Confirmed with Link: Paul Fenton to be named GM of Minnesota Wild

[Wild11MN]

I think that's because of reports earlier in the year that Fenton was at least talking to teams about him. It's hard to say he's untouchable when he wasn't like 2 months ago.

I don't know that his recent play is enough for me to want him completely off the table, but I'd like to keep him around at this point. If we do move some major pieces at the deadline he'll have an enormous opportunity to show what he can do in the top-6. He does have me curious about that.

They almost have to keep him if they trade Staal. He might be the number 1 center at that point by default.

 

[Bazeek]

They almost have to keep him if they trade Staal. He might be the number 1 center at that point by default.

Also a good point.

 

[2Pair]

They almost have to keep him if they trade Staal. He might be the number 1 center at that point by default.

I assumed that was the reason for trying Granlund at center again

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

I assumed that was the reason for trying Granlund at center again

Can’t think of another one.

 

[TaLoN]

Flahr apparently identified Spurgeon as a free agent target.

What you're saying is it's so easy just to pick NHL defensemen from a list of 18 year old kids?

Look at those drafts you mention. Guys like Reinhart, Koekkoek, Pouliot... not to mention the forwards ... who never became what Dumba and Brodin did. Look at other first round picks that scouts identified that never played a single game, not out of injury but because it takes an elite athlete, a driven individual, and a bit of luck. Since Flahr took the reins, the Wild have done very well in the first. You dog a guy like Nick Seeler? How many guys went before him and failed? ANYONE playing an NHL game beat the odds. To make that pick and to give a kid a chance to develop is highly commendable and admirable. The Wild identified and procured the ones I mentioned. Fenton identified and procured others.

You have done... what?

What are people trying to prove by critiquing my defense of Johansson? It was a left-field pick. It was a pick that may not turn out. It may be a pick that turns out to fit the long run of first round picks Brent Flahr has made having NHL success.

Spurgeon was drafted by the Islanders in 2008... he had an uninspiring next two seasons in Juniors, the Islanders let him walk. The Wild took a flyer on someone they thought may be able to do something someday... but if not, no loss. This type of move is made by all teams every season on many players. 90% of them go no where.

The Wild spent $2 on a very low percentage lottery ticket and got lucky. That wasn't some special "we know better than everyone else" move. How's Brennen Menell working out so far? He was called the next Spurgeon when he signed. Haven't heard much of anything about him since. Honestly... I have no idea, he could be doing very well for all I know.

 

[57special]

Spurgeon was drafted by the Islanders in 2008... he had an uninspiring next two seasons in Juniors, the Islanders let him walk. The Wild took a flyer on someone they thought may be able to do something someday... but if not, no loss. This type of move is made by all teams every season on many players. 90% of them go no where.

The Wild spent $2 on a very low percentage lottery ticket and got lucky. That wasn't some special "we know better than everyone else" move. How's Brennen Menell working out so far? He was called the next Spurgeon when he signed. Haven't heard much of anything about him since. Honestly... I have no idea, he could be doing very well for all I know.

he's got a hell of a lot of points down in Iowa.

 

[TaLoN]

he's got a hell of a lot of points down in Iowa.

Good to know. Hope he can do something someday in the NHL.

 

[2Pair]

If you dismiss every good move made as nothing more than luck, then every GM in the league is a moron.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Spurgeon was drafted by the Islanders in 2008... he had an uninspiring next two seasons in Juniors, the Islanders let him walk. The Wild took a flyer on someone they thought may be able to do something someday... but if not, no loss. This type of move is made by all teams every season on many players. 90% of them go no where.

The Wild spent $2 on a very low percentage lottery ticket and got lucky. That wasn't some special "we know better than everyone else" move. How's Brennen Menell working out so far? He was called the next Spurgeon when he signed. Haven't heard much of anything about him since. Honestly... I have no idea, he could be doing very well for all I know.

I don’t know if “uninspiring” is a word I’d use.

 

[TaLoN]

I don’t know if “uninspiring” is a word I’d use.

It was uninspiring enough to have the Islanders feel they could walk away without a loss.

Kind of like when the Wild walked away from Reid Duke despite his supposed good stats.

 

[PuckInTheNards]

What the actual **** are you talking about? One of the biggest (and one of the few) knocks on Veleno was his offensive upside.

Things that weren’t a concern:

Intelligence
Skating
Two-way play
Leadership qualities
Work ethic

What “actual professional skills” are you referring to?

Like, proficiency with PowerPoint and Spreadsheets. Data entry, you know... "professional skills"

 

[57special]

What the actual **** are you talking about? One of the biggest (and one of the few) knocks on Veleno was his offensive upside.

Things that weren’t a concern:

Intelligence
Skating
Two-way play
Leadership qualities
Work ethic

What “actual professional skills” are you referring to?

Yeah, that's the way I remember it. There was doubt about Veleno's ability to score goals, even in Junior. Close to one year later he has the highest PPG, and has scored quite a few goals, which, last I heard, the Wild could use a little of.

 

[Saga of the Elk]

It was uninspiring enough to have the Islanders feel they could walk away without a loss.

Kind of like when the Wild walked away from Reid Duke despite his supposed good stats.

He had good stats because he was on a CHL powerhouse - just like JOE VELENO!!!

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

He had good stats because he was on a CHL powerhouse - just like JOE VELENO!!!

Slight difference between leading your team in points by a substantial margin and being 8th on the them, 7th at the forward position.

 

[Saga of the Elk]

Slight difference between leading your team in points by a substantial margin and being 8th on the them, 7th at the forward position.

Veleno may have been a worthy 1st round pick, Duke was a 6th right? Just saying CHL production is a lousy predictor of NHL talent - especially in the Q. (That's why I'm still optimistic about a kid that plays pro hockey at 18 vs. a speculative whining coulda shoulda scenario.)

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Veleno may have been a worthy 1st round pick, Duke was a 6th right? Just saying CHL production is a lousy predictor of NHL talent - especially in the Q. (That's why I'm still optimistic about a kid that plays pro hockey at 18 vs. a speculative whining coulda shoulda scenario.)

Well, then he wasn't just like JOE VELENO!!!

 

[Saga of the Elk]

Well, then he wasn't just like JOE VELENO!!!

Come on. The similarity is both are putting up gaudy counting stats in weak leagues. Reid Duke has proven to be capable scoring at least a little bit as a pro, while Joe Veleno has yet to even do that. I'm not crying about either guy, unlike some posters. But the whining, the stupidity, seem to be the new normal around here. It's getting old.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Come on. The similarity is both are putting up gaudy counting stats in weak leagues. Reid Duke has proven to be capable scoring at least a little bit as a pro, while Joe Veleno has yet to even do that. I'm not crying about either guy, unlike some posters. But the whining, the stupidity, seem to be the new normal around here. It's getting old.

You know who else put up gaudy counting stats in weak leagues? Current NHL stars.

I get why it might be annoying to see people writing off a kid right away, but I don't get why it's so insulting to be like "hey, we passed on this guy, but look how he's doing. Might be cool if we didn't."

The positional aspect of this discussion was a relevant thing at the time, given Staal's and Koivu's age, and has actually become a lot more relevant now with Koivu's injury and the Staal trade discussions.

 

[Saga of the Elk]

You know who else put up gaudy counting stats in weak leagues? Current NHL stars.

I get why it might be annoying to see people writing off a kid right away, but I don't get why it's so insulting to be like "hey, we passed on this guy, but look how he's doing. Might be cool if we didn't."

The positional aspect of this discussion was a relevant thing at the time, given Staal's and Koivu's age, and has actually become a lot more relevant now with Koivu's injury and the Staal trade discussions.

I'm sure they'll target a center with the 1st this time around. Wouldn't be too surprising if Kupari and Lundestrom were high on the Wild's list. But right D was a need too. The one thing we can definitely take away from that draft is many teams were not convinced in Joe Veleno's upside and what he's doing this season is not much of a vindication any more than, e.g., Marc-Antoine Pouliot's post-draft production was.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

I'm sure they'll target a center with the 1st this time around. Wouldn't be too surprising if Kupari and Lundestrom were high on the Wild's list. But right D was a need too. The one thing we can definitely take away from that draft is many teams were not convinced in Joe Veleno's upside and what he's doing this season is not much of a vindication any more than, e.g., Marc-Antoine Pouliot's post-draft production was.

And Johansson's isn't any more than... hmm... I can't think of anybody that produced so minimally in Sweden's 3rd best league in his draft+1 year.

But you're probably right. On the QMJHL scale, Veleno is probably somewhere between Claude Giroux and Marc Andre Pouliot.

 

[Saga of the Elk]

And Johansson's isn't any more than... hmm... I can't think of anybody that produced so minimally in Sweden's 3rd best league in his draft+1 year.

But you're probably right. On the QMJHL scale, Veleno is probably somewhere between Claude Giroux and Marc Andre Pouliot.

Why not go jack off to Joe Veleno in the Red Wings forum and let Wild fans discuss our prospects here?

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Why not go jack off to Joe Veleno in the Red Wings forum and let Wild fans discuss our prospects here?

You do realize that our entire exchange is because you brought up his name, not me.

And we're not allowed to discuss our prospects because people like you seem to get personally insulted if our discussions aren't glowing praise of how tough their leagues are.

And this isn't the "prospects" thread anyway, so shove off.

 

[AKL]

Why not go jack off to Joe Veleno in the Red Wings forum and let Wild fans discuss our prospects here?

I have to assume you’re either Filip Johansson or Brent Flahr the way you get so butthurt anytime anyone suggest either of the two of them aren’t exceptional at what they do. Considering you’ve been posting here for a while, I’m leaning towards Brent Flahr. Am I getting warm?

It’s okay to criticize a prospect who, frankly, is doing very poorly in a not-that-good league. It’s okay to reflect on other prospects we could have taken.

It’s gonna be okay man.

 

[Wabit]

Why not go jack off to Joe Veleno in the Red Wings forum and let Wild fans discuss our prospects here?

When has any discussion thread stayed on topic in these forums? This same (or really close ot the same) F.Jo conversation has bled over though 4 or 5 different threads. I'm as guilty as anyone for doing it.

The Wild fans are just mad, feeling helpless, and blowing off steam: an unpopular draft pick, an unpopular trade, and the team is somehow a tire fire that can't even be good at being a tire fire, etc. I've done it myself quite a bit recently, and have taken a (small) step back from just saying whatever or nothing really constructive to the topic or conversation.

 

[Saga of the Elk]

When has any discussion thread stayed on topic in these forums? This same (or really close ot the same) F.Jo conversation has bled over though 4 or 5 different threads. I'm as guilty as anyone for doing it.

The Wild fans are just mad, feeling helpless, and blowing off steam: an unpopular draft pick, an unpopular trade, and the team is somehow a tire fire that can't even be good at being a tire fire, etc. I've done it myself quite a bit recently, and have taken a (small) step back from just saying whatever or nothing really constructive to the topic or conversation.

It's not about staying on topic, it's about the endless stupidity of complaining about Filip Johansson - an 18 year old kid who is a top-pairing defenseman in a pro league (on par with the NCAA) and comparing him with other teams' picks.

Look where Shea Weber was ranked in 2003. Did the Predators reach for him or make a good pick? But BJ Crombeen was higher ranked by the scouting services guys! And the Preds got a STEAL in Glazachev! No, defensemen take longer but we have many years of evidence that Flahr and Fenton have an eye for talent.

So the Rask for Nino thing ... definitely why shouldn't people complain... it's an ongoing problem and a visual indicator that Paul Fenton has no idea what he's doing unless he knows he's making the team worse. But Johansson and the rest of the 2018 guys ... no reason not to cheer for them and believe that they have a lot of NHL upside.