Player Discussion Justin "Fonzie" Fontaine

[MuckOG]

I'm surprised there's not already a player discussion thread devoted to him. What more can you say about this guy other than he does everything. You can plug him on any line and any situation and he fits. What other player on this team has as much versatility as Fontaine? He's not elite at any one thing, but he is very competent at just about everything. These are the type of players that are needed on championship teams.

Fletcher and Staff deserve serious kudo's on signing this undrafted diamond in the rough.

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[Engebretson]

I'm very happy with Fontaine's play so far. He's a very good bottom six guy who can step into a top six role and not look completely lost, although he certainly belongs in the bottom six. Like you said, he does a little bit of everything, though not at an elite level and provides the occasional secondary scoring.

 

[TheeNorthStar]

LOVE LOVE LOVE Fonzie!

Props on GMCF/Scouting on Haula as well!

7th Rounder!

 

[Kari Takko]

LOVE LOVE LOVE Fonzie!

Props on GMCF/Scouting on Haula as well!

7th Rounder!

Kuemper Round 6.

 

[Randy BoBandy]

Wild Goal Scoring Leaders:

1. Jason Pominville - 20 (18:40 ATOI)
2. Zach Parise - 15 (20:30 ATOI
3. Justin Fontaine - 12 (12:09 ATOI)

Good for Justin but man prettty pathetic that a guy who never plays higher than the 3rd line with just about zero PP time is third in goals. I would like to see him playing in the top six. Maybe that other winger next to Parise and Koivu. He knows how to create chances not just cycle constantly. He also knows how to get open and find space to get shots off. Something Coyle doesn't seem to understand. Fonzie doesn't have the draft pedigree that everyone around here wants to see in our top six but at this point Coyle really hasn't done **** to warrant all the playing time he gets.

P.S. I understand Koivu is out, I'm talking about when he gets back and Yeo does his usual **** with the lines.

 

[ThatGuy22]

Wild Goal Scoring Leaders:

1. Jason Pominville - 20 (18:40 ATOI)
2. Zach Parise - 15 (20:30 ATOI
3. Justin Fontaine - 12 (12:09 ATOI)

Good for Justin but man prettty pathetic that a guy who never plays higher than the 3rd line with just about zero PP time is third in goals. I would like to see him playing in the top six. Maybe that other winger next to Parise and Koivu. He knows how to create chances not just cycle constantly. He also knows how to get open and find space to get shots off. Something Coyle doesn't seem to understand. Fonzie doesn't have the draft pedigree that everyone around here wants to see in our top six but at this point Coyle really hasn't done **** to warrant all the playing time he gets.

P.S. I understand Koivu is out, I'm talking about when he gets back and Yeo does his usual **** with the lines.

He's certainly having a good season, but i highly doubt he's going to be a career 20% shooter. His goal total is likely a bit inflated by some puck luck(Clutterbucks 19 goal season).

Wild would be smart to look into trading him this offseason off of a good season. He's already 26, a UFA after next season and not likely to improve much more.

 

[Randy BoBandy]

Try watching a game or two. Fontaine is the reason the 3rd line scores any goals. It has absolutely nothing to do with Cooke or Brodziak, who IMO are complete horse ****. Yea it will come down from 19.7 % , but given his two years in the AHL where in his rookie season his shooting % was 12.2 and the following year it was 15.6. You can see that he knows how to shoot to score.

Why would we trade him. He is perfect for the third line. Teams need scoring depth obviously. I think he should be given more of an offensive role, but I doubt many agree with me. How could we go wrong. Its not like Nino, Coyle or Heater are tearing it up. They have their games, but so does Fonzie and its coming from a third line shutdown roll usually against pretty good competition as Yeo always throws Brodziak and the boys out against top line like last night against Chicago.

 

[nickschultzfan]

Fontaine seems to be a classic tweener to me. Keep him on the 3rd line with two defensive players.

 

[W75]

Fontarelli is a fine 3rd liner compared to Clutter for example. C-buck was a great hard hitting guy.. but that was it. Now they have some serious secondary scoring there.

 

[MuckOG]

I'd say that Fontaine is a much more versatile player than Clutterbuck ever was. He's a plug and play type of player.

 

[Al Lagoon]

Try watching a game or two. Fontaine is the reason the 3rd line scores any goals. It has absolutely nothing to do with Cooke or Brodziak, who IMO are complete horse ****. Yea it will come down from 19.7 % , but given his two years in the AHL where in his rookie season his shooting % was 12.2 and the following year it was 15.6. You can see that he knows how to shoot to score.

You greatly underestimate matt Cooke there.

I agree on KB, but Cooke is a pretty good hockey player.

 

[Montana41]

I'd really like to see him and Zucker incorporated more as penalty killers.

 

[ThatGuy22]

Try watching a game or two. Fontaine is the reason the 3rd line scores any goals. It has absolutely nothing to do with Cooke or Brodziak, who IMO are complete horse ****. Yea it will come down from 19.7 % , but given his two years in the AHL where in his rookie season his shooting % was 12.2 and the following year it was 15.6. You can see that he knows how to shoot to score.

Why would we trade him. He is perfect for the third line. Teams need scoring depth obviously. I think he should be given more of an offensive role, but I doubt many agree with me. How could we go wrong. Its not like Nino, Coyle or Heater are tearing it up. They have their games, but so does Fonzie and its coming from a third line shutdown roll usually against pretty good competition as Yeo always throws Brodziak and the boys out against top line like last night against Chicago.

Calm down a bit, I never said he's not a useful player or a good third liner. I've missed a grand total of 3 games in the last two seasons. I watch ton of games. Studies have been done that shown the average translation rate from AHL to NHL shooting percentage is about 80%, so we can suspect Fontaine would shoot around 10% in the NHL, which is perfectly acceptable.

That said, I don't believe he is in the Wild's long term plans. With the money locked up in our top 6 and we will be locking up in Granlund, Nino, Coyle, etc, the bottom 6 is likely going to be consistently filled with RFAs(like Fontaine is now, Clutterbuck was before).

As they are about to hit UFA, you replace them with some one in the system. Fontaine's value is likely highest this offseason, He is a UFA next offseason and between Haula, Zucker, Coyle, Bulmer, Brussiers, Graovac, hell maybe even Lucia there is someone that will be able to replace him.

If he's not in your long term plans(and I don't think he is in the Wilds) its almost irresponsible to not explore the trade market.

 

[Minnesota]

Re-sign the man.

 

[651*]

UMD grad. He's certainly been a pleasant surprise this season.

 

[Marlowe Syn]

If he's not in your long term plans(and I don't think he is in the Wilds) its almost irresponsible to not explore the trade market.

Fontaine keeps playing the way he has, Fletcher may have to re-visit who is a part of his longterm plans. Pretty much all season we have been complaining how our 3rd line is an offensive black hole. We now have a line that can shut down opposing scoring line and pop in a little offense now as well. I think to trade that away would be the irresponsible move. Even now Fontaine won't garner much of a return, at least not enough to offset the versatility he gives us. What would he realistically return, a 3rd that may help Iowa in a couple of years?
Fletcher has for the most part done a good job building a franchise to be successful. I'm done with the building for the future, the future is now. Unless Fonz is part of a package to land a better player, I want to continue to see #14 in a Wild sweater. It ain't broke, so I'm not calling maintenance.

 

[JudgeJimmie]

Anyone worried about losing Fontaine and him getting disenfranchised? Honestly, the kid has been great for us in any situation he has found himself in, and then McCormick comes in and is taking playing time away from the 3rd or 4th leading goal scorer on the team?? I know he's shooting % is way up, but he's no defensive slouch, and imo has a nose for the net.

He's RFA, but I could see Fonzie not being happy here for very much longer, especially when he's 4th in goal scoring on the team, but is consistently in the conversation to be a healthy scratch.

 

[TaLoN]

He's an RFA...that means he's not going anywhere.

 

[JudgeJimmie]

He's an RFA...that means he's not going anywhere.

Not being able to go anywhere, and not happy on the team are two different things..

I just think he has earned more playing time than he is getting, and could easily be above McCormick or Heater on the roster, and an argument for being above Cooke and Brodziak(Obviously different because he's a center) as well.

 

[Puhis]

Anyone worried about losing Fontaine and him getting disenfranchised? Honestly, the kid has been great for us in any situation he has found himself in, and then McCormick comes in and is taking playing time away from the 3rd or 4th leading goal scorer on the team?? I know he's shooting % is way up, but he's no defensive slouch, and imo has a nose for the net.

He's RFA, but I could see Fonzie not being happy here for very much longer, especially when he's 4th in goal scoring on the team, but is consistently in the conversation to be a healthy scratch.

It's not Kenny, it's Moulson who pushed him off the line-up. No point putting Fontaine in the 4th line with Heatley and Haula when they need a physical presence there. Nino is in the 3rd RW, Coyle 2nd and Pominville 1st. Where would you put him?

Don't get me wrong, I've loved Fontaine's play this season as well. It's just that we have immense depth at both wings right now, and while that certainly is not a bad thing, it's also not beneficial to Fonzie.

Either way, I wouldn't be too worried. He gets to rest a couple of games, it's his first season in NHL so he probably needs that. And he is also the first one back in the line-up if any of our wingers get injured.

 

[TaLoN]

I'm sure Fontaine understands that he's a rookie, this happens to rookies, especially long shot rookies like he is.

 

[JudgeJimmie]

It's not Kenny, it's Moulson who pushed him off the line-up. No point putting Fontaine in the 4th line with Heatley and Haula when they need a physical presence there. Nino is in the 3rd RW, Coyle 2nd and Pominville 1st. Where would you put him?

Don't get me wrong, I've loved Fontaine's play this season as well. It's just that we have immense depth at both wings right now, and while that certainly is not a bad thing, it's also not beneficial to Fonzie.

Either way, I wouldn't be too worried. He gets to rest a couple of games, it's his first season in NHL so he probably needs that. And he is also the first one back in the line-up if any of our wingers get injured.

Not trying to play devils advocate too hard or anything, and I can definitely see that reasoning, and you definitely bring up a good point about it being his first season. I know Fonzie is a character guy so he probably isn't looking at it too negatively.

I would definitely put him above McCormick though, especially in games like tonight vs Edmonton, and imo even vs St. Louis. I didn't see much of McCormick in that game. With Haula shining on that fourth line I think he would be perfect gelling with Haula and his speed. Adds even more skill and, more importantly, speed onto Haula's line.

 

[TaLoN]

Mccormick is going to play because he needs to get the Wild's system down as he will be needed with his physical play come playoff time.

Can't afford the 4th line to be undersized as it would be with both Haula AND Fontaine.

 

[elnewby]

Actually don't mind Mccormick, I thought he would be a press box guy but I haven't found anything I don't like. Sure he doesn't create any sort of offense, but he's been good on the PK and his physicality will be needed.

Edit: Still want to see more Fontaine though, wouldn't mind dropping Heater either.

 

[ThatGuy22]

He's a 3rd/4th line guy, thats gone as soon as he hits UFA in a year. He's a guy thats average at everything, great or horrible at nothing. As such he's going to spend his career with a healthy dose of scratches. Such is life for those type of players.