Second Half Prediction Thread

[57special]

I'm going to lump mine into better, worse, and the same.

BETTER

Haula
Kuemper
Scandella
Graovac- I mean, 3 points?
Parise
Pulkkinen- kind of a longshot
Tuch- even a couple of points in the NHL would be an improvement.

WORSE

Staal- unsustainable, though he looks really good.
Granlund- above
Dubnyk- not a big fall off, just a bit.
Zucker- playing way over his career highs. Has never been this healthy.
Schroeder- see Staal. Would love it if he found a home in the NHL.

SAME

Coyle
Nino- could be in the BETTER section if he is moved to the Staal line where he belongs.
Koivu- hopefully
All the Dmen except Scandella. They all look comfortable, and are playing within themselves. Barring injuries I see them continuing to show that they are the best D unit in the NHL.
Pominville- would give him 36 pts. on the year...that's about right. For all that we complain about him, he's a good third liner.

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[Wabit]

I'm having a hard time making any predictions right now. I want to see how this team responds to a slump:
- longest losing streak this year is 3 games (0-1-2).
- lost 2 (regulation games) in a row once.
- worst stretch is 2-2-3.

Unless they completely fall off a cliff they are a lock for the Playoffs.

I think the team's shooting% will drop a little.
Dub's numbers will drop off some.
A d-man will be traded by the TDL.
A major player (not named Parise) will miss 10 games due to injury
112 standing points is obtainable, but they won't get there because they rest players going into the Playoffs.
LA Kings would be the worst possible match-up they could draw in the 1st round.
No major awards are won by the Wild players. Koivu (Selkie), Suter (Norris), Dub (Veznia) all cancel each other out when it comes time for voters to vote.
BB won't win the Adams either.

 

[57special]

I don't see a Dman being traded at the TDL, unless it's a no brainer. Olofsson and Reilly have been given next to no NHL time, which is a pretty strong hint that the Wild don't anticipate a trade till after the season. Brodin, Spurgeon, and Dumba would have wildly inflated trade value, I would guess. Not so much Scandella, which begs the question why you would trade him now, and almost ensure that LV would take one of the other three.

 

[tomgilbertfan]

Koivu is shooting at 20% last I checked, that'll come down.

 

[keppel146]

I'll just say the team should play pretty good for the 2nd half but a few more losses mixed in here and there. I don't see why we can't keep winning 2 or 3 out of every 4 games..

What we need is to save some energy for the playoffs and not have everyone burned out.

 

[Pominville Knows]

Pominville has been better the second half almost every year in the league. Quite noticeably in the last third.

 

[57special]

Anyone else see potential in Graovac?

 

[Drewcifer]

Anyone else see potential in Graovac?

At the very least I see him as a good third line center. With a few more years of experience, who knows?

 

[tomgilbertfan]

Anyone else see potential in Graovac?

If he can up his FO% a bit he could be a solid bottom-6er. I like his size and he has flashes of offensive ability.

 

[DANOZ28]

graovac has decent wheels for a big guy. i doubt we'll score another 135G in the 2nd half. with so many games crammed into a short period i'll be happy with 45 points (59+45 =104) . i hope we get our backup goalie issue fixed. try to stay healthy & give players a rest heading into playoffs. if we do hit a skid i hope BB can stop the bleeding quicker than yeo or richards.

 

[TaLoN]

graovac has decent wheels for a big guy. i doubt we'll score another 135G in the 2nd half. with so many games crammed into a short period i'll be happy with 45 points (59+45 =104) . i hope we get our backup goalie issue fixed. try to stay healthy & give players a rest heading into playoffs. if we do hit a skid i hope BB can stop the bleeding quicker than yeo or richards.

We have 61 points, not 59.

 

[Wild11MN]

Someone had to jinx it.

I don't think we can keep up the pace, but I certainly think we're favorites for the division at this point. I would expect Coyle and Nino to continue their streaky ways, Dubs to drop off a little, and Staal to keep it up. No hot takes here.

 

[DANOZ28]

We have 61 points, not 59.

after 41 games which is halfway we had 59 points. title was 2nd half prediction.

 

[Bluesguru]

Conference Finals this year for Wild. The West is weak this year, doors open for Minny. This team's got a great shot in getting to the SC Finals this year.

 

[KindaWild]

We're a great team, but 118 points just seems like too much. I would be happy with like 105-110, we can afford to drop off a bit which is a great feeling. Also has anybody looked at our games on a calendar after March 5th, cause it pleases the neat freak inside of me.

 

[Wild11MN]

We're a great team, but 118 points just seems like too much. I would be happy with like 105-110, we can afford to drop off a bit which is a great feeling. Also has anybody looked at our games on a calendar after March 5th, cause it pleases the neat freak inside of me.

I think I heard we finish with back-to-backs four weeks in a row on Saturday-Sunday? Whatever it is, it'll be a grind.

 

[TaLoN]

Such low expectations. You can tell this is a Minnesota board.

On pace right now for 118. We shouldn't be happy with anything under 110. Especially since we have a home favorable schedule.

 

[MNNumbers]

I think I heard we finish with back-to-backs four weeks in a row on Saturday-Sunday? Whatever it is, it'll be a grind.

Remaining back-to-backs:

1- This week, Sat(Ana), Sun(Nas)-both at home
2- Jan 31/Feb 1: Tues(@Edm), Wed(@Cgy) This is NOT part of a 3-in-4.
3- Feb 7/8: Tues(@Wpg), Wed(Chi- home). TBL at home on 10th (3rd-in-4).
4- Feb 27/28: Mon(LA-home), Tues(@Wpg). @ CMB on Thurs (3rd-in-4).
(Note the presence on Winnipeg in those 2 sets of B2Bs.)
5- Mar 9/10: Thurs(@TBL), Fri(@FLA). Games on Tues(7th) and Sun(12th), 4-in-6.
6- Mar 18/19: Sat(NYR-home), Sun(@Wpg). Middle of 4-in-6 again. (Again - WPG)
7- Mar 25/26. Sat(Van-home), Sun(@Det). Middle of 4-in-6.
8- Apr 1/2: Sat(@Nas), Sun(Colo-home). Again, middle of 4-in-6.

For 5 weeks, we have 4 games from Mon-Sun every week, until a slightly less strenuous last week.

Grueling, for sure.

 

[NHL1674]

I'll just say the team should play pretty good for the 2nd half but a few more losses mixed in here and there. I don't see why we can't keep winning 2 or 3 out of every 4 games..

What we need is to save some energy for the playoffs and not have everyone burned out.

Soooooo much this!!! They have always had to claw and fight their way back to make the postseason every March thru April to make up for the annual slumps. When the first round starts, many have looked sluggish. We have a much tighter schedule this second half. Let's try to avoid a situation where we need to win every single game the last couple months out of desperation. Guys need to be a little more refreshed before the second season starts. Pad the points right now so that those games in hand will be a nice bonus. And we have to avoid running Dubs into the ground.

The Hawks are playing crappy right now, but they are going to get more rest towards the last half. We all know how they can turn on that playoff switch. Should we have to face a well rested Hawks club with Kane, I don't want the Wild tired and running ragged. We have to slay that vampire one of these years, and we're going to need an energetic group to do it.

 

[Sharppi]

GopherState will post a GDT
Avder will get his **** together and become a regular poster again
Puhis will marry a life-size Spurgeon doll

 

[W75]

Wild won't win as many games as they did during the 1st half. Although enough to get comfortably into the playoffs without drama. Staal, Granlund, Zucker, Stewart are slowing down a bit. Their point totals will be very nice, but not jaw dropping in the end. Koivu, small drop how he's doing just now, but will be fine. Coyle, Nino are going to stay steadily productive. Parise, Pommers will do a tad better than in the first half. Hauls, a disappointment point-wise.

Dubnyk's save% gonna drop from astonishing to just very good. We will have concerns about his playoff performance again. Kuemps gonna Kuemp if Wild won't replace him.

Defense will stay where they are. I mean being awesome most of the time.

 

[57special]

GopherState will post a GDT
Avder will get his **** together and become a regular poster again
Puhis will marry a life-size Spurgeon doll

Hey, if Puhis is going down that road, why wouldn't he marry TWO Spurgeon dolls?