Player Discussion Kevin Fiala

[16thOverallSaveUs]

If he doesn’t develop into a 35 and 35 guy then I’ll probably be annoyed. Almost probably have lower expectations for him but the skill is there to do it. He just needs to learn how to play hockey.

 

[BlackBusa24]

If he doesn’t develop into a 35 and 35 guy then I’ll probably be annoyed. Almost probably have lower expectations for him but the skill is there to do it. He just needs to learn how to play hockey.

That's a lot to ask being that high of production when they don't know how to play hockey.

Usually you learn that in the minors at the latest and are several years younger. You have to walk before you can run

 

[DANOZ28]

next year i hope he scores 20G 20A , just because he'll probably get top 6 minutes. the following year i'll expect 25G 25a. that's what he should score to be close to equal trade value for losing granlund. i still feel we lost value on all 3 trades.

 

[AJ Thelen]

Im expecting at least 25 goals from him. And that is an absolute minimum.

 

[Goose312]

Im expecting at least 25 goals from him. And that is an absolute minimum.

I'm hoping for at least 25+ goals. I expect about 15. He'll be in a bigger role here and his sloppy play will be exploited by tougher competition.

 

[Wabit]

It's still really early in the offseason for me to feel confidant with projections. There is still trades (Zucker) and FA to go through to get a good feel for the roster.

With the current roster that is healthy for a full season: 15 even strength goals with 3rd line minutes and JEE/Rask as his center. He's behind Greenway, Parise, and Zucker for LHS wings. I have Donato over him right now too.

 

[Bazeek]

It's still really early in the offseason for me to feel confidant with projections. There is still trades (Zucker) and FA to go through to get a good feel for the roster.

With the current roster that is healthy for a full season: 15 even strength goals with 3rd line minutes and JEE/Rask as his center. He's behind Greenway, Parise, and Zucker for LHS wings. I have Donato over him right now too.

If Zucker's blocking Fiala from the top-6 I think that just helps cement his fate this offseason, for better or worse.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Zucker played the last month on the right side.

 

[chchelseII]

Fiala reminds me of Niko Ehlers and Charlie Coyle. Look great, but the results don't follow.

 

[Wabit]

If Zucker's blocking Fiala from the top-6 I think that just helps cement his fate this offseason, for better or worse.

Even with Zucker gone there is still Donato, Greenway, Kunin, and Parise that he is competing with for the top-6. All 4 of them are better at keeping the puck. Donato is fine playing his offhand, and Kunin is a RHS.

I really don't like the idea of Fiala (or Donato) playing on Koivu's shutdown line duties; Greenway, Kunin, and Parise is a better choice for that (imo).

I don't mind him on the 3rd line to start the season. 5v5 time is pretty even between the top-9 until late in the game and special teams time will be given accordingly. It also helps make the 3rd line a viable scoring line that should face lesser competition; which is where Fiala should excel. BB also isn't afraid to move players up and down the lineup.

I have to hope that one of JEE, Greenway (longshot imo), Kunin, Rask, or a FA give the team a quality 3C. The wings are interchangeable if there is 3 centers for them to play with.

 

[Bazeek]

Zucker played the last month on the right side.

Yeah, in my head the lines are something like...

Fiala - Staal - Zucker
Parise - Koivu - Donato
Greenway - Rask - Kunin
Foligno - Sturm - Eriksson-Ek

Shuffle those guys around as you like, but we've got 4-5 centers and 11-12 wingers. And now that I actually look at it, maybe I was making too much of the idea of "top-6 minutes" in my earlier post, because I'm not sure that there's a ton of difference between 2nd and 3rd line 5v5 minutes anymore. That probably goes double for our roster, which doesn't have a clear 1st line going into next year. So I guess it mostly comes down to powerplay time, which Zucker isn't exactly stiff competition for.

 

[Bazeek]

Even with Zucker gone there is still Donato, Greenway, Kunin, and Parise that he is competing with for the top-6. All 4 of them are better at keeping the puck. Donato is fine playing his offhand, and Kunin is a RHS.

I really don't like the idea of Fiala (or Donato) playing on Koivu's shutdown line duties; Greenway, Kunin, and Parise is a better choice for that (imo).

I don't mind him on the 3rd line to start the season. 5v5 time is pretty even between the top-9 until late in the game and special teams time will be given accordingly. It also helps make the 3rd line a viable scoring line that should face lesser competition; which is where Fiala should excel. BB also isn't afraid to move players up and down the lineup.

I have to hope that one of JEE, Greenway (longshot imo), Kunin, Rask, or a FA give the team a quality 3C. The wings are interchangeable if there is 3 centers for them to play with.

Yeah, see my last reply but I think I more or less agree.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Yeah, in my head the lines are something like...

Fiala - Staal - Zucker
Parise - Koivu - Donato
Greenway - Rask - Kunin
Foligno - Sturm - Eriksson-Ek

Shuffle those guys around as you like, but we've got 4-5 centers and 7-8 wingers. And now that I actually look at it, maybe I was making too much of the idea of "top-6 minutes" in my earlier post, because I'm not sure that there's a ton of difference between 2nd and 3rd line 5v5 minutes anymore. That probably goes double for our roster, which doesn't have a clear 1st line going into next year. So I guess it mostly comes down to powerplay time, which Zucker isn't exactly stiff competition for.

Maybe the NHLers in the AHL play well enough that we give them a start together next year.

Parise - Staal - Fiala
Eriksson Ek - Koivu - Zucker (matchup line)
Greenway - Kunin - Donato

 

[AKL]

Maybe the NHLers in the AHL play well enough that we give them a start together next year.

Parise - Staal - Fiala
Eriksson Ek - Koivu - Zucker (matchup line)
Greenway - Kunin - Donato

It seems like the idea is that Greenway-Kunin-Donato is going to be a full time line. I think Fenton and probably Boudreau like them together. They got a lot of time together down the stretch too it seems.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

It seems like the idea is that Greenway-Kunin-Donato is going to be a full time line. I think Fenton and probably Boudreau like them together. They got a lot of time together down the stretch too it seems.

A lot probably depends on Koivu's status, I'm guessing, which I'm not overly confident in when talking about guys in their mid-to-late 30's and torn knee ligaments.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Conservative expectations are one thing, but we need Fiala to be a really good player if we're going to have a chance to do anything next year. 20+20 isn't going to cut it. 60 points is my baseline, whatever the split is (20+40, 30+30, etc...).

 

[Rask Decisions]

16 goals, 45 points, -15. If he beats all 3 of those numbers, it'll be a successful year.

 

[57special]

Man, I guess I have low expectations. I'd be happy if Fiala got 50 points, but anything over 40 is ok. So much depends on how much PP TOI a player gets. 40 points with minimal PP is good. 40 points with top line PP is not good.

We still have the same old problem. Plenty of MOR forwards, no elite ones. Staal was near elite for a brief while there, and Parise had a good run for a while this past year when he was heathy. It was obvious how much better he was than any other forward on the team, and this is a 34yo scoring grinder type.

If we get an elite forward or two, and KK can bring his KHL game to the NHL then the Wild are a team to be reckoned with. Must get a C!

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Man, I guess I have low expectations. I'd be happy if Fiala got 50 points, but anything over 40 is ok. So much depends on how much PP TOI a player gets. 40 points with minimal PP is good. 40 points with top line PP is not good.

We still have the same old problem. Plenty of MOR forwards, no elite ones. Staal was near elite for a brief while there, and Parise had a good run for a while this past year when he was heathy. It was obvious how much better he was than any other forward on the team, and this is a 34yo scoring grinder type.

If we get an elite forward or two, and KK can bring his KHL game to the NHL then the Wild are a team to be reckoned with. Must get a C!

He's going to get more than minimal PP time.

 

[DeagleJenkins]

i think its reasonable to expect 60 out of the kid. he will get top unit PP time and top 6 ice time. if thats 5 goals and 55 assists so be it.

 

[Wabit]

He's going to get more than minimal PP time.

Why? He's done nothing to earn it (besides being GMPF's pet project).

10 spots:
- Dumba, Koivu, Parise, Spurgeon, Staal, and Suter eat up 6 of them.
- Kunin as a RHS will likely get a spot, so that's 7.
- 3 spots for Donato, Fiala, Greenway, Rask, Hunt (4th d-man), Zucker (if still here), possible FA.

 

[DeagleJenkins]

Why? He's done nothing to earn it (besides being GMPF's pet project).

10 spots:
- Dumba, Koivu, Parise, Spurgeon, Staal, and Suter eat up 6 of them.
- Kunin as a RHS will likely get a spot, so that's 7.
- 3 spots for Donato, Fiala, Greenway, Rask, Hunt (4th d-man), Zucker (if still here), possible FA.

can we take suter off the PP yet? thatll make room for him.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Why? He's done nothing to earn it (besides being GMPF's pet project).

10 spots:
- Dumba, Koivu, Parise, Spurgeon, Staal, and Suter eat up 6 of them.
- Kunin as a RHS will likely get a spot, so that's 7.
- 3 spots for Donato, Fiala, Greenway, Rask, Hunt (4th d-man), Zucker (if still here), possible FA.

We already have Dumba and Spurgeon as "locks" so I don't know why Kunin's right-handedness puts him ahead of the rest.

I'd only have Donato even or ahead of Fiala, the others behind.

 

[AKL]

Why? He's done nothing to earn it (besides being GMPF's pet project).

10 spots:
- Dumba, Koivu, Parise, Spurgeon, Staal, and Suter eat up 6 of them.
- Kunin as a RHS will likely get a spot, so that's 7.
- 3 spots for Donato, Fiala, Greenway, Rask, Hunt (4th d-man), Zucker (if still here), possible FA.

You guys keep making the mistake of thinking anyone else besides us cares as much about handedness. Dumba and Spurgeon will get spots because they are our two best offensive defensemen. Kunin will certainly not be handed a spot just because of how he holds his stick.

And you’re insane if you don’t think Fiala is at least penciled into a powerplay spot over Greenway, Rask, Zucker, Donato and Kunin. He’s led our team in PP TOI/g since joining, tied with Suter.

 

[Bazeek]

Why? He's done nothing to earn it (besides being GMPF's pet project).

10 spots:
- Dumba, Koivu, Parise, Spurgeon, Staal, and Suter eat up 6 of them.
- Kunin as a RHS will likely get a spot, so that's 7.
- 3 spots for Donato, Fiala, Greenway, Rask, Hunt (4th d-man), Zucker (if still here), possible FA.

Rask's a non-factor and while Hunt's been good on the powerplay I don't think he's so good that he should be a major consideration here. If Zucker's here I'd have no problem taking him off the powerplay as well, since he tends to be underwhelming there (better this season, though).

If Zucker's gone and we bring in another winger (which I assume we would) things get a little tighter, but I still think Fiala's probably the most creative guy we've got right now. That's an ingredient that's been sorely lacking.