WILD HOCKEY!

[spearchucker]

Looks like former Gopher Jeff Taffe got called up.

Speculation on Seto has been that it might not be a torn up knee. Lets hope they're right about that.

Great game last night. Taffe got an assist on the 1st goal 120 or 30 secs into the game, so not a bad game for him. He looked pretty good for never playing with these guys.

[Hockey Guy]

I have to admit that I’m impressed with the system and the philosophy that Yeo has implemented. At the beginning of the year I looked at the line-up and thought they should be really good. I mean, our top line would be the top line on all but maybe 5 teams in the league and our second line would even be the top line on about 25% of the NHL teams. So, I was very disappointed with their slow start to the season. Now they are getting a lot of “puck luck”, but they are still winning games. That is the system. I never would have imagined that they would’ve had a chance last night when I saw their AHL equivalent line-up: Taffe, Almond, Gillies, Wellman, Scandella, Stoner, Johnson, and a rookie goalie that looks good but stays way back in his net. It’s not just who is in the line-up but also the key guys that are out: Latendresse, Setoguchi, Clutterbuck, Zidlicky, and Brodziak (on probably one of the worst calls I’ve ever seen BTW), AND, both the starting goalies… Like I said, I’m impressed.

[OnAFly]

I definitely agree. Yeo seems to have a knack for interchangeability. One would think that with all of the injuries we've had, we would be suffering in the standings. But, Yeo seems to be able to insert guys into the line up and get them to play right into the system.

Nice avatar pic, by the way. I just got my 1yo a mini hockey stick for xmas. I'm thinking if I start him off young enough, he can be my backup retirement plan

[Hockey Guy]

OnAFly, I know your joking, but I coach Mites and you would be surprised at how many parents actually think that!! I read somewhere that fourty percent of parents think that their kid will get a scholarship for hockey (Less than a quarter of one percent actually do). Of those fourty percent that think their kid is going to get a scholarship, twenty-five percent think that their kid will play in the NHL! So at the Mite level they have their kids skating in the local youth program while they are being trained at Minnesota Made a few more nights per week, and worrying about which summer hockey schools and programs they are going to be in. These parents aren't hard to spot. They're the ones upset at their Mite 1 or Mite 2 level player for not playing well enough or passing the puck. Playing well? Passing? Mite 1? I pretty much just shake my head and then than go compliment my five-year-old for how good the snow-angel he just made on the ice looks...

[spearchucker]

I definitely agree. Yeo seems to have a knack for interchangeability. One would think that with all of the injuries we've had, we would be suffering in the standings. But, Yeo seems to be able to insert guys into the line up and get them to play right into the system.

I agree, Yeo seems like a great coach. Whatever his method, the players are listening and all are on the same page right now.

I think Fletcher and his staff deserve some credit for restocking the system with quality players in a short time frame. We were pretty decimated after Risebrough left the helm.

[OnAFly]

SC - Yeah, I heard somewhere that three years ago we were bottom 5 in the NHL in terms of a farm system. Now we are top 5. That's a pretty impressive turn around.

HG - I know it. Just look at the number of high end college players that don't turn into anything at the NHL level. My boy will probably have more fun whacking me with the stick than a puck anyways

I think when I was in mini mites, we spent games in blob of kids chasing a puck. The puck would squirt out and the blob would move. Sometimes it would randomly find it's way into a net. For practices, I think we spent a good amount of it trying to gather snow to throw at each other. Either way, it was all about learning balance and skating at that point. Really, that's about all it should be in any mites league.

[Musky Buck]

No doubt, Yeo is doing a nice job. Could MN finally land and will he stay kind of coach that other teams/towns wished they had ? Youth hockey etc. been there, parents soak all that money into it, couldn't afford to put my 9 year old in a program closest to our town it was 1,085 just to sign up, I bet it's more in other places. Anyone notice but it seems, it seems the wild players seem fresh this year thus far, an extra jump in their step, they seem so relentless. They seem to be a team again and we unloaded some dead weight and added nice pieces to the puzzle.

[scsavre]

Now we are a team that wins with a depleted bench and 2 hurt goalies.

What is going on......who ever said this team looks different is right. Ive never seen a wild team that gets down by a goal and doesnt turtle. Yeo, might jsut be the man. It is amazing how these fill in players are coming up from the AHL and fit right in. Yeo must be the coach that actually teaches these kids something, cause there is something going on. Players in position, staying positive, comeback wins, palying tough in the d zone. Blocking shots (1st in nhl).

So when is the X going to fill up. It is still at 70% in there.

Oh and I am starting to like Kiovu again. Not just cause he is getting goals, but he is playing smarter. Buch, he still drives me nuts. All his neutral zone turnovers are going to start to sting us.

[knoppers]

taffe a great pass to koivu, and great shot for the goal. another win tonight.

this is what happens when you never make playoffs, you get better draft picks, and those players are starting to show dividens. plus you have there former coach, which must make them feel at home.

[Scott M]

Casual hockey fan here, lots of season left, but what are the chances for this team to seriously contend for a Stanley Cup?

[10,000 Casts]

Quote:

Casual hockey fan here, lots of season left, but what are the chances for this team to seriously contend for a Stanley Cup?

I'd say 50-50 imo, if they stay healthy. It's way to early to tell.

Another Yeo fan here! Now I can see why they got rid of Richards! Houston is leading the American league and the Wild are leading the NHL.. not bad! The guy is intense. Can someone tell me what the difference is between his system and Richards system? They look pretty close to each other to me.

[spearchucker]

I'm not sure there is a lot of difference in the systems other than it is actually being executed this year. Last year they didn't have the speed and talent to play that type of system in my opinion. This year we have lots of speed to get in the forecheck and steal pucks.

[RK]

10K - the systems are fairly close. They have similar coaching genetics, so to speak. Richards' forecheck wasn't quite as aggressive. Sometimes they'd only send one forechecker, and they were quicker to back off into the neutral zone when the other D took possession and started to move the puck up. Richard's off side (away fromt eh puck) wings stayed wider. Seems like the center stayed back more too. In Yeo's system you sometimes see a center and wing in forechecking not just the wings, even before the puck gets to the neutral zone. If you watch replays of their forecheck when it's working, you can usually see all 3 forwards in the picture when they generate a turnover.

The biggest difference is execution. This year's Wild has committed to the system shift in and shift out. Under Richards, if they got down a goal they'd fall apart and start pressing, or just go into their patented 2nd period snooze mode. This year, they just keep rolling and keep playing their system. It's really fun to watch, and you can see it making opposing defensmen miserable.

They've really been something to watch this year. If you'd said at the beginning of the season that 30 games in Kyle Brodziak would be leading the team in goals, I'd have said "Uh Oh..." But they're getting production from all their lines, and that's huge. Look at all the trouble teams like the LA Kings and Tampa are having...they're one line teams, and if those lines aren't producing, they're cooked.

Going to be fun to see if they can keep it up. But if they play this well in the playoffs, especially on the road, they can give teams a lot of trouble.

Cheers,

RK

[RK]

OnAFly and Hockey Guy -

I know what you mean about "those parents" in youth hockey. I have two kids that play - a 14U - A girl, and my son's a mini-mite. My daughter has been extraordinarily fortunate to play with the same group of girls since U8s, and the group of parents is awesome. No overbearing parents, no complaining. Still, we deal with hockey association politics every year, and it's a nuisance. It's easy to lose sight of the kids. Most of the time if there are issues with hockey, it's 100% the parents. We've been lucky. My daughter has a phenomenal attitude about it - she just likes playing hockey, wants to get her referee credentials, and really wants to coach kids. All I've ever told her about what my goal for her is in hockey is that I want her to still play the game and love the

game when she's my age. So far I think she will.

But I hear horror stories from a lot of other parents. I talked to a friend who was coaching Squirt A boys, and I asked him how his team was and he said "great. They'll all play Div 1 college, then the NHL. Just ask their parents..."

I still think though that if you take the right attitude going into it, hockey is the greatest sport there is for kids, because they HAVE to learn teamwork. Even if you're the best player on the team, unless you're the goalie, you're only in the game 20% of the time, and you HAVE to rely on your teammates. Players who try to do it all on their own do great until they're about 13, then they disappear.

Have fun with your kid in youth hockey. Watching mini-mites is hysterical. Keep it that fun and enjoy it for the same reason when he's a Bantam, and you'll both be all set.

[scsavre]

[PoorWordUsage] blocking I way u too for the wild. Yeo makes these guys work. If they don't work hard his system and strategy looks terrible. Just watch the oilers game and the calgary game.

Go wild.

[archerystud]

ESPN moved the Wild to #1 in their Power Rankings.

I suppose this will jinx them into a losing streak.......but I hope not.

[scsavre]

Not sure where the rest of my comment went. Oh well.

Go wild

[OnAFly]

TSN has us at #8. It's all b s anyway.

Here's TSN's algorithm for power rankings:

Who won the cup last year?...hmmmm

How are the Leafs doing?...hmmmm

How are the Habs doing?...hmmmm

Who is first in the east?...ok they are #1 (wait, it's not a SE div team is it? OK, good)

.

BTW, for tonight Cullen is out ill and Latendresse is replacing him. LTD has only had one practice since his concussion. This game could be a streak ender.

[Bear55]

This game could be a streak ender.

Don't say that, it's time to welcome the new neighbors to the north with an old fashion azz whooping.

[spearchucker]

ESPN moved the Wild to #1 in their Power Rankings.

I suppose this will jinx them into a losing streak.......but I hope not.

ESPN doesn't even know what hockey is.

I read the blurb about how the Wild moved up because everyone else is decimated with injuries? How are the Wild an exception to this? We are just starting to get everyone healthy again.

[Musky Buck]

Agree Bear55, lets just put them away and ask big buff if he had fun with the five 0 last summer. Bet he could put a guy on some nice walleyes at LOTW.

[solbes]

Well entertaining game yesterday. Especially the 2nd, it was pretty fun to watch. Unfortunately we just couldn't quite get it done. I had faith late in the game, especially after the penalty that we would tie it up. Hope PMB didn't have his brains scrambled, he seemed to catch the wall terribly wrong.

Props to the Winnipeg crowd, that looked like a great atmosphere. Can't wait to play these guys more next year.

[OnAFly]

Tough loss last night. We just cant turn the puck over that much. Backs was completely ridiculous, but so was Pavelec.

[hoppe56307]

Tough loss last night. We just cant turn the puck over that much. Backs was completely ridiculous, but so was Pavelec.

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[Bear55]

You just can't turn like that and expect not to get hit. Even if the guy lets up half the time you are going to get drilled.