Wild off season

[Bear55]

Wild signed Backstrom for 3 more years at 3.4 per year. Probably one year too long but he kind of had us by the balls and he took a pay cut. At least we have our starter for next season.

Now on to the D core.

[bbfenatic]

A little surprised....must not have been too confident they could upgrade via a trade or free agency. IMO a 1 year deal would have been better even for a little more on that one year. His stats are not that bad but too many easy goals when we needed him in the clutch.

[10,000 Casts]

I like it and hopefully Backs can give us a run in the Playoffs next year. Now I'd like to see them sign Sprugeon for about $2m and offer Cal the same of what he is making now since I'm not sure if we can find someone as good for $1.4m. I'd also like them to sign Falk.

I hope there is a market for PMB, Brodziak, Konopka, Gilbert, Mitchell

Anyone look at the Penguins payroll? wow are they ever in trouble... Chi looks to be in trouble too.

[RK]

Good signing re: Backstrom.

Very reasonable money considering the lack of top goaltenders available on the market (basically down to Mike Smith, if he makes it to UFA), and considering what he would/could have gotten as a free agent, he probably took a pretty good haircut to stay in MN. Figure that's two years for Kuemper and Gustaffson to develop/fight it out to see who is the heir apparent, plus time to see if Harding can hang in there with his health issues.

Really, this was a no-brainer for the Wild at that money/term. Can't rely on Harding given his potential health issues, although hopefully it's a non-issue for his sake, and minor league guys still need time to develop. They needed a #1 goalie one way or another, and I'd sure as heck take Backstom over MA Fleury, and Smith is going to cost someone a fortune, if he even makes it to free agency. So they'd have ended up trading for a goalie, and giving up picks/prospects to get one.

[Bear55]

From the sounds of "things" we should see some more action in the next few days before the draft. Wild still talking to Cullen and need to sign or trade Clutterbuck, Spurgie and Falk with only 2.6M in cap space so something HAS to happen. Rumors of Cal to Edmonton and us shopping Gilbert or him being a potential buyout candidate. I think all teams have the next two days to decide if they want to buy out a player so there should be a lot of movement all over the place.

Just in case you didn't know this the draft is on Sunday at 2, all 7 rounds in one day.

[10,000 Casts]

Falk to the Rangers for the rights to Benn Ferriero and a meaningless 2014 6th rd pick.

I don't have a clue what they are thinking here! Maybe clutterbucks replacement? Maybe part of a trade for later today? Someone help me out with some possibilities!

[Port.Winterhawk]

It wont happen but id like to see two 2nd rounders traded for a 1st to try to get DOMI. But I think Ty Domi's kid will be gone by the 14th pick. We need a trade for another 2nd to trade up. I dont want to see Clutter go.

[schmitty3]

I dont want to see Clutter go.

He Gone!

[bbfenatic]

Looks like the AHL Iowa Wild will be pretty darn good this year with these recent additions, yipee....must be counting the pennies to make sure they have enough to re-sign Cullen....I hope.

Overall not impressed so far...come on Fletch...turn it up a notch or two!

[Port.Winterhawk]

We need to resign Cullen.

[10,000 Casts]

Well, IMO today we gave up a solid 3rd line winger and a D with good NHL experience and potential to be a one way player and we got to minor leaguers. Oh ya and we gave up a 3rd rd pick. I'm starting to get a bit nervous for next year.

Even if we sign Cullen, he's a wild card, he's at the end of his career and who knows if he can ever have another season like he did te last 3/4 of last season..

[Port.Winterhawk]

Cullen is too skilled to not resign. He has more to give. And he will. And he wants to stay here.

[Bear55]

Interesting day, I'm thinking the Wild must have given up on Falk and decided to move him for whatever was out there.

The Clutterbuck trade is very interesting, Neno was a 5th overall in 2010 and is still very young, he was rushed to the NHL way too early but put up good numbers in the AHL last year. He's a goal scorer, good size and speed and likes to hit. Certainly a chace he could bust out but this trade could pay off big time.

Not sure about the rest of the picks today, nothing to flashy and heavey on D-men. Hopefully a couple of them pan out.

[Port.Winterhawk]

Hey Bear55: That Clutter trade may be HUGE. Did not want to see Cal go but they do free up some $$$........ Fletcher B+......... Risbrough C-. I like our REGIME.

[Bear55]

Actually it sounds like Nino has a higher cap hit (bonuses) that Cal so this wasn't a cap move. Mostly just a gamble that didn't cost a lot and it might just pay off big time down the road.

[Port.Winterhawk]

Bear55;Thanks for the correction on cap hit..... I will hear it tomorrow from the entourage...!!!

[RK]

Interesting day.

I think the Falk move was just recognizing the kid didn't have much of a future here and giving him a chance to catch on somewhere else.

Trading Clutterbuck... Have to love the guy, and he's certainly the definition of a 'fan favorite' but if I'm the Wild GM, I still make this trade in a second. Clutterbuck crashes and bangs and is a great PK guy, but to me he always felt like an 18-20 goal scorer who could only manage to score 12 or 14 a year for some reason. He was going to command a pretty good price to sign him, and the Wild needs goal scorers worse than it needs a checking line winger.

Nino is a power forward who can score. He's shown a lot of offense at every level he's played, but got rushed into the NHL by the gong show that passes for management with the Islanders, and barely played in a 4th line role. He was more or less on the team so his cap hit would bring them up to the salary floor. With Nino, the Wild have 3 first-rounders from 2010 (Nino, Granlund and Coyle). For the Wild at this point I'd take a young top 5 pick goal scorer in need of a fresh start over paying top dollar to resign a checking line winger... And I like Clutterbuck a lot.

The rest of the draft... Good solid picks, but once you're past the middle of the first round you can't reasonably expect an immediate impact player. You're drafting depth and future potential which is never a sure thing. A little surprised they waited so long to grab a goalie though.

Going to be an interesting next few days though. Have to expect a buyout of Gilbert I think. Also wonder if they'll swing a trade of some kind for another D-man, try to find one in free agency, or if they're expecting Scandella and Prosser to step up and take spots...or maybe see Dumba makes a run at a roster spot in camp?

[Bear55]

Our 3rd round picks was kind of a head scratcher but oh well, I'm no draft guru and I have pretty good faith in our management at this point. I like our 2nd rounder, seems like a good chance to be an NHL player and we got some potential in the later rounds. Also picked up the Peterson kid from Grand Rapids, he's a long ways from the nhl but good size and skills.

[10,000 Casts]

Look at the guys they are trying to get rid of now.

Heatley - we gave up Havlat who I never liked but was cheaper and scored the same amount of goals

Seto- gave up Burns and imo hasn't performed up to expectations and Burns was an All Star

Gilbert- a liability and no where near what Schultz was.

Kenopka- Blah, they should have never given him a 2 yr deal..

Not a very good short term track record for Fletch. I'd be really surprised if anyone wants any of these guys. What a mess they have right now..

We can always pray that Nino, Granlund and Scandella are ready to go and maybe Dumba makes some huge strides.. I suppose Zucker should have a roster spot too..

What a crazy off season!!!!

[RK]

OK - I'll argue this one a little bit...

Heatley - we gave up Havlat who I never liked but was cheaper and scored the same amount of goals

Havlat is Randy Moss "I'll play when I want to play" on ice, and made of glass besides. In the playoffs this year while guys were playing with broken legs, separated shoulders and cracked ribs, Havlat *took himself out of the lineup* because of a sore groin. The Sharks moved his locker to their practice facility afterwards, while their other injured players and callups had permanent lockers in the main locker room. By all accounts he was locker room cancer here and in SJ.He'll be gone from SJ this offseason. Heatly isn't what he was, and I hate his cap hit, but as a player I'd take him over Havlat any day of the week.

Seto- gave up Burns and imo hasn't performed up to expectations and Burns was an All Star

Seto was a minor part of this trade frankly. They also got Coyle, who was the top prospect in the Sharks organization and looks to be a stud for the Wild. Plus they got the Shark's 1st round pick, which they used to take Zack Phillips, who looks to be a solid NHL center after some development time in the AHL. This is a kid who was +29 in the QMJHL playoffs with the Sea Dogs...on a line with Coyle. I'd like to see more consistency from Seto too, but they weren't going to resign Burns for what he was asking, and they got a king's ransom for him in terms of picks and prospects vs. letting him walk for nothing like they did with Gaborik.

Gilbert- a liability and no where near what Schultz was.

I'll agree on this one to a point. Schultz was steady in his own zone but with their system they need better puck movers, and that was never Schultz's strength. But Gilbert has been a disappointment. Buy him out, please...

Kenopka- Blah, they should have never given him a 2 yr deal..

Kenopka is a great D-zone face-off guy, penalty killer, and a pest who will drop them when needed. When they were able to have Rupp, Mitchell and Kenopka on the 4th line as a unit they played their role very very well I thought. He is what he is...and that ain't Gretzky...but he's a pretty solid 4th liner.

Not a very good short term track record for Fletch.

I have to disagree here. Look where this organization was pre-Fletcher, when we were signing guys like Chris Simon and letting Gaborik walk for no return. We have one of the deepest prospect pools in the league, a Norris finalist blueliner, young, quality roster players like Zucker and Coyle, a possible superstar in the making in Jonas Brodin, very likely two Olympic captains (Koivu and Parise) and legitimate NHL players on the roster from top to bottom.

I'd take that over 2008 when Antti Miettinen was a top line winger and James Sheppard and Benoit Pouliot were 'the future.'

[bbfenatic]

Can't argue your points RK but unless Fletch makes some "eye-opening" FA pickups or trades (might have to give up some of the future) this team is no better off now than last year....not time to drop the puck so he has time but he'd better get busy. Looks like Cullen is not affordable so we'll see who he gets to fill that important spot. IMO last year at trade deadline he could have made better deals than he did and now good players are not available.

[Bran32]

Amen RK, I couldn't agree more!! The only thing that I can add is that when Gilbert and Scandella played together at the end of the 2012 season he actually looked pretty good! If you look at it both Gilbert and Spurgeon were both pretty bad this year and I believe most of that is due to the AWFUL partners they were paired with in STONER and FAULK and CLARK and PROSSER!!! But if they were to buy Gilbert out I wouldn't really mind especially if that means they can get Cullen back because there is no way Granlund is ready to be a 2nd line center IMO

[10,000 Casts]

RK, great points and I agree but all I think when I see those 4 guys on the trade block is $15m in cap space, no one seems to want them and we're maxed out and running with a wild card goalie IMO. Is there a chance we buy out both Heatley and Gilbert and go get Vanek? Problem is, Buffalo wants prospects in return. I'd say offer Grandlund and a pick or something along those lines. Miller is available too for the right price.

Any Chance Zach Phillips gets some ice time this year?

[Bran32]

Heatley cannot be bought out because he is injured and I don't think we give up any assets to get Vanek when we would have a chance to get him for free next summer! Plus Heater and Seto will be off the books after this season and that frees up 10.5 million in cap room!!

[OnAFly]

I was wondering if he was still injured. They kinda got screwed on that deal. I'm guessing that he would have been bought out if he were healthy.

They only have one more day to buy out Gilbert. That 4mil would go a long way.