Wild!!!

[fishing tech]

I liked Powe, he is a pretty good penalty killer. As the report says on NHL.com if this doesn't work more changes to come.

[BartmanMN]

Interesting notes on Palmeri. I thought he looked pretty good in the scrimmage, but I did not hear about the whining and not reporting.

[10,000 Casts]

Seto and Granlund on the 4th line tonight. If they can't produce on that line, changes will be here sooner than later.

[bbfenatic]

Glad to see they are not sitting tight with what they have...this is a unique year with short season and IMO they have a good chance to make the playoffs if they keep tweaking the bottom half of the roster....lots of nervous players right now so I think you will see better play as well........hopefully. Only time will tell.

[yakfisher]

Uggghhh!

[schmitty3]

Uggghhh!

Couldn't have said it better myself.

[OnAFly]

Tough to win games scoring one goal.

[Bear55]

I actually thought they played ok, much better than the Anaheim game. Two pipes and lots of scoring chances but you have to burry those.

[bbfenatic]

Brodziak is the missing link IMO...he needs to step up, capitalize on his chances or they should make a change there too. Keep tweaking! I still have faith.

[archerystud]

I didn't see the third but I agree with Bear they looked better.

At least they were getting chances. Other lines have to step up and get on the score sheet.

[Bear55]

Brodziak is the missing link IMO...he needs to step up, capitalize on his chances or they should make a change there too. Keep tweaking! I still have faith.

No kidding he looks terrible this year, I can't put my finger on it but something big is missing from his game.

I also like Granlund on the wing, looks a lot more comfortable out there.

[Bear55]

I didn't see the third but I agree with Bear they looked better.

At least they were getting chances. Other lines have to step up and get on the score sheet.

The only good news I can think of is we haven't looked all that good and have managed to win 4 games, I think there are 6-7 teams in the west in the same boat as us. Whatever team figures it out first has a big advantage to make the playoffs. I don't think we can play bad forever, eventually some of these guys are going to get hot or we are totally screwed.

Anyone else falling in love with Brodin? Kid is unreal for 19.

[hoppe56307]

I liked the way the 4th line played last night, they seemed to hold the zone pretty good just could not get the shots through the defense.

[Musky Buck]

ANyone understand the manuever to land Michael Rupp ? Are we saying Kassian, there aren't enough guys in your weightclass you're done ? Got Konopka and Stoner and Kassian so add Rupp ? Didn't quite get the theory there ?

[OnAFly]

Free up room for contracts. Wild are at 49 now with a max of 50. Powe was sitting most of the time, Palmieri's days were over after he didn't show up to Houston after getting cut from the big club.

It had little to do with ability, more to do with freeing up space, IMO. I guess it does make the Wild a bit tougher, but it's not a huge piece of our puzzle.

Now if we can package Cullen and Seto into a trade for a couple prospects and move some young guns up, we'd me making a nice base for next year

[10,000 Casts]

Quote:

Now if we can package Cullen and Seto into a trade for a couple prospects and move some young guns up, we'd me making a nice base for next year

as soon as we think we can't make the playoffs this season, deal em up!

I thought Coyle looked good, I consider that a win. And they say Zucker is the one that should have been called up..

And that 4th line did look good, I wouldn't mind them dealing Konopka and bringing up Dowell or deal both those guys and bring up more young guys and have Kassian as our extra. Konopka is soft, he needs to start stirring it up like he is known for, he has been really quiet so far.

[Bear55]

Kassain hasn't even dressed this year, I think they are going to move or waive him to make some room for the kids. Rupp sounds like a stiff but they say he can play and regular shift and sort of fight. Kind of like Konapka, a fighter who isn't a total liability on the ice.

[Bear55]

Sound like Coyle on the top line tomorrow night.

[RK]

Yeah, sounds like Coyle skated on the first line today. I think that's where he fits long term so might as well give him a chance even if it's short term. But sure seems like he's going to stick with the NHL club for the time being.

He looked good the other night and has the speed to keep up with Parise and Koivu. Heatly has been painful to watch sometimes - his idea of a 'forecheck' seems to be pointing his stick at the other team's d-man as he skates by. He can still be effective on PP and in the slot with the right set-up man to feed him the puck (like PMB), but he was never exactly fleet of foot to begin with, and he's looking pretty slow compared to Parise and Koivu. Coyle will be fast enough to support the puck a little better.

Does kind of seem like Kassian is the odd man out right now. Hope they give him the chance to either get traded or put him on waivers to see if he can catch on with another team.

Kind of hope Granlund sits for a night. Think it might do him some good to grab a bag of popcorn and watch from the pressbox for a bit just to get him settled down. He was a lot better the other night on the 4th line so think he got the message, but giving him a step back might do him some good.

[Bear55]

Heatly just looks slow and lazy out there, he showed a lot more hustle last year.

I like Granlund on the wing, I know they want him to play center but its pretty clear he isn't ready for that yet.

[OnAFly]

Granlund is the scratch today. I bet Russo will be chatting him up in the pressbox. It will be good for him to see the ice from up there. We'll see how it goes.

I agree, centering the 2nd line was a tall order for him walking into this year.

[10,000 Casts]

wow, a 19 year old with one game under his belt on the top line. And he's not even our top prospect! You can't say that Yeo's not trying.

[Musky Buck]

Wasn't a Rupp a snowmobile at one point ? Anyway, was Seto paired with Joe Thornton in Anaheim ? If so he makes average players very good, as long as he doesn't teach them to fight the likes of Eric Lindros, that was an ugly beating years back, Joe got destroyed. Anyway the wild are still finding themselves, hopefully they peak at the right time, thank heavens the NHL is back, how can a barely basketball fan gopher/wolves stand watching those disasters, go MN WILD !

[OnAFly]

I know, I tried to watch a Wolves game during the lockout. I had to shower afterwards, but I just couldn't get rid of the dirty feeling.

[schmitty3]

Don't know if it's just cause he's playing with Kouivu and Parise, but Heatley looks like the laziest player in the NHL. I haven't seen him skate hard once all year. I know he isn't fast to begin with, but he just doesn't seem to skate hard what so ever.