Kevin Fiala - Fluke or star in the making?

[Dr Jan Itor]

It's funny because my impression is that you couldn't really ask for a much better 3rd line Center than Eriksson-Ek, but he just doesn't have the skillset to move up so it's like:
1st line center: terrible
2nd line center: bad
3rd line center: great
4th line center: meh.

A lot of us are the point where we want to hand the 1C spot to Eriksson Ek, at the very least to just find out. But yeah, we're still not anywhere close to a contender with him there. Possible 2C ability, but our management apparently has no interest in finding out.

 

[AKL]

Man this is why it's stupid to make a thread like this at this point. Cause now we have stupid remarks like this one.

I think he got overrated by Wild fans, but I think he’ll be a 40-50 pt pace guy.

From people who haven't even bothered to watch a game yet and have no clue what's going on.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

That really is a terrible list . . I’m amazed dumba ( or another top 4 D ) hasn’t been moved for an upper end C already

If we could've, I think we would've already.

My guess is that when Zuccarello is healthy, Johansson will be moved to the middle, so at least there'll be a little more talent there. Though even then it'd be a guy playing out of position.

 

[holy]

His brother Kevin Bieksa is way sexier imo.

 

[MarkusNaslund19]

Man this is why it's stupid to make a thread like this at this point. Cause now we have stupid remarks like this one.



From people who haven't even bothered to watch a game yet and have no clue what's going on.

I think most of us are ignoring that cold take.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Not as good as last season, not as poor as this season. Words to live by for many players.

 

[Prior]

As other Wild fans have mentioned, generating chances, shooting often. Hasn’t really been able to get in great scoring areas yet. Both LA and Anaheim have bigger groups that clog the middle well that he struggles with. He’s more dangerous in transition which he didn’t get a ton of opportunity in the first 4 games.

Some bad habits are creeping into his game while he expels a lot of energy to hound pucks because the rest of his line is so inept though. Has been a little to content to sit in soft areas waiting for opportunity and not driving scoring areas.

He’ll be fine. The Wild need to put him with Kaprizov and let them work.

 

[Our Lady Peace]

Highly highly doubt Fiala is a fluke. He's so dangerous, shifty, tenacious, and explosive and also young. He creates a ton of offense with barely anybody noteworthy around him. A 60-75 point player yearly, I would reasonably say.

 

[Paralyzer008]

Not worried at all. He's a star who has to create a lot on his own in Minnesota because nobody really to pass to him from the C slot.

His point totals will be a bit worse than they should be until (hopefully) Rossi is ready.

 

[Kuznetsnow]

It's pretty funny how in the end Guerin is garbage and Fenton actually knew what he was doing.

Fiala for Granlund - universally derided but ultimately completely destroyed Poile, virtually Forsberg for Erat reversed, best trade in Wild history

Niederriter for Rask - both ultimately useless players but Rask is cheaper

Coyle for Donato - ultimately 3C for young player Guerin gave up on early

Meanwhile Guerin managed to trade Staal and Kunin for Johansson and Bonino in a move that simultaneously makes them worse as a win now team and worse as a building for the future team. It's like a dissertation in anti-GMing

 

[Northerner]

The more I think about it the more I wish Donato was still here to Center Fiala. For some reason Guerin felt he needed to ship his fellow Mass native for...I can even remember, a 3rd rounder I guess. Stupid if you ask me Donato is going to be good.

 

[GoldOnGold]

Why did the Wild get rid of Staal and get left with a skeletal center corps? Just seems like a move with no upside...

 

[6ix]

It's pretty funny how in the end Guerin is garbage and Fenton actually knew what he was doing.

Fiala for Granlund - universally derided but ultimately completely destroyed Poile, virtually Forsberg for Erat reversed, best trade in Wild history

Niederriter for Rask - both ultimately useless players but Rask is cheaper

Coyle for Donato - ultimately 3C for young player Guerin gave up on early

Meanwhile Guerin managed to trade Staal and Kunin for Johansson and Bonino in a move that simultaneously makes them worse as a win now team and worse as a building for the future team. It's like a dissertation in anti-GMing

For some reason I thought Guerin was doing a good job in Minnesota, but I forgot it was Fenton that traded for Fiala. You’re right though, those are terrible trades by Guerin.

 

[Sky04]

Not a Wild fan. . Fiala was outstanding in the 2nd half of last year, I believe above ppg, while scoring multiple highlight reel goals . . Top 5 in scoring in the 2nd half if I remember correctly

I’m curious about the drop off too, tho as pointed out, it’s been a weird restart thus far

Not really? There's always random people off to hot starts every season. The usual suspects are still at the top of the league..

 

[Aurinko]

His brother Kevin Bieksa is way sexier imo.

Thats not how it works frend

 

[golffuul]

I've always thought Fiala was a 20g 50pt forward with the odd 60-70 point season. He seems to be around that pace, at this point, already. His time in Nashville was always kind of limited because he was always playing behind 4-5 other forwards, but always seemed to get maximum value from the role he played. Will be interesting to see how he does with the Wild as they transition towards their younger players, this year.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Snake bitten. Looks good, putting lots of picks on net. They'll start going in.

Yeah in the first games vs. the Kings at least was gonna say he was everywhere, and IIRC was both games' leader in CF% and xGF%. Even if you don't buy that stuff, it matched the eye test for sure.

 

[ref19]

Not as good as last season, not as poor as this season. Words to live by for many players.

He's been phenomenal this year. Just hitting iron and not finding the score sheet yet.

 

[thedustman]

Kevin Fiala went on an absolute tear in the second half of last season. I don’t know the exact stat but I think he was top 5 in point production during that time span.

He looked like an absolute star in the making, and poised to be “the guy” in Minnesota. He is currently pointless through 4 games and a -2. I haven’t been able to catch a wild game this year, is it a case of being snake bitten or was last season just a fluke?

With the arrival of Kaprizov he’s taken the spotlight this year. If Fiala can get going that would make a really good 1-2 punch.

EDIT - when I say fluke I don’t mean that he can’t be a good top 6 player, more of was it a fluke that he went on such a tear of being ppg+, and probably won’t get back to that going forward.

Pretty respectful post tbh. He is really good is my answer

 

[mattihp]

If we could've, I think we would've already.

My guess is that when Zuccarello is healthy, Johansson will be moved to the middle, so at least there'll be a little more talent there. Though even then it'd be a guy playing out of position.

Johansson in the middle isn't an upgrade over any one really.

Zuccarello played center a bit in the SHL. Too small to play there in the NHL?

 

[SniperOnTheWing]

He has 19 shots on goal in four games and another five or six hit posts. He's going to explode one of these days.

 

[mattihp]

He has 19 shots on goal in four games and another five or six hit posts. He's going to explode one of these days.

I sure hope so. I have him on my fantasy team

 

[OKR]

His brother Kevin Bieksa is way sexier imo.

It’s the eyes tbh

 

[HotDish]

He is just having bad puck luck. Also it doesn't help our top line center is Victor Rask. I think he is gripping his stick too hard since he is by far the best player on his line. Would love to see him paired up with Kaprizov a game or 2.

 

[mattihp]

He is just having bad puck luck. Also it doesn't help our top line center is Victor Rask. I think he is gripping his stick too hard since he is by far the best player on his line. Would love to see him paired up with Kaprizov a game or 2.

I don't think there is enough puck to have them on the same line and not enough talented guys to run two lines if you have them together.