Todd Richards fired

[bucketmouth64]

Just heard on the news that Wild head coach Todd Richards was fired this morning. Chuck Fletcher will have a news conference today explaining why he had to do this. Here we go again looking for another head coach and team needing to learn another new system/philosophy. Wonder if Fletcher will look for someone with nhl coaching experience this time. I doubt Jacque will be on his radar.

[OnAFly]

Wow, I didn't think it would be this soon. He needed to be harder on the guys. He seemed too nice at the wrong times.

[Dylan33]

I've got some experience coaching Bantams---i'll be sending in my resume this afternoon. I figure I couldn't fare much worse than Richards.

[scsavre]

Hopefully we can find a coach with an easy system to learn.

The rumors had been flying all week that the whole staff would be fired today.

[solbes]

While I think 3 years is the proper time to give someone in a new role, this does send a message that winning will be expected in this great State of hockey. The complete slide at the end didn't help Coach Richards.

On the flip side you've got Joel Maturi. Maybe he should go out to drinks with Chuck some night.

[OnAFly]

I'm sure Craig Leopold had a lot to do with the decision. He pays the bills and he's the one that wanted to avoid a rebuild and start winning off the bat.

The best thing this team could do is to lose 2 or 3 baaaddd seasons and get a few top of the line players. We probably won't get a Crosby or an Ovie, but we can't make it on a team of 2nd liners.

[yakfisher]

Hopefully they will bring in a talented proven coach to build the team this state deserves. Or maybe the Gophers will loan them Lucia for a few seasons and they'll get those prospects.

[Bear55]

On the flip side you've got Joel Maturi. Maybe he should go out to drinks with Chuck some night.

When I heard the news the first thing I thought of was give Fletcher the AD position at the U, or at the very least manage the hockey operations as a side job.

I kind of figured they would give Richards one more year, he seemed like he was starting to come around. I guess we in MN just aren't use to changes happening this fast, it might be a good thing.

[JimBuck]

I guess I'm kind of surprised. As others said, he seemed to be too easy on the guys and the desire just wasn't there from the team. I liked Todd as a coach and I think he did a good job with the mess he inherited. I'm just not looking forward to another rebuilding year.

[Rippinlip]

Hard to believe it was only a 2 year span.

Guess like it was posted earlier, maybe sending a message.

We will not be a state of mediocre.

Just seems like the whole coaching thing has changed.

Be nice to see a coach that will be a "get in your face" when its time.

If that will happen.

[mulefarm]

The Wild are looking a lot like the T-wolves. Most of their players would be 3-4th line players on playoff teams. Fletcher is the guy who should be gone. I think Richards did a pretty good job for what he had to work with. The front office needs a complete overall and a GM that can judge talent.

[OnAFly]

It's not all Fletcher's fault for our situation. He inherited a team in a terrible cap/prospect situation. Richards did what he could with a team that just wasn't good. Though, I think that Richards being too much of a players coach is what got him fired.

What this team needs to do is convince the ownership that a rebuild is necessary. This should have been done 2 years ago. Craig Leopold clearly stated that he didn't want to rebuild and that the playoffs were the only option. This needs to change.

[solbes]

Just as Richards only had 2 years to make positive changes, the same is true for Fletcher. It's pretty tough for a GM to make sweeping changes, improve the roster, and fix the Cap issues that Doug Risbrough created all in 2 years or less. More like a 4-5 year process. Our farm system is not exactly swimming with top prospects. 93x was talking about how Mark Parish is still on the paid roster, nice.

Chuck should get 2 more years and then be re-evaluated for how the team is improved.

EDIT: Pretty much what OnAFly said, +1

[Bear55]

Also agree with OnAFly.

[bucketmouth64]

Parish still on the payroll...love to have that deal. Hope it's not much longer. He should just call up and say he'll take a buyout offer so he gets off the books. Or Leipold should bring him into the office and do something since Leipold layed off a bunch of office people. At least get something out of him even if it's pushing paperwork.

[OnAFly]

Parrish is on a buyout. We released him, but since the NHL has guaranteed contracts, we still have to have some portion of that buyout on our books until that contract is up... in 2014.

Not a bad gig for Parrish though. He's getting ~900K for doing nothing. Though, he's still trying to make it onto an NHL team, last I heard.

[Bear55]

Well Parrish did take a buyout for less than his contract, problem is we have to keep it on our books. I don't know if it's possible to pull off a double buyout.

[10,000 Casts]

Richards is NOT the problem.. He had one of the worst teams in the NHL talent wise and I thought they did pretty well for what they had..

Havlat and his $6 mil a yr is the problem along with some other bonehead contracts over the past years and now we are trying to place blame on the coach..

Brodziak - needs to go

Brunette - needs players who can feed him the puck

Cullen - needs to go

Kobesew- needs to go

Latendresse - probably won't get back to form

Madden - Old

Nystrom - needs to go

Staubitz - needs to go

meittenen - go

Barker needs to go

How can they expect to win with a lineup like that.. Lets build a team that can play together, not a drifter here and a gritty player there..

[Bear55]

I actually think Brodziak had a pretty solid year, Cullen is overpaid but a solid player, I think we hat to give Lats every opportunity to get back to form because we need goals out of him bad! I love Brunette but he seems to be heading down hill, it might be time to let him go.

The rest of them I agree.

[OnAFly]

Nystrom really improved the second half. It's hard to come back from a -14 rating, though.

Zidlicky is killing us, Backstrom is killing us, Barker is killing us. Cullen needs improvement. He had some real lulls this year. If he played the whole year like his first 10 games, he would be worth it.

[solbes]

Brodziak, Cullen, and Lats need to stay. We can't cut the whole team in 1 offseason and have complete no shows at the X. Bruno is about the slowest player in the league, but it's hard to lose his play around the net.

Mittens, yes please. Barker, yes please.

Some of the other guys on that list I'm lukewarm to, but they could be easily be replaced.

[10,000 Casts]

Brunette is one of the best players in the NHL around and behind the net.. but he needs players that can make up for his slowness and the fact that he just sits around the net.. He is also a leader in the locker room..

Cullen is way overpaid for a 2nd liner.. Brodziak finished the year ok but still needs to go.. I guess we could keep him for the 3rd line.

THIS SEASON WASN'T RICHARDS FAULT... he must have said the wrong thing to someone or something else must have happened.

[scsavre]

The biggest problem is that our entire team is made up of third and 4th liners. Everyone on that list is just that. We cant keep all of them.

Havlat good first liner, had a good year, hes not exactly with great company.

Kiouvu is a very good second liner.

LTD, good first line scorer

Clutterbuck a very good 3rd liner.

Cullen 3rd and 4th line role player

Brunette 3rd liner

So go get Zach Parise and you have a excellent first line, Parise, Hav, LTD.

Then you need 1 more second liners for Kiovu, Bouchard add 1 young or 1 vet.

3rd line Clutterbuck, and interchange Cullen, Bruno and the rest of the crew.

The rest of them can tryout for the 4th line role players/ahl.

Defense,

Get rid of Burns, honestly, blah blah he is so good oh my gosh. No he is not. He gives up way more goals then he scores. He is a liability. You can get guys who can score almost as much that still play defense.

We also need a quaterback on that PP.

There you go, we are in the playoffs. Oh - trade backstrom too, save $$ for parise.

[10,000 Casts]

Quote:

Havlat good first liner, had a good year, hes not exactly with great company.

Kiouvu is a very good second liner.

LTD, good first line scorer

Clutterbuck a very good 3rd liner.

Cullen 3rd and 4th line role player

Brunette 3rd liner

So go get Zach Parise and you have a excellent first line, Parise, Hav, LTD.

Then you need 1 more second liners for Kiovu, Bouchard add 1 young or 1 vet.

3rd line Clutterbuck, and interchange Cullen, Bruno and the rest of the crew.

The rest of them can tryout for the 4th line role players/ahl.

I like it. How about Boochard on the #1 line and Havlat on the #2, Boochard would make Parise better. If LTD comes back then you have a solid team. I like clutterbuck out on the ice right away in a game so he can set the tone, throw some early hits and hussle. I also think they were having Burns step up more to compensate for the offences lack of scoring. I wouldn't mind putting him out thier as trade bait and seeing what we could get right now..

[OnAFly]

No getting rid of Backstrom. No Trade Clause.

Burns needs to quick listening to those who talk about his offensive abilities. Before he was touted as an offensive defenseman and just played defense, he was great. Then Lemaire put him on wing and screwed everything up. There on he's been inconsistent.

The Wild are in a horrible cap situation next year. Just under $7mil to play with and too little talent. I don't think we'll be any better next year. Best thing we can do is save money, lose out and trade for picks where we can.