GDT: Game 12: Seattle Kraken @ Minnesota Wild - 5:00pm PDT

[Irie]

Solid game both offensively and defensively. A total team effort.

I will say this though, something's wrong with Minnesota. They are a shadow of the team they were last year. I smell a coach firing sooner than later.

No Foligno, Hartman, or Greenway.

Those guys are the heart and soul of that team, imo.

Having any one of them out of the lineup really hurts, but with all three out, they play like a different team.

 

[RainyCityHockey]

No Foligno, Hartman, or Greenway.

Those guys are the heart and soul of that team, imo.

Having any one of them out of the lineup really hurts, but with all three out, they play like a different team.

So a bit like the Kraken missing Tanev and Schwartz for more than half a season?

 

[Sad People]

Delete.

 

[majormajor]

So a bit like the Kraken missing Tanev and Schwartz for more than half a season?

Worse. They're not just missing a subset of their good players, they're missing their identity players.

I can see why folks would think Tanev and Schwartz are a big part of the Kraken identity too, but there are several other guys on the team playing that same hard forechecking role.

 

[Sad People]

The GREEF line (Greenway-Ek-Foligno) is the best shut down line in hockey.

 

[RainyCityHockey]

Worse. They're not just missing a subset of their good players, they're missing their identity players.

I can see why folks would think Tanev and Schwartz are a big part of the Kraken identity too, but there are several other guys on the team playing that same hard forechecking role.

That actually wasn't my point.

We got called names, made fun of and what not even though we were a (lesser talented)expansion team and missing those guys.

At the end of the day no one cares who's out of your lineup and why you don't produce/get wins.
I mean, we could also make the argument that our top two goalies(or $9.4 M of goaltending) are currently on IR, but of course it's not like they've stolen us games so far.

 

[Irie]

That actually wasn't my point.

We got called names, made fun of and what not even though we were a (lesser talented)expansion team and missing those guys.

At the end of the day no one cares who's out of your lineup and why you don't produce/get wins.
I mean, we could also make the argument that our top two goalies(or $9.4 M of goaltending) are currently on IR, but of course it's not like they've stolen us games so far.

All true. But my post wasn't made to make excuses for Minnesota, it was only in response to the comment about there being something seriously missing from the Wild compared to last year.

But a good point none the less. This team missed Schwartz and Tanev a lot more than most of us realized last season. For Minny, I'm not sure there are three players to directly compare to there, but maybe remove Gourde along with Schwartz and Tanev to equal the heart Minnesota is missing with those three, and then also shrink Larsson, Okeksiak, to compensate for the size and physicality that their lineup is depleted by.

 

[GrungeHockey]

So a bit like the Kraken missing Tanev and Schwartz for more than half a season?

A bit. But also a fair bit more.

There's no question Tanev was bringing energy and excitement last year and the injury sucked some life out of the room which perhaps spread a bit, but that's not really why the team lost last year.

Team is better this year because there's a lot more talent on it. It's really that simple.

 

[majormajor]

That actually wasn't my point.

We got called names, made fun of and what not even though we were a (lesser talented)expansion team and missing those guys.

At the end of the day no one cares who's out of your lineup and why you don't produce/get wins.
I mean, we could also make the argument that our top two goalies(or $9.4 M of goaltending) are currently on IR, but of course it's not like they've stolen us games so far.

All true. But my post wasn't made to make excuses for Minnesota, it was only in response to the comment about there being something seriously missing from the Wild compared to last year.

But a good point none the less. This team missed Schwartz and Tanev a lot more than most of us realized last season. For Minny, I'm not sure there are three players to directly compare to there, but maybe remove Gourde along with Schwartz and Tanev to equal the heart Minnesota is missing with those three, and then also shrink Larsson, Okeksiak, to compensate for the size and physicality that their lineup is depleted by.

Tanev and Schwartz were chronically injured before they were acquired by Seattle. I don't think that even counts as bad luck, and the Kraken were middle of the road in man games lost anyways.