Wild 2013-14 season

[Bear55]

Yeah, either way, it's working out well for us

I might have to break down and get cable again. This whole 'see a game or two here and there' thing isn't working out. I miss watching hockey day in and day out.

Check our hockeystreams.com, cut my cable many years ago.

[blue_healer_guy]

The west looks stacked, realistic spot in the standings. 4 or 5?

[Bear55]

Hard to say, lot of teams start the year off hot and fade, I do think if we can keep this kind of play up all year we should be ok. With the new division format we better make the top 3 or we could lose a wildcard spot to a team from the west. It won't be easy, Colorado is on a tear right now but there is no way they can keep it up all year long. Hoping for a Wild like collapse from Yoe's first season.

Wildcard Standings

http://www.nhl.com/ice/standings.htm?season=20132014&type=WC#&navid=nav-stn-conf

[Improvedarock]

The wild have the top 3 lineup in the NHL. It's exciting to see Granlund coming into his own this season. I'm thinking he should put up 65-70 points this season. It's gonna be a exciting season and post season. I'm pumped to have the 40 inch flat screen in the ice cabin this winter, nothing better than catching big lakers and watching hockey on the lake. Skol wild ehh!

[Bear55]

The wild have the top 3 lineup in the NHL.

We are getting better but I don't think we are anywhere near top 3.

[RK]

they have proven to be deep enough to withstand injuries that will invariably come up all season.

^^^ this...

For years this team was one Mikko Koivu injury away from disaster. This season they were looking pretty deep except up the middle with Granlund being a question mark after last season's rocky start and demotion to Houston. So when Coyle got hurt I though "oh no..." Granlund stepped up and grabbed the 2nd line center spot with both hands. His passing skills are just sick, but his defensive play and play away from the puck have been tremendous. The one knock on the guy last year was his strength on the puck and skating, but man did he sort that out.

As far as the Isles saying the got the better of the Nino/Clutterbuck trade - tell yourself whatever you have to Isles fans...

Cal is 1-1 -3 in 10 games, Nino is 3-6 +3 in 15 games - and his long term upside is miles above Cal. Cal might be a good checking line guy, but he's never going to be a top 6 forward. Get more than a dozen goals out of him and it's a bonus. Nino is a quality top 6 now, at 21 years old. Right now he's on pace for a 50 point season... Cal has broken 30 once in his career. Until they start counting hits in the final score...this is a no-brainer.

Add him to the list of good players who got Islandered over the years. Parking him on the 4th line as a 19 year old was insane. They seem to be righting the ship but for a while there the Isles were the NHL version of the Clippers - where careers went to die.

[10,000 Casts]

gotta give credit to Fletcher and the Wild staff for sniffing that out and executing the trade. Not only that but Cal wanted $3m+ yr and a long contract (got $2.75m for 4 years in NY). Nino is at $870k this year and a RFA next and this is working out perfectly for the Wild who were strapped by the cap this year. Cal had to go and it is tremendous that they could get a return like this is looking to be. When I learned about the trade, I was like Nino who???? Now we are saying, Cal who???

[OnAFly]

Yeah, that's pretty much what I was thinking too. Didn't we get a 3rd for him too or something?

[Bear55]

We gave the 3rd in that deal, small price to pay for a top 5 pick with loads of potential. We potentially stole 21 year old a top 6 player for peanuts.

[OnAFly]

That's it. Yeah, still a steal for us if Nino keeps this up.

[Improvedarock]

Bear I can honestly say who really has a more potent team other than minnesota right now? Things are starting to click in minnesota! All the rookies are in place, the big trades are in place, and of course the big contracts are in place. Look out for a dam good team come April!

[CaptainMusky]

Easy big fella. Even though they are playing much better largely as of right now they barely make the playoffs and have played in some cases 3 more games than other teams in standings.

I think they can make some noise this year come playoff time but they still have matchup issues against teams like Chicago, San Jose and possibly Colorado who is on fire.

[OnAFly]

I remember having that feeling in Yeo's first year where we were #1 in the NHL...then losing 10 games in a row. Cautious optimism now.

Fontaine's goal was a fluke. He shot into about 4 people, it had eyes and went in. The others were either solid plays or good pickup of rebounds.

[Bear55]

Bear I can honestly say who really has a more potent team other than minnesota right now? Things are starting to click in minnesota! All the rookies are in place, the big trades are in place, and of course the big contracts are in place. Look out for a dam good team come April!

I'd say lots of teams are even with us or just above us, just look at the standings, we are playing well but many others are playing better right now and they have very talented lineups and really I am just looking at the West right now. We also need to watch our backs, St Louis is 9-2-2 and has played 3 less games then us. LA has won a cup and been the conference finals the past two season and has a ton of skill, once they get going it will spell trouble for someone.

[Bear55]

Anyone else like Heatly on that 4th line, he's working harder and he makes that line just a touch dangerous. Who didn't love that Konopka snipe last night?

[bbfenatic]

Other than the poor coverage on that first goal by the Flames that was about as good of a game you could ask for. As for Fontaine's goal, I thought it was awesome how he worked to the open area before pulling the trigger; and Mitchell's setup for Konopka was a big time play but overlooked. Confidence is building and that is the key IMO.

[OnAFly]

Konopka put that in like he's been doing it all season

[bbfenatic]

Anyone else like Heatly on that 4th line, he's working harder and he makes that line just a touch dangerous. Who didn't love that Konopka snipe last night?

Agree on Heatley 100%...he just looks more comfortable down there, maybe realizes he needs to carry that line so stepping up his play....and it does not hurt they are usually out there against other teams 3rd or 4th line so opposing skill level not as high either.

[CaptainMusky]

Anyone else like Heatly on that 4th line, he's working harder and he makes that line just a touch dangerous. Who didn't love that Konopka snipe last night?

Preposterous Statement Award of the year nominee?

Only joking, but I agree. His best two games this season have been the last two.

Whether it motivates him to work harder to move back up the lineup or he just is flat out better than other "4th liners" I really dont care. He is looking better and that line actually seems to work well.

Heatley was actually back checking on a few occasions.

[BartmanMN]

First time I've seen Konopka shoot the puck and he made it count. Fun 3rd period to watch.

[RK]

Fun game, which is nice since I actually got time to sit and watch the whole thing live for once.

Nice to see the first line break 5 on 5 out finally. A threat all night, and putting it in the net. The second Parise goal - holy moly what a beauty. Scored Suter-Koivu-Parise, but Coyle started the whole thing by getting a turnover in the neutral zone. That line was ok with other guys on the RW, but they're a different animal with Coyle there.

Gotta disagree on Fontaine's goal being a fluke though. It was actually a pretty nice play by Cooke to bulldoze through the top of the crease and screen the goalie with his own D-man, and Fontaine was pretty patient getting to a spot where he had something to shoot at.

Kenopka's goal was priceless. He's a sniper.

Heately seems to have gotten the message. Actually looks good and if even the 4th line is kind of a threat to score... You have a very good top 6, a checking line that is good defensively and can chip in offensively, and a fourth line that isn't a liability... That's a pretty good recipe.

Gonna miss Thursday because my daughter has a HS game, but will be interesting to see how they do against the Caps and Ovie.

[CaptainMusky]

Kenopka's goal was priceless. He's a sniper.

I said the same thing to my buddy during the game. He needs to shoot more! :-) The look on his face was awesome. Well deserved.

[OnAFly]

The angle I saw the Fontaine goal from must have been ptetty bad. It looked like he shot into a group and got lucky. If he was patient enough to skate into the slot and wait for an opening, that's awesome!

[CaptainMusky]

Yeah, there was definitely a cluster of guys in front, but Fontaine skated toward the slot and then fired. It didnt appear to even deflect as it went on net so he must have found some space there.

It surprises me he was undrafted. Nice hockey player.

Really pleased with how Fletch has brought in talent mixing youth with experience.

I have to say that at this point Yeo has done a pretty decent job. The guy is younger than me so he definitely needs some seasoning, but he is getting a kudos from me right now.

Moving Heatley to 4th line could be huge. Not fun for Heatley I am sure as it is a bump to the ego, but hey, he is playing much better.

[solbes]

What an awesome game last night. Was really close through 2 1/3 periods, then we blew the doors off. I thought someone was gonna come out and challenge Fontaine, but no one did and he snuck it through when he had a tad of daylight. Very nice goal. Fontaine has been contributing everywhere they put him.

Konopka's was even more satisfying to see. Loved his comment about how he's gonna score in bunches now. And Heater even seemed to wake up for a play or two during the game. Coyle may only be 80-90% back physically, but his presence on the line sure woke up Koivu. I hope the first line can keep some of that going. It may take the pressure off the surging second line.

I have to temper my expectations though, it was only the Flames. They are a disaster defensively.