Minnesota Wild General Discussion - 2023-24

[MrRuin]

It makes my heart ache a little that Rossi due to his unexciting game does not seem to pass the eye test for the team. All his advanced stats are decidedly positive and mostly above average. I am not sure what people expect more from a first year player. Even his game has been the same it has always been. He never was or will be a flashy player, even in the OHL that’s not how he played.

In a way he is the anti Zuccarello, you always know what he will do and his game is „safe“. Maybe not very exciting but safe. Could be that it works better on a different team than MN? I have no doubt that he is and will be an asset for any NHL team for a long time. He is a very coachable player.

 

[BagHead]

Rossi's situation right now reminds me of Chris Drury's back in 1999. He was a skilled center who was not large, skated ok but wasn't a speedster, was also in his rookie season at 22 years old, and was stuck behind two better centers, Sakic and Forsberg. Now this next part is going to sound like I'm attacking someone, and I am, but not anyone here...

So naturally, the Avs moved on from Chris Drury after one season, and didn't use great center depth to their advantage in making long playoff runs and winning a Cup, right?

 

[57special]

I mean, if someone offers us a major talent for a package involving Rossi, then sure. Otherwise, we have plenty of other holes to plug. Any team that is consistently playing Luchinni, Letierri, Shaw, Beckman and Gaudreau shouldn't be looking to get rid of a young player who is actually doing something.

I've noticed the talk of Khusnutdinov taking over Rossi's spot, if not JEE's, has died down. Who knew that a 20 pt, KHL Center wasn't ready to be a top 6 NHL'er?

 

[f7ben]

I mean, if someone offers us a major talent for a package involving Rossi, then sure. Otherwise, we have plenty of other holes to plug. Any team that is consistently playing Luchinni, Letierri, Shaw, Beckman and Gaudreau shouldn't be looking to get rid of a young player who is actually doing something.

I've noticed the talk of Khusnutdinov taking over Rossi's spot, if not JEE's, has died down. Who knew that a 20 pt, KHL Center wasn't ready to be a top 6 NHL'er?

I think Khus looks fine as a defensively focused 3c with some wheels. Hopefully his game in the ozone progresses a little but if not he’s still useful in a 3c and pk role.

This team could be just fine with Yurov , Rossi , Khus down the middle.

 

[57special]

I think Khus looks fine as a defensively focused 3c with some wheels. Hopefully his game in the ozone progresses a little but if not he’s still useful in a 3c and pk role.

This team could be just fine with Yurov , Rossi , Khus down the middle.

That's a lot of projecting. I don't hate what I have seen from Marat, and am willing to be patient, but so far he has shown next to nothing. Yurov...we'll see. At this point, i'll be thrilled if he is good enough to be in our top 6, likely as a wing.

 

[f7ben]

That's a lot of projecting. I don't hate what I have seen from Marat, and am willing to be patient, but so far he has shown next to nothing. Yurov...we'll see. At this point, i'll be thrilled if he is good enough to be in our top 6, likely as a wing.

I’ve thought Marat has looked fine. He’s an upgrade over Gudreau for sure lol

 

[MrRuin]

Marat needs a lot of work. No doubt he has the tools but at this point in time he is still a project. I think the wild did well bringing him here and throwing him in for a quarter season. Should give him the right idea on what to work on and where he wants to be next season and onward. But right now he has a long way to go to seperate himself from the interchangeable 3rd and 4th liners the wild employ.

 

[AKL]

Any thought of Marat replacing Rossi should be put on one of the farthest back burners, and brakes need to be applied immediately to Yurov coming over next season and being a top six center. At this point, unless you're getting a better center for Rossi, trading him would be opening one hole to fill another. Just zero reason to do so.

What we should be doing is figuring out how we can get more offensive wingers for Rossi. Hartman is good for now. Zuccarello and Johansson are not.

 

[Wonderful Tacos]

It makes my heart ache a little that Rossi due to his unexciting game does not seem to pass the eye test for the team. All his advanced stats are decidedly positive and mostly above average. I am not sure what people expect more from a first year player. Even his game has been the same it has always been. He never was or will be a flashy player, even in the OHL that’s not how he played.

In a way he is the anti Zuccarello, you always know what he will do and his game is „safe“. Maybe not very exciting but safe. Could be that it works better on a different team than MN? I have no doubt that he is and will be an asset for any NHL team for a long time. He is a very coachable player.

Agree with most of this except the part about him not being a flashy player in the OHL. I guess it depends on your definition of flashy but come on, he was dropping many highlight reel assists every night. Since he moved into a faster league with players that keep tight gaps thats mostly disappeared which is why im open to trading him. He flashes it a bit and its totally rational to think it might come with more time and confidence at this level of play. But it also might not or maybe it will come never to a level that would outweigh what you could get by trading him.

 

[MrRuin]

I stick with what I said, he found the seams around the net and from the half wall. But his assists where rarely flashy in a sense of „how did he do that?“. He just saw the game better than his peers and that advantage is a lot smaller now I agree with you there. Most of his plays came from the half wall - that part of his game has not materialised in the NHL yet. The other part where he has been effective in the past is around the net and that part is what he lives on at the moment.

But playing just around and in front of the net relies a lot on puck luck and how well your teammates can find you. Part of why he can be a bit streaky sometimes.

The Wild should try to get his offensive possession game going on the halfwall and reap the benefits. He has a really good eye for the seam passes and the skill to do it. But he has barely shown that side of his game in the NHL.

 

[MNRube]

The notion of trading Rossi for futures when JEE & Kap are in their prime makes me sick.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Rossi is already essentially equal to Eriksson Ek offensively at 5v5. More goals and more primary points per 82 games. Done in a little more TOI per game, but with probably worse linemates over the course of the entire season.

Also, side note, Boldy has pretty much matched Kaprizov at 5v5 as well. Granted we all kind of saw that Kaprizov wasn't himself for much of the early part.

 

[Digitalbooya]

Rossi is already essentially equal to Eriksson Ek offensively at 5v5. More goals and more primary points per 82 games. Done in a little more TOI per game, but with probably worse linemates over the course of the entire season.

Also, side note, Boldy has pretty much matched Kaprizov at 5v5 as well. Granted we all kind of saw that Kaprizov wasn't himself for much of the early part.

Rossi has more 5v5 time with Kaprizov than Eriksson Ek does.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Rossi has more 5v5 time with Kaprizov than Eriksson Ek does.

Not a ton more (~30 minutes) , and Ek has a ton more 5v5 time with Boldy than Rossi does (~420 minutes).

 

[Digitalbooya]

Not a ton more (~30 minutes) , and Ek has a ton more 5v5 time with Boldy than Rossi does (~420 minutes).

True, but I don’t think Boldy-Rossi is a functionally good combination.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

True, but I don’t think Boldy-Rossi is a functionally good combination.

210 minutes together, of which 66 minutes were last season where it was clear that Rossi wasn't an NHL player yet. Not enough data, IMO.

 

[Obvious Fabertism]

Rossi is already essentially equal to Eriksson Ek offensively at 5v5. More goals and more primary points per 82 games. Done in a little more TOI per game, but with probably worse linemates over the course of the entire season.

Also, side note, Boldy has pretty much matched Kaprizov at 5v5 as well. Granted we all kind of saw that Kaprizov wasn't himself for much of the early part.

When Boldy has been on this season, he has been the best player on the ice, Kaprizov included IMO. That stretch after the All Star break was extremely high caliber play driving. Kap is a much more consistent finisher and gets the puck more, but Boldy is right there with him in terms of efficiency. Just need the consistency, because Boldy’s lows this season were right on par with Kaprizov’s and he didn’t have the one leg excuse. When he plays confidently and engaged, it’s incredible to watch, hope he can carry that forward and build on it for next season.

 

[Wonderful Tacos]

The notion of trading Rossi for futures when JEE & Kap are in their prime makes me sick.

I agree if this is a comment in the abstract. Rossi trade only makes sense for another young player and the idea is to get a guy whos skillset better fits what the wild need.

If this is taken to mean you consider the players i listed as "futures" relative to rossi i dont agree at all. Kent johnson is arguable either way. Jiricek is a stud dominating the ahl who should be in the nhl (which is what his beef is). Necas is the most plausible trade target whos skillset would be a better fit for the wild (atleast right now) and theres nothing speculative about his game.

 

[Wonderful Tacos]

Any thought of Marat replacing Rossi should be put on one of the farthest back burners, and brakes need to be applied immediately to Yurov coming over next season and being a top six center. At this point, unless you're getting a better center for Rossi, trading him would be opening one hole to fill another. Just zero reason to do so.

What we should be doing is figuring out how we can get more offensive wingers for Rossi. Hartman is good for now. Zuccarello and Johansson are not.

Who was ever talking about replacing rossi with khusnutdinov? Was that really a thing?

Also if we think Yurov can play C then why is a Rossi trade limited to replacing him with another center? Also we've got a contingent on here saying theyd like to see Rossi moved to the wing to bring out his playmaking anyway.

Incidentally Marty Necas plays a good C but hes a damn fine RW.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Kaprizov - Ek/Yurov - X
Boldy - Ek/Yurov - X
Ohgren - Rossi - Hartman
Foligno - Khusnuts - X

Find proper players to put in the X's and this is (probably) a damn good forward group, depending on Yurov and Ohgren.

 

[MNRube]

True, but I don’t think Boldy-Rossi is a functionally good combination.

People said this about JEE - Kap too. Chemistry can be earned, it’s not always immediate

I agree if this is a comment in the abstract. Rossi trade only makes sense for another young player and the idea is to get a guy whos skillset better fits what the wild need.

If this is taken to mean you consider the players i listed as "futures" relative to rossi i dont agree at all. Kent johnson is arguable either way. Jiricek is a stud dominating the ahl who should be in the nhl (which is what his beef is). Necas is the most plausible trade target whos skillset would be a better fit for the wild (atleast right now) and theres nothing speculative about his game.

More a response to the idiotic trade board proposal for a ‘24 draft pick.

As for your players, they aren’t realistic targets. CBJ needs another small forward like I need a hole in the head. And Necas is too good and too valuable to Carolina. Id rather hang on to Rossi than add to him to get Necas or Jiricek

 

[f7ben]

Kaprizov - Ek/Yurov - X
Boldy - Ek/Yurov - X
Ohgren - Rossi - Hartman
Foligno - Khusnuts - X

Find proper players to put in the X's and this is (probably) a damn good forward group, depending on Yurov and Ohgren.

I think you could easily make it this

Kaprizov - Rossi/Yurov - X
Boldy - Rossi/Yurov - X
Ohgren - Khus - Hartman
Foligno - Shaw - X

Use Eks insane value to fill one of those Xs with a Rantanen level winger. Sign another one when the cap frees up. Then focus on another top 4 dman

 

[Sweetnut]

Kaprizov - Ek/Yurov - X
Boldy - Ek/Yurov - X
Ohgren - Rossi - Hartman
Foligno - Khusnuts - X

Find proper players to put in the X's and this is (probably) a damn good forward group, depending on Yurov and Ohgren.

I think you're forgetting about Freddy's nice 5 year contract.
5 more years of Freddy!

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

I think you could easily make it this

Kaprizov - Rossi/Yurov - X
Boldy - Rossi/Yurov - X
Ohgren - Khus - Hartman
Foligno - Shaw - X

Use Eks insane value to fill one of those Xs with a Rantanen level winger. Sign another one when the cap frees up. Then focus on another top 4 dman

Good luck with that.

I'm not ready to put all of the top 6 center eggs in the Rossi+Yurov basket.

If we'd actually weaponize Ek's contract, he'd have even more value to us.

 

[f7ben]

Good luck with that.

It makes some sense and makes a lot of sense if Yurov ends up a homerun.