Speculation: Which Direction Should the Wild Head?

[Dr Jan Itor]

The defense "falling apart" is directly related to Dubnyk. It's no different when dubnyk is playing great. 2-3 weeks ago everyone around here was talking about being one of the best teams in the West. When your goaltender is playing well, everyone's confidence goes up and everything comes easier. Once a team loses confidence in their goaltender, everything goes to ****.

Or, you could say that we were buoyed by Dubnyk playing at Vezina level for October + early November, and although we might not be as bad as we are looking now, we also weren't as good as we looked then.

 

[2Pair]

Or, you could say that we were buoyed by Dubnyk playing at Vezina level for October + early November, and although we might not be as bad as we are looking now, we also weren't as good as we looked then.

That's exactly what I was trying to say. That being said, history says that they're a 100 point team when it all shakes out.

 

[TaLoN]

The OP literally says trading off certain players for picks and prospects is a re-tool, with the key word being "certain".

A sell off would be moving players like Spurgeon, Brodin, Dumba, Granlund, Dubnyk, etc..

I'm saying the OP's definition of retool is wrong.

 

[Bluesguru]

I like the Wild. I think they're a good team and I think they're capable of getting to the Conf Finals if healthy and playing well come playoff time. I think breaking this team up now would be a mistake. Plus, chances are Staal will resign at a discount. Just seems like he likes where he's at. This is still a very good team IMO.

 

[AKL]

I like the Wild. I think they're a good team and I think they're capable of getting to the Conf Finals if healthy and playing well come playoff time. I think breaking this team up now would be a mistake. Plus, chances are Staal will resign at a discount. Just seems like he likes where he's at. This is still a very good team IMO.

History shows that doesn't happen

 

[2Pair]

I like the Wild. I think they're a good team and I think they're capable of getting to the Conf Finals if healthy and playing well come playoff time. I think breaking this team up now would be a mistake. Plus, chances are Staal will resign at a discount. Just seems like he likes where he's at. This is still a very good team IMO.

I think this is spot on

History shows that doesn't happen

Sadly, so is this

 

[thestonedkoala]

Because you still need some NHL players.

I don't see Suter, Koivu and Parise going anywhere anytime soon. Nor Granlund.

 

[57special]

I like the Wild. I think they're a good team and I think they're capable of getting to the Conf Finals if healthy and playing well come playoff time. I think breaking this team up now would be a mistake. Plus, chances are Staal will resign at a discount. Just seems like he likes where he's at. This is still a very good team IMO.

Staal can re-sign as a FA even if he is traded at the TDL.
This is not a bad team, but simply doesn't have the high end scoring stars that you need to be make a run in the playoffs. We've got the supporting depth, just not the one or two leaders on the front end.

I don't know what is with the giveaways and poor defensive play lately. I don't know how many times that I have seen three forwards getting caught below the dots in the O zone, or two forwards and a Dman. The giveaways...Granlund is a really good player, but he is dishing to wrong team, recently. Can't have your best forward(supposedly) doing that.

Wild also used to be good at winning puck battles. I don't see that anymore.

 

[thestonedkoala]

We should just keep doing what we do every year; draft big, questionable low risk, low upside players. Eventually one will turn into a Gaborik.

 

[DANOZ28]

im not saying we cant pull off a 100 point season , i am saying this core does not look like stanley cup contenders. so i'd sell a couple pieces at the trade deadline to pickup some draft picks. coyle & staal are at the top of my list. (decent value).

 

[BigT2002]

They're not going to get anywhere by plugging in other players from different teams. They've tried that song and dance how many times in the last 5 years, only to have it flop horribly? If they've drafted these players, they should instill some trust and faith in them to be called up and play in the big leagues for a few games, if anything.

 

[SMTHook]

I guess I'll ride and die with these guys. They are fun to watch. If I enjoy watching, that's really all I can ask. It's hard to win the Cup, really hard. I don't think as constructed this team can win the cup but you never know. And I like this team as constructed so leave me in that hell known as no man's land. Can't win it all and can't draft high. I'm ok with that.

 

[Wabit]

I'm a fan of the 6p in 5 games way of thinking for making the Playoffs; that's a 98p season. If the Wild could maintain this pace and they would have a 96p season; which is right on the fringe (imo) of the Playoffs.

There are 10 of these 5 game blocks left for the season:
1. SJS, PIT@, DAL, CHI@, WIN@
2. PIT, TOR@, OTT@, MTL@, BOS@
3. WIN, DET, PHI@, LA, ANA
4. CBJ, VGK@, COL@, DAL@, CHI
5. BUF@, EDM, NJD@, NYI@, PHI
6. NJD, STL, ANA, NYR@, DET@
7. STL, (TDL), WIN@, CGY@, NSH, NSH@- brutal set of games after the TDL
8. TB@, FLA@, SJS, DAL, NYR
9. NYI, COL, WSH@, CAR@, NSH
10. VGK@, AZ@, WIN, BOS, DAL@

If the Wild stand pat until after #6, here is what I want to see:
- 60p or less, blow it up (hold a televised live auction for the players-reserves in place, obviously)
- 61p-65p, be sellers (Staal, Spurgeon on the block for futures)
- 66p-70p minor sellers (Coyle on the block for futures)
- 71p-74p glad I'm not the GM (this is the limbo where I expect the Wild to be)
- 75p-80p, minor buyers (2nd/3rd is on the table)
- 81p-84p buyers (1st in on the table)
- 85p+ all in for one more rodeo (go big and watch it blow up in our faces)

 

[PuckInTheNards]

I was in the rebuild camp after last season. Still there. At best, we're wild card first round loss kind of team - and we've already been down that road. Time to try something different.

 

[nt3005]

Time to blow up what they can. I don't see enough fire/drive from this team. I think all of our "leadership" is actually whats holding the team back. Too many players who cant find an extra gear when they need to. Can beat bad teams, but cant even score on good ones.

 

[AKL]

It’s crystal clear at this point that this team needs a big re-tool. Still don’t think you can blow it up and rebuild in any meaningful way as long as Suter and Parise still have 6 years left though.

 

[Gundee1114]

It’s crystal clear at this point that this team needs a big re-tool. Still don’t think you can blow it up and rebuild in any meaningful way as long as Suter and Parise still have 6 years left though.

I guess I disagree, say we trade just about anyone with value, we're still gonna need to hit the cap floor and their contracts would help in doing so.

 

[Bazeek]

I guess I disagree, say we trade just about anyone with value, we're still gonna need to hit the cap floor and their contracts would help in doing so.

I think the hurdle would really be trying to pull out of the rebuild after 3 years (or however long) with term still left on their contracts. Still, I'm not sure that it'd be that much of an obstacle.

 

[2Pair]

It’s crystal clear at this point that this team needs a big re-tool. Still don’t think you can blow it up and rebuild in any meaningful way as long as Suter and Parise still have 6 years left though.

Time to blow up what they can. I don't see enough fire/drive from this team. I think all of our "leadership" is actually whats holding the team back. Too many players who cant find an extra gear when they need to. Can beat bad teams, but cant even score on good ones.

I was in the rebuild camp after last season. Still there. At best, we're wild card first round loss kind of team - and we've already been down that road. Time to try something different.

Pretty easy to just say "blow it up". What's the actual plan? Who goes? Who stays?

 

[grimmel95]

For everyone who says stand pat or wait a little longer since this team was #2 in the western conference just weeks ago or we were a 100pt team last year does't see the big picture with this team. We've done the same thing over and over and over for 7 years now. We have stretches where we look awesome and then we fade to pick it back up just in time to make the playoffs to get booted in the first round without doing a darn thing. Our core is getting older and players like Nino/Coyle/Ek aren't improving, aren't putting up the points we need to take the next step for the team. I'm not sure about you folks but i'm pretty tired of us banging our head against a brick wall here. This team doesn't crash the net, they don't shoot, we don't have finishers and consistently drafting in the 20's isn't helping this team at all. Just my 2cents are the state of the Wild.

I don't know what the answers are but we have to do something. Honestly I think the best thing that could happen is trade some players for some picks and prospects, call up some young guys and miss the playoffs and get a higher draft pick to help get younger, faster and maybe pick someone that can finish.

 

[DeagleJenkins]

Pretty easy to just say "blow it up". What's the actual plan? Who goes? Who stays?

everyone but granny dumba suter parise and koivu (barring a list of tradeable teams or whatever way we can get him moved or keep him simply for a C we can rely on) can go for the right price/a good price. younger kids such as greenway ek and kunin dont just throw away but the core of nino/zucker/coyle/brodin/spurgeon(who id wanna keep but am ok with selling) can all be had. Staal i like but have no issue selling off at TDL. once you make all these trades we make a roster out of what remains, play the season out see what some iowa call ups have to offer then we go from there.

 

[Digitalbooya]

Why not trade Granlund? You trade everyone else and he might bail when his contract ends.

 

[DeagleJenkins]

Why not trade Granlund? You trade everyone else and he might bail when his contract ends.

I am not against trading him i just dont see the right price coming up for him during a sell off. id rather wait till next year or so to see what we have then make the sale and get what we need in return.

 

[grimmel95]

Why not trade Granlund? You trade everyone else and he might bail when his contract ends.

I'm totally against trading Grandlund unless the return is ridiculous. Granny is really our only creative player who happens to make some unbelievable passes and plays that no one else on the team can make. He's also starting to play more physical which is nice but we trade granny we might has well close up shop. I'm more inclined with trading Dumba because I think the haul you could get in return would make it worth it. I don't see Dumba ever being even average on defense -- he will continually give up multiple chances a game just like his offense will produce multiple chances per game. If we didn't have such high end D-men I would be more inclined to keep him.

 

[zxc55555]

By the time the next expansion draft comes along I think we should (already) be in the process of amassing picks & prospects. I'd let this season play out, maybe make a few trades depending on where we are in the standings.