Wild 2014/2015 Regular Season

[crothmeier]

LaPanta at one point called the play of "and he's chased down and caught from behind by Vanek"

I let out a loud "Ha! Wow!"

My wife looked at me and said what??

Ha.. nothing..

Dany All-Star cleared waivers. NOBODY wanted some 50 in '07

If you want a comical read, find his parody account on twitter. @danyallstar15

[schmitty3]

That was the worst game i've ever seen Suter play. No way to sugar coat it he was awful. There's gotta be something going on, because he is a much better player than that.

[hoppe56307]

I wonder if the Holidays might have gotten to Suter with the loss of his father? I lost my dad last year and even this year things just don't feel right.

[10,000 Casts]

Quote:

Dany All-Star cleared waivers. NOBODY wanted some 50 in '07

HA! ya I've been following that account since it started and it's hilarious. https://twitter.com/DanyAllStar15

I can't believe that the Ducks were willing to sign him. What in the world were they thinking? All I can figure is that Yeo touted him as a character guy in the locker room. But $1m for 6 games isn't bad for Heater.

[OnAFly]

I'm guessing he winds up in someone's front office within the next year or two. The guys got so much experience and from all accounts is a great locker room personality.

Sooo...Columbus. We usually play terribly there so this should be interesting.

[CaptainMusky]

Why does it seem like every team we face is on a hot streak? Hawks were on like a 10 game winning streak, Jets were nearly as hot. Now tonight CBJ is riding a 9-1-1 streak!

The last game was encouraging and hopefully they can build from that. Suter has been fighting it lately. They need to try and reduce his minutes like has been said so much. Spurgeon needs a big game. He's been a little lethargic since his return.

[bbfenatic]

Lackluster performance and that drops us to 11th with CO knocking at the door to push us to 12th. Problems are wide spread and we'll see if Fletch thinks they are fixable to salvage the season...my guess is no...maybe one move to pick up a Dman but that will not propel us into the playoffs IMO. You can talk about injuries, illnesses, getting teams on hots streaks, etc but good golly the guys they put out there are not performing well at all, never seen such a drop in performance by a supposedly bunch of good players...very surprising, mystifying, and down right disgusting! On a good note those NYI are still playing quite well....might have to plan a trip out East when they have the parade out on the Island!

[OnAFly]

It looks like half the team is giving about 75% effort every night. There's no hunger. At some point, something has to be done to shake up the team. I'm wondering if the trade of a veteran is going to happen before the deadline.

[CaptainMusky]

As noted the other night, even when they score there is no celebrating. Its like ho hum. I'm not ready to panic yet but we needed that one last night with the jets losing.

[OnAFly]

So what's everyone's panic level for this team?

1 - Start planning the parade

10 - Time to blow it up and rebuild

Honestly, right now I'm a 6. I don't see this team making the playoffs. They have the pieces to be good, (great with good goaltending) but they look like they don't even want to be there. Analysts say the leadership group isn't the problem, the talent isn't the problem, the coach isn't the problem. OK, well, then what is the problem?

[bbfenatic]

As stated before I think there is no way they make the playoffs with this bunch, I think that opportunity has past. If big time moves are made it might be possible to make a run but that would be tough, not many players available that could help and the competition is so tough and all playing at a higher level. To get to that next level we not only need speed/skill but also size/grit like Kings, BHawks, Ducks, Jets, Preds, Blues etc....plus a consistently good goalie...that is a lot of changes...too many actually. The guy that throws his weight around the most is Matt Cooke and he's barely over 200 and probably really not even that. I admit I was a believer early on but their performance has been so poor in every aspect. I am sure Fletch & Yeo are scratching their heads as this team is definitely in a quandary for sure.

[fishing tech]

I would trade captain K for a big top 3-4 D man. It would show the team that no one is safe and help with our D core.

I believe this team plays with fear. Fear of getting thumped and hurt.

If goaltending can improve and they can stay/get healthy, there is a chance to get to the 8th spot. They need to have a steady line up and same lines for a while.

[CaptainMusky]

Koivu isn't worth much in trade. Sad but true. I would like to see him gone but that giant likely to happen.

Kuemper has played well enough the last two games. One mental error last night cost the first goal otherwise I thought he played very well.

The disappointments are coyle, Haula and granlund. Granlunds out a month, Haula must be resting to gain focus an ad coyle just hasn't taken that next step. Nino has been silent lately too after a lights out start.

Record wise they are about where they were at this point last year. They have games in hand against the jets, Calgary, kings, sharks etc so they have an opportunity to make up ground in a hurry in head to head.

Panic level I'm a 7. I don't like the attitude the team seems to have right now. Time for a team meeting lol

[Bear55]

Panic level of 5, we need a hot streak or the season is lost. Not sure if making any trades will fix anything, maybe an extra D will help but at this point we might be selling at the deadline. I don't see much to gain by blowing up the team, Fletcher has made a ton of moves since he got here, at some point you have to stick with what you got and see if its working. That might mean more than one season so see who pans out and who fades away. We all know at some point the Wild will turn it around (can't play bad forever) it's just a matter of when that happens and if its in time to climb out of this hole. Plenty of teams above us are beatable, no way we can catching the top 3 teams in the division unless they implode.

[leechlake]

Maybe some levity is in order for all of us. This is a true story that happened in April.

We were in the Nuevo Vallarta with the kids for Spring Break. We were staying at a pretty nice resort but not over the top at all. I had seen an older gentleman a few days up at the bar and one day he was wearing a red Wild t shirt and on the back it said "Dad" and the number below was 1. I was with my son and struck up a conversation with the guy. Asked him if he was from Minnesota and he said no, he was from South Carolina or that area. I asked him how he ranked to be Number 1 hockey dad in Minnesota, I told him I thought I was. His response and it was humble, modest, and really runny:

"When my son bought the Wild he gave me this t shirt for Father's Day that year."

Ended up getting to know his wife and him a little, played some Uno with them a few days. Really nice people and I deferred to him being number one hockey dad.

Now back to the topic...

[CaptainMusky]

Thats a cool story alright!!!

[bbfenatic]

Food for Thought:

If Wild continue downward does Fletch have the gonads to dump Yeo even though it is Fletch who built this team or does he give Yeo the benefit of the doubt and stick with him? Sure would love to know what Leo is thinking right now...probably does not care so much as long as fans keep packing them in. I think the Wild win tonight at home against Toronto and then go to Dallas tomorrow and get thumped.

[leechlake]

I think he cares about winning as much and fans showing up. Fans showing up is more of a given than them winning and he knows winning makes fans show up and ultimately increasing prices.

[OnAFly]

With what Leopold has let CF do $$ wise, I can't imagine he's OK with losing. If the Wild Continue to play like a #14 team instead of a top 8, something has to happen.

BTW, Tippett may be available this summer. Hes got a rep of getting the most out of the players he has.

[10,000 Casts]

The Wild total salary is near the bottom in the league this year. They have plenty of cap space but they were a victim of their youth and the free agent market being so slim and prices high last summer. We'll have to wait and see if CF pulls the trigger. Who knows if there's anything even available. I bet we end up picking up a veteran dman that none of us have ever heard of and maybe a rental goalie. Who knows at this point..

[CaptainMusky]

Very solid effort on all accounts last night. Kuemper looked really good again. That was one sick pass from vanek to koivu on the PP. Surprised koivu didn't pass it vs shoot.

Haula looked much better too.

They will need that energy tonight in Dallas. Must win game IMO.

[BuckSutherland]

Let me know when I can bring you guys back to reality. I have been patiently waiting with a large plate of "I told you so," as this team falls apart.

Yeo should be fired immediately.

[CaptainMusky]

Buck we will ask for your immense hockey knowledge right after hell freezes over.

[OnAFly]

Wild put in a claim for Schlemko yesterday, but he was picked up by the team that had the option just before us...Dallas. I don't think he'll play against us tonight, but still it's annoying that we were so close to not playing Prosser every night.

Buck, if you want to say I told you so, you need to tell us what CF should have done, why Yeo should be fired (in more detail than "because"), and who should replace him and why. I don't have a problem with others having opinions on here, but you gotta back it up with something insteam of cheesy memes.

[OnAFly]

Well, this a big ol' sh!t show. Kuemper got hung out. Backstrom got hung out. Can we just forfeit the 3rd?