Get rid of Barker

[spearchucker]

Boy did we get screwed on that trade. Barker was terrible today. I never have been a fan of him since we got him, but today took the cake.

[OnAFly]

I didn't see any of it, but he really hasn't impressed me much either. As for getting screwed...we got Barker for Leddy pretty much. Leddy was a tiny little guy who wasn't doing so hot in the WCHA, let alone the NHL. Things may pan out for him, but he really didn't look like the kind of defenseman the Wild need.

[scsavre]

I didnt see it. I am excited about Barker, why. I dont know. I think I just really want him to be good. He seemed like he was good on power play last year. He has a heck of a fake slapper. Ill let you know in a month. I dont mind the trade though. Leddy had no business being a first rounder anyway.

[Bear55]

Actually I thought Leddy was one of the better gopher D last year, sure he was plenty raw and made some mistakes but what freshmen don't. I really wasn't sure why the Wild were so down on him, it seemed like they gave up pretty fast just when he was coming around at the end of the year.

I do understand the move, it was the safe way to go, Kimmy wasn't coming back and they needed an NHL defencemen vs a prospect, but I hope this one doesn't haunt us. I really think Barker can be a good one, he is plenty young and sometimes defencemen need some extra time to come around.

[spearchucker]

]I didnt see it. I am excited about Barker, why. I dont know. I think I just really want him to be good. He seemed like he was good on power play last year. He has a heck of a fake slapper. Ill let you know in a month. I dont mind the trade though. Leddy had no business being a first rounder anyway.

I guess nobody watched the Blackhawks game lastnight. Leddy made the team and started as a rookie and looked pretty good.

I hope Barker can get better, but the guy looks like he is skating in mud. We need a guy with a real slapper, not a fake one.

[OnAFly]

Nope, didn't see it. I guess all I saw of him was when he was at the U.

[scsavre]

Well, I am sure if Leddy went to the Wild he woulda been a flop. Maybe he was such a nice kid that the Wild felt bad for him and allowed him to escape.

I saw he managed 20 minutes and 3 shots. Not bad.

[spearchucker]

"]Well, I am sure if Leddy went to the Wild he woulda been a flop. Maybe he was such a nice kid that the Wild felt bad for him and allowed him to escape.

I saw he managed 20 minutes and 3 shots. Not bad.

My guess is the Wild thought Leddy wouldn't be ready for a few years and they needed a guy to replace Kim right away.

Oh well Barker had 2 penalties, does that count?

[Bear55]

Lets also remember there is a good chance Leddy is getting playing time he might not otherwise get if Chicago didn't have all those cap problems. Now he could blow us all away and become a regular but there is a good chance he spends some time in the AHL before the season is over.

[spearchucker]

Unless Barker improves he deserves to be in Houston, but they never will because of his salary and 1 way contract.

[scsavre]

Barker is a huge body. If all else maybe they can make him into a Skula- that hopefully scores less on his own team.

I havent seen a game yet this year....went to the pre-season, but that doesnt count. Hopefully he is better then I am hearing here.

[spearchucker]

Boogaard was a huge body too and look how that worked out.

[scsavre]

Hard to compare the two, but I get your point.

He's got 1 point in 2 games, averaging roughly 20 minutes per game, 3 shots and (-1). Ill give him a few more games before I get after him. He is the lowest paid of our top 4 defenseman @ $3mm

[OnAFly]

At least Barker has a reason for not racking up points being a defenseman. Boogey was just plain old slowwwwww. When he did finally get going, he had to pretty much stop to turn.

Maybe Barker just needs to take a seat in the press box for a game or two. It did wonders for Skoula a few years ago. He was about as worthless as a defenseman could get, then Lemaire sat him for a few games and he picked it up to the point of being one of our more dependable defensemen.

[spearchucker]

On the plus side I think Falk is looking pretty good. He moves his feet and has good speed. I also hope Zanon steps it up, he seems a step behind this year. It is early and I am hoping thing get going as I love watching the Wild, but can't stand lazy play with tons of mental mistakes.

[Musky Buck]

Chicago radio last night they were very high on Leddy, believe he scored a big goal as the hawks won 4-3 over Buffalo. They were talking it won't be too long and he'll be running the show on the power play, when we got barker I confused him for a moment with Troy Brouwer, I was so happy and then Cam Barker I was like oh no, the dude seems to barely play with a pulse or any emotion, time will tell.

[spearchucker]

I watched Leddy the other night on Versus. He looked great.

[Musky Buck]

Does Colton Gillies and James Sheppard mean anything to anyone, Gabby's groin, how are the twolves doing when there superstar KG left town, poor drafting and studs leaving = rebuilding. We better keep Barker and hope for the best, we know what Chicago saw in him that's why it was no problemo sending him on his way.

[10,000 Casts]

I totally agree, I have been saying this was a bad trade since he got here. The Wild just keep making bad moves.. Havlat, Meitenin, Skoula, Sheppard, Barker, and so on and so on. Welcome to the basement of the NHL.

[Bear55]

I still don't see Havlat as a bad move, he is by far one of our more skilled players and puts up points. Did he score as much as I wanted him to last year? No but that doesn't mean anything this year, plus we got him at a good price.

[spearchucker]

I still don't see Havlat as a bad move, he is by far one of our more skilled players and puts up points. Did he score as much as I wanted him to last year? No but that doesn't mean anything this year, plus we got him at a good price.

It should also help with Cullen centering that line too.

[Musky Buck]

I'm not a Havlat basher yet, no, he has skills, lets hope we inspire him to play at his highest level, if not here will come these nagging we're going no place anyway injuries talking about certain guys on the team only not Havlat. Let's hope the x is rockin and they can get win # 1.

[JimBuck]

I still don't see Havlat as a bad move, he is by far one of our more skilled players and puts up points. Did he score as much as I wanted him to last year? No but that doesn't mean anything this year, plus we got him at a good price.

I agree. He is one of our better players. If we could only get some talent around him I think he could contribute more this season. He looked fantastic in the olympics.

As for Barker, he played well last night. I think we need to worry about other guys before Barker. *points at Shep.*

[spearchucker]

We don't have to worry about Shep because he is done for the year and suspended.

Barker played well last night and we got the win. I think Barker even got an assist on the first goal. Koivu and Cullen were awesome. You could see that Koivu really stepped up his game in the end of the second and the team followed. Good to see some PP goals for once after being on PK have the 1st and 2nd period. Usually a team is dead with that many penalties, but we made it through.

[Bear55]

Yep really liking the way Cullen is playing, he might have one of those career years. Koivu is always rock solid, even his bad games are better than most other guys on the team. Now if we could find him a first line winger I think we would be set at forward but I should probably save my dreams for next season or the one after that.

How did Falk look? I only saw a little bit of him but I am hoping he can become one of those big shut down D that we badly need.