwards than Minnesota, good goaltending. Their forwards puts them above us. They are a rising team and they are still bringing in talent.

So, being realistic, we're around #7-8 league-wide right now. East has only Pittsburgh and Boston who could really be ranked ahead of us.

I still have us around 10-15, but then again it changes each season.

 

[Dee Oh Cee]

I think we're a very similar team to Toronto right now. Maybe a touch better.

 

[Beegoalie]

I'd extend the guy for life. Look at what he's done with what he started with in DR..

We went from a team with no prospects and a horrible NHL roster with one useful player(Koivu)

To a team with a solid core(Koivu, Parise, Suter, Pommer) and 3-4 should be bonafide NHL players, maybe stars in (Brodin, Granny, Nino, Coyle) and cap room to add to that next summer and beyond.

He is a rockstar. Sure we haven't quite won a whole lot yet but its coming..him and Flahr couldn't have done a better job IMO. No brainer to sign him long term.

 

[Beegoalie]

You do realize that Fletch can't just run the team exactly how he pleases, Leipold has been quite a factor in the way how Fletch has tried to make this team competitive. If memory serves me right Leipold wanted good results rather fast, leaving complete rebuild out of the picture.

They did essentially "rebuild" though. They cleaned out old DR players and obtained a lot of picks. Then giving Chuck and Flahr credit where its due they drafted EXTREMELY well. Obtained a lot of quality young talent and with the signings of Parise and Suter the rebuild was accelerated greatly.

Now we have the core necessary to continue to add pieces,even if it means trading quality prospects(in the Pominville Trade) or even adding "rentals" if it means expending some 2nd picks(like the Moulson Trade).

This team is in very good position to be a perennial playoff team and one that could be a contender with a few added pieces and some luck in the next 2-5 years. We can thank Mr. Fletcher and his staff for most of that.

 

[thestonedkoala]

I think we're a very similar team to Toronto right now. Maybe a touch better.

Hard to say. Our forwards leave a LOT to be desired. We have some good young players but half the league can say that.

 

[thestonedkoala]

To be honest, it's hard to really 'rank' teams because things can and do change so quickly.

New York Islanders, Carolina, Buffalo, Florida, Winnipeg Calgary and Edmonton are pretty much the bottom but then?

You have the risers:
Colorado
Dallas
Tampa Bay
Columbus

You have the fallers:
Detroit
Vancouver
Philadelphia
New Jersey
Nashville

You have the 'meh' teams that are neither great but they aren't terrible:
Phoenix
Toronto
Minnesota
New York Rangers

You have the good but not great teams:
San Jose
Los Angeles
Montreal

You have the great teams:
Boston
Pittsburgh
St. Louis
Chicago
Anaheim

Problem is, Colorado is already looking more like a good but not great team but they are also risers, so how do you rank them?

 

[behemolari]

Name ten teams that are better than us right now.

Anaheim
Pittsburgh
St.Louis
Chicago
Boston
LA
San Jose
Montreal
Colorado
Detroit

It's a close call with last four or five but yeah, those are the better ones. Wild has a potential to become top5 team, but that will happen only with an elite coach.

 

[Puhis]

Anaheim
Pittsburgh
St.Louis
Chicago
Boston
LA
San Jose
Montreal
Colorado
Detroit

It's a close call with last four or five but yeah, those are the better ones. Wild has a potential to become top5 team, but that will happen only with an elite coach.

As I mentioned earlier, Montreal isn't really better than us. Only area they're ahead of us is goaltending. Our D is better and our forward core is better. As for Detroit? They're old.

 

[Jarick]

Better to extend his contract and then fire him if need be than let him walk and struggle to find someone else.

Fletcher seems to be building something really nice in Minnesota, but I'll hold the accolades until this team does damage in the playoffs. I could easily see them going first-and-out 2-3 times like they did under Risebrough in the late 2000's.