Friedman: Wild shopping Fiala?

[MMC]

6. Okay, let’s go through some names starting to make their way around the NHL. It’s going to be very interesting to see how things play out with Minnesota and

Kevin Fiala. He could have played Tuesday night in Dallas, but the Wild decided to make him a scratch instead — the second time it’s happened in 2019-20. Coach Bruce Boudreau indicated the winger would be back in the lineup soon, “because we could use his offence,” but it’s clear this marriage is shaky.
It’s a tricky scenario because he hasn’t even been there a calendar year, and was acquired by a previous GM. He’s talented, and the contract is not prohibitive. In a perfect world, he’s part of the solution in Minnesota. But, they’re going to see what is out there.

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[Empoleon8771]

It's kinda funny that the Fiala-Granlund trade ended up a lose-lose trade.

 

[predfan24]

He needs to go somewhere that can both hold him accountable and give him minutes to develop his game. He's 23 now. He's either going to get "it" real soon or his NHL career will be over soon.

 

[BusQuets]

It's kinda funny that the Fiala-Granlund trade ended up a lose-lose trade.

lol what. Wild lost a 70 point player and nashville didn't lose anything valuable.

 

[Empoleon8771]

lol what. Wild lost a 70 point player and nashville didn't lose anything valuable.

Granlund has been an absolute dud for the Predators, though. He has 9 points in 27 games for them.

 

[Bazeek]

Russo sort of touches on this in a recent podcast (38:45).

Q: Any truth to the rumors that that Fiala, Ek and Donato are are on the trading block?
A: No. <rant about internet rumor mills>

There's more nuance to it than that, but he seems pretty convinced that none of those guys are being "shopped" in the sense that Friedman (or at least the thread title) is implying here.

That said, there's roughly no one on this team that's untouchable for anything other than contractual reasons.

 

[StuckOutHere]

lol what. Wild lost a 70 point player and nashville didn't lose anything valuable.

They lost a 69 point player.

 

[PuckInTheNards]

I can't stand him as a player but I don't see the point in trading him. He's a cheap warm body and he won't bring anything worthwhile back in a trade. Package Fiala and Zuccarello for a 4th?

 

[paragon]

lol what. Wild lost a 70 point player and nashville didn't lose anything valuable.

It's fair to call Fiala a 50 point player, if you call Granlund a 70 point player. Doesn't even matter though. Granlund has 9 points in 28 games with Predators. 26 point pace over a full season. Both teams lost. And nobody lost more than Granlund. That trade probably cost him 15+M over the next 10 years.

 

[AKL]

He needs to go somewhere that can both hold him accountable and give him minutes to develop his game. He's 23 now. He's either going to get "it" real soon or his NHL career will be over soon.

The Wild CAN give him that though, especially this year where everyone sucks. They just aren’t.

They lost a 69 point player.

Nice

 

[Fjordy]

Jason work.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

lol what. Wild lost a 70 point player and nashville didn't lose anything valuable.

Well, Fiala - despite his flaws - was probably a better player for us than Granlund has been. So far, it was a downgrade for us too... we got an older, more expensive, and less productive player. Somehow. I don't think anybody saw that coming. But it came. It came just the same.

Anywho, hopefully that situation turns itself around to the way it was supposed to be. But if Granlund doesn't step it up, and if we lose him as a UFA (we couldn't really consider re-signing him based on his play here thus far), then it's definitely a big overall loss for us too.

 

[HockeyDBspecialist]

69

nice

 

[ForsbergForever]

Would simply reversing the trade with Nashville be totally out of the question?

 

[AKL]

Would simply reversing the trade with Nashville be totally out of the question?

Absolutely out of the question.

 

[KlefDown]

what's his contract? can he PK? oilers will take him

 

[Bazeek]

what's his contract? can he PK? oilers will take him

$3m AAV for the next 2 seasons
Not really
For what?

 

[BusQuets]

It's fair to call Fiala a 50 point player, if you call Granlund a 70 point player. Doesn't even matter though. Granlund has 9 points in 28 games with Predators. 26 point pace over a full season. Both teams lost. And nobody lost more than Granlund. That trade probably cost him 15+M over the next 10 years.

Fiala scored 0.48 ppg in nashville for three seasons before the trade. That's barely a 40 points per full season.
Granlund scored 0.84ppg in his last three seasons with Wild. That's 68 points per full season.

Not even close to what you said.

 

[Bazeek]

Fiala scored 0.48 ppg in nashville for three seasons before the trade. That's barely a 40 points per full season.
Granlund scored 0.84ppg in his last three seasons with Wild. That's 68 points per full season.

Not even close to what you said.

That's one way to look at it. Here's another.

20-22 years old
Granlund: 0.56 ppg
Fiala: 0.47 ppg

24-26 years old
Granlund: 0.80 ppg
Fiala: ???

It was a risk for both teams and one that hasn't really panned out in either direction. But Granlund hasn't been a 70(ish) point player for over a year now.

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

I think Fiala will turn into a good complementary player in this league, but joy in MN

 

[BusQuets]

That's one way to look at it. Here's another.

20-22 years old
Granlund: 0.56 ppg
Fiala: 0.47 ppg

24-26 years old
Granlund: 0.80 ppg
Fiala: ???

It was a risk for both teams and one that hasn't really panned out in either direction. But Granlund hasn't been a 70(ish) point player for over a year now.

If you only stare numbers yes. But in Granlund's case his hockey iq and puck skills were always great but the skating and physicality was lacking. Fiala's problems are not so easy to fix.

 

[Smartguy]

Granlund has been an absolute dud for the Predators, though. He has 9 points in 27 games for them.

Which is crazy to me, he hid under the radar in Minnesota, I thought when he got to Nashville he was really going to pop off, to bad for him it’s right when he’s headed to UFA

 

[AKL]

If you only stare numbers yes. But in Granlund's case his hockey iq and puck skills were always great but the skating and physicality was lacking. Fiala's problems are not so easy to fix.

You’re the one that brought up numbers. Twice. Now numbers don’t mean anything?

 

[Bazeek]

If you only stare numbers yes. But in Granlund's case his hockey iq and puck skills were always great but the skating and physicality was lacking. Fiala's problems are not so easy to fix.

I was responding to a point about numbers with numbers.

Granlund's defensive game is miles better than Fiala's, yes. And Fiala's turnovers are absolutely part of why he's being scratched when the team is desperate to get the train back on the tracks. I think it remains to be seen that the holes in his game are any more intractable than Granlund's were, though.

 

[BusQuets]

You’re the one that brought up numbers. Twice. Now numbers don’t mean anything?

Where did I say numbers don't matter? You have to take in the context. Expecting Fiala to get better in his mid twenties like Granlund just because Granlund did is very risky.