Wild 2014/2015 Regular Season

[bbfenatic]

Not sure who the bigger disappointment is thus far....speedy gonzalez koivu or which end of the stick do i shoot with Vanek....but it is only 4 games in...can't afford to get buried in the bottom half with the West being so deep or it will be tough to claw back up....time for a W streak....and someone please teach Scandella how to skate

[10,000 Casts]

Hopefully it's just a slow start for Vanek. He's a veteran and it's a long season. IMO, he's the answer to our take alot of shots but no goals problem. No reason to give up on him yet. And I have been liking Koivu's game, he has been winning the important faceoffs and been pretty solid all around, maybe my expectations for him have dropped.. And I thought Scandella has been playing good!

It's tough to tell because we just played the 2 best teams in the league!

[schmitty3]

I've thought Scandella has looked great so far this season as well, really like the improvements in his game.

[CaptainMusky]

It was nice to see some grittiness out of Folin the other night. Made a perfectly clean effective hit on kopitar and someone ran him and picked a fight. He's a big man even though he's a rookie.

[Bear55]

I've thought Scandella has looked great so far this season as well, really like the improvements in his game.

Scandella has been great this year, kid has come a long way, hope they lock him up for a while. Our D is really shaping up, Dumba still scares me a little but he's got the skills in the offensive zone and is still super young.

[Bear55]

I've never seen Koivu & Vanek as a good fit, they just play such different styles. Yoe will figure it out eventually but it seems like he likes to drag his feet on line changes during the regular season. He does seem to get the playoff lineups right.

[bbfenatic]

I've never seen Koivu & Vanek as a good fit, they just play such different styles. Yoe will figure it out eventually but it seems like he likes to drag his feet on line changes during the regular season. He does seem to get the playoff lineups right.

Spot on Bear. Vanek needs someone to do the dirty work and get him the puck where he wants it and Koivu has slowed noticeably and is not the grinder he once was and not getting the job done...we have only 4 forwards not in the plus column; Koivu, Vanek, Zucker, and Carter...figure it out.

Scandella is a poor skater, quite often get his own feet tangled, has trouble in transition from backwards to forward. Big tough guy I know but lacks in skill; did you see him fall behind the net, King forward picks up the puck, quick pass out front to guy all alone, one-timer...winning goal. For a big guy he is knocked down way too much as well IMO.

[bbfenatic]

Good news...Yeo trying other combos, putting coyle in with vanek/koivu...coyle's the grinder needed on that line....hope it sticks.

[10,000 Casts]

Koivu needs to be on the third line with Niederieter and Fontaine and have Haula Center the 2nd line with Coyle and Vanek.

[CaptainMusky]

Koivu needs to be on the third line with Niederieter and Fontaine and have Haula Center the 2nd line with Coyle and Vanek.

ding ding ding. But I'd also like Fontaine there instead of Coyle once. That could be awesome.

[bbfenatic]

Koivu needs to be on the third line with Niederieter and Fontaine and have Haula Center the 2nd line with Coyle and Vanek.

I like that! But he wins so many faceoffs

You put any speedy center who can get to the corner fast and dig pucks while Coyle disrupts it would be a big improvement IMO....and feed the points or high slot more.

[10,000 Casts]

Quote:

I like that! But he wins so many faceoffs wink

and bring him in when we have an important faceoffs and just cycle your lines more to create mismatches. Everyone of our lines can defend a top line and when we can get our top line out there against the 3rd or 4th line, we get opportunities. It would add more goals at home and make us a lot more difficult to play against on the road.

[bbfenatic]

and bring him in when we have an important faceoffs and just cycle your lines more to create mismatches. Everyone of our lines can defend a top line and when we can get our top line out there against the 3rd or 4th line, we get opportunities. It would add more goals at home and make us a lot more difficult to play against on the road.

Glad you have so much confidence in all our lines but cycling lines is not that simple..plus not logical to base overall strategy on getting Koivu to the faceoff circle IMO.

Looks like lines are set for AZ with Koivu/Coyle/Vanek....give it a try...hope they produce...good move.

[CaptainMusky]

How fast is this third line going to be Haula, Fontaine and Niederreiter?

Regarding PP, I want Koivu OFF the #1 PP. Granlund, Pomminville, Parise , Suter and Vanek. With Vanek on the left side. Thats what I want to see.

[crothmeier]

I like Spurgeon on the #1 PP. He is good at stepping up into the play and scoring.

Our puck movement is much better than last year, but still just can seem to find the netting.

Coyle will be a good addition to the 2nd line. Our third line should be able to skate away from anyone.

[bbfenatic]

Coyle gets a 5 yr extension

[CaptainMusky]

At a nice price IMO too Fletch for US president yet? $16M over 5 is real nice.

[RK]

Yeah, very good signing. The kid is a stud and looks to get better - he's still only 22. Looks like they've been able to stagger out the contracts with some long term (Coyle, Brodin) and some shorter (Nino, Kuemper). Sounds like Granlund wants a shorter bridge deal. Hopefully between the staggered end dates and cap going up we won't end up in a major cap crunch down the road.

[CaptainMusky]

Yeah, very good signing. The kid is a stud and looks to get better - he's still only 22. Looks like they've been able to stagger out the contracts with some long term (Coyle, Brodin) and some shorter (Nino, Kuemper). Sounds like Granlund wants a shorter bridge deal. Hopefully between the staggered end dates and cap going up we won't end up in a major cap crunch down the road.

Agreed! Seems like a very good strategy coupled with the fact that the players are willing to negotiate in ways that help as well.

[Bear55]

Like it!

[Bear55]

Have to say my confidence in Kuemper is growing with each passing shutout. No way he can keep this up but wow if he can consistently play this well we are set for a long long time.

[RK]

Boy you could tell they hadn't played in a while last night, but they got it done. Love seeing Yeo roll all four lines. 2nd line looks a lot more dangerous with Coyle, although Vanek kind of had a tough night. 3rd line looked great, 4th line looks awfully good. Think Brodziak might have to get comfortable up in the press box...

[bbfenatic]

Boy you could tell they hadn't played in a while last night, but they got it done. Love seeing Yeo roll all four lines. 2nd line looks a lot more dangerous with Coyle, although Vanek kind of had a tough night. 3rd line looked great, 4th line looks awfully good. Think Brodziak might have to get comfortable up in the press box...

I agree on Vanek...even though he got an assist he just looks slow and unsteady on his skates...gets knocked down a lot and is clearly frustrated. I thought he was faster than he is showing to be.

CM mentioned Granlund for that first powerplay unit and I agree...we need someone who can dance around a player or two to find that open shot or find that open guy...I'd like to see Spurgeon given a try with that 1st unit as well...it's not working yet, change it until you find the right combo IMO. Playing more games coming up hopefully will get the rust off everyone and up to full potential.....good win!

[OnAFly]

I don't want to say that Vanek is Heatley 2.0...but man does he look slow out there and he seems to be coughing the puck up a lot.

I'm hoping this is just him trying too hard and needing to get into the swing of things.

[solbes]

Have to say my confidence in Kuemper is growing with each passing shutout. No way he can keep this up but wow if he can consistently play this well we are set for a long long time.

Hope you are right Bear. I still cringe when I think of how many G injuries we've had the past 3 years, but I was crossing my fingers when I thought that.

Third line was all over the 'yotes last night. Thought that Nino and Fonzie should have scored a couple of times as they were outworking everyone around them.

Lastly, why did they feel the need to change from Phoenix to Arizona? Really stupid.