Wild 2013-14 season

[yakfisher]

I think it's time to get this one going.

Looks the the preseason is ramping up well and the Wild are really testing out the future. Even a few of us are starting feel good about our chances, except for BB that is? Of course winning the cup in three games may not be a good enough season in his eyes(sarcasm). With the youth expected to take on a bigger role and the amount of senior leadership on the bench, I think the Wild have a chance to make a solid playoff run, much like a young Blackhawks team did before they won their first cup of this century. How do you all think things may pan out?

[Port.Winterhawk]

Wild are there. It might happen this year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHL rocks the ohl, quebec mjs, ushl and ncaa..... just sayin-GO GOPHERS/WILD

I will miss WCHA. good hockey & great rivals.

[OnAFly]

I expect us to make the playoffs but be another one and done. To many question marks for this season. Do we see a sophomore slump from Brodin? Do ou other younger Dmen start taking on more load? Which Heater do we see? Do any of the young forwards take that next step? If these things pan out, we will be a 2nd round playoff team, if not we squeak in and are done in short order.

If we have a disaster in terms of player deveopment or injuries, we could miss the post season all together. Regardless, I'll be keeping up on the team

[bbfenatic]

I think it's time to get this one going.

Looks the the preseason is ramping up well and the Wild are really testing out the future. Even a few of us are starting feel good about our chances, except for BB that is? Of course winning the cup in three games may not be a good enough season in his eyes(sarcasm). With the youth expected to take on a bigger role and the amount of senior leadership on the bench, I think the Wild have a chance to make a solid playoff run, much like a young Blackhawks team did before they won their first cup of this century. How do you all think things may pan out?

I definitely like our chances this year more than last just because we have a good mix of vets and youth. This might be the year and with some getting "long if the tooth" it may be a short lived run until the youth become vets. Fletch has made the necessary moves last couple of years but my concern as I have voiced in the past is with Yeo...hopefully they can do it in spite of him! My guess is they will comfortably make the playoffs and get past the first round, maybe the second round...Go Wild!

[10,000 Casts]

Yeo's a young coach, I would think he learned from the almost ever so close debacle at the end of last season. If I remember correctly, your beef with him was that he doesn't change or adapt his game plan during games?

All I know at the moment is my 60", 1080p, 240khz LED hockey watching machine of a TV is waiting down at Best Buy and is ready to be matched up with my new couch for the season. Also hoping my buddies bank has a good quarter and he has an extra ticket or 2 in the suite for a few games! And Cossetta should be done with the remodel!!!

[Bear55]

Wild making some big cuts today, I don't think we see any surprises yet but they have a lot of talented players and not a lot of spots. I think the big question is where/how do the kids fit. Lines will change throughout the year but right now there are 3 spots on the 2nd line and one spot on the third line. You have Coyle, Heatley, Grandlund, Zucker, and Nino so someone is the odd man out and those guys won't be playng 4th line minutes.

[BartmanMN]

It will be interesting. Seems like we are stacked with talent right now.

[maros91]

Haula to minors via Twitter

[OnAFly]

Roster is down to 28, so at least 5 more cuts before game 1.

[10,000 Casts]

the Wild put Stephan Veillex on waivers today. That tells me they are pretty deep with talent or at least they think they are. Mcmillan and Rau also had to be put on waivers, it will be interesting to see if someone picks them up.

[RK]

Man how cool is it to see actual competition in camp for roster spots?

Be interesting to see how it all shakes out with the guys that are still trying for a spot. Coyle seems like a lock to be the 2nd line center, which I think is awesome. That kid is a horse and he's only going to get better. I'd kind of like to see a Coyle between Heatley and Granlund with Nino on the third line with Brodziak and Cooke. Nino's a big body and seems like a solid two-way guy. Be nice to have a 3rd line that can score. That'd give you a 4th line with Kenopka between Fontaine and Mitchell, at least until Rupp is back from his knee injury. I know there are some Kenopka haters but the guy's a good penalty killer, one of the best in the league in the faceoff circle (which is huge on the PK obviously) and he is a pest besides. Look back at least season before Rupp and Kenopka got hurt and that 4th line was really really effective.

Zucker is kind of a puzzle to me. Shows flashes of great play but he's a high risk/high reward kind of guy and on the second line I'd think a playmaker like Granlund might fit better with a guy like Heately who needs to be set up. Plus I think long term Granlund has a better future at wing than center. Most Western teams are pretty big up the middle and Granlund, as skilled as he is, isn't the biggest guy...

Haula did himself a lot of good while he was in camp. Sounds like the coaches loved the guy. Looking like a steal as a 7th rounder...

[Bear55]

Coyle with his 3rd of the preseason last night, kid might be ready to breakout and have a big year. Might be the #2 center. Sound like Nino might make the team too, had a goal last night but it wasn't counted. Clear goal on the review but the refs missed it and they don't review for pre-season. I do hope they find a way to keep Granlund and Zucker but they might start the year in Iowa. No doubt they will see time with the big club this year at some point.

Dumba just might make the team too, they have 9 games to decide for sure.

[OnAFly]

Sounds like they'll probably do with Dumba what they did with Bulmer. 9 games up, then back down to the WHL.

BTW, what ever happened to Bulmer? I haven't heard much of him recently.

[RK]

Hiya -

Coyle's a stud man. A lock as the #2 center, and if he can keep up his preseason play he's going to have quite a sophomore season. Thank God, because if he hadn't stepped up they'd have a big hole on the second line without Cullen.

Kind of sounds like Zucker played himself off the roster last night. Had a chance to grab a spot and didn't take it. That's kind of my issue with Zucker - you see flashes of great play then he kind of disappears or shows up in a bad way with bad d-zone coverage, etc. If Granlund plays well Friday, I think he makes the team over Zucker.

Dumba - be interesting to see what they do there. I think he makes the team but if he plays well they may keep him vs. sending him back to Red Deer. I'd certainly take him over Stoner. Just a matter of him being consistent enough to show he belongs. Playing with a guy like Ballard would help him a lot there I think.

OnAFly - Bulmer is hurt. Think he got hurt in the prospects tournament. Kind of too bad as I like him. Don't think he'll ever be a top 6 forward but he'd be a great 3rd line wing if he can keep the injury bug away. Kind of afraid he's becoming another Tyler Cuma - great potential but one injury after another. Cuma looked like a sure thing NHLer 3 years ago...now he's not even on the radar.

[10,000 Casts]

Why not have Granlund center the 3rd line and move Brodziak to Kenopka's spot? Then have Zucker play Wing on the 2nd line.

Who would you rather have on the team, a faceoff guy that can kill penalties or 15-20 goals from Zucker? Tough question.

[OnAFly]

Come to think of it, I did hear that about Bulmer a while back. Too bad, he was having a good start to his career.

I think Yeo wasn't to happy with how disciplined Zucker was being. Said he got off his game when things weren't going well. Maybe he's just trying to push the kid to perform better. He'll be back with the big club this year some time. Injuries happen, he'll have to take advantage of the oppotunities he's given.

[archerystud]

Zucker has too much speed and he is a scorer. I agree it sounds like he'll get sent down but he'll be back. You can't coach speed. If the coaching staff is getting tired of him at least he's trade bait. That's something the Wild didn't have a couple years ago.

[10,000 Casts]

I have a feeling the line up they are dressing tonight is what we'll see alot of this year. They are calling it the "skilled" line up and no Kenopka or Dowell. Good bye fights hello goals as this line up is softer than the Red Wings. If they decide to go this route, hopefully they can stay healthy and avoid concussions...

Zach Parise-Mikko Koivu-Jason Pominville

Dany Heatley-Charlie Coyle-Justin Fontaine

Matt Cooke-Kyle Brodziak-Torrey Mitchell

Jason Zucker-Mikael Granlund-Nino Niederreiter

[archerystud]

No way Granlund and Zucker spend much time on the 4th line and thus the bench. They will be in Iowa more than the 4th line. They would rather have prospects skating 17 mpg and getting pp and pk time as opposed to 4mpg in St. Paul.

[Bear55]

Sounds like they will be doing a lot of lineup juggling the first part of the season. I think everyone will have their "shot" and have to prove it on the ice.

[Bear55]

Zucker and a few others sent down. Fontaine, Nino, and Granlund made the team out of camp. Fletcher said there will be a lot of movement of lines and players going up and down early in the year. Will but fun to watch this team develop, lots of potential here.

[yakfisher]

Its here! Finally, after 2 years the NHL is back.

It should be an exciting year watching the Wild finally build a team with real potential. I know we'll have ups and downs I'm hoping kinda like the '09 Hawks. And we all know what happened after that season.

Go Wild!

[Bear55]

Finally!

[hoppe56307]

More good news, Wild lock up Pommer for 5 years.

[RK]

Yeah, glad they got him extended. Not only is he a pretty underrated player, but would have hated giving up a 1st round pick and a good prospect for a one season rental.

Looking forward to the game tonight. Pretty curious to see how the 2nd line and 2nd unit PP do.