Wild card or bust
- Thread starter Al Lagoon
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- Dec 10, 2012
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To be fair, expecting us to be a top three team in this division was out of line even at the start of the season. It was very obvious that Nashville was so much better than they showed last season. Forsberg's accelerated development definitely helped, but even without him turning into a PPG player overnight, Nashville was still going to leap up in the standings. Winnipeg has a good team as well (aside from goaltending, which is shaky like ours), and should not be a surprise. Dallas made the playoffs last year, and got better in the offseason.
So yes, saying that we should be a clear top three team in this division was an extremely bold statement. Not saying we can't, at least couldn't, have done it, but people were setting themselves up for disappointment by assuming we would be.
So yes, saying that we should be a clear top three team in this division was an extremely bold statement. Not saying we can't, at least couldn't, have done it, but people were setting themselves up for disappointment by assuming we would be.
- Aug 5, 2011
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The Central was typically predicted to be:
Chicago
St. Louis
Colorado/Dallas/Minnesota
Nashville
Winnipeg
Teams have swapped spots, but I think we'll eventually pass Winnipeg and end up fighting to a wildcard spot.
(Central Division predictions from July)
Chicago
St. Louis
Colorado/Dallas/Minnesota
Nashville
Winnipeg
Teams have swapped spots, but I think we'll eventually pass Winnipeg and end up fighting to a wildcard spot.
(Central Division predictions from July)
- Dec 10, 2012
- 39,649
- 18,066
Some people didn't expect Nashville to be this good, and I didn't really expect them to be fighting for a top 2 spot either, but I definitely knew they'd be fighting for a top 3 spot, and I'm by no means the brightest hockey mind on this board, so I know other people expected them to be good.
If you had told me before the season started that the Wild would have the worst goaltending and worst group of centers in the Central, I would've said that they have no chance at even competing for a wild card spot.
Right now the Wild have 4 things working against them, three of which were not present at the start of the season
1. Lack of confidence. We look lost a lot out there right now. When the season started our guys had a lot of confidence in each other and that showed with how we dominated games, sometimes for a full 60 minutes. Our posession game was top of the league. We shut everyone the hell down and threw everything at the opposing goalie. We still do this sometimes, but not often. We don't look confident at all anymore.
2. Swiss Cheese Kuemper. He started out awesome. Then his waiver excemption went away just as he was starting to suck. Now he's hot garbage and literally costing us games, particularly those where Yeo has refused to pull him before its too late.
3. The Mother****ing Mumps. Our blue line has been annihilated by this. Enough said.
And my last point and the one that has been present since day one
4. The powerless powerplay. Its cost us several games and has been discussed to death elsewhere so I'm not gonna bother going in depth.
1. Lack of confidence. We look lost a lot out there right now. When the season started our guys had a lot of confidence in each other and that showed with how we dominated games, sometimes for a full 60 minutes. Our posession game was top of the league. We shut everyone the hell down and threw everything at the opposing goalie. We still do this sometimes, but not often. We don't look confident at all anymore.
2. Swiss Cheese Kuemper. He started out awesome. Then his waiver excemption went away just as he was starting to suck. Now he's hot garbage and literally costing us games, particularly those where Yeo has refused to pull him before its too late.
3. The Mother****ing Mumps. Our blue line has been annihilated by this. Enough said.
And my last point and the one that has been present since day one
4. The powerless powerplay. Its cost us several games and has been discussed to death elsewhere so I'm not gonna bother going in depth.
I agree with everything you said above and let me expand a little. Confidence issue is a huge thing. The PP I feel is directly correlated to that as well. I believe our confidence was shaken not only from the early PP woes but the failure to close out games early in the season. Blowing leads is a quick way to destroy that. It seems to me that right now were not totally on the same page, a team must have this to win. Watch the top teams in the league Chicago, LA , Anahiem From their goalie to D men to Forwards they all seem to be on the same page as a team and cohesive unit.
The lack of urgency to address the horrid PP is what concerns me.
im sorry bruno, but w/e ur doing is not working, you gotta go.
im sorry bruno, but w/e ur doing is not working, you gotta go.
I said before the season we'd place 3rd, 4th or 5th in the division. The 4th place will most likely produce a wild card playoff spot, but if we place 5th, who knows. But there's still a possibility we'll pass Winnipeg and take that 4th place, that hasn't been lost (yet). This division is tough, assuming we'd take a direct playoff spot was highly optimistic to begin with. Our young players haven't finished developing and sadly the age difference between them and our veterans is not optimal, it's too big. I mean, how many top players between 25 and 28 do we have?
mnwild*
Registered User
id be absolutely shocked if this team as we see it now, makes the playoffs. about a 15% possibility id say
TopShelfGinos
Registered User
Hey guys new poster here who decided to join so that i could share in the agony of this underwhelming season with others. Honestly i see no way we make the playoffs without drastic changes in play and personnel. specifically in goal and down the middle. i just dont think our center depth will ever be good enough with koivu and granlund to be big threats come playoff time. Could be way off but thats just my 2 cents
nickschultzfan
Registered User
- Jan 7, 2009
- 11,558
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We were in way worse shape last year at this time. Goaltending needs to be fixed, but other than that it's about just getting some confidence back in the scoring department.
Welcome, there be only agony and sad posters in here. I sadly kinda agree with your assessment.
Northland Wild Man
Finnesotans?
Lapa
Global Moderator
- Feb 21, 2010
- 13,158
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We can continue this discussion in the General Wild Discussion thread.
http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1757971
http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1757971
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