Wild 2013-14 season

[bbfenatic]

Zucker needs to find his consistency. He's shown flashes, but then looks lost the next game. I don't know if he needs to watch a couple games from the press box or watch more film and look at the things he's done right or what.

I don't see Zucker as an NHL asset anytime soon. We have others that we can give a try who are just as good or better....and bigger/stronger as well. We have speed guys...need more combo players like Coyle/Nino's IMO.

[Bear55]

Sounds like Pitt has a ton of D on injured reserve along with Malkin, a good time as any to beat them.

[schmitty3]

That was UGLY

[Abndoc]

Without harding we are done!

[archerystud]

I didn't see all of the goals but it was hard to blame Backs on the ones I saw. Pitt was dominating in all facets of the game. I switched to watch WI beat TX in volleyball since that hockey game was such a one sided affair.

[solbes]

You can't blame last night all on Backstrom. It was <EDIT> in every facet of the game. They mentioned on the radio that the Wild have scored 7 goals in the last 7 games with Backs in net. Kind of goes both ways I suppose. The players are letting up after a soft goal or two. And Backstrom never gets a lead to stay aggressive.

Either way, it sure would be nice if the Wild had another solid backup option at goalie. We are a bubble playoff team so far largely due to Harding. We have not scored a lot of goals this year.

Any teams out there willing to trade their young and promising backup goalies for something semi-reasonable?

[Bear55]

We suck on the road and aren't playing super right now. The ebbs and flows of a full 82 game season.

[OnAFly]

I didn't see the game since I had a lady friend over. Sounds like I made the right choice

[10,000 Casts]

Quote:

I didn't see the game since I had a lady friend over. Sounds like I made the right choice

She didn't show up with a Wild Jersey on with a case of beer in one hand and a pizza in the other ready to watch the game? hmmmm...

[OnAFly]

Normally I'd be a little concerned, but she made up for it

[bbfenatic]

We suck on the road and aren't playing super right now. The ebbs and flows of a full 82 game season.

I agree and I also believe that if Harding was not having such a stellar year with an NHL best 1.51GA Yeo would be one nervous nelly at this point. I hate to think what their record would be w/o his unbelievable season thus far.

[Bear55]

Lots of ??? every year, Backs had a great year last year too, without him we would have been screwed, same if parise and suter don't sign with us, we don't see the playoffs.

We are a much better team than we were just a handful of years ago, a LOT and I mean everything depends on the young kids, it always has. You don't win cup with one line. Unless 2 or 3 of Coyle, Nino, Granlund, Zucker, Brodin turn into Parise and Suter level players or close to them we probably don't get there. I'll take some serious depth over a handful of stars but they all help the cause.

[bbfenatic]

The under-performance of too many players has the top 6 players totally "spent" IMO. I am surprised how in-effective the younguns and even guys like Brodz, Cooke, Heatley, etc have been. I bet even Yeo and Fletch are scratching their heads as well on how poorly many are playing; and what is going on with Backs, is he toast or just in a slump?

[OnAFly]

Backs might just be having a down year, might be spent. He is 35, so he's getting up there. Some guys are just done before others (Heatley).

How did we get here from the first 10 games? How much longer are Parise, Koivu, and Suter in their prime window? Are we going to see decling performance of our stars before our young guys really reach potential? This could be a cup contention killer.

[Bear55]

The under-performance of too many players has the top 6 players totally "spent" IMO. I am surprised how in-effective the younguns and even guys like Brodz, Cooke, Heatley, etc have been. I bet even Yeo and Fletch are scratching their heads as well on how poorly many are playing; and what is going on with Backs, is he toast or just in a slump?

I guess I have to ask how much you expected out of the young guys? The only one I expected a little more out of was Coyle but he has been improving if we could just keep him on the top line. Zucker hasn't been good either but he was a ? to begin with. Granlund and Nino have been better than expected but this is still their first steady NHL playing time. Brodin has been good and putting up more points than last year and Scandella has been better than expected. These young guys are filling major rolls, many of them for the first time. This isn't the year we contend for anything, not that we couldnt' do that if we get hot at the right time.

Heatley is probably done in the NHL so I agree with you there, Brodz while great in his own end just does have the offensive abilities. Cooke I think has been fine, scores here and there and does his job. He and Brodziak might be better suited as 4th liners.

Overall we just aren't playing well right now and Harding isn't there to cover up for it. We aren't this bad, and we aren't as good as that big winning streak early in the year. It will all get sorted out in the end. We should be in he hunt for a playoff spot, if not no big deal because I think started next year our window opens a bit but similar to this year it will only open as wide as the young guys progress and our depth improves.

[Bear55]

How did we get here from the first 10 games? How much longer are Parise, Koivu, and Suter in their prime window? Are we going to see decling performance of our stars before our young guys really reach potential? This could be a cup contention killer.

Good questions and who knows for sure, I could see Suter playing until he is 40. Parise Koivu and Pommers should have 5 or so more productive years in them, although some of that production could decline the closer they get to that 35 range. After that its kind of a dump shoot, I think the Salane's of the world are pretty rare. We could very well be screwed and the vets age too soon and youngins never reach their potential but we would then be in the same boat as about 20 other teams, starting over again trying to build a winner. It might also come together and we get a shot at the cup. Impossible to say for sure, it is nice to kind of see a plan in place and have some talent on the team.

[schmitty3]

They looked terrible tonight, I know second night of a back to back, but man that was just sloppy. Hopefully the return of Harding can spark of the offense lol.

[10,000 Casts]

Losing streak, out scored 13-4 in the last 3 games and they are 1-7 in their last 8 road games. Oh ya and they are in 9th place in the west. We need to get out of this slump, hopefully a few days off and a cupcake on Friday will prime the pump again.

[Bear55]

Just short of half way through the season, I know we have one more hot streak in us, hopefully two and playing well at the end of the year.

[OnAFly]

Are we making the mid season slump a tradition?

[elkrivermn]

Dudes, Your team is terrible!!! Hockey in Minnesota is a joke

[bbfenatic]

Are we making the mid season slump a tradition?

Seems to be a Yeo tradition! He'd better figure it out that's for sure. Not saying the players are performing as all had hoped but many times a coaching change is the first step....and just when I was starting to like the guy. Let's see how the rest of the season unfolds as we have seen the upside of their potential so we know they are capable of a run....I am surprised they have played this poorly....hopefully Harding is the difference maker.

[OnAFly]

Hockey in Florida is a joke. Hockey in Minnesota is just poorly coached.

[fishing tech]

Backstrom looks like a goalie with zero confidence and the team ahead of him senses that. They have nobody on the team that other teams need to fear. aka no enforcer so the physical play wipes them out. Ya I know we need to score goals but we are short there also. With the lines changing every game how can we expect consistency?

The Wild to be successful need to be 100% healthy.

[10,000 Casts]

No Parise and no Harding tonight, this soft cupcake just got a lot harder..

On another note, I've been wondering when they will take the C from Koivu and give it to Parise. This off season maybe? Parise is always talking, coaching and demanding more of this team. I don't think Koivu has ever said anything? Might be a way to shake things up? Just not sure what the protocol is on an NHL captain change.