thestonedkoala
Guest
I thought I start this thread because I'm getting a little tired of correcting people over the Wild prospects, so I'll start.
MYTHS AND FACTS
Myth: The Wild need a top end goaltender
Fact: The Wild have Harding who has put together spectaculor seasons in the WHL. What the Wild do need is depth at the goaltending position.
Myth: The Wild need a top 2 defensemen
Fact: At the end of last year, the Wild lost defenseman Filip Kuba to a hand injury forcing them to either call up a defenseman or covert one of their forwards to defense. They chose the later and put Brent Burns on defense. It was a perfect match as Burns uses his size to hit people but he is also good at puck handling. While it is hard to say if he is a top 2 or top 4 defenseman at this point or if he is going to stay at the position is another matter but for the moment, I believe the Wild and Burns are comfortable with him being on the blueline.
Myth: The Wild need defensemen
Fact: I kind of perptuated this but the Wild actually do not need very many defensemen. We got Misharin and Bolduc along with Stokes, Reitz, and Michalek in the minors with Schultz and Burns in the NHL. We have good depth and it's not a glaring need, we'll probably pick up a few in the later rounds though.
Myth: The Wild have good grinders and 3rd/4th line players
Fact: The Wild in fact have lost a few of their grinders and are in the process of calling some up. We have Cavosie, Cavanaugh, Courchaine, and Cullen (well Courchaine is going to the minors this year hopefully) but we've lost a few in Hannula, Brandner, Berzins, Bala (if we don't sign back Krestanovich). Our depth at the forward position is very thin at best. With only 3 LWs in the system (not playing in the NHL), 2 RWs (one needs to be signed), and a couple centers. The Wild need to focus on forwards.
Myth: The Wild still need a top flight center
Fact: O'Sullivan, Koivu, Bouchard, Wallin. Lemaire likes using Wallin with Gaborik because Wallin is fast and he can bang home the pucks. He put up good numbers at the end of the year but he is still a bit injury prone. O'Sullivan should be a center but could move out to right wing. Koivu is a mystery and Bouchard is a LW for the time being but could see time back at center. All of them except Wallin are still pretty young and even Wallin is young. All of them though has top 6 potential and a top flight center.
Well that's all I can think of...
How about your team?
MYTHS AND FACTS
Myth: The Wild need a top end goaltender
Fact: The Wild have Harding who has put together spectaculor seasons in the WHL. What the Wild do need is depth at the goaltending position.
Myth: The Wild need a top 2 defensemen
Fact: At the end of last year, the Wild lost defenseman Filip Kuba to a hand injury forcing them to either call up a defenseman or covert one of their forwards to defense. They chose the later and put Brent Burns on defense. It was a perfect match as Burns uses his size to hit people but he is also good at puck handling. While it is hard to say if he is a top 2 or top 4 defenseman at this point or if he is going to stay at the position is another matter but for the moment, I believe the Wild and Burns are comfortable with him being on the blueline.
Myth: The Wild need defensemen
Fact: I kind of perptuated this but the Wild actually do not need very many defensemen. We got Misharin and Bolduc along with Stokes, Reitz, and Michalek in the minors with Schultz and Burns in the NHL. We have good depth and it's not a glaring need, we'll probably pick up a few in the later rounds though.
Myth: The Wild have good grinders and 3rd/4th line players
Fact: The Wild in fact have lost a few of their grinders and are in the process of calling some up. We have Cavosie, Cavanaugh, Courchaine, and Cullen (well Courchaine is going to the minors this year hopefully) but we've lost a few in Hannula, Brandner, Berzins, Bala (if we don't sign back Krestanovich). Our depth at the forward position is very thin at best. With only 3 LWs in the system (not playing in the NHL), 2 RWs (one needs to be signed), and a couple centers. The Wild need to focus on forwards.
Myth: The Wild still need a top flight center
Fact: O'Sullivan, Koivu, Bouchard, Wallin. Lemaire likes using Wallin with Gaborik because Wallin is fast and he can bang home the pucks. He put up good numbers at the end of the year but he is still a bit injury prone. O'Sullivan should be a center but could move out to right wing. Koivu is a mystery and Bouchard is a LW for the time being but could see time back at center. All of them except Wallin are still pretty young and even Wallin is young. All of them though has top 6 potential and a top flight center.
Well that's all I can think of...
How about your team?