Minnesota Wild General Discussion VI

[Dickie Dunn]

Right. President of Hockey Operations would make him Fenton's boss.

 

[Mickey the mouse]

Right. President of Hockey Operations would make him Fenton's boss.

Fenton already hired Jack Ferrara as his Sr advisor.

Is owner meddling even more now ?

 

[Uberdachen]

Anybody who becomes Fenton's boss and doesn't fire him by about day 2 of just making sure they're not missing anything, also deserves to be fired. By day two you just gotta be curious enough to force his office door open and get tangled in all the wires and shit that made his mannequin busily wave away would-be interrupting guests.

 

[57special]

Is Modano supposed to be a progressive hockey mind, or something? Because as a guy who spent most of his career in TX, I don't see the PR gain by hiring him. Who's the next hire, Gaborik?

 

[BigT2002]

Is Modano supposed to be a progressive hockey mind, or something? Because as a guy who spent most of his career in TX, I don't see the PR gain by hiring him. Who's the next hire, Gaborik?

You big silly goose, you are forgetting the "one of us" mentality that Minnesotans have. He's still worshipped by many in this state since he was an amazing player and used to be a North Star. Go look at his Twitter, there are still N* and Wild fans begging him to come back to Minnesota.

 

[57special]

That's what I don't get. Didn't he identify more as a Dallas player?

 

[BigT2002]

That's what I don't get. Didn't he identify more as a Dallas player?

Which was always my thought as well. Think he owned a restaurant with Hull down there? And wasn't he part of the Dallas front office when Joe Nieuwendyk was GM?

But I stand with my case, he was drafted in Minnesota and people want their own to always come back here. Especially him since he was linked greatly with the North Stars, was the Captain for some time in Dallas, US Olympian, Stanley Cup winner, etc. Recall, the Wild even gave him a farewell send off video with the last game he played at Xcel as a Star. He didn't even play as a Wild lol.

 

[Wild11MN]

It feels like the end of an era. An era with some exciting times, but also plenty of bad times. Sad to think that the hype that started around our shiny new prospects around 2010-2012 is coming to a close.

Good times with the FBJ hype.

 

[57special]

It feels like the end of an era. An era with some exciting times, but also plenty of bad times. Sad to think that the hype that started around our shiny new prospects around 2010-2012 is coming to a close.

Good times with the FBJ hype.

Don't give up. Sprucegrove/Bruce/MiG/FBJ has too many cool nicknames to fail!
I look at this as a necessary period to go through in order to get better. For all my bitching about Suter and Parise, the salary numbers have gone up enough that they are now somewhat reasonable pay rates, especially with the way Parise has played this year. I think Suter is a bit off this year, but he is still very good. Otherwise, we have a terrific defense(once Dumba gets back), and some hope for the future with EK, Kunin, KK, and Greenway.

We just need to stock up on young ELC talent, and hope we hit on a player or two(hopefully a C).

I am worried about the Seattle ED. Hope Fenton plays it better than Fletcher did.

 

[BigT2002]

Don't give up. Sprucegrove/Bruce/MiG/FBJ has too many cool nicknames to fail!
I look at this as a necessary period to go through in order to get better. For all my *****ing about Suter and Parise, the salary numbers have gone up enough that they are now somewhat reasonable pay rates, especially with the way Parise has played this year. I think Suter is a bit off this year, but he is still very good. Otherwise, we have a terrific defense(once Dumba gets back), and some hope for the future with EK, Kunin, KK, and Greenway.

We just need to stock up on young ELC talent, and hope we hit on a player or two(hopefully a C).

I am worried about the Seattle ED. Hope Fenton plays it better than Fletcher did.

Man the more you look at that Vegas stuff, the more you see how fleeced Fletcher got lol

 

[Bazeek]

Pretty incredible that in less than a month and Rask has already been moved to 4LW and been upstaged in that role by a defenseman we got by swapping a 5th for a 6th.

 

[Wabit]

Pretty incredible that in less than a month and Rask has already been moved to 4LW and been upstaged in that role by a defenseman we got by swapping a 5th for a 6th.

Well he is injured...

 

[Bazeek]

Well he is injured...

I just meant that if I ignored all context about how each guy got onto the team, what they're being payed and all that, given the choice between Hunt and Rask at 4LW I'd take Hunt right now. Even if it's mostly for the powerplay.

I have no doubt that once Rask's healed up he'll be back either there or at center, depending on how badly they want to keep Granlund at C or if Staal's still on the team.

 

[57special]

Man the more you look at that Vegas stuff, the more you see how fleeced Fletcher got lol

He allowed himself to get boxed into a bad spot, IMO. He also badly underestimated Tuch's potential. In retrospect, Fletcher should have been looking way ahead, and tried to trade Dumba/Brodin/Spurgeon/Coyle/Nino for top dollar, while keeping Tuch and Haula. Trading Dumba would have been considered a mistake. Brodin/ Coyle/Nino not so much, because they would have commanded a nice return, I think.

In fairness to Fletcher, not many saw great things in Tuch's future. Losing him and Haula has really hurt our forward strength....killed it, in fact.

 

[57special]

I just meant that if I ignored all context about how each guy got onto the team, what they're being payed and all that, given the choice between Hunt and Rask at 4LW I'd take Hunt right now. Even if it's mostly for the powerplay.

I have no doubt that once Rask's healed up he'll be back either there or at center, depending on how badly they want to keep Granlund at C or if Staal's still on the team.

Don't go there, man, it'll just make you crazy.

 

[thestonedkoala]

Did everyone forget that Kurvers is fighting cancer?

 

[Wild11MN]

Apparently Tuch has been Vegas's best forward most of the year. I personally underestimated his potential as well.

 

[Bazeek]

Did everyone forget that Kurvers is fighting cancer?

You mean regarding the Modano stuff? I'd be shocked if he was being brought in as an AGM. They actually have to work.

 

[nickschultzfan]

He allowed himself to get boxed into a bad spot, IMO. He also badly underestimated Tuch's potential. In retrospect, Fletcher should have been looking way ahead, and tried to trade Dumba/Brodin/Spurgeon/Coyle/Nino for top dollar, while keeping Tuch and Haula. Trading Dumba would have been considered a mistake. Brodin/ Coyle/Nino not so much, because they would have commanded a nice return, I think.

In fairness to Fletcher, not many saw great things in Tuch's future. Losing him and Haula has really hurt our forward strength....killed it, in fact.

It is weird that Fletcher didn't just go "I'm confident in our picks with Tuch, Greenway, and JEE" and then just exposed either only forwards or both Brodin and Scandella (forcing Vegas take one of them or a winger).

It would have solved so many problems for him.

 

[thestonedkoala]

You mean regarding the Modano stuff? I'd be shocked if he was being brought in as an AGM. They actually have to work.

Not necessarily as an AGM, but as an adviser. He could do things remotely and Kurvers can do things here.

 

[Bazeek]

Not necessarily as an AGM, but as an adviser. He could do things remotely and Kurvers can do things here.

My uninformed guess is that it's some sort of advisory position, even if it's just to provide another "set of eyes" to help figure out how to proceed with this team. I'm not sure that'd have much to do with what Kurvers is going through though, especially since it sounds like Modano's been checking out Wild games in some semi-official capacity since December.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

He allowed himself to get boxed into a bad spot, IMO. He also badly underestimated Tuch's potential. In retrospect, Fletcher should have been looking way ahead, and tried to trade Dumba/Brodin/Spurgeon/Coyle/Nino for top dollar, while keeping Tuch and Haula. Trading Dumba would have been considered a mistake. Brodin/ Coyle/Nino not so much, because they would have commanded a nice return, I think.

In fairness to Fletcher, not many saw great things in Tuch's future. Losing him and Haula has really hurt our forward strength....killed it, in fact.

Because people overreacted to a 6 game NHL sample size and claim he looked "lost".

Nino and Coyle not continuing to be what they were in 2016-17 played a large part as well.

 

[57special]

It is weird that Fletcher didn't just go "I'm confident in our picks with Tuch, Greenway, and JEE" and then just exposed either only forwards or both Brodin and Scandella (forcing Vegas take one of them or a winger).

It would have solved so many problems for him.

I get not valuing Tuch + Haula over Brodin/Dumba(remember, this was two years ago). What I don't get was just waiting and playing the victim, when you knew well ahead of time that the ED was coming. He could have gotten a lot in return for Brodin at that time, but i think that the demands of the owner that they be competitive for the Cup right then prevented them from doing what was best for the team long term. Now we're paying for it.

IMO, losing Brodin over Tuch is not a win for the Wild. Keeping Tuch and whatever Brodin would have got back in trade is, though, you can never say for sure. Bad situation, but I hope we don't have to relive it with the Seattle ED.

 

[BigT2002]

He allowed himself to get boxed into a bad spot, IMO. He also badly underestimated Tuch's potential. In retrospect, Fletcher should have been looking way ahead, and tried to trade Dumba/Brodin/Spurgeon/Coyle/Nino for top dollar, while keeping Tuch and Haula. Trading Dumba would have been considered a mistake. Brodin/ Coyle/Nino not so much, because they would have commanded a nice return, I think.

In fairness to Fletcher, not many saw great things in Tuch's future. Losing him and Haula has really hurt our forward strength....killed it, in fact.

Especially when you consider the biggest strength that the Wild have typically had was a strong blue line pipeline, you would think they would have favored saving their forwards whenever possible. Many on here were strong advocates that Tuch was going to come in and provide a scoring touch and flare that the Wild haven't really seen since Gaborik. Haula was often looked at as the Wild's second strongest center in terms of being able to transition between Offense/Defense or Special Teams. He was the "guy" they put on players like McKinnon.

Half this team is skating with weights on their ankles most of the time it feels like.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Especially when you consider the biggest strength that the Wild have typically had was a strong blue line pipeline, you would think they would have favored saving their forwards whenever possible. Many on here were strong advocates that Tuch was going to come in and provide a scoring touch and flare that the Wild haven't really seen since Gaborik. Haula was often looked at as the Wild's second strongest center in terms of being able to transition between Offense/Defense or Special Teams. He was the "guy" they put on players like McKinnon.

Half this team is skating with weights on their ankles most of the time it feels like.

Man, that's not the board that I remember.