WILD HOCKEY!

[archerystud]

Hard to rebuild quickly in the NHL when you are drafting kids that are 18 and under. It takes most of them a couple years to make it up to the big leagues.

In 2 years I will bet they are a top 10 scoring team. It looks like the current regime is making pretty good decisions (except on the Leddy/Barker trade).

[Bear55]

]The wild were getting very lucky in the begining of the year. We had a decent team with everyone healthy. Now with our core players hurt we are terrible. We have no depth to allow for injuries. I'm guessing the coaching staff and cf are not surprised how bad we are.

I think you nailed, we were pulling wins out of thin air at the beginning of the year. Not to mention Backs and Harding were playing out of their minds. It was fun but not something you can do consistantly. We had all kinds of ???'s coming into the year. We just aren't good enough yet and any hope we had was squashed by massive injuries. It's been a tough year but dispite the results I feel we are heading in the right directions, it might not look like it now but I like our future.

[10,000 Casts]

This article gets me excited for the next couple years. Grandlund, Brodin, Zucker, Hackett the other guys and hopefully a good pick after this year, $20 in cap space for 2013 and 2014, sign a big name on offense and a big name on defense and we'll have a good mix of quality rookies, solid middle of the road players and 2-3 all stars and the best enforcer in the NHL, we are so close!

Quote:

Michael Russo's Sunday Insider: Projects near complete

Article by: MICHAEL RUSSO , Star Tribune Updated: March 4, 2012 - 1:12 AM

The NHL draft classes of 2010 and '11 boast talent that could supplement the Wild's thin depth as soon as next season.

Swede Johan Larsson is among the top Wild prospects who could find themselves in St. Paul, or Houston, next season.

There's something to be said for prospects growing together. That's what Anaheim did when Bryan Murray was general manager and Chuck Fletcher, the Wild's now-GM, was his right-hand man.

In 2005-06, Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf and Dustin Penner were thrust jointly into the NHL, and several less-heralded guys began their careers together as well. The Ducks wound up soaring all the way to the conference finals. One year later, they won the Stanley Cup.

That's the grand plan in Minnesota as well.

Next year, the expectation is that six forwards -- 2010 first-rounders Mikael Granlund and Charlie Coyle, 2010 second-rounders Brett Bulmer, Johan Larsson and Jason Zucker and 2011 first-rounder Zack Phillips -- and potentially one defenseman -- 2011 first-rounder Jonas Brodin -- will turn pro together.

"The chemistry that's formed and the trust that's built is really neat," Fletcher said. "Not only do they become buddies, but they push each other and become better players because of that competition and that chemistry and those relationships."

This summer's development camp and next September's training camp (assuming a collective bargaining agreement is ratified by then) will be exciting.

Not every player will make the Wild out of camp. But the expectation is two or three could earn roster spots immediately.

Granlund, who has played three years professionally in Finland, has won a league title and a world championship, is a lock. But could Coyle, a huge body who is dominating the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League since leaving Boston University two months ago, be ready? How about Larsson, Team Sweden's captain during its run to a world junior championship in January? Or Brodin, the all-world skater who thrived on the NHL-sized rink during world juniors?

It's early, obviously, but it certainly appears as if Wild assistant GM Brent Flahr and his scouting staff hit several home runs the past two drafts.

The upcoming Hockey News' Future Watch ranks five Wild prospects in its top-40, including Granlund at No. 2 (Washington's Evgeny Kuznetsov is No. 1), Brodin at No. 12 and Coyle at No. 14

What's exciting about next season is whether these players are in Minnesota or Houston, the Wild should finally have depth to be able to survive the loss of top players.

The Wild looks like it's heading for a fourth consecutive missed postseason. The No. 1 team in the NHL as of mid-December, the Wild began to derail when it lost top-liners Mikko Koivu, Pierre-Marc Bouchard and Guillaume Latendresse during a 24-hour stretch Dec. 13-14.

Koivu will miss his 20th game-and-counting Sunday when the Wild hosts Colorado. Bouchard will miss his 24th consecutive game and 28th of the season. Latendresse has missed 47 of the past 49 games.

Early in the season, the Wild was able to overcome injuries to defensemen, goalies and bottom-six forwards. It even withstood the loss of Latendresse for 15 games from Nov. 12-Dec. 10. But three at the same time proved too many.

Because there were no adequate top-six fill-ins from Houston, players like Matt Cullen, Kyle Brodziak, Cal Clutterbuck, Darroll Powe and Nick Johnson "got stretched out of positions they were better served in. We got away from our game and have had trouble getting it back," coach Mike Yeo said.

But Fletcher said, "The one great thing about next year with all these young players coming into the system, whether they're in the NHL or they start the year in Houston, we should have a lot more offensive talent and a lot more depth available to us.

"Some may have to go to Houston before they're ready to contribute, but even if they have inconsistencies in their game, they may be able to come up and give you a stretch of games at a high level."

Whether that translates to immediate dividends next season, who knows? But the goal is to build a long-term winner in Minnesota by growing these kids together.

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[Bear55]

I really love the way the Wild have drafted since Fletcher took over, they seem to have an eye for talent and some of their recent 2nd round moves have looked really good.

[OnAFly]

No kidding. Before we weren't even getting much out of our 1st rounders. After Bouchard, we really didn't anyone good.

[archerystud]

Totally Agree!! Barring injuries I bet they will be around a #5 seed in the playoffs. They will make at least one good acquisition in the offseason.

One guy I can't figure out is Christensen but I understand why the Wild picked him up. He looks like a heck of a skater and has some great moves and pretty good size. He doesn't have much for points and his +/- isn't very good.

I wouldn't mind if the Wild resigned him with a cheaper contract. I'm not really expecting a ton out of him but he has the physical talent.

[YiGGiN4SLoBS]

I tell you what, they better make the playoffs next year because that will be 5 years in a row if they dont and thats embarrising! 8 frickin teams make the playoffs from each conference and u get a point for LOSING in overtime! Youd think they could stumble and bumble and luck their way into the playoffs one of these years..

[OnAFly]

I don't know about Christensen. I just don't see him do anything impressive. He's not good defensively, that's for sure.

Hackett looked good after the two he let in. Sounded like he was a little nervous about his first home start. He settled down nicely though.

[archerystud]

I haven't seen a ton of him but when I have watched I thought Christensen looked good. However, he probably is a defensive liability out there which would explain his +/- and lack of PT.

[YiGGiN4SLoBS]

shut out twice in a row at home????? looks like we're doing a pretty good job of sucking for luck! Is there any way we can convince the other team to maybe play with like a fathead statue of their real goalie in the net??? Could we put the puck past the statue and in the net??? I think maybe we could score on the PP against the fathead... maybe

[Bear55]

shut out twice in a row at home????? looks like we're doing a pretty good job of sucking for luck! Is there any way we can convince the other team to maybe play with like a fathead statue of their real goalie in the net??? Could we put the puck past the statue and in the net??? I think maybe we could score on the PP against the fathead... maybe

I think the boys realized what some of us have recently, playoff hopes are dead and they are just playing out the season. Koivu wasn't coming back in time to save us and I don't even know if he could have anyway. Butch and Lats were done, we traded 3 veteran D and only got 1 back in return. Everyone kind of knew we were toast and I think the trade deadline brought that to reality for the players.

I think it was something we had to do to get better in the future, as much as the fans don' like it this team needed to be retooled in a big way. Many years of bad drafting hurt us bigtime and the effects are what you see the last 3-4 seasons. 2004 to 2008 drafting just killed us, we drafted 35 guys and only 3 of them turned into NHLers for us - Clutterbuck, Scandella, and Kassain who is pretty much a fighter we used a 2nd rounder on. Old management use to give away 2nd and 3rd rounders like candy. It might take more time then we want but this needed to be done, I feel good about our current prospect and for the first time in a long time I think we have a bright future.

[OnAFly]

The worst part is that DR not only gave away picks and blew the ones hid actually had, but he let big names walk into FA for nothing. We should have been getting #1 picks after Gabby had a good season going. Instead he sat on it, Gabby got injured, we got nothing. Rolston was worth a #2, instead we got nothing. Dmitra was worth a #2, we got nothing. It was like DR just didn't care about the future of the team. He was living in the now. IF I were Leopold, I would have lit into him just before firing him.

[Bear55]

Don't get me started on DR! Think about this one, we used a 2nd rounder on Matt Kassain, now I like the guy by why on earth are you using a 2nd round pick on a fighter who can't score? (save for his 2 goals last week ) If memory serves me right we also gave up 2nd and 3rd rounders to move up a few spots in the first round and take Gillies and Cuma. I'm sick just thinking about it, Gilles scored 14 goals in his draft year. Cuma has had some bad luck with injuries but why give NJ a 3rd round to move up 1 spot, there was plenty of talent available including John Carlson and Tyler Ennis. Between that and drafting guys that couldn't even score in juniors in the later rounds I think a monkey with a dart could have done better drafting.

[YiGGiN4SLoBS]

Lets night forget about all the players he DID sign and keep with TERRIBLE contracts! DR did his best to screw this franchise rather then make it a winner

[Bear55]

Remember when Fletcher took over? We had zero prospects in the system and also had zero cap space. Next year we will have a lot of fresh legs in the AHL and possibly the NHL, oh and 20m in cap space if we feel like going on a spending spree.

[OnAFly]

Honestly, look at what Fletcher did in the 2 years post DR. It was amazing. I actually felt like we had a hockey team. We weren't good, but we were at least getting better. I'm excited to see Granlund play. That kid could be nearly NHL ready next year. He's no 18yo coming out of the juniors.

[bbfenatic]

Too much pressure on these young kids to produce right away, not one of them could carry Parise's jo.. strap at the moment. If we don't get Koivu healthy and replace LTD and PMB with similar skill and experience then we will be singing the "we are just too young" song for a couple years.

[OnAFly]

Wow, this game got out of hand. Our D is just hanging Hackett out to dry. I guess I can't be mad since I want a better pick, but this is a little embarrassing.

[YiGGiN4SLoBS]

WOW!!!!! A GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!! SETO SCORES ON THE PENALTY SHOT!!!!! ITS A MIRACLE!!!!! AFTER 8 PERIODS THE WILD SCORE A GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!! this is pathetic

[archerystud]

At this point I'm hoping for a better draft position but if it is still mathematically possible to catch Columbus then this team might do it!!!

[10,000 Casts]

outscored 15-1 in the last 3 games... ouch

[OnAFly]

Fail for Nail!!!

[Bear55]

They are working hard to lock in a top five spot I guess. Its been an ugly few games that is for sure. Anyone else wishing the season was over already?

[10,000 Casts]

Quote:

Fail for Nail!!!

lol, I was just going to post that.. Yukupov looks to be alot like Nugent Hopkins only a winger with higher scoring potential, same size and he is tearing it up in the OHL. He gave up a million dollars in Russia to come to the North America.

Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM

2009–10 Reaktor Nizhnekamsk MHL 14 4 2 6 26

2010–11 Sarnia Sting OHL 65 49 52 101 71

[OnAFly]

The fact that he gave up the cash to come here is nice. There's been that stigma about Russian players leaving after the KHL started.

I don't think we could get bad enough to get to Columbus' level. That would be a feat. But, Grigorenko looks good too at #2.

In 43 games his stats are: 28G 37A +18.