Speculation: If you were GM of Minnesota what direction would you take?

[Dog]

There is no way I would blow this team up yet with the level of parity in the league. On paper, Minnesota is still a consistent playoff caliber team, albeit a lower-end one. No GM is going to dismantle a competitive roster after seeing the Islanders, Canes, and Knights win rounds with a weak team on paper.

Excellent defense and goaltending will always keep you in the mix, even with an anemic forward group and a few bloated contracts. There may be an opportunity to get out from under one of those anchor deals (e.g. Parise) with the Seattle expansion. Other than that, they're lacking a legitimate top 6 offensive centre and maybe some flare on the right wing, neither of which are impossible issues to solve.

They can't compete though they were last in division.

 

[AKL]

I don't know who's available beyond obvious boom/bust projects like Puljujarvi, Milano, Andersson, and Ho-Sang. Those guys would be relatively cheap. Presumably there's a next level up of player that you could get for trading good roster players. I'm sure this has been discussed but Tolvanen is the right aged player for the Wild's retool, not Fiala, just because of the higher upside/risk.

No, Fiala was the right target age-wise.

 

[Bazeek]

I don't know who's available beyond obvious boom/bust projects like Puljujarvi, Milano, Andersson, and Ho-Sang. Those guys would be relatively cheap. Presumably there's a next level up of player that you could get for trading good roster players. I'm sure this has been discussed but Tolvanen is the right aged player for the Wild's retool, not Fiala, just because of the higher upside/risk.

I'll bet the Predators would've been happy to give up Tolvanen instead of Fiala in that trade. If Fenton (of all people) preferred Fiala it was probably the right choice.

Not that I have any problem targeting 19-20 year olds, but they tend to be harder to acquire since a.) they still have years on their ELCs and b.) the teams usually don't feel like they've gotten a good look at them yet. The Puljujarvi's and Milano's are the exceptions and carry their own risks for obvious reasons. I do think a guy like Alex Nylander (with the right plus) would be a good target in a Zucker trade though.

So I guess I half agree with you, but I'm not sure that we can be quite that picky.

 

[2Pair]

Fenton seems like he's trying to.

By getting rid of 4 playoff failures?

 

[Byrddog]

Here is what you will see in Fiala a guy that is small gets knocked off the puvck a lot. A guy that can make a spectacular play and score then miss a wide open net the next three shots. He has speed to burn but can not finish a happy meal. You got to see some of him but if hes there a full season and you have high expectations of him your probably going to be disappointed.

 

[AKL]

Here is what you will see in Fiala a guy that is small gets knocked off the puvck a lot. A guy that can make a spectacular play and score then miss a wide open net the next three shots. He has speed to burn but can not finish a happy meal. You got to see some of him but if hes there a full season and you have high expectations of him your probably going to be disappointed.

This just in: 22 year old is inconsistent.

 

[Byrddog]

This just in: 22 year old is inconsistent.

And threw tantrums as a 18 and 19 old who did not make the Preds roster out of camp. He may well turn into a 20 goal guy in a few years but he is not the player Nashville fans pumped him up to be.

 

[Bazeek]

Here is what you will see in Fiala a guy that is small gets knocked off the puvck a lot. A guy that can make a spectacular play and score then miss a wide open net the next three shots. He has speed to burn but can not finish a happy meal. You got to see some of him but if hes there a full season and you have high expectations of him your probably going to be disappointed.

So we got a faster version of 2015 Granlund?

 

[majormajor]

No, Fiala was the right target age-wise.

It's not the age that's an issue, it's that at constant prices a 19 year old will have a higher ceiling (and yes a lower floor) than a 22 year old. The problem with Fiala is that we're pretty sure at this point that he's not going to be a topline stud. He's a valuable player, contenders want middle-six depth guys who can contribute now. But a kid who might become a topline stud in a couple years should be worth more to the Wild.

 

[Byrddog]

So we got a faster version of 2015 Granlund?

IMO Granlund has more upside granted I have not seen him nearly as much but his game is not as spastic as Falia both are smallish for my liking but there are some really good small guys in the league now and have been in the past. Steve Sullivan is my all time favorite player because he was small and for a long time was able to stay away from injury but when he hurt his back he was never them same.

 

[AKL]

It's not the age that's an issue, it's that at constant prices a 19 year old will have a higher ceiling (and yes a lower floor) than a 22 year old.

Nope.

The problem with Fiala is that we're pretty sure at this point that he's not going to be a topline stud.

Nope.

But a kid who might become a topline stud in a couple years should be worth more to the Wild.

Fiala.

 

[super6646]

Blow it up and make Boudreau the tank commander. Make sure he's well fed for the job.

 

[Tikhonov]

Hope for Kaprizov to come to town next year and draft/trade for a solid 1/2 C

 

[Spurgeon]

By getting rid of 4 playoff failures?

By significantly getting worse from the previous year.

It's been discussed enough though. I'll never be convinced that adding Fiala, Donato, and Rask at the expense of Nino, Granlund, and Coyle will ever be a good move.

 

[AKL]

By significantly getting worse from the previous year.

We actually don't know if that's the case. Not really fair to credit Fiala and Donato with our poor year last year when it was the other three that really got the ball rollin' on it. Not to mention injuries to Dumba and Koivu. Maybe we should give the new guys an actual year before we start blaming them.

 

[Spurgeon]

We actually don't know if that's the case. Not really fair to credit Fiala and Donato with our poor year last year when it was the other three that really got the ball rollin' on it. Not to mention injuries to Dumba and Koivu. Maybe we should give the new guys an actual year before we start blaming them.

I'm not blaming them. It just doesn't take much to realize that Donato, Fiala, and Rask < Granlund, Coyle, Nino. Maybe not in 3 years, but absolutely right now.

 

[AdmiralsFan24]

He may well turn into a 20 goal guy in a few years

He's already been a 20 goal guy.

 

[AKL]

I'm not blaming them. It just doesn't take much to realize that Donato, Fiala, and Rask < Granlund, Coyle, Nino. Maybe not in 3 years, but absolutely right now.

Guess we'll find out next year.

 

[Spurgeon]

Guess we'll find out next year.

We're also nettting about $5-6M in cap space, so that money used on a FA might make up the difference. I'm just very low on the outlook of the team at the moment.

 

[CherryToke]

I would start with trading Dumba for Boeser to bring in the hometown sniper.

 

[AKL]

I would start by trading Dumba for Boeser to bring in the hometown sniper.

No thanks.

 

[HolyJumpin]

Liquidating the roster for good assets seems like a good idea. Move Zucker, Staal, Dubnyk, Spurgeon, etc now. They're complementary pieces that teams will pay for. Wild has a problem where they've got great players but they need to get them rotated out for good prospects and picks. Too many complimentary players and no superstars on the Wild so you need to get as many swings at getting a home run as possible.

 

[Digitalbooya]

I would start with trading Dumba for Boeser to bring in the hometown sniper.

What is Vancouver adding?

 

[RandomJetsFan]

Nothing really just draft and development, increase the scouting regions and keep the vets to create some leadership. Going all young right away is sure fire away you keep the wheels spinning in going no where. Slowly get that revolving door churning out talent that becomes familiar with the teams system.

 

[FerrisRox]

reminds me of the leafs with Burke. Not enough talent to compete in the playoffs, too much talent to draft high end talent. It’s a tough spot to be in, I think a rebuild is the right way to go, but it would be difficult to sell the fans and veterans on the decision

You're remembering wrong. The Leafs didn't have too much talent to draft high end talent, they just traded their draft picks away. Tyler Seguin and Dougie Hamilton were drafted with their picks, they just didn't own the picks anymore.