Minnesota Wild General Discussion IV

[2Pair]

Depends on the match-up.

Wild have been running their 2nd line as their shut-down line for the last 2 seasons. So it's not like we'd be breaking up some awesome checking 3rd line that the Wild have.

Koivu will always be the guy that Boudreau tries to get out against the other teams top line. It doesn't matter what number you want to put on his line, he's going to be that guy until somebody better comes along. Because of this, his line is pretty much always going to be one of the top 2 lines, minutes wise in any given game. Foligno is a 8 minutes a night guy at best, and Anas is an AHLer. You really want to play theose 2 for 20 minutes a night? Just so you can call Koivu a 3rd liner?

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Koivu will always be the guy that Boudreau tries to get out against the other teams top line. It doesn't matter what number you want to put on his line, he's going to be that guy until somebody better comes along. Because of this, his line is pretty much always going to be one of the top 2 lines, minutes wise in any given game. Foligno is a 8 minutes a night guy at best, and Anas is an AHLer. You really want to play theose 2 for 20 minutes a night? Just so you can call Koivu a 3rd liner?

Maybe.

 

[nickschultzfan]

Koivu will always be the guy that Boudreau tries to get out against the other teams top line. It doesn't matter what number you want to put on his line, he's going to be that guy until somebody better comes along. Because of this, his line is pretty much always going to be one of the top 2 lines, minutes wise in any given game. Foligno is a 8 minutes a night guy at best, and Anas is an AHLer. You really want to play theose 2 for 20 minutes a night? Just so you can call Koivu a 3rd liner?

You care about titles. I don't. Hockey is held back by 1960 terminology of "liners". If Koivu is going to be the shutdown center, then I want him to do just that and do that well. Since I want Coyle to play center, I'm putting him in spot where he's going to be the most successful.

 

[2Pair]

Maybe.

No, I'm pretty sure that's exactly what he is right now. He "maybe" more than that, but even if does prove to be an NHL'er, I don't see him making it as a 2-way shutdown winger.

 

[2Pair]

You care about titles. I don't. Hockey is held back by 1960 terminology of "liners". If Koivu is going to be the shutdown center, then I want him to do just that and do that well. Since I want Coyle to play center, I'm putting him in spot where he's going to be the most successful.

In your lineup, Koivu is going to play close to 20 minutes a night. Coyle wil play around 15. Which line would you put your better wingers on?

 

[Wabit]

You care about titles. I don't. Hockey is held back by 1960 terminology of "liners". If Koivu is going to be the shutdown center, then I want him to do just that and do that well. Since I want Coyle to play center, I'm putting him in spot where he's going to be the most successful.

I want Foligno to succeed too, and the best spot for him to be the most successful would be on a line with Staal and Granny. But I want the Wild as a whole to be successful more than a single player. So lets keep Foligno in the bottom-6.

The best shutdown FWD lines need to have have scoring ability and o-zone skills (Bergeron line for Bos, Koivu line from 2 years ago). Most other teams top scoring lines are skilled offense players but aren't great defense players so they can be taken advantage of.

 

[nickschultzfan]

In your lineup, Koivu is going to play close to 20 minutes a night. Coyle wil play around 15. Which line would you put your better wingers on?

Koivu averaged 16:00 of 5v5 time last year. In my proposal, he would probably get 15:00. What's the problem?

 

[nickschultzfan]

I want Foligno to succeed too, and the best spot for him to be the most successful would be on a line with Staal and Granny. But I want the Wild as a whole to be successful more than a single player. So lets keep Foligno in the bottom-6.

The best shutdown FWD lines need to have have scoring ability and o-zone skills (Bergeron line for Bos, Koivu line from 2 years ago). Most other teams top scoring lines are skilled offense players but aren't great defense players so they can be taken advantage of.

Which is why I want JEE, Greenway, and Kunin developing in Iowa if this team is going into next season with the same roster. It would be really, really nice if JEE could play offense and defense, instead of just defense as a 3rd line center.

 

[BigT2002]

Which is why I want JEE, Greenway, and Kunin developing in Iowa if this team is going into next season with the same roster. It would be really, really nice if JEE could play offense and defense, instead of just defense as a 3rd line center.

I don't think that is going to happen. Team needs them and they are cheaper offensive products than going out and trying to sign someone for the same amount of money.

 

[Wabit]

Which is why I want JEE, Greenway, and Kunin developing in Iowa if this team is going into next season with the same roster. It would be really, really nice if JEE could play offense and defense, instead of just defense as a 3rd line center.

JEE isn't going to be in Iowa. Heck, Greenway probably won't even be in Iowa the way the roster looks currently. JEE is a willing shooter and gets into good spots on the ice to score from, his finish just wasn't there. This is the reason I'm not too worried about him just turning into a Yeobot in the o-zone.

I know you're desperate for Coyle to be a 2C, but he's always been the inconsistent passenger on whatever line he's on, not the driver. Staal, Granny, and Nino are the players that drive lines and make players around them better.

Koivu is what he is as a player, but he's the same player 82 games a year and has been for the last decade or so. Coyle is faster and has a better shot (that he forgets to use), but Koivu has him beat in passing, consistency, defense, general awareness on the ice.

I want a better center than Koivu as a 2C also, but Coyle isn't better than Koivu at center. Coyle over Koivu on the PP is a different discussion, and I'd be willing to try that for awhile and see how it works.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Koivu is at the age where we don't 100% know what he is as a player from year to year. If he drops another step in training camp/preseason/early regular season, we can always make the switch.

 

[2Pair]

Koivu averaged 16:00 of 5v5 time last year. In my proposal, he would probably get 15:00. What's the problem?

Staal 14:33
Koivu 13:57
Eriksson Ek 11:35
Cullen 10:55
Again, it isn't hard to figure out.

 

[SupremeNachos]

So with so many people placing us last or second to last in the latest prediction poll, I'm 100% sure we make it past the 1st round next year. We beat the #1 seed 2yrs ago when the same thing happened. And remember the internet does not lie about these things. Just like how I am soon becoming a millionaire courtesy of a Nigerian Prince.

 

[Wabit]

Looking at the Division it wouldn't be hard to "tank" this season without being a bad team this year. There isn't anyone in the Division and only really the Nuks in the Pacific that don't have Playoff aspirations this off-season. It's not like we'd be fighting with 3 other teams in the (Atlantic) Division to see who can be more awful. A bottom-5 team wouldn't be too hard to make happen with only a few "tweaks".

Run with what we have until it looks like we won't make the Playoffs:
-Sell off the players that don't fit what GMPF wants for a team going forward, for quality prospects that are close to NHL ready; to help fill in the voids from the GMCF traded of picks years.
-get a year of high picks each round of the draft with our own picks.
-re-sign whoever he wants to keep of Coyle, Granny, Koivu, and Spurgeon July 1st next year.

I'm not a fan of this plan, but I could see it happening this year.

 

[HollaHaula]

Looking at the Division it wouldn't be hard to "tank" this season without being a bad team this year. There isn't anyone in the Division and only really the Nuks in the Pacific that don't have Playoff aspirations this off-season. It's not like we'd be fighting with 3 other teams in the (Atlantic) Division to see who can be more awful. A bottom-5 team wouldn't be too hard to make happen with only a few "tweaks".

Run with what we have until it looks like we won't make the Playoffs:
-Sell off the players that don't fit what GMPF wants for a team going forward, for quality prospects that are close to NHL ready; to help fill in the voids from the GMCF traded of picks years.
-get a year of high picks each round of the draft with our own picks.
-re-sign whoever he wants to keep of Coyle, Granny, Koivu, and Spurgeon July 1st next year.

I'm not a fan of this plan, but I could see it happening this year.

I feel the same way when looking at the Central. Colorado should improve more, Dallas and the St. Louis are trying (whether they get better remains to be seen), and Winnepeg and Nashville are the juggernauts. If we stay stagnant, there's a relatively decent chance we could challenge Chicago for the worst team in the division (if Dallas and St. Louis do indeed improve). I'm sure Leipold would be thrilled with that after he claimed we were so close to being contenders lol

 

[Wabit]

I feel the same way when looking at the Central. Colorado should improve more, Dallas and the St. Louis are trying (whether they get better remains to be seen), and Winnepeg and Nashville are the juggernauts. If we stay stagnant, there's a relatively decent chance we could challenge Chicago for the worst team in the division (if Dallas and St. Louis do indeed improve). I'm sure Leipold would be thrilled with that after he claimed we were so close to being contenders lol

Chi should get a healthy Crawford back; that alone makes them a much better team. They were ahead of us in the standings around the midway point of last season, and they dropped like a rock without being a completely awful team.

Dallas and STL were still 90p teams last year, so they weren't bad by any means. STL has improved on paper. Dallas should be better, even without EK, it was a big adjustment in coaching philosophy they had to go through last season. CGY looks much better on paper than they were last year too. EDM needs help, but McDavid makes them a threat to win every night.

 

[nickschultzfan]

Staal 14:33
Koivu 13:57
Eriksson Ek 11:35
Cullen 10:55
Again, it isn't hard to figure out.

Thanks. In trying to insult me for taking the wrong number from another site, you make my point even stronger.

 

[2Pair]

Thanks. In trying to insult me for taking the wrong number from another site, you make my point even stronger.

I guess it is hard for some people to figure out.

 

[2Pair]

I'm sorry, but I don't know how I can make it any more obvious? Koivu and Staal are going to play around 14 minutes a night. the bottom 2 lines are going to play around 11. Which number do you want Parise and Niederreiter playing? How about Foligno and Anas? Do you want Foligno and Anas playing on the line you're using to matchup against the top lines of other teams? Which one of Foligno/Anas is going to PK with Koivu? Because, if you don't use of those 2, then you have to break up another line every time your team takes a penalty. Koivu will also be on one of the PP units, meaning that you can't come out of the PP with the Koivu line either.

 

[nickschultzfan]

I'm sorry, but I don't know how I can make it any more obvious? Koivu and Staal are going to play around 14 minutes a night. the bottom 2 lines are going to play around 11. Which number do you want Parise and Niederreiter playing? How about Foligno and Anas? Do you want Foligno and Anas playing on the line you're using to matchup against the top lines of other teams? Which one of Foligno/Anas is going to PK with Koivu? Because, if you don't use of those 2, then you have to break up another line every time your team takes a penalty. Koivu will also be on one of the PP units, meaning that you can't come out of the PP with the Koivu line either.

Have a great 4th!

 

[RichManitoba]

Any word on Ryan Suter's progress?

 

[Bazeek]

Any word on Ryan Suter's progress?

Sounds like he's doing fine. Team expects him to be ready by September.

 

[TaLoN]

Any word on Ryan Suter's progress?

All sides expect he will be ready by start of camp at this point according to Russo.

 

[Minnesnota]

The way to early but I'm bored on the 4th playoff projections...

From the West:

1. Nashville
2. San Jose
3. Winnipeg
4. St. Louis
5. Vegas
6. Anaheim
WC1. Colorado
WC2. Calgary

1. If Dallas acquires Karlsson, depending on what they give up I would bump Calgary out of the playoffs.
2. If Dallas does not acquire Karlsson AND Kesler retires, I have Calgary at the 6th seed and Chicago in the WC2 spot.

From the East:

1. Tampa
2. Toronto
3. Boston
4. Washington
5. Philadelphia
6. Pittsburgh
WC1. Florida
WC2. Columbus

1. If Columbus trades Panarin before the deadline I have New Jersey in the WC2 spot.

 

[nickschultzfan]

The burden is not on advocates for a rebuild at this point. It is on the retoolers / tweakers.

The only teams to have won a Cup in the last decade are:

Caps (Ovechkin, Backstrom)
Pens (Crosby, Malkin)
Hawks (Kane, Toews)
Kings (Doughty)
Boston (Horton)

Those are the players drafted in top-5, which is higher than the Wild have drafted in that time.

Those teams were also built through drafting well later in the 1st and 2nd. That goes without saying.

But beside maybe Boston, there is not really a model for the Wild to follow. Take away those guys from the Caps, Pens, Hawks, or Kings and they do not win a Cup.