Don't sleep on the Wild

[Nithoniniel]

I think Minnesota is a better team than they are given credit for. I could see a playoff spot. I don't think they have very good chances to win though.

 

[KingsFan7824]

Kovalchuk - 36
Brown - 34
Carter - 34
Quick - 33
Kopitar - 32
Doughty - 29

Koivu - 36
Parise - 35
Suter - 34
Staal - 34
Dubnyk - 33
Zuccarello - 32

Collectively, Minnesota's 6 are 6 years older than the LA's 6, and the Kings 6 are done competing. Something to think about.

 

[P10p]

Kovalchuk - 36
Brown - 34
Carter - 34
Quick - 33
Kopitar - 32
Doughty - 29

Koivu - 36
Parise - 35
Suter - 34
Staal - 34
Dubnyk - 33
Zuccarello - 32

Collectively, Minnesota's 6 are 6 years older than the LA's 6, and the Kings 6 are done competing. Something to think about.

Koivu has aged better than Kovalchuk
Parise has aged better than Brown
Suter and Doughty are a wash
Staal has aged better than Carter
Dubnyk has aged better than Quick

Narratives can go both ways yakno

 

[ItWasJustified]

Bruce Boudreau is still one of the best coaches in the league, but as a Minnesota fan I think the Central division is just a bit too tough, with Nashville, Colorado, Dallas, St. Louis and Chicago who all should be better than last season. Winnipeg might have a small drop-off in the regular season, unless Laine decides to be the player he has the potential to be for the whole season instead of for just two weeks.

Collectively, Minnesota's 6 are 6 years older than the LA's 6, and the Kings 6 are done competing. Something to think about.

HFboards are obsessed with age and statistics. How about watching games for a change?

 

[Daximus]

I think Minnesota is a better team than they are given credit for. I could see a playoff spot. I don't think they have very good chances to win though.

With how good the rest of the central, outside of Winnipeg got, I just don't see it.

Nashville got rid of Subban and added Duchene to a very deep top 9. Plus Fabbro will be sheltered by their Josi, Ekholm, Ellis group a little.

Chicago added a ton of depth to Toews, Kane, DeBrincat and Strome. Lots of chemistry there. Plus Lehner is the safety net for Crawford. Who knows what could happen with Dach.

Colorado has the Landy - MacK - Rants line which is really solid, added some punch to a physical division in Kadri and will have Makar for a full season. We'll see if Jost can take another step. Byram is a wildcard but could potentially make that team, kid was among the highest scoring D ever to play in the WHL in their draft year. They will score a lot of goals either way.

St. Louis just won a Cup and only lost Maroon. If Binnington pans out they could easily finish first in the division.

Dallas just added a tonne of depth which may not seem like a big deal but its a big upgrade over what they had. Dellandrea and Gurianov have a solid chance at making that team both bringing a tonne of speed. Heiskanen and Lindell are a year older plus they still have Klingberg and if Bishop is healthy look out.

Winnipeg lost a lot but they are still a solid team capable of pushing any team in the league around. Even with the departure of Trouba, Tanev. Myers and Chiarot the team is still fast, strong and capable of scoring a load of goals. The wild card is if we can get Connor and Laine in on the action. Lots of youth waiting to be injected into the lineup in Vesalainen, Appleton, Niku, Heinola and Kovacevik. Plus who knows what we have with Pionk in a sheltered role. Hellebuyck is the key here, if he falters we are doomed.

which brings us to Minny. If Dubnyk shows they have the chance to make a splash but it all rests on him. They have some talent but it's in decline. They have some good youth but it's not top tier. Minny needs everyone to be healthy and on their A game to make the dance. To many variables to crown them anything but last.

 

[Atas2000]

Until Kaprizov comes to save them they will be in the green part of the spectrum.

 

[JAS 39 Gripen]

They need Kaprizov. And some other stuff

 

[The Note]

I think people expecting them to completely bottom out and be in the dregs of the league will be disappointed. They’re not that bad. They’ve got enough good players, particularly on defense and a good (regular season) coach to stay afloat. That’s not to say I think they’re a particularly good team, or a team I see going far in the playoffs. But I could see them pushing for a WC spot.

Frankly, they seem like a team in the middle which is a tough spot to be.

 

[thestonedkoala]

The Wild have a top 5/10 defense in the league (I put them roughly around 5-8). Better leadership from the top (Guerin replacing Fenton can only be a positive). They gotten younger (Coyle, Granlund and el Nino replaced with Donato, Greenway and Fiala).

Dumba is a game changer as well, and getting him back will only help their team. Dubnyk was shaky, but if they can play a little better, he should be able to bounce back. I wouldn't discount them shaking up the Central a bit.

Colorado doesn't scare me. Their defense is too green and their goaltending is questionable. Chicago's defense also hasn't aged well, and we'll see how Lehner does. Dallas, Nashville and St. Louis are good, but stranger things have happened.

 

[57special]

For better or worse, when you've got a top 4 D like they have, you stay in games night after night. While their firepower up front is limited, people forget that 3 of the top 4 also provide a lot of offense.

Bottom line is that they will end up somewhere in the middle- maybe a tad lower due to tHe atrocious trades made by Fenton. While CO has a ridiculously bright future, they remind me of WPG about 5 years ago, who also had crazy good talent, but took quite a while to make it all work.

Those who say they will finish at the bottom know nothing. The Wild know how to play a sound game, unlike the lousy teams in this league, who don't have a clue.

 

[Bazeek]

If I know anything about the Wild it's that the best way to guarantee a bad season is to go in with high expectations. As such they should have a pretty good year.

 

[klozge]

Through 16-18 they had in ...
... counting them out.

Pfffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff

 

[x Tame Impala]

I’ve been hitting snooze on the Wild since 2013 bruh

 

[Uncle Scrooge]

Well, after a horrendous start (1-6-0) to the season, as well as some individuals underachieving throughout the year, somehow here we are, the Wild are holding on to a playoff spot.

I'll burst out laughing if this team actually makes it over the Preds/Canucks.

Definitely wasn't a bottom 5 team though like many people claimed in the summer.

 

[Merrrlin]

Turns out the Wild fans were right about standing pat with their defencemen this deadline.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

Paul Fenton doesn't look so bad now with that Fiala-Granlund trade

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

The team has holes, but they’re suddenly not looking like they need a long-term rebuild. They finally have a game-breaker. Their top 4 is one of the best in the league. They have a top 10 prospect pool in the league with 2 more 1sts coming this year. They’re in a somewhat similar situation to STL a few years back. I don’t envision them getting an O’rielly to solve their C issues though. They need to add a top 6 C this summer and either sign a FA goalie or hope Kahkonen is the guy (he’s been very good in AHL). If they do that, this is a very good team. Khovanov, Boldy, Kaprizov coming in the next few years to add to the top 6 should only continue to help. The team needs to focus now on managing the cap well and draft/developing well.

 

[MuckOG]

Paul Fenton doesn't look so bad now with that Fiala-Granlund trade

Agreed. Can't say the same for the Zuccarello signing or the Niedereitter trade, though. Fenton gotten taken to the cleaners there.

 

[klozge]

I have to admit I have a lot of respect for their latest rising in the standings. It also amuses me how they're leaving the Preds and Jets behind. Still, eff them.

 

[AKL]

I don’t know much about what kinda team they are and all that, but what I will say is this: Kevin Fiala.

 

[Our Lady Peace]

I don’t know much about what kinda team they are and all that, but what I will say is this: Kevin Fiala.

People won't give him any votes because he's not yet a household name, but he legitimately deserves Hart nominations. He's been putting the team on his back for so long now. If the Wild make the playoffs and he gets 70+ points, you gotta give credit where credit is due.