Do you want this team to make the playoffs this year?

[Wabit]

I know Zucker has been disappointing this season, but I didn’t realize you thought this little of him

There is a bonus element of fun with putting EDM in an even worse cap position with that trade.

 

[DeagleJenkins]

Umm you missed your chance. ROR was traded last summer.

nah i didnt want ROR. i understand the option is not there at the moment, but staal as our 1C will haunt us.

 

[TaLoN]

I know Zucker has been disappointing this season, but I didn’t realize you thought this little of him

The longer this goes, the less he's worth. Not saying his value has dropped that far yet, but we need to move him before his trade options drop with the limited clause kicking in.

 

[AKL]

The longer this goes, the less he's worth. Not saying his value has dropped that far yet, but we need to move him before his trade options drop with the limited clause kicking in.

Completely agree.

 

[Saga of the Elk]

Completely agree.

And as for the Puljujärvi thing: he's extremely young and he played for a historically incompetent team. Maybe it's not a 1-for-1 thing, but players DO improve often in their early 20s and GET WORSE in their late 20s. I haven't liked Zucker's game in years.

 

[AKL]

And as for the Puljujärvi thing: he's extremely young and he played for a historically incompetent team. Maybe it's not a 1-for-1 thing, but players DO improve often in their early 20s and GET WORSE in their late 20s. I haven't liked Zucker's game in years.

I might agree if there was something holding Pulju back besides himself.

 

[Saga of the Elk]

I might agree if there was something holding Pulju back besides himself.

Your job as his closest advisor and a professional sports psychologist should be to unlock that potential.

He was rushed into the NHL (as they do) and put in a position to fail.

Smart teams try to avoid this. He may be a player with average or worse hockey IQ but a good coach should find a way for a player with those skills to thrive.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Making the Playoffs and making that extra money per home game is a big part of that business. Underdog or not, that's at least 2 home games per Playoffs.

I'll take the punchers chance in a 7 game series over 82 games of hoping to lose so we can get the best draft pick.

What's worse finishing 1p into the Playoffs and picking 15th after a 1st round sweep or finishing with the 10-14oa picks? That's where the Wild will finish if they sell off everything they can with 10-14th worst record.

Tanking this year isn't going to be that easy. Look at the Ducks, they've lost 19 of 21 and still aren't bottom-3 in the league. It's bizarro world right now where it's easier to gain ground in the standing than it is to lose ground.

It would only be ~30 games now.

 

[AKL]

Your job as his closest advisor and a professional sports psychologist should be to unlock that potential.

He was rushed into the NHL (as they do) and put in a position to fail.

Smart teams try to avoid this. He may be a player with average or worse hockey IQ but a good coach should find a way for a player with those skills to thrive.

If he has good skills he’s sure not doing a great job at demonstrating it.

 

[Saga of the Elk]

If he has good skills he’s sure not doing a great job at demonstrating it.

He can't even buy a beer in Minnesota yet...

 

[Wabit]

It would only be ~30 games now.

And then 82 more next year, because we can't go for it and then possible lose Granny, Coyle, and Spurgeon for nothing as UFAs. Nothing to replace Staal (who we're selling and no guarantee he re-signs. Koivu could be out to start the season. If they go into sell mode, sell them all either at the TDL or the draft. Just go into next year(s) knowing they are going to be bad.

But who am I kidding. Colye, Granny, and Spurgeon will all take team friendly deals well below market value. Staal comes back and signs another cheap contract and Koivu is good to go from day 1 of the season. We go at it again with the same group that people are wanting to miss the Playoffs now and get to pick 5 picks higher in every round. Oh and we get the extra 1st+ "A" prospect from the Staal trade, and the 2nd/3rd rounder from selling Fehr. Kaprizov will then lead us to the Cup.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

And then 82 more next year, because we can't go for it and then possible lose Granny, Coyle, and Spurgeon for nothing as UFAs. Nothing to replace Staal (who we're selling and no guarantee he re-signs. Koivu could be out to start the season. If they go into sell mode, sell them all either at the TDL or the draft. Just go into next year(s) knowing they are going to be bad.

But who am I kidding. Colye, Granny, and Spurgeon will all take team friendly deals well below market value. Staal comes back and signs another cheap contract and Koivu is good to go from day 1 of the season. We go at it again with the same group that people are wanting to miss the Playoffs now and get to pick 5 picks higher in every round. Oh and we get the extra 1st+ "A" prospect from the Staal trade, and the 2nd/3rd rounder from selling Fehr. Kaprizov will then lead us to the Cup.

We can go for it for two-thirds of the season and then re-evaluate at the 2020 TDL.

 

[AKL]

He can't even buy a beer in Minnesota yet...

Yeah lots of people used the same excuse for Yakupov, Griffin Reinhart, Connolly, Dal Colle, and numerous other prospects before them. Just because he’s young doesn’t mean he’s magically going to learn how to be the high end scorer he was drafted to be.

 

[Wabit]

He can't even buy a beer in Minnesota yet...

He's not missing out on much. Canadian beer is better.

I don't think he's a lost cause, but he is a gamble, and won't be waivers exempt anymore. So putting him the AHL (where he should have been all along) isn't an option (he'd be picked up on waivers).

Probably the best thing Poolparty could do for himself is bolt the the KHL for a couple of seasons.

 

[Wabit]

We can go for it for two-thirds of the season and then re-evaluate at the 2020 TDL.

Why wait until next TDL? Rental+1's are worth more than rentals. It's not like this team has been ravaged by injuries and playing with an AHL roster all season. Losing your 3rd best d-man shouldn't sink any team's season; which it basically did. They aren't a league min callup from being over the cap.

Sell this TDL and pick ~10th oa, do the same thing next year and pick ~10th oa again. Or sell everything now and pick top-5 next year.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Why wait until next TDL? Rental+1's are worth more than rentals. It's not like this team has been ravaged by injuries and playing with an AHL roster all season. Losing your 3rd best d-man shouldn't sink any team's season; which it basically did. They aren't a league min callup from being over the cap.

Sell this TDL and pick ~10th oa, do the same thing next year and pick ~10th oa again. Or sell everything now and pick top-5 next year.

Meh, probably not by much when you're talking about the return being futures. It's not like Granlund gets you three 1st round picks right now vs. only one in a year. Value might not be as much, but I don't think it's drastically different.

No Staal + no Koivu + no Dumba + our March schedule might mean literally zero wins after February. I'd have to think that gets us a little better than 10th.

Edit: and if we do get lucky and get Hughes or Kaako, then I'd like to reserve the opportunity to hold onto some guys in case it only has to a 1 year drop.

And who's to say that we don't re-sign Granlund and Spurgeon (and maybe Coyle) this summer and take calls from teams later in the year. Those guys with >2 year contracts are worth more than rental+1's.

 

[Saga of the Elk]

Yeah lots of people used the same excuse for Yakupov, Griffin Reinhart, Connolly, Dal Colle, and numerous other prospects before them. Just because he’s young doesn’t mean he’s magically going to learn how to be the high end scorer he was drafted to be.

Griffin Reinhart was drafted to be a top scorer? Brett Connolly is a Stanley Cup winner, Dal Colle is slowly finding his way, Yakupov's rookie season was 31 points in 48 games before things went off the rails. Not all draft picks pan out to be NHL Hall of Famers. It's why you establish a foundation for your franchise where guys get the right amount of time in the AHL or Europe or the NCAA, where guys aren't asked to play big minutes in their rookie season, where guys are expected to be something that is realistically within the scope of expectations.

Every player is different... Puljujärvi developed his body early: he was putting up points as a 16 year old in Liiga. He needs a coach that can help him develop his mind...the Oilers are .... not a great fit.

Yes, Lars Jonsson and Hugh Jessiman and Scott Glennie were some first rounders who actually busted... does that mean Puljujärvi will too?

 

[Dickie Dunn]

And then 82 more next year, because we can't go for it and then possible lose Granny, Coyle, and Spurgeon for nothing as UFAs. Nothing to replace Staal (who we're selling and no guarantee he re-signs. Koivu could be out to start the season. If they go into sell mode, sell them all either at the TDL or the draft. Just go into next year(s) knowing they are going to be bad.

But who am I kidding. Colye, Granny, and Spurgeon will all take team friendly deals well below market value. Staal comes back and signs another cheap contract and Koivu is good to go from day 1 of the season. We go at it again with the same group that people are wanting to miss the Playoffs now and get to pick 5 picks higher in every round. Oh and we get the extra 1st+ "A" prospect from the Staal trade, and the 2nd/3rd rounder from selling Fehr. Kaprizov will then lead us to the Cup.

5 picks higher and an extra 1st? Yes, please.

 

[Binister]

I voted yes but the organization needs to realize that this team needs a semi rebuild. The full one would make this team be the dumpster fire for years because there is no prospects in our pool. I can't actually tell which team is having as tough future as the Wild.

 

[Wabit]

Meh, probably not by much when you're talking about the return being futures. It's not like Granlund gets you three 1st round picks right now vs. only one in a year. Value might not be as much, but I don't think it's drastically different.

No Staal + no Koivu + no Dumba + our March schedule might mean literally zero wins after February. I'd have to think that gets us a little better than 10th.

Edit: and if we do get lucky and get Hughes or Kaako, then I'd like to reserve the opportunity to hold onto some guys in case it only has to a 1 year drop.

And who's to say that we don't re-sign Granlund and Spurgeon (and maybe Coyle) this summer and take calls from teams later in the year. Those guys with >2 year contracts are worth more than rental+1's.

Not that extra year is the difference between getting a 1st+ and not getting a 1st at all for them. Spurgeon is the only one that might get a 1st as a rental. Playmaking wings aren't worth that much. Call Coyle whatever you want, but ~45p/year FWDs netting a big haul.

Why are we re-signing any of these players who haven't been good enough in their peak prime years to do anything in the Playoffs? None of them have done anything make the Wild Cup contenders so far. Not many 28 yo players with 500+ NHL games all of a sudden find another level to their games.

Every player looks forward to the day they can sign a contract extension before they become UFAs just to be traded shortly after that. You can do that once as a GM, just don't expect any player to ever sign another deal during the season unless they have a full NTC already in effect and are getting another one.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Not that extra year is the difference between getting a 1st+ and not getting a 1st at all for them. Spurgeon is the only one that might get a 1st as a rental. Playmaking wings aren't worth that much. Call Coyle whatever you want, but ~45p/year FWDs netting a big haul.

Why are we re-signing any of these players who haven't been good enough in their peak prime years to do anything in the Playoffs? None of them have done anything make the Wild Cup contenders so far. Not many 28 yo players with 500+ NHL games all of a sudden find another level to their games.

Every player looks forward to the day they can sign a contract extension before they become UFAs just to be traded shortly after that. You can do that once as a GM, just don't expect any player to ever sign another deal during the season unless they have a full NTC already in effect and are getting another one.

To not lose them for nothing.

 

[DeagleJenkins]

To not lose them for nothing.

so why not sell them at TDL so we dont lose them for nothing?

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

so why not sell them at TDL so we dont lose them for nothing?

Because I don't believe that a mass-exodus of 5 or 6 roster players all at one time is as feasible as some people here do. I'm fine doing it in stages.

 

[Wabit]

To not lose them for nothing.

What? That sounds like something a person in a bad relationship says when they are asked why they just don't leave.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

What? That sounds like something a person in a bad relationship says when they are asked why they just don't leave.

Except it's the same rationale for trading them right now.