The Office of Strategic Planning - Tank Talk

[57special]

We have done reasonably well with the tank, but it's going to be tough going from now on. Getting below CHI is going to be tough, never mind NJD. We will be lucky to get a top 10 pick. I don't trust Buffalo or Montreal to be better than us down the stretch.

 

[Nsjohnson]

Earnst and Young overseas the draft lottery to ensure its rules are followed.

E&Y dwarf the NHL(40 Billion and revenues vs 4 Billion) and the damage to their rep for allowing the NHL to fake the lottery would be borderline fatal to an auditing company like that ( see Arthur Anderson after Enron).

You pay companies like E&Y, KPMG and pricewater cooper for their audit solely for their reputation, and they don't give a shit about your reputation(the NHLs).

As someone that worked for a fortune 500 company, and dealt with KPMG auditors routinely, the draft lottery is the only thing in the NHL I'm positive isn't corrupt due to that relationship.

Yes exactly. I don't know how anyone thinks that it's rigged. It's lazy thinking.

 

[thestonedkoala]

We have done reasonably well with the tank, but it's going to be tough going from now on. Getting below CHI is going to be tough, never mind NJD. We will be lucky to get a top 10 pick. I don't trust Buffalo or Montreal to be better than us down the stretch.

Buffalo made moves that seem to align with them trying to make a push for the playoffs. As it stands after the deadline;

Detroit has the top pick and that won't change.

Los Angeles, Ottawa, Anaheim, San Jose, New Jersey and Chicago all signaled that they are rebuilding. Chicago may even sneak into the top 5 again.

So, Minnesota is currently jumbled with Montreal, Buffalo, Nashville, Winnipeg, New York Rangers, and even Florida for the next selections. I can see them easily picking 8th as I can see them picking 15th.

Guerin seems content on letting this ship sail. I'm wondering a) who he decides to throw under the bus in the offseason (as Boudreau is already gone) when they don't make the playoffs b) how he justified keeping Dubnyk on the roster the entire season if his goal was to make the playoffs c) if he was keeping Dubnyk on the roster, why he didn't sell at the deadline when prices were pretty high and the team needs to rebuild.

 

[MuckOG]

Maybe a little extra negativity has crept into the dressing room with the news that Parise wants out. I would like that's good for a few more losses than they otherwise would finish with.

 

[thestonedkoala]

Maybe a little extra negativity has crept into the dressing room with the news that Parise wants out. I would like that's good for a few more losses than they otherwise would finish with.

Or it could do the opposite and motivate them to win. Who knows?

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

Can this team just lose-out already?

 

[thestonedkoala]

Can this team just lose-out already?

Guerin wants them to compete.

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

Guerin wants them to compete.

And what do you have to support that?

 

[thestonedkoala]

And what do you have to support that?

His comments, his deadline or lack of moves.

 

[MuckOG]

Guerin wants them to compete.

Of course, why wouldn't he? Would ANY GM tell their team to just quit because he knows that they aren't a playoff ready team?

Look at his actions, not his words. Him wanting to move Parise did not appear to be a move that would help the Wild this season.

 

[DeagleJenkins]

Of course, why wouldn't he? Would ANY GM tell their team to just quit because he knows that they aren't a playoff ready team?

Look at his actions, not his words. Him wanting to move Parise did not appear to be a move that would help the Wild this season.

well it would help us this season as it allows Donato top 6 wing slot instead of riding the bench.

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

His comments, his deadline or lack of moves.

His comments mean nothing. Trading away one of your two 25+ goal scorers for futures, nearly trading the other one for a cap dump, and not addressing a goalie situation that has cost this team probably 10 points this year doesn’t seem like the moves of a GM that wants to compete.

 

[thestonedkoala]

Of course, why wouldn't he? Would ANY GM tell their team to just quit because he knows that they aren't a playoff ready team?

I mean look at Los Angeles and Detroit - yes, they are competing, but do they really think they are a playoff team? Guerin should be looking at moving veterans (especially at the deadline) to open up more slots in the NHL. We are virtually going to go into next season with the same team sans Koivu and possibly Parise and Dubnyk. Do you think the addition of Kaprizov is going to magically make this team a Stanley Cup contender?

 

[MuckOG]

I mean look at Los Angeles and Detroit - yes, they are competing, but do they really think they are a playoff team? Guerin should be looking at moving veterans (especially at the deadline) to open up more slots in the NHL. We are virtually going to go into next season with the same team sans Koivu and possibly Parise and Dubnyk. Do you think the addition of Kaprizov is going to magically make this team a Stanley Cup contender?

If we get good goal tending, it's certainly possible. Although I think their chances will be better two years from now.

 

[thestonedkoala]

If we get good goal tending, it's certainly possible. Although I think their chances will be better two years from now.

Why two years from now? Staal is gone, there is questions if Beckman is a LW or a center and who knows about Khovanov?

 

[MuckOG]

Why two years from now? Staal is gone, there is questions if Beckman is a LW or a center and who knows about Khovanov?

Who knows about anything for sure? We're all making projections.

 

[thestonedkoala]

Who knows about anything for sure? We're all making projections.

Yes, we are. But why two years?

 

[TaLoN]

Who knows about anything for sure? We're all making projections.

My projections are better than your projections.

 

[MuckOG]

Yes, we are. But why two years?

Because I'm not yet sure we'll have goaltending figured out by next season. It could be KK, but Guerin may look elsewhere.

 

[57special]

I do think the Parise news will be good for the tank, but bringing up KK will be bad. Mayhew is a wild card in all this, but will he really be all that much better than Kunin? Doubt it. Losing Soucy will hurt us, also.

Galch is another wild card, as he is playing for his NHL life. I refuse to get excited about anything he does. It will be fool's gold.

 

[Bazeek]

Just to summarize recent developments:

• One 20+ goal scorer with term (Zucker) traded for futures. Hmmm...
• A second 20+ goal scorer with term (Parise) almost traded for a cap dump and possible futures. Hmmm....
• Galchenyuk at center despite there being 4 actual centers healthy. Hmmm....
• A winning coach let go over possible "player utilization" problems. Hmmm....
  
• AHL All Star Gerry Mayhew to the top line. Hmmm....
• Dubnyk continuing to start non back-to-back games. HMMM....
• All while the team has been 4-6 points out of a playoff spot with multiple games in hand over the teams above us, and a strong record since Christmas. Hmmmmmmm........

Don't get me wrong because I don't think this is the year and I fully support using this last stretch of games to get an early start on this summer's shake-up. Throw **** at the wall, see what sticks and see who's able to step up and do something with the opportunities that present themselves.

But anyone that's confused about whether or not Guerin expects this team to compete for a Cup this year isn't paying attention. He's not ripping the team apart and seems to be trying to maintain some standards and expectations within the locker room, but he's clearly had this year written off for a while now.

 

[57special]

Trading away Parise for Ladd would've been a tank master stroke.

 

[MuckOG]

Today's other games and rooting interests.....

Calgary vs Boston
Dallas vs Carolina
NY Rangers vs NY Islanders
San Jose vs Philly
Toronto vs Tampa Bay
Vancouver vs Montreal
Winnipeg vs Washington
New Jersey vs Detroit
Chicago vs St Louis
Ottawa vs Nashville (3 pt game)
Florida vs Arizona
Edmonton vs Anaheim

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Just to summarize recent developments:

• One 20+ goal scorer with term (Zucker) traded for futures. Hmmm...
• A second 20+ goal scorer with term (Parise) almost traded for a cap dump and possible futures. Hmmm....
• Galchenyuk at center despite there being 4 actual centers healthy. Hmmm....
• A winning coach let go over possible "player utilization" problems. Hmmm....
  
• AHL All Star Gerry Mayhew to the top line. Hmmm....
• Dubnyk continuing to start non back-to-back games. HMMM....
• All while the team has been 4-6 points out of a playoff spot with multiple games in hand over the teams above us, and a strong record since Christmas. Hmmmmmmm........

Don't get me wrong because I don't think this is the year and I fully support using this last stretch of games to get an early start on this summer's shake-up. Throw **** at the wall, see what sticks and see who's able to step up and do something with the opportunities that present themselves.

But anyone that's confused about whether or not Guerin expects this team to compete for a Cup this year isn't paying attention. He's not ripping the team apart and seems to be trying to maintain some standards and expectations within the locker room, but he's clearly had this year written off for a while now.

And at the same time publicly threatens (twice) to trade anybody that "quits" on the season as equally as his actions appear to. If I'm a player, I'm throwing some double middle fingers right back at him.

 

[Bazeek]

And at the same time publicly threatens (twice) to trade anybody that "quits" on the season as equally as his actions appear to. If I'm a player, I'm throwing some double middle fingers right back at him.

The quote in question:

“I can promise you this: If there is quit, there will be more trades,” Guerin said during a news conference after acquiring Alex Galchenyuk, prospect Calen Addison and a lottery-protected 2020 first-round pick. “I wholeheartedly expect this team to compete for a playoff spot. We’re right there, and if there’s any signs of anybody taking their foot off the gas, that will be an indication.”

There was also this:

“If players are hurt by this, then maybe they’re not the players that we should have here,” Guerin said. “This is the business that we’re in. It’s unfortunate. It’s always a sad time when you do this, but this is the business. Just like I said the other day with the Jason Zucker trade, this is something where I fully expect our players to show up at game time (Saturday) and be ready to go.

“We are pushing through and I expect this team to compete for a playoff spot.”

Whatever reading between the lines one wants to do here it's fair to call both statements provocative. Personally I've got zero problems with provocative when it comes to this team, though. Especially when the guys most likely to be "provoked" are guys with NMCs, and I'd bet cash money on that being part of why Parise was almost an Islander.