Wild!!!

[archerystud]

Kind of hoping the Wild have "weathered the storm". Still a young team that hopefully keeps improving.

LA proved last year that you only need to get in. If you are playing you best hockey during the playoffs then it doesn't matter who you are playing.

[Bear55]

Most complete game I have seen from the Wild in a long long time. All the kids looked good and we seemed to have the top 3 lines clicking. If they keep this up Cluttbuck might find himself on the 4th line with Brodziak when he gets back.

[RK]

Pretty complete game last night. Holding a NHL team to no SOG in a period is pretty amazing, especially one that's full of 'young offensive stars' (I'm sick to death of that phrase being attached any time anyone mentions the Grease...). Seems like they've finally found some line combinations that click. Coyle looks more comfortable on the top line every game, I thought Granlund had his best game yet, and even Heatley looks like he has a little more spring in his step. Plus, Spurgeon is getting back to where he was and Suter is showing why they paid what the did.

Kind of an interesting dilemma with Clutterbuck and ZK. Have to like the embarrassment of riches though. How many head coaches can look at their rosters and say 'shoot - I have too many centers." Have to really wonder what will happen at the trade deadline. Do they mess with the mix if they're in a playoff spot and doing well, and trade someone like Cullen (he'd fetch a good price as well as he's playing right now) or ride it out and know you're likely letting him go for nothing at the end of the season? Fletcher might have some tough decisions to make.

Sure a lot more fun to think about that dilemma than it is hearing they just picked Chris Simon off the scrap heap...

[bbfenatic]

Big step forward...great effort. Line combos are falling into place, getting players onto the line level they can compete against other team's line and skill level is important and they all look comfortable now. Nice to see defense getting involved in goal scoring.

How about Chicago!!! That game against Detroit was like a Stanley Cup finals game....Letty has found his stride and is a top NHL defenseman logging high minutes on the best team in the NHL.

[10,000 Casts]

The Oilers just aquired Mike Brown from Toronto, I wonder if that has anything to do with their situation with the Wild?

I like the Wild's chances tomorrow night against Chi, I don't think we could have picked a better time to play them. Time for Chi's first loss.

[schmitty3]

Yep, I was glad to see the Hawks beat the Red Wings a couple days ago. Not only did it help us in the standings, but it set us up to give Chicago their first regulation loss.

[Musky Buck]

I can't even begin to think about the today's hawks without thinking of Behn Wilson, Al Secord, The rat(did ken Linesman play there keep thinking Boston,anyway, Savard and the spino rama, Al Secord is a legend helmetless like Craig McTavish lol, anyway, lets give them an L.

[bbfenatic]

Stan Makita

[fishing tech]

The rat was with Philly and the Oilers I believe. Bobby Hull and Tony Esposito, Eddie Belfour. Wasn't it Steve Larmar that took out the ref's legs on a faceoff?

[archerystud]

Well at least the Seto, Cullen and Zucker line has looked great. Unfortunately the Wild are trailing 4-1 with a minute to go in the first!

[YiGGiN4SLoBS]

Black Hawks are skating circles around the wild. 17-6 in shots first period. Kemper in for the second. This one could get real ugly if the wild dont pull their heads out pretty quick

[schmitty3]

Falk sucks

[archerystud]

Totally agree with schmitty on Falk. He seems way to slow to handle the quick players. On the last goal he should have been stepping up to cover Kane so he couldn't get the shot off. How nice would it be to have Leddy out there over Falk?

I thought the forward lines looked pretty good last night. Played a very good team and did generate some good chances, especially after the first.

I don't have a lot of faith in the D corp after Suter, Brodin and Spurgeon. Gilbert appears serviceable but I think if any of these 4 are out for some time this team is in trouble.

They will have some cap room next year although there will be other considerations. I'd like to see the Wild pick up another "bigger" d-man who can move.

[10,000 Casts]

Falk is still young. Brodin made a huge mistake on one of the goals in the first as well, there were 3 guys in front of the net and he just sat behind the goalie and watched the puck go in.. Oh well, I think the BH make a lot of Dmen look bad. But I'd rather see Falk get good playing time than Prosser.

What is the deal with Scandella?

[archerystud]

Agree with your point on the Hawks. I think they have 2 first lines and a second line!!!

Scandella was my fav young d-man a couple years ago but he always seems to get into the dog house for some reason. At least he's 6-2 but he seems like a much better skater than Falk.

[schmitty3]

Not only could he had stepped up on Kane, but he left Gilbert out to dry throwing it back into their own zone with 2 Hawks right on Gilbert. That turnover was caused by Falk not Gilbert IMO.

I don't know what the deal is with Scandella, seems like Yeo has a vendetta against him or something. He brings a lot more to the table than Falk that's for sure. Yes he makes some mistakes in the defensive zone, but makes up for that in the offensive zone.

[Bear55]

Thought I heard Scandella is injured again. Before when he was sent down I guess he was the only palyer who could go without having to clear waivers. I dont' get it either, I like him and I think you just need to throw him in and let him work out the kinks in the NHL. Has to be better than Falk, Prosser and Stoner. I don't mind Stoner most of the time but Scandella has a lot more tools and a lot more up side.

[YiGGiN4SLoBS]

Thought I heard Scandella is injured again.

He could be the biggest china doll on the team. If we have him up with spurgeon, brodin and sutter we might have the most finesse D core in the NHL. Im with archery stud, id like to see them get another big D man that can rough people up a little in front of the net and on the boards. Prefferably one that can complete a pass to get out of the zone too! They have plenty of pieces to trade for one. But then again D hasnt really been this teams problem so far.... Backstrom threw out his one stinker in 5 games that he always does, he was due. Pucks were bouncing off of him like was made of rubber. he should be good to go now for at least 4 games or so..

[Bear55]

Pretty sure I saw somewhere that Fletcher is looking for a much needed vet dman, problem is he doesn't want to part with any of our young talent so finding the right deal for the right parts isn't going to be easy.

[YiGGiN4SLoBS]

If all of these guys are as good as advertised, hes gonna have to be pretty creative to keep them all anyway. we wont have enough cap room when it comes time to pay them- (refer to parise and sutter contract #'s) Might as well pick one to part with and get another piece to help this team

[Bryce]

Anyone else getting tired of this team having goalies get good and then turn into head cases? D didn't help him a whole lot but he should have stopped at least half of those goals.

[bbfenatic]

Pretty sure I saw somewhere that Fletcher is looking for a much needed vet dman, problem is he doesn't want to part with any of our young talent so finding the right deal for the right parts isn't going to be easy.

No need for another dman IMO, plenty of talent in that position and they have played as well as most defensively...goalies are on and off but overall decent. Would like to see Fletcher package some forwards for a "proven" goal scorer....and preferably with a little size to make a run this year and next. Like Dallas did with Jagr; 7 goals, 8 assists this year and he pushes people around, does not get bumped off the puck and controls the puck in the O-Zone.

[archerystud]

The biggest problem with trading is probably the salary cap. From what I read it looks like they are 1.28M under the cap. So assuming they could spend that plus the amount of the player they are trading away. But maybe there are other cap rules, I'm not sure of all of the details.

If you factor in all the players they won't trade it probably limits what they have to deal with.

[PierBridge]

Anyone else getting tired of this team having goalies get good and then turn into head cases? D didn't help him a whole lot but he should have stopped at least half of those goals.

Not sure what you are talking about as far as the head cases go but yeah I was stunned on how bad Backstrom was on 2 of the early goal's. The one he just basically fell to the ice for no reason and the other he didn't even attempt to move across the crease.

It happens and over-all I'm pretty happy with the tending.

2-0

[OnAFly]

Falk may have given gilbert the puck in a bad position but that doesn't give Gilbert the green light to caugh the puck up like he did. He had time to do something other than that with it.