Player Discussion Kevin Fiala

[MNRube]

It's okay to let yourself be excited for a player. I understand tempering expectations, but Fiala was pacing a point-per-game from November 1st on while getting middle-six minutes.

Agreed, and moreover he looked like the most dangerous player on the ice more often than not. Passes the stat test, passes the eye test and he has always had the pedigree of someone who has all the potential in the world. Barring a major injury or some kind of mental setback (see Markelle Fultz in NBA), he should be a PPG winger moving forward. Getting Kaprizov in the lineup is only going to help. Now we just need a great playmaking C.

 

[AKL]

It’s not so much that he was pacing well, it’s how he was getting his points. He was taking over games, making crazy plays that no one else on this roster could dream of, excellent passes, insane shots, skilled plays. He wasn’t just getting lucky for four months, he was creating his own offense. He was just more skilled than the other team. He wasn’t working hard and it was paying off like Parise’s hot streaks. It’s the kind of thing that’s sustainable, especially if he gets other skilled players to play with.

 

[DeagleJenkins]

It’s not so much that he was pacing well, it’s how he was getting his points. He was taking over games, making crazy plays that no one else on this roster could dream of, excellent passes, insane shots, skilled plays. He wasn’t just getting lucky for four months, he was creating his own offense. He was just more skilled than the other team. He wasn’t working hard and it was paying off like Parise’s hot streaks. It’s the kind of thing that’s sustainable, especially if he gets other skilled players to play with.

need to get him a barzal. would be awesome to see those 2 play together.

 

[SomethingGeneric]

Dat Boi Good.

 

[57special]

I don't know if we need a great playmaking C, as both KK, and Fiala are more hybrid players than flat out snipers like OVI and Laine. The main thing is that he is offensively skilled. I mean, a young Eric Staal would be nice.

 

[AKL]

Somewhat ironically, O’Reilly would probably be excellent between them.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Somewhat ironically, O’Reilly would probably be excellent between them.

He would've been excellent between Zucker and Granlund 2 years ago.

 

[MarkusNaslund19]

I'm a Canucks fan (as you can tell from my avatar), but I had a thought and a question about Fiala.

1. I think he is legit. He looks a lot like Havlat at his best to me (mostly pre-Minnesota Havlat). He's a genuine top line winger and is so, so dynamic.

2. I was wondering if the fallouts for Fiala and Granlund has altered any of the discourse around Paul Fenton at all? I know he did a lot of unconscionable shit (like the Rask trade) and I read the excellent article by Russo in the Athletic about what a chucklef*** he was interpersonally and how he seemed to be a terrible leader. But one of the nails in his coffin was how dumb the Fiala for Granlund looked at the time. It looked a lot like a dunderhead trading for 'his guy' at any price. But now, Granlund and Fiala's stocks have plummeted and ascended respectively and it looks like a genius trade. I'm just curious what the narrative is in the Minnesota sports scene?

 

[Wasted Talent]

I'm a Canucks fan (as you can tell from my avatar), but I had a thought and a question about Fiala.

1. I think he is legit. He looks a lot like Havlat at his best to me (mostly pre-Minnesota Havlat). He's a genuine top line winger and is so, so dynamic.

2. I was wondering if the fallouts for Fiala and Granlund has altered any of the discourse around Paul Fenton at all? I know he did a lot of unconscionable shit (like the Rask trade) and I read the excellent article by Russo in the Athletic about what a chucklef*** he was interpersonally and how he seemed to be a terrible leader. But one of the nails in his coffin was how dumb the Fiala for Granlund looked at the time. It looked a lot like a dunderhead trading for 'his guy' at any price. But now, Granlund and Fiala's stocks have plummeted and ascended respectively and it looks like a genius trade. I'm just curious what the narrative is in the Minnesota sports scene?

I'm not sure if it's the consensus opinion, but I believe Fenton has a genuine eye for talent. He's just subpar to terrible at most other facets of being a GM, but could be succesful in a more limited or advisory role, i.e. scouting. It looks like even Poile knew Fenton would be gunning hard for Fiala and as a result, he managed to acquire Granlund for less than market value, kind of highlighting how a) Fenton saw Fiala's talent but also b) did not leverage as much value out of Granlund as he perhaps should have.

A lot of Wild fans seem to still obsess over missed value in the Fiala trade and think we should have had a pick coming our way in addition to Fiala. I hated the trade when it happened, but I'm now willing to admit that Fenton clearly saw something I didn't and deserves credit for that.

 

[57special]

He still has to answer for the Zuccarello signing, the Coyle trade, and Vic Rask. Also Bitetto, and chasing off a damn good advanced stats group. Also seemed to be a poisonous, entitled individual.

 

[Webster]

He still has to answer for the Zuccarello signing, the Coyle trade, and Vic Rask. Also Bitetto, and chasing off a damn good advanced stats group. Also seemed to be a poisonous, entitled individual.

He has nothing to answer for there, and btw...Leipold was very much involved.

 

[P10p]

He still has to answer for the Zuccarello signing, the Coyle trade, and Vic Rask. Also Bitetto, and chasing off a damn good advanced stats group. Also seemed to be a poisonous, entitled individual.

What exactly does he have to answer about the Coyle trade. Donato has scored at a similar rate being younger, cheaper, and we got a 5th outta the deal too....

 

[P10p]

Oh and not to mention Coyle gets roughly 6 mins more ATOI per game and also receives more power play TOI than Donato....

So ridiculous how lazy people can post non factual information as if they know what they are talking about ALL THE TIME. Literally the same people...

Seems like you have some answering to do actually...

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

He still has to answer for the Zuccarello signing, the Coyle trade, and Vic Rask. Also Bitetto, and chasing off a damn good advanced stats group. Also seemed to be a poisonous, entitled individual.

Only if you ascribe to the idea that GMs have to bat 1.000

They don't.

 

[2Pair]

I understand why the guy was fired. But it would have been pretty interesting to see what played out last summer if would have stuck around.

 

[IceColdOx]

Good breakdown of how Fiala has fixed his game this season.

Kevin Fiala: The NHL's Newest Star - Last Word on Hockey

 

[Al Lagoon]

Here's a Fiala fix for you all.

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

Hasn’t been getting talked about a ton lately but just Imagine how good it’s going to be having Rossi passing to this guy for years

 

[HotDish]

Rossi to Fiala, goal! Is going to be a frightening sentence for all the teams in the central for the coming years.

 

[nickschultzfan]

It will be fun to see how Fiala and Rossi fit together.

That said, my gut says that Fiala would be more effective with Ek and possibly Zucc on the other wing. Fiala seems to thrive on carrying puck and shooting. Having two guys that can dig out pucks and get it to him quickly, not in a beautiful play, but just quickly, to keep the defense off guard, and giving Fiala full license to shoot 85% of that line's shots, is intriguing. Almost like Gaborik.

Rossi and Kap should play off each other well. Two slippery, strong guys that make tight plays in traffic. Both can shoot or pass. Out far or in close. Maybe put Johansson on LW to add more speed, defense, and playmaking to the line.

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

Kinda interesting reading Fiala’s pre-draft thread: LW Kevin Fiala (2014, 11th, NSH)

He was listed as the exact same height as Rossi in his draft year (177cm). Similarly, he didn’t go as high as he should’ve for those reasons despite a historic draft season pace. He had the best ppg in the SHL as a draft eligible since Peter Forsberg.

 

[57special]

@KaprizovSaveUs you're an animal!

 

[apollo18]

havent watched the past few games on fiala, what do you guys think? how has he played?

 

[AKL]

havent watched the past few games on fiala, what do you guys think? how has he played?

He's been great overall, seems to be pressing a bit more as the games go on. I think he's feeling the pressure of not having any points, but he does have 18 shots through three games.

 

[HotDish]

havent watched the past few games on fiala, what do you guys think? how has he played?

Good just not a lot of puckluck. He has probably hit the most posts on the team so far.