Wild!!!

[OnAFly]

I had socks wrapped around my ankle to get to urgent care. The doc came out and asked to see it assuming it wasn't that bad and the bleeding would have stopped. He was very wrong. Had a nice pool going by the time they wrapped it back up and got my into a room.

[YiGGiN4SLoBS]

ANOTHER SCORELESS 1st????? really????? How long can this keep up? Seriously, what the wild are doing is very hard to do.... you almost have to try to not score. You would think they would occasionally get a puck to bounce off a skate and off the goalies back and in the net every once in while, wouldnt u? I dont know which team has more trouble scoring, the wild or the gophers basketball team...

[10,000 Casts]

Kobesew, Zanon and a team that has lost 3 straight just beat us. Rupp had a good game tho and it was good to see Yeo bench Konopka in the 3rd. I bet Konopka is a scratch on Sunday.

[hockeybc69]

Quote:

I dont know which team has more trouble scoring, the wild or the gophers basketball team...

The MN sports curse continues.....

[RK]

Hiya -

The Karlsson injury video about made me puke. What a gruesome injury. Apparently some of the Wild players wear kevlar socks to prevent just this kind of thing. Never thought I'd say this but I actually feel bad for Cook. It was clearly unintentional (look where his head is when it happens - he was just trying to pin the guy to the boards) but of all people to have this happen... had to be the guy least likely to get the benefit of the doubt from anyone.

Re: the Wild last night...this game did have "Trap Game" written all over it. Back from a western road trip, no practice time, 3rd in 4 nights... Recipe for a sluggish game. It was actually less of a debacle than I thought it might be. Still, hate to lose at home to a bad team. Was nice to see the top line get going again, but there were some ugly stretches. After Koivu's goal, when Colorado sailed into our zone I turned to my wife and said "goal coming up." Sure enough... Always thought right after you score is the most dangerous shift in hockey, and they really fell apart in their zone. Falk was a disaster on that shift - missed three or four chances to win battles and get it out of the zone.

Interesting that Ray Shero from the Pens was in town. Shopping trip? And not at the MOA? I'm at the point where I'd love to see them send PMB packing. Feel for the guy trying to jump into a short season after missing basically a year of hockey, but if he's supposed to be a top 6 forward...he ain't playing like it.

RK

[bbfenatic]

They should be shopping everyone but Parise, Sutter, and Backstrom IMO to make the team bigger. Even Granlund looks way too weak regardless of his puck skills, we hardly ever win control coming out of a scrum along the boards. We have plenty of younger skilled players in Houston....make a blockbuster and turn it on! The "give it time for chemistry" excuse is way over blown IMO.

[Bear55]

It's sad that I am happy that we acutally scored more than 1 goal against one of the worst teams in the league.

[Bear55]

The "give it time for chemistry" excuse is way over blown IMO.

Call it an excuse if you want but something can be said for 40% roster turnover from last season. New guys in a new system, heck Suter looked terrible the first few games but has gotten much better once he was more comfortable with the team, system, new partner. If chemistry wasn't an issue Russia and Canada would dominate the olypics, they have by far the most talent.

Its probably better we started out terrible this year, expectations were way to high to begin with (myself included). I would rather start out bad and figure it out than start hot and have the season unravel like last year.

[bbfenatic]

If chemistry wasn't an issue Russia and Canada would dominate the olypics, they have by far the most talent.

Its probably better we started out terrible this year, expectations were way to high to begin with (myself included). I would rather start out bad and figure it out than start hot and have the season unravel like last year.

[RK]

If you don't think chemistry matters go watch some old Youtube clips of Gretzky, Kurri and Tikkanen or the Trio Grande line from the Islanders (Mike Bossy, Bryan Trottier and Clark Gillies). They were all great individually, but the were all better together. Lines with good chemistry can make passes tape to tape with the lights out. You figure out where different guys like to get the puck, where they'll go in a given situation, how far you can lead them on a stretch pass, when they'll cut... Chemistry isn't everything, and the lack of it doesn't excuse bad play, but I'd rather they have it than not.

Actually the Wild last year are a good example of what not having time to develop chemistry does to a team. Besides having their better players out for extended time (Koivu, Seto, PMB, Latandresse) the Wild set a league record for most call-ups from the minors. Guys never had a chance to skate with the same lines for more than a few games at a time.

As for this year's squad - Granlund will be fine. He's played all of a dozen games in the league. Give the kid some time and he'll figure it out. The talent is definitely there. Already starting to see him figuring out how to separate guys from the puck, how to make space for himself on the ice. He'll be a good one in time, but high expectations and track record or not, still a rookie in the league.

Like I've said a few times already, I look at this season as a freakishly long training camp. Give guys like Coyle, Zucker, and Larsson a few cups of coffee with the Wild, give them some confidence they can play here, then send them back to the Aeros. Saw that already with Coyle. He's good enough to play here now, but long term he's better off shuttling back and forth a bit.

Do agree they need to get stronger on the puck though. Part of why I think a guy like PMB might be trade bait. If you're a skilled playmaker who isn't very good along the boards, and you're sitting at the quarter pole with one goal and one assist...ya ain't earning your paycheck. I'd like to see them clear a spot for a regular call-up from Houston and see Zucker, Coyle, Larsson and Fontaine up for a few games at a time. With their contracts, all it costs is a plane ride...

[Bear55]

You get your with RK, Zucker and Larsson just got called up. Should be fun to see what they can do.

[archerystud]

Well after one game Zucker is already tied for 8th on the team for goals.

[OnAFly]

Zucker, "I skate fast and try to get pucks on net."

That's exactly what we need.

[10,000 Casts]

I missed the game last night, who did they run on the 4th line? I see Konopka was a healthy scratch and Bouchard was an illness scratch. With Granlund, Brodziak and Cullen; Konopka is just dead weight IMO. I'd like to see them put him on waivers and open a spot for another prospect to come up.

[Bear55]

I missed the game last night, who did they run on the 4th line? I see Konopka was a healthy scratch and Bouchard was an illness scratch. With Granlund, Brodziak and Cullen; Konopka is just dead weight IMO. I'd like to see them put him on waivers and open a spot for another prospect to come up.

Granlund played on the 4th with Rupp and Mitchell, I think I heard somewhere he might have the flu so they limited his minutes.

[Bear55]

The kids played well yesterday, Grandlund with an assist playing limited time on the 4th line, Zucker with a beautiful goal, Kuemper played great in get and Larsson looked decent on the 3rd line.

Kind of amazing we scored 3 goals two games in a row and actually came from behind to win a game in regulation.

[hoppe56307]

It sounds like the flu is going through the locker room, good thing we don't play again until Thursday.

[bbfenatic]

Must have been some "Good Chemistry" last night (hahahaha)....even though only one line was in tact! They just played harder..with more urgency like they should every night! Chemistry Shemistry.

Love the new lineup.....now we see who is expendable and can make tweaks via trades to make a push for the playoffs. Playoffs? Playoffs?

[RK]

Hiya -

Fun game last night - well, 2nd and 3rd periods anyhow. Nice to see some of the kids play big roles. Really is exciting to think about what this team will look like a year or two from now. Larsson is a horse. Kid's going to be a very very effective 2nd/3rd line guy in the future. I'd forgotten how freaking fast Zucker is. His burst from the circles to the blue line was unreal. And Brodin just keeps getting better. Kuemper - man, how about that? 5 mins before the game and it's "You're in. Go get 'em kid...."

Really starting to look like PMB and/or Seto are suddenly very expendable. Especially PMB since he's in the last year of his deal. Would like to see him get a chance somewhere else and get some value for him - 2nd and 3rd round pick or something. They'd be better off getting picks in return vs. taking salary/roster spots back. Keep a roster slot open and start shuttling in Larsson, Coyle, Fontaine, etc.

[crothmeier]

I'd like to see PMB gone. I think Seto can be a good asset, unless they can package something and get a big time player. I was fishing so i didn't get to see much of the game last night, just caught it on the radio. That was a big-time win. They need to build off that and start rolling over people.

[Bear55]

Must have been some "Good Chemistry" last night (hahahaha)....even though only one line was in tact! They just played harder..with more urgency like they should every night! Chemistry Shemistry.

You should coach, doesn't really matter what sport, just tell them to play harder!!!

You can wear this shirt to every game.

[bbfenatic]

[10,000 Casts]

You guys are both right. Chemistry/Talant/work ethic are all important to this team. The wild need all 3 if they want to go deep in the playoffs.

[Bear55]

You guys are both right. Chemistry/Talant/work ethic are all important to this team. The wild need all 3 if they want to go deep in the playoffs.

Pretty much this, its never one thing. You can just get bigger to get big because you often end up slow and bad. You can't just get faster because then you have all legs and no brains/skills. Same goes for a guy with all the tools but now work ethic. It has to be a combination of those things.

That and Yoe said the boys get a pizza party if they win.

[bbfenatic]

You guys are both right. Chemistry/Talant/work ethic are all important to this team. The wild need all 3 if they want to go deep in the playoffs.

Well said....I think they may have turned the corner but these next 2 on the road will tell the tale....a split would be OK but a sweep would put them on a roll with a home game after that. Liepold will not sit tight....trades are coming IMO and they have plenty of talent in Houston to give up.....just need one more proven big body scorer as Cullen, Seto, Brodziak, etc are not getting it done IMO.