Wild 2014/2015 Regular Season

[BuckSutherland]

Agree 100%.

Yeo needs to go and they need to get a goalie in here for the next 10 years. Seems like we give up 1 goal and you can be sure the next one is only a couple mins behind. They are gonna be lucky to make the playoffs, and that is pretty freakin sad.

[bbfenatic]

It was pretty clear that Yeo is in over his head after the last couple years, and they keep him after getting bounced out again last year. You cant hit a homerun unless you take another swing. He should have been long gone after last season.

And instead of signing hometown heroes maybe we should look at getting guys in here to win a championship. A goalie has more ability to influence the game than any defensman or forward.

Buck...I used to have the same feeling about Yeo but not anymore and I am not sure there is another coach who could do any better with this bunch. I agree we need to upgrade players but it is not the MN guys (other than Vanek) who are lacking. Overall the so called "youth" have not come through, the tending is not good, and the Vets overall are not playing up to potential. We have little size/toughness/gritiness, try to be too cute with too many passes that end up off-target, and just don't have a true sniper. IMO we should consider trading some of the "youth" for a player with size and some O skills, throw in Pom if need be. This team is going nowhere without personnel changes but Yeo is not the problem IMO. One more thing, that Sutter kid looks like a good player and like his tough/aggressive style.

[OnAFly]

@Buck

I understand that point, the problem is that when Yeo was hired, what good veteran coach was available? I know when Richards was hired, STL's current coach (name escapes me) was available, but I don't remember there being any really solid veteran coaches being on the market during the Yeo hire. Even now, it's not like there are any proven coaches out there waiting in the wings.

[CaptainMusky]

IMO our issues this season can be summed up by 3 things and in this order of importance: 1) inconsistent goal tending 2) Some of the young players not playing at higher level than last year or even regressing 3) PP effectiveness.

If you have 1 & 2, we arent even complaining right now and likely have 4 more wins this season and several of the other wins were either blowouts OR we didnt have to come from behind in.

Haula and Granlund (lesser extent Coyle)are not having a good start to the season. Short handed last night Haula had the chance to bust after the puck going into the B's zone, but decided against it. In the playoffs last year he would have turned on the afterburners. Maybe that is it, there isnt the sense of urgency right now?

The players I am the most impressed with are: Scandella, Nino, Brodin and thats about it. These guys have all elevated their game from last year. Granted Brodin had a dropoff last year, but still, he is solid this year. Scandella and Nino are both tremendous surprises.

If we can get some consistent goal tending that will solve a lot of our problems. Look what Nashville is doing!

Above all, these guys need to get healthy for crying out loud. Mumps, flu, rigormortis, diverticulitis, the list goes on. Everything that could possibly affect this team, seems like it does.

[OnAFly]

Interesting read on hockey wilderness dot com today. It's an analytics take on the Wild's performance. Basically, the argument they make is that Yeo is not the problem and then back that up with data. Interesting read.

[bbfenatic]

Interesting read on hockey wilderness dot com today. It's an analytics take on the Wild's performance. Basically, the argument they make is that Yeo is not the problem and then back that up with data. Interesting read.

Where is this info? wilderness.com does not come up....thx.

[OnAFly]

add hockey before the wilderness

[bbfenatic]

add hockey before the wilderness

Thx! Interesting....I think . What I got out of it is 1)we have been unlucky, 2)Brunette needs to go and Yeo needs to lean on someone else to help him with the PP, and 3)the players need to be more professional and dig to the deepest part of their keesters to find another level. Of the 3 I think the last one needs more emphasis...to me they are leaving more on the ice than they should be.

[OnAFly]

2 and 3 are noticeable to me. We should have a much, much better PP and we shouldn't have to go down 3 goals to start playing. As far as the luck goes, we're been seeing it for years. I don't know what to say about that.

How many times can we put out the same PP unit and be surprised by the same results? Why aren't our two best scorers (Nino/Zucker) on the #1 unit...if nothing else than to just shake things up?

[bbfenatic]

Preds, Flyers, Jets next 3 at home then Jets again up there and it does not get much easier after that stretch. I have never seen Parise so negative and holding his head down in his locker room presser after the game like he did last night.

Opportunity to dig out of the hole playing 3 games against opponents ahead of us in the conference...gonna be a fun stretch if we can get on a role at home...we shall see. Right now we are 10th...2pts out of last playoff spot with 2 games in hand with LA and 1 game in hand with Calgary. Go Wild!

[fishing tech]

How many times can we put out the same PP unit and be surprised by the same results? Why aren't our two best scorers (Nino/Zucker) on the #1 unit...if nothing else than to just shake things up?

[PierBridge]

3 things...

We need Spurgeon back!

50 games left boys!

Lets Roll!!!!

[OnAFly]

Why did Koivu not shoot into the wide open net on the power play?

I'm sure he's asking himself the same question. Honestly, I think these guys are so low on themselves that they are deferring to others around them to score goals.

[CaptainMusky]

A week ago Koivu was coming off one of best games in years. Take that shot. They are over thinking everything and clutching their sticks too tight. Relax, play loose and the puck will go in. Though spurge on came back the other night he wasn't up to speed. Hopefully Saturday he's back to normal.

Might have Cooke back too. That would be a boost as well.

I've been impressed overall with Sutter. Definitely notice him out there every shift.

[OnAFly]

Sutter was making an impact, literally and figuratively. I thought he did well on the 4th line.

[Bear55]

Buck...I used to have the same feeling about Yeo but not anymore and I am not sure there is another coach who could do any better with this bunch. I agree we need to upgrade players but it is not the MN guys (other than Vanek) who are lacking. Overall the so called "youth" have not come through, the tending is not good, and the Vets overall are not playing up to potential. We have little size/toughness/gritiness, try to be too cute with too many passes that end up off-target, and just don't have a true sniper. IMO we should consider trading some of the "youth" for a player with size and some O skills, throw in Pom if need be. This team is going nowhere without personnel changes but Yeo is not the problem IMO. One more thing, that Sutter kid looks like a good player and like his tough/aggressive style.

Some of our youth needs some work but where would we be this year without nino and zucker stepping up, not to mention all the young talent on the blue line, our top 4 have been amazing when healthy.

Wild just haven't found their game yet and goaltending issues aren't helping. It certainly is a little concerning this far into the season, have to figure it out soon or we might be on the outside looking in at the end of the season.

[OnAFly]

Anyone want to rethink the odds that we make the playoffs this year? We have a tough second half with a Central Div loaded end to our season.

I'm thinking we miss at this point, unless we seriously turn this ship around.

Off topic, but TSN seriously screwed their web5ite. Now you pretty much can only see the top ten articles. If you want anything else, you're SOL. I don't understand how this could be considered an improvement.

This auto replace on HSOforum is really irritating too.

[10,000 Casts]

IMO Coyle is the only young guy that hasn't stepped up and Granlund could step it up a bit too . Scandella, Nino, and Zucker have been awesome.

Yeo's not the problem and never has been..

It's been said on here before, this team needs to be a puck possession team and they need to stop with the little chip shots out od the D zone and they need to move the puck and make opportunities. Another key is having the D step up into the attack.

[bbfenatic]

Some of our youth needs some work but where would we be this year without nino and zucker stepping up, not to mention all the young talent on the blue line, our top 4 have been amazing when healthy.

Wild just haven't found their game yet and goaltending issues aren't helping. It certainly is a little concerning this far into the season, have to figure it out soon or we might be on the outside looking in at the end of the season.

I've stated Nino and Zuck have been awesome but Haula, Granny, Coyle, Folin, Falk, Keumper, Dumba, Fontaine, Schroeder have not been good and add in vets not playing up to par either makes for an average season thus far and I will go out on that limb...if we don't take 6 of the next 8 available points they don't make the playoffs IMO. Player for player up and down the lineup when stacked up against other lineups we just don't measure up. At this point too late to "find your game", you should have found it by now just like they should have the PP figured out by now and to me its not so much the PP system as the players running it make it look pathetic. Every player on the team (other than maybe Parise) needs to find another level....like now!

[Bear55]

Pretty early to rule us out of a playoff spot, the hard part is we are generally playing well but not winning and everyone is getting frustrated. Heck even if our PP was average we might have some extra points in the standings right now. I think the good news is the wheels haven't fallen off yet and there is still a lot of time to right the ship. If we do find our stride I think we can easily make up some ground but we can't wait until the end of the year to do it.

[PierBridge]

We have over 100 available points left in the season.

If we take 6 out of 8 we are a shoe in IMO.

I do think Saturdays game is pretty huge confidence wise.

And then home and home with the peg.

[PierBridge]

on a side note ...

I am sticking to my original prediction of we miss the playoffs on the last game of the season hope I'm wrong obviously.

[bbfenatic]

We have over 100 available points left in the season.

If we take 6 out of 8 we are a shoe in IMO.

I do think Saturdays game is pretty huge confidence wise.

And then home and home with the peg.

LMAO I don't care if there is 1000 points left in the season it would just makes us that further back at this rate. Not saying they cannot turn it around but I'd bet against it...any takers?

[CaptainMusky]

Yeo said at the beginning of the season "we could win the Stanley Cup or we could miss the playoffs". I tend to agree. Its not a ridiculous statement at all considering the Western Conference.

As fans we need to not clutch the stick to tight now either. WIth the exception of Nashville we have games in hand over everyone above us. 3 games Calgary, LA and SJ have all played 3 more games than us. We have ground to make up, but you cover that gap and win these head to head matchups it will be a cake walk. :-)

[10,000 Casts]

Quote:

I am sticking to my original prediction of we miss the playoffs on the last game of the season hope I'm wrong obviously.

I'll say they sneak in.