Wild Offseason

[Bear55]

I don't think Burns is going to get moved this year, which I think is a good thing. He is just entering his prime years so if he can get back to form I think he will be a keeper for a long time. It would be nice to get a high quality forward for him but I think other teams were low balling us with offers for Burns.

[scsavre]

20 points and -15+/- last year for $3.5 mil, that doesnt add up for me. I suppose when you are the wild the hole team is (-) though. The wild just need to keep changing a few things and Burns will be one of them, if someone gives up a decent trade. I hope he can do well, but I dont know if he has what we need. We really need a smooth dman that can lead the puck up ice on the power play. Barker can shoot, or do his monster fake slapper and a new dman can make passes and break us out. Maybe we dont have to just dump it then.

[Bear55]

Remember Burns has had some injury problems and only played 47 games last year. He's not too far away from that 15 goal 43 point season and still only 25 years old. I'm not against trading him if we get quality back but I don't want to give him away after a couple of sub-par seasons and watch him turn into a monster. Its kind of a gamble either way but I guess it that way with a lot of players.

[scsavre]

Yah, if we get rid of him, we need something good in return.

I dont think anyone would offer enough for him anyway. Unless it was a multi player deal. Now if someone will just sign Kovulchuck so we can see whats out there after those chips fall.

I have heard Kaberle, wouldnt that be something. I doubt it though.

[10,000 Casts]

I think Barker is more of a liabilty than burns.. BTW how in the world did Kim Johnsson ever get $5 mil a year.. We had to give up a pretty good prospect in Leddy in order to get Barker and get rid of Johnsson and his salary.. Barker is borderline minors material imo..

[scsavre]

Keep an eye on Barker, I think he is going to be good this year. Either way better then johnson and his price tag. I think Barker is going to be good though. If I am not mistaken, I think Barker was our only + player. I ddint get to watch him as closely as I would like though. Hopefully he does very well.

[MinnesnowtaWild]

He was probably the only + player because he played on the Hawks most of the year and their whole team was massively on the + side.

[Bear55]

I still think Barker has too much up side to give up on him so soon, just like Burns he has a 40 point season under his belt and is still very young. It might take him a while to shore up his defensive game but he could be a great player for us in time.

[JimBuck]

It sounds like the Gophs are going to be hurting even more with Nick Leddy signing to the hawks yesterday.

[scsavre]

Leddy gone, Birkholtz gone. After this season Lucia gone. The wild better do something this season. What the heck is there going to be to cheer for. Except of coarse Favre on Sundays.

[Bear55]

With this Madden signing I am actually starting to like our group of forwards, no we probably aren't making a cup run but it almost appears we have a solid group of players who could potentially do some damage this year if things go well.

A decent top two, Mittenen could be replaced by possibly Kobasew or Wellmen if one of them can step up.

Bruno-Koivu-Mittens

Lats-Cullen-Havlat

And we have a good mix of skill and grit in a group that could end up in the bottom two lines. In no particular order.

PMB-Brodz-Madden-Clutterbuck-Wellman

Nystrom-Kobasew-Staubitz-Almond

Still plenty of question marks up front and on D but you just never know, they certainly look to be in better shape then the Gophers this year.

[OnAFly]

I agree, our fowards are looking a step or two above last year.

Where's our D? That was killing us last year, though the lack of 2-way centers beyond Koivu was accentuating the problem. We'll see if it's gotten any better.

[Bear55]

Looks like we might be stuck with our D corps, might have to to have those defensive forwards help them out. Hopefully Backstrom has a big year.

[walleyes12]

fowards are looking better, nothing spectacular. Hopefully another year in the new system helps

[Bear55]

fowards are looking better, nothing spectacular. Hopefully another year in the new system helps

I think that was the big problem with the slow start last year, even if we would have went 500 during that time we might have made the playoffs.

[OnAFly]

That and the slump that happened after we traded Johnsson.

[Bear55]

That was probably a good thing, we sucked anyway and needed a top 10 draft pick.

[Musky Buck]

When our 1st line would be most teams second line = long season.

[Bear55]

Our 2nd line was pretty good last year and should be even better this year. I am ok with two very solid lines, a lot of times a team might have a killer first line and an ok/average 2nd line. You don't see to many teams running a killer first line and a great 2nd line to back them up so its not like we are the only team lacking in that area.

[walleyes12]

the only probably I have with 2 good lines, they get wore out by the end of the season and we are left with 4 okay lines

[Bear55]

I think all the teams have that kind of problem, all the best players get the most minutes and most teams don't have a ton of depth.

We might actually have a decent 3rd line this year if PMB and Kobasew can get back to form, maybe throw in Brodziak as the center. That however is a big "IF" and we likely won't see Kobasew with 20 goals and Bouchard with 35-40 assists but its nice to dream.

[spearchucker]

I just hope we see Butch this year. I think our D is fine if they play D. They were trying to get in the the play at the wrong times last year and would get burned. I blame this somewhat on the coach. Rick Wilson is supposed to be a good Defense coach so maybe that will help.

[Bear55]

I think you are right spear, they were probably trying to push it too much in the new "system" a little too much gambling.

The big different between a good offensive defenseman and a great one is picking those spots to jump up into the play that don't hurt your team. Its impossible to do it right every time but the great ones usually setup a great scoring chance for their team and rarely get caught out of position.

[Musky Buck]

I hear ya but you need a skilled power play in the playoffs and we have lots of 3rd liners, I always look at if we released a certain player who would pick him up and what line if any would he be on, our poor drafting is tanking us as well as the professor and Marian Gabor with his groin strains the weasel.

[spearchucker]

The draft picks won't show up in the NHL for a few years yet, but maybe we can trade some for a good player now. We need a decent point man with a shot on the PP. It used to be fun watching Rolston wind up and everyone run for cover. There were a lot of times that the point man (Havlat) lost the puck out of our zone.