Recalled/Assigned: Mikael Granlund

[Jarick]

If I was Granlund I'd be a bit frustrated. It was quite obvious he was struggling early in the season but he was obviously working hard and his play was coming around. He was getting better and better. Nearly every game the consensus was that it was his 'best game so far'. Then the team gets destroyed by Chicago and he is scratched twice and sent down.

He wasn't getting better and better. He was up and down from the start. His only real improvement from the start of the year was not getting physically blown up so often.

 

[JamesRanger]

He wasn't getting better and better. He was up and down from the start. His only real improvement from the start of the year was not getting physically blown up so often.

Seeing as how getting physically blown up was probably his biggest issue I disagree completely.

 

[Henri M]

Easy question.

Granlund doesn't fit at all on the 4th line. It's so much better for him to play in Houston on the 1st line.

Yeah I agree on that, but it was not what I meant. I was wondering why not just send him down right away. Why have him eating popcorn for a couple of games first...

 

[LighthouseFog]

Bouchard is all but done with the Wild. He'll either get moved by the deadline or walk at the end of the year. But he's produced almost nothing this year so he has no trade value. And the season is too short to try and put him in the lineup to boost his value.

PMB is not in the way of Granlund right now.

The other big problem is Heatley, who hasn't played well at even strength since the beginning of the season. He's a liability 5-on-5, as is Bouchard, as is Granlund. That's a big reason why Granlund couldn't get in the lineup lately.

Offensively, I was interested in seeing Granlund play a bit on the third with Heatley. If Granlund and Heater could work together I think we'd see some fun results around the net. With that said, I can understand why the staff wouldn't want to see that line in our own zone.

Sending Granlund down was the best decision. He now has experienced the league and knows what the differences are between the AHL and NHL. Zucker should be a good example of the transition for him. Jason played a few last year with us, got sent down, and now is back. I think we can all agree it has worked out well there.

 

[Fel 96]

Yeah I agree on that, but it was not what I meant. I was wondering why not just send him down right away. Why have him eating popcorn for a couple of games first...

I'm gonna say maybe because the coaching staff didn't expect the 3rd-4th lines to be that good. Not sure though.

 

[jedisports]

I wish we would have seen FBJ on the Parise/MK line for one game. That is my only regret. I wish he would have been on that line as a winger. I wish we would have seen it and known for sure it wasn't a line worth taking another look at. Now, we'll never know... for a while anyway.

This was the best decision though for right now, no doubt about it. If you would have told me that Coyle and Zucker would have established their spots on the team more quickly than Granlund at the start of the season I would have laughed and denied it so much. Proof that what you expect doesn't always work out. I still think Granlund jumps back in the line up sooner rather than later.

 

[urho]

I wish we would have seen FBJ on the Parise/MK line for one game.

Exactly my thoughts. I can't believe he wasn't tried on wing actually (more than that one game on the 4th line) because that's where he's been most effective even in Europe. It could've been huge for Granlund to get his point production going and of course for the Wild too.

 

[nickschultzfan]

He's got to play. He could be back by the end of the year. He'll be fine.

 

[Blizzard6411]

Yeah I agree on that, but it was not what I meant. I was wondering why not just send him down right away. Why have him eating popcorn for a couple of games first...

Because they had back to back games and a player coming back from injury. He had to be kept in case he was needed on Sunday.

 

[Jbcraig1883]

Good decision. He can learn a lot from more time in the AHL. The only thing he was displaying earlier this year was dominance on the PP. He can use his NHL experience to work on things at the AHL level that will make him a better all-around player.

 

[Jarick]

Good decision. He can learn a lot from more time in the AHL. The only thing he was displaying earlier this year was dominance on the PP. He can use his NHL experience to work on things at the AHL level that will make him a better all-around player.

Listen to this guy. He watches the games in Houston.

 

[Scoutguy77]

The Wild have nothing but the kids best interests at heart. Peoples jobs in the organization depend on his development.

I watched about 15 Houston Aeroes games. Granlund will be a good NHL player someday, but objectiveky he clearly isnt ready--no shame in that.

He scored 4, yes four goals even strength in over 20 games in the AHL, so he was not dominating by any stretch.

As far as playing with Parise, Koivu goes--that time has to be earned like anybody else. Every player would like to play with those two, not sure why people thing he was cheated because he didnt.

Go down , play hard, get gritty and MAYBE get another shot--but like Ive said all along I think Larsson is better suited TODAY for the NHL.

 

[Karl]

This is for the best imo. He needs to learn how to bring his dazzling playmaking skills he has to make them fit in an NHL game. He will get that in Houston. And if something were to happen to one of the Wild players or the team needs another shake up he will be ready to give it another try.

 

[grN1g]

best part about this is granlund is know for how hard he works at such a young age, in like a month he's going to be dominating the AHL which will force us to call him up again. 100% earned next time around, he'll get that ice time for that call up.

 

[saywut]

Could've been done awhile ago, but I guess now is better than keeping him in the pressbox. For as much as Fletcher emphasized how Gillies was handled by the previous regime, can't say I'm impressed with how he's handled Granlund this year. Yes, different players coming from different leagues with/without AHL options, but you don't want to see 18-23 year olds rotting in the pressbox or playing on the 4th line.

 

[Wild48]

Could've been done awhile ago, but I guess now is better than keeping him in the pressbox. For as much as Fletcher emphasized how Gillies was handled by the previous regime, can't say I'm impressed with how he's handled Granlund this year. Yes, different players coming from different leagues with/without AHL options, but you don't want to see 18-23 year olds rotting in the pressbox or playing on the 4th line.

Press box was bad, but I had no problem with his 4th line games. It was such a misleading term when Granlund was on the 4th it's not like he was getting 4 minutes a game on that line... he was getting 11-15

 

[DustyMartellaughs]

Canucks fan here who LOVES Granlund's skill set. The Wild are absolutely doing the right thing. No kid has ever been ruined because he were brought along slowly. Excellence breeds confidence, and he'll eventually excel at the AHL level. There's a lot of time for him to become the NHLer he can be.

 

[WILDTATE10]

The Wild have nothing but the kids best interests at heart. Peoples jobs in the organization depend on his development.

I watched about 15 Houston Aeroes games. Granlund will be a good NHL player someday, but objectiveky he clearly isnt ready--no shame in that.

He scored 4, yes four goals even strength in over 20 games in the AHL, so he was not dominating by any stretch.

As far as playing with Parise, Koivu goes--that time has to be earned like anybody else. Every player would like to play with those two, not sure why people thing he was cheated because he didnt.

Go down , play hard, get gritty and MAYBE get another shot--but like Ive said all along I think Larsson is better suited TODAY for the NHL.

Coyle? I like Coyle, I'm just saying.

 

[jedisports]

Canucks fan here who LOVES Granlund's skill set. The Wild are absolutely doing the right thing. No kid has ever been ruined because he were brought along slowly. Excellence breeds confidence, and he'll eventually excel at the AHL level. There's a lot of time for him to become the NHLer he can be.

^ This. Great thoughts.

 

[jedisports]

Coyle? I like Coyle, I'm just saying.

Exactly. Coyle immediately was able to go on that first line.

 

[Fel 96]

Well........

 

[Northland Wild Man]

I'm going to echo what was already said in this thread. He needs to ripen up before being put into the NHL. His time will come though.

 

[MMANumminen]

Good decision. And Wild keep producing, another beautiful goal tonight, too bad it wasn't enough this time

 

[Hagged]

Coyle? I like Coyle, I'm just saying.

Coyle earned the 1st line spot by his play in Houston.

 

[QnebO]

Good decision. And Wild keep producing, another beautiful goal tonight, too bad it wasn't enough this time

One goal's not gonna b nuf to win dem games constantly, or at least not enough to be happy I think, just to be honest.. Wouldn't talk about producing. Wilds probably had good control in the game, but just lack scoring. Going to watch it later..