I think it's time to talk about the Wild...

[SimpleJack]

Chicago does not have the depth to be a contender anymore. I doubt they win a series no matter against who.


The Wild have been just about the best team in the league for three years without their mid-season slump. A very very good team that just got better in the off-season.

And the slump is coming for the anti-jinx if nothing else.

Hawks have the most depth on defense that they've had in the entire Toews/Kane era. Forward depth hasn't been as bad as it looked coming into the season. Lots of rookies stepping up(especially Hartman and Hinostroza). Big years from guys like Panik and Anisimov. Honestly Toews and Kane haven't even played that well and they've still gotten enough goal scoring throughout the lineup. Despite playing 15-20 games without Toews and/or Anisimov. Rasmussen another very underrated depth piece.

Basically what I'm saying is you're drastically selling the Hawks short by assuming they're an automatic 1st round exit waiting to happen. IMO they're going to add/upgrade even further at the TDL.

 

[SpookyTsuki]

They're an elite team without an elite superstar? Hmm

 

[PuckInTheNards]

hey -great idea to make a thread about how good the wild are in december. i mean, its not like they could possibly go into a january slide, right? ******.

 

[JESSEWENEEDTOCOOK]

They're an elite team without an elite superstar? Hmm

devan dubnyk

i wouldnt call them an elite team though

 

[Seanaconda]

hey -great idea to make a thread about how good the wild are in december. i mean, its not like they could possibly go into a january slide, right? ******.

First post said jynx thread.

But they deserve it as much as the other teams that have gotten similar threads this year.

 

[NHL1674]

hey -great idea to make a thread about how good the wild are in december. i mean, its not like they could possibly go into a january slide, right? ******.

They will now. We've had a thread like this before in December...and they failed to make the playoffs that year. We should know by now that things can go south in a hurry. Lots of hockey left. We've had mid-season swoons for years. I'm having a blast watching them right now, but until we stay consistent through at least February, I would stay extremely guarded. We've seen this movie way too many times in Minnesota. And so far, it always ends the same. If we can avoid that yearly tailspin this winter, then I think we can really talk about it. But we aren't there yet. Let's just fly under the radar till then.


Truly, I want to be excited. Completely bat@#$! crazy excited. But this sports' town has left me crushed too many damn times. It's programmed me to always wait for the other freaking shoe to drop.

 

[Bruce Granville]

Boudreau is a great coach

But I feel like the Wild are a slightly above average team with incredible goaltending

He will win the league and cap in the playoffs.

 

[Bounces R Way]

Really wish they kept Yeo. Charlie Coyle is a hell of a player and the Minnesota Wild are a LOT deeper than you'd think.

 

[ayrton2388]

As HF says, "Boudreau overachieving for the 10th straight season" or something.

I'm really glad to see Bruce Boudreau doing great. He's a hell of a coach. Really wish he was still with the Ducks.

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

For those who say Wild don't have the best defense:

Suter-Spurgeon
Brodin-Dumba
Scandella-Folin

This defense is absolutely insane. Brodin, Scandella, and Suter are elite defensively, while Spurgeon is near elite in that category, while being great offensively. Dumba is below average defensively, but has great offense, and possibly elite. They have a clear cut #1 in Suter, and a great #2 in Spurgeon. A lowend #2 in Brodin mainly because of lack of offense, and a #4 currently, but can be #3 in Dumba. Scandella would be a #3 and at worst a great #4 on most teams. Folin is pretty good for a #6 as well. I don't see how Minnesota doesn't have the best defense, as from a pure defensive standpoint, they're easily number 1, and their offense from their defense is more underrated than people think.

Another thing, defense isn't purely from the blueline, forward defensive play is key to determining a great defensive team, which is why I don't see Nashville nor Calgary two elite blueline teams in the top 5 overall defensive teams unlike LA, San Jose, Minnesota, St. Louis, etc. Heck even Boston and New Jersey who have s*** tier bluelines have excellent 2-way forward depth.

 

[CorgisPer60]

Why do we need to talk about them? They've always been a well-structured team with a fairly respectable top 4, a defense first system, and very good, if not great 2-way core players. The only difference is a better coach and the average age of their top scorers is down about 3 years, which tells you that the young players are stepping up more.

Also, Dubnyk is good.

 

[traffic cone]

For those who say Wild don't have the best defense:

Suter-Spurgeon
Brodin-Dumba
Scandella-Folin

This defense is absolutely insane. Brodin, Scandella, and Suter are elite defensively, while Spurgeon is near elite in that category, while being great offensively. Dumba is below average defensively, but has great offense, and possibly elite. They have a clear cut #1 in Suter, and a great #2 in Spurgeon. A lowend #2 in Brodin mainly because of lack of offense, and a #4 currently, but can be #3 in Dumba. Scandella would be a #3 and at worst a great #4 on most teams. Folin is pretty good for a #6 as well. I don't see how Minnesota doesn't have the best defense, as from a pure defensive standpoint, they're easily number 1, and their offense from their defense is more underrated than people think.

Anothre thing, defense is purely from the blueline, forward defensive play is key to determining a great defensive team, which is why I don't see Nashville nor Calgary two elite blueline teams in the top 5 overall defensive teams unlike LA, San Jose, Minnesota, St. Louis, etc. Heck even Boston and New Jersey who have s*** tier bluelines have excellent 2-way forward depth.

I think the word "elite" is being thrown around a little too easy here.

 

[CrypTic]

they don't have a single player on pace for 30 goals, so there's that.

Coyle's on pace for 29.52, so that's pretty dang close.

Even if you round up, that's one player, not a player on three lines. (quote: the ability to roll 3 lines with capable 30 goal scorers on every line) None of the Wild's players are on pace for thirty goals, except arguably Coyle. None have been consistent 30-goal scorers in recent years. So that part of OP's post is inaccurate. You could argue that they don't have "the best defense in the league" but they have an excellent defensive corps and good 2-way forwards so I'll give them that bc best is subjective. Dubnyk is playing out of his mind.

So the question becomes: How far can a team with elite goaltending, one of the best d groups in the league, and the ability to roll 3 solid lines go?

I think they'll do well. The west is wide open this season. Boudreau is a good regular season coach but gets outcoached in the playoffs IMO.


Edit to add: Just to get the rivalry going between the two geographic areas in case we should meet in the playoffs: Hentz>>Wilhite

 

[Teppo]

Why do we need to talk about them? They've always been a well-structured team with a fairly respectable top 4, a defense first system, and very good, if not great 2-way core players. The only difference is a better coach and the average age of their top scorers is down about 3 years, which tells you that the young players are stepping up more.

Also, Dubnyk is good.

One big difference this season (so far) is that they are top 5 in scoring. Usually when the Wild have been at the top in goals against they are a middle of the pack/lower half team in goals for. In other words they seemed to sacrifice goal scoring for goal prevention.

That being said, we are not even half way through the season. The Wild have looked like an elite team for stretches in the last several seasons. Each time it was followed by a massive collapse. I fully expect the same to happen this season.

 

[PuckInTheNards]

They will now. We've had a thread like this before in December...and they failed to make the playoffs that year. We should know by now that things can go south in a hurry. Lots of hockey left. We've had mid-season swoons for years. I'm having a blast watching them right now, but until we stay consistent through at least February, I would stay extremely guarded. We've seen this movie way too many times in Minnesota. And so far, it always ends the same. If we can avoid that yearly tailspin this winter, then I think we can really talk about it. But we aren't there yet. Let's just fly under the radar till then.


Truly, I want to be excited. Completely bat@#$! crazy excited. But this sports' town has left me crushed too many damn times. It's programmed me to always wait for the other freaking shoe to drop.

Exactly this. Every Wild fan should know by now not to brag about the team before season's end. Some people never learn I guess

 

[BagHead]

For those who say Wild don't have the best defense:

Suter-Spurgeon
Brodin-Dumba
Scandella-Folin

This defense is absolutely insane. Brodin, Scandella, and Suter are elite defensively, while Spurgeon is near elite in that category, while being great offensively. Dumba is below average defensively, but has great offense, and possibly elite. They have a clear cut #1 in Suter, and a great #2 in Spurgeon. A lowend #2 in Brodin mainly because of lack of offense, and a #4 currently, but can be #3 in Dumba. Scandella would be a #3 and at worst a great #4 on most teams. Folin is pretty good for a #6 as well. I don't see how Minnesota doesn't have the best defense, as from a pure defensive standpoint, they're easily number 1, and their offense from their defense is more underrated than people think.

Another thing, defense isn't purely from the blueline, forward defensive play is key to determining a great defensive team, which is why I don't see Nashville nor Calgary two elite blueline teams in the top 5 overall defensive teams unlike LA, San Jose, Minnesota, St. Louis, etc. Heck even Boston and New Jersey who have s*** tier bluelines have excellent 2-way forward depth.

I appreciate what you're doing here, but this post made sense last season, not this season. Brodin is outscoring Spurgeon at the moment (he is offensively gifted, just took a while to put it together, and had a horrible season last year), and Spurgeon is probably our 2nd best defenseman defensively, behind Suter and definitely ahead of Scandella. Also not sure about all the elite skills you mention, but Suter definitely is elite in most of the ways that matter for a defenseman. It's a very solid blueline, and I'm going to hate losing a piece of it this off-season (almost certainly Dumba or Brodin).

I have to echo the other Wild fans posting in here saying that it's way too early for this kind of thread. Can't help but feel a knot in my gut, now.

 

[Super Hans]

They're already being talked about, in conjunction with CBJ, in a lot of threads here. I'm personally more intrigued by the gif in the 3rd post and the associated dialogue and would like to talk more about it.

 

[MuckOG]

So the question becomes: How far can a team with elite goaltending, one of the best d groups in the league, and the ability to roll 3 solid lines go?

Let's ask the LA Kings and Boston Bruins.....

 

[markog]

They look really good but...Boudreau. He's been at the helm of two different franchises that served up chokes of epic proportions year after year. I wouldn't bet on them in a series against Chicago.

Washington didn't came any further since he left and were the Ducks for you Cup favourites or did he made them good?

 

[Chrisinroch]

I think scandella has regressed. He's still the only big d man, so he's bits it he makes a lot more errors than he used to.

 

[Quack Shot]

Bruce makes his teams look better than they do. I posted in the Wild forum that they'll win the division when he was named coach and still have no doubt. He is an amazing coach.

 

[Spender]

They better hurry winning a cup, it's all downhill from here.

 

[Nharris31]

They better hurry winning a cup, it's all downhill from here.

I mean it really is terrible having two prospects captaining their world junior teams .

 

[CrypTic]

Let's ask the LA Kings and Boston Bruins.....

I said I thought they'd do well. No disrespect to Koivu (who I think is underrated) or E. Staal but I'd take Kopitar + Carter over them fairly easily. Bergeron has been a possession and defensive beast for years (though Koivu was too before Boudreau but he has not been this season) and Kreji was excellent that year. I think this is the main weakness of the Wild, along with Boudreau often being outcoached in the playoffs. We'll see.

 

[gopherman23]

They better hurry winning a cup, it's all downhill from here.

4 of the 5 top scorers are 24 years old. Besides Suter, the other 5 defensmen range between 22-27 years old. Not to mention the prospect pool isn't barren anymore with Eriksson-Ek, Tuch, Kunin, Kaprizov, Olofsson, and Reilly.