Wild Regular Season 2017-18

[hoppe56307]

Interesting on Haula, I guess I would be ok with that.  It means we get to keep both Dumba and Scandella, to maybe deal one to another team to free more space as well.  It will also put Staal's mind at ease, or he knew they were working on a deal for Vegas to take someone else already. 

 

Also seeing that Tuch might be in vegas as well.

 

Alex Tuch will reportedly be a member of the Vegas Golden Knights by the end of the day, according to sources.

Tuch and a future conditional draft pick have reportedly been traded to Vegas in exchange for the expansion team choosing Erik Haula, who apparently has agreed to a multi-year deal. Minnesota wanted to keep Matt Dumba, Eric Staal and Marco Scandella from being taken in the expansion draft and paid a premium to keep those players on the roster. The pending trade won't become official until Vegas unveils the roster Wednesday night.

 

 

Source: Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune

Edited June 21, 2017 by hoppe56307

[hoppe56307]

How about the new Jerseys.

 

[Bear55]

Well it looks like we got out of expansion is pretty darn good shape. Haula + Tuch and we got a 3rd coming back to us, not bad at all. Tuch is no throw away prospect and could become a heck of a player some day but I feel like we still were able to keep our better prospects and center prospects which is big for us. Sounds like we still might move a D man to clear some cap space so maybe more fireworks to come. 

[lungdeflator]

Now Haula and Tuch will have career seasons next year.  Haula is the odds on favorite to win the Ross trophy and Tuch should have a couple Norris' in the next 5 years.  

 

Sounds like Wild might not bring Schroeder back either.  I really hope they are contenders for a strong center or a really nice goal scorer.  

[Bear55]

Haula is probably going to see a lot of playing time so I don't doubt he will have some nice years, kind of like how Brodziak scored 20 playing as our first line center. I like Schroeder as first call up or emergency player but he just can't consistently bring it in the NHL, that is no crime because when he gets hot he is fun to watch but he just can't stay there. 

[lungdeflator]

Looks like the Wild moved Schroeder for....another Schroeder.  Maybe the new guy will be more consistent.  

I see Evander Kane is on the trade market.  On the expensive side, but if the Wild decide to move Scandella instead of Dumba, that would free up more money.  A guy capable of scoring 30+ goals with some size would be sweet.  

 

I am thinking Granlund and Nino each sign for in between 4-5$ mil each.  Hopefully less and hopefully Pominville will restructure a little.  Doesn't leave a ton of cap space for free agents or other guys.  

 

Lots of moving parts in Chicago.  They seem to be moving a lot of parts around to try to work with their cap situation.  

[Bear55]

That Drouin contract at 5.5 is kind of bad for us right now. Nino is far more proven than him and Granlund has had the beast season out of the 3 of them. Hard to see anything under 5 for each of them. 

[Bear55]

Well looks like the draft came and went without much fireworks, sounds like Fletcher didn't like any of the offers so he is going to wait to make a move. Hard to see us fitting under the cap or filling out a full team without moving Scandella or Pommers so we will see what happens.

Of course drafting from the 3rd round on doesn't lead to many super exciting players but it sound like we got a couple midgets with some skill and several projects. Our big off season move might have been keeping everyone through expansion. 

Edited June 25, 2017 by Bear55

[lungdeflator]

Fletcher must really like these guys that are small and quick.  I don't understand why they are trying so hard to keep the team intact.  They haven't made it past the 2nd round for the 5-6 years.  We've had this discussion before, but at what point do you say this just isn't working as is?  

They have to move good players to get good players.  

[Bear55]

Just a guess but we are probably giving it a year or two with the team we have to see what they can accomplish, I know that isn't as sexy and making trades and some big moves or blowing up the team but of the last 5-6 years last year was the first time we could be consider a true cup contender. That one other year we got Dubs and went on a late season run I think a case could be made for being a dark horse contender but of course we got booted by Chicago so ya they were just better than us on every level that year. Eventually Pommers will be gone, Staal's contract will be up and who knows what happens with Koivu and we will be forced to re-tool and get younger. This season will be very telling if we can sustain the level of play we saw for a good chunk of the season last year or if we go mental again. The positive to the mental side of our game is if we get hot at the right time we can be a force, the hard part is lining that up for the playoffs when we just can't seem to get it all together. 

[bbfenatic]

Fletch's hands are totally tied by his own doing, keep in mind our 1st round pick this year was 15 games of Hanzal...definitley not worth it. Fletch needs to get off his duff and pull the trigger on a Scandella trade real soon for a decent Forward and not pass up an OK opportunity by "hoping" for the homerun and missing out on a good opportunity.  IMO our only hope is that other teams are "watered down" more than we are and that our vets can hang in there one more year.

[CaptainMusky]

16 hours ago, bbfenatic said:

Fletch's hands are totally tied by his own doing, keep in mind our 1st round pick this year was 15 games of Hanzal...definitley not worth it. Fletch needs to get off his duff and pull the trigger on a Scandella trade real soon for a decent Forward and not pass up an OK opportunity by "hoping" for the homerun and missing out on a good opportunity.  IMO our only hope is that other teams are "watered down" more than we are and that our vets can hang in there one more year.

IDK, people pick apart the Hanzal/White trade as a mistake, but I don't. I think it was totally worth the shot to make a solid push. Going in everyone who did any analysis knew the first round was going to be full of 2nd round talent so losing a 1st rounder this year wasn't giving up much.

I also don't think Fletch should make a trade for the sake of making a trade either. That is a desperation move and not one fueled by focusing on getting the team better.

I would be shocked if someone like Scandella isn't moved in order to make room from Granlund, Nino, etc. We are really tight now with the guys we want to keep and have a few holes to fill beyond that so something has to give.

[Bear55]

6 hours ago, CaptainMusky said:

IDK, people pick apart the Hanzal/White trade as a mistake, but I don't. I think it was totally worth the shot to make a solid push. Going in everyone who did any analysis knew the first round was going to be full of 2nd round talent so losing a 1st rounder this year wasn't giving up much.

I also don't think Fletch should make a trade for the sake of making a trade either. That is a desperation move and not one fueled by focusing on getting the team better.

I would be shocked if someone like Scandella isn't moved in order to make room from Granlund, Nino, etc. We are really tight now with the guys we want to keep and have a few holes to fill beyond that so something has to give.

I think last year was probably the best/first year we should have gone for it at the deadline so no regrets on that one. We got Pommers at the deadline as well but he had some years left and we were able to resign him and overall he has produced for us so no biggy there either. I'm sure we all wish we could take back the Matt Moulson trade back, that was the only bad one that cost us a couple of 2nd rounders and he looked terrible, but again hindsight is always 20/20. The rest were all minor deals that didn't do much either way. 

 

Someone will get moved at some point, we just can't fill out a team and or sign Grandlund & Nino without it, at least not that I can see. Sounds like we had a deal for the Canadians first but their guy was there so they kept the pick, no problem with Fletcher being patient on the trade front, might have to wait until some teams don't fill their needs via free agency before a move happens. 

 

[lungdeflator]

I still don't like the Hanzal/White trade.  I can see a team that is on the edge or coming into the playoffs as a 6,7,8 seed, but at the time, the Wild was 1st in the West and everything was going great.  I really didn't see a reason why they needed to change or bring in other players.  If it ain't broke, don't fix it.  They could have brought guys up from Iowa down the stretch to spell the vets and give them some motivation.  

I'd like to know what Baby Boudreau wants to change or what he would like to see on the team. It would be nice to have somebody that really knows and wants to work the front of the net.  Parise is the closest thing we have to that and that isn't good for his longevity.  Be nice if Coyle embraced a role like that and used his size out front.  

[bbfenatic]

IMO the teams with top guns like Pitt, Chi, Dallas, Tor, Edm will come out of this exp draft reg draft in better shape than teams like Wild with no top guns....with everything watered down most everyone's 4th line and maybe even 3rd are all going to be shabby IMO so the importance of having true high end guys will be exemplified even more for a few years...those with 2/3 studs and OK D will shine until trades shake things out and cap changes in a year or two.

 

Looking at the Wild projected lineup released a couple days ago we look underpowered, tired in key positions, and not very tough...AGAIN.

[CaptainMusky]

23 hours ago, lungdeflator said:

I still don't like the Hanzal/White trade.  I can see a team that is on the edge or coming into the playoffs as a 6,7,8 seed, but at the time, the Wild was 1st in the West and everything was going great.  I really didn't see a reason why they needed to change or bring in other players.  If it ain't broke, don't fix it.  They could have brought guys up from Iowa down the stretch to spell the vets and give them some motivation.  

They tried spelling guys from Iowa and that is what forced their hand to make a trade. Did you not see the Graovac experiment? Horrible on faceoffs which, especially in D zone, are crucial in playoffs. Hanzal was key to winning a lot of faceoffs and allowed Boudreau the flexibility to not be forced to put Staal or Koivu in all of those situations. It also strengthened the 4th line by effectively moving Haula down a line at Center. This trade certainly made the team MUCH stronger down the middle, but it didn't work out.

How many times do you see teams that win in the regular season bow out early in the playoffs? I don't really care about how their regular season record goes so touting them as "1st in the West" is irrelevant. Ask the Capitals how winning the President's trophy has treated them.

[hoppe56307]

Pommers and Scandella are gone.

 

Pomminville trade

[lungdeflator]

CM, you are proving the point.  Regular season doesn't matter.  Touting the "career highs" of players on the team this year and the teams overall "record" year, doesn't mean anything if they don't contribute or make an impact in the playoffs.  Win all the faceoffs you want, but if it doesn't result in goals or keeping the puck out of our own net, than its worthless.  Winning faceoffs has to be the first of a string of plays that end in a goal or clearing the d zone, you don't win cups by winning faceoffs, there has to be more than that.  

You are right, 1st in the West doesn't mean much.  The actual stat doesn't mean squat.  What it does mean is that the team was playing well together, they had good chemistry, trusted each other and everybody knew their role.  How does bringing in 2 players that nobody knows help with keeping that good chemistry?  This team has proven to have cases of brain farts every year, so when there is a good thing going, why mess with it and chance another 2 month suck fest?

 

In comes Ennis and Foligno.  Ennis is another little guy.  Little bit on Foligno said he blocks shots so that is a plus.  Good to get the Pomminville contract gone.  

[Bear55]

Man kind of a brutal return on that trade. Ennis is a good player but has had concussion issues that last couple years and has put up terrible numbers and only makes a million less than Pommers. Foligno looks like a decent/big 4th liner with some hustle but  nothing special. Nice to have some cap space, maybe we dabble in free agency a little with this move but overall we gave away the two best players and didn't get much back. swapping 3rd and 4th round picks is about nothing. It won't kill us by any means but not a fan of this trade so far. Now just sign Granny/Nino and see if we can't find a decent 4th line center. 

[bbfenatic]

This what happens when your GM gets you into a corner...basically gave Scans away to dump Pominville so we have room to sign players already on the team...glad Poms gone...happy Dumba is still on the team (for now at least)...who's gonna carry the torch? Coyle, Granny, Nino...doubtful...not ready too and not that kind of character to do so.

[CaptainMusky]

1 hour ago, lungdeflator said:

CM, you are proving the point.  Regular season doesn't matter.  Touting the "career highs" of players on the team this year and the teams overall "record" year, doesn't mean anything if they don't contribute or make an impact in the playoffs.  Win all the faceoffs you want, but if it doesn't result in goals or keeping the puck out of our own net, than its worthless.  Winning faceoffs has to be the first of a string of plays that end in a goal or clearing the d zone, you don't win cups by winning faceoffs, there has to be more than that.    

Come on, you are smarter than that. I proved that your theory of bringing in young guys wasn't the answer because it wasn't working when they were here. Chemistry? Of course chemistry "looks" good when the team wins, its more important what happens when they are not winning.

If you are foolish to think bringing in White and Hanzal caused the slide I've got nothing for you. Their play was sliding before the trade, the bye week happened and then all hell broke loose. I applaud that trade because it sent the message that Chuck was going for it by adding those pieces which really complemented what we already had. Who was pushed out? Graovac? Yep, he wasn't producing and was already in the doghouse with Boudreau and now he's been traded so you can clearly see what the team thought of him. Schroeder? Yeah, he had his moments, but there were games where White sat too and Schroeder was in the lineup. White brought physical play. Schroeder brought speed. The ying for the yang. The two guys most impacted with minutes are no longer with the team. I hardly see anything about chemistry in the locker room. By all accounts I read the players embraced having them on the team. Nothing negative, but people want to nitpick something that wasn't there and point blame at that trade as to causing the slide when it was already happening before they came.

[bbfenatic]

2 hours ago, CaptainMusky said:

Come on, you are smarter than that. I proved that your theory of bringing in young guys wasn't the answer because it wasn't working when they were here. Chemistry? Of course chemistry "looks" good when the team wins, its more important what happens when they are not winning.

If you are foolish to think bringing in White and Hanzal caused the slide I've got nothing for you. Their play was sliding before the trade, the bye week happened and then all hell broke loose. I applaud that trade because it sent the message that Chuck was going for it by adding those pieces which really complemented what we already had. Who was pushed out? Graovac? Yep, he wasn't producing and was already in the doghouse with Boudreau and now he's been traded so you can clearly see what the team thought of him. Schroeder? Yeah, he had his moments, but there were games where White sat too and Schroeder was in the lineup. White brought physical play. Schroeder brought speed. The ying for the yang. The two guys most impacted with minutes are no longer with the team. I hardly see anything about chemistry in the locker room. By all accounts I read the players embraced having them on the team. Nothing negative, but people want to nitpick something that wasn't there and point blame at that trade as to causing the slide when it was already happening before they came.

 

But trade was made to quell the slide and make us "playoff ready" and it did neiither and it cost us a first round plus....there is no doubt that I buy into the reports that the only reason Fletch was hung on to by Leo was because of the Exp Draft this yr and the need to have a GM with experience and "good connections" in place...he has not been able to capatilize on those attributes either IMO so we will see where this goes...appears others are being put in place to take over functions...which is a good thing.

 

As far as chemistry...the players just want to win man.  All was good during reg season but exit interviews with players after the early exit proved otherwise.

[CaptainMusky]

1 minute ago, bbfenatic said:

 

But trade was made to quell the slide and make us "playoff ready" and it did neiither and it cost us a first round plus....there is no doubt that I buy into the reports that the only reason Fletch was hung on to by Leo was because of the Exp Draft this yr and the need to have a GM with experience and "good connections" in place...he has not been able to capatilize on those attributes either IMO so we will see where this goes...appears others are being put in place to take over functions...which is a good thing.

 

As far as chemistry...the players just want to win man.  All was good during reg season but exit interviews with players after the early exit proved otherwise.

You can say that in hindsight because we now know how the season ended. My point is it was a great decision at the time. It added precisely what we needed. The players that were impacted were just bit/role players that had no benefit to chemistry in the locker room. I would do the trade again. Heck, the owner even said he would probably do it again right after they were bounced from the playoffs. It added depth.

 

Now, looking at what is transpiring with the trade, it will be interesting to see what evolves with the new found money. I certainly hope Fletch doesn't sign Nino/Granlund to $6M per type deals. Neither are worth that and we will be in a serious bind. We have roughly $18M in cap space with 9 roster spots. There is work to do. I wont judge this off-season until the roster is full, but I would like to see someone like Boyle, Foligno and maybe Kunitz.

[bbfenatic]

40 minutes ago, CaptainMusky said:

Heck, the owner even said he would probably do it again right after they were bounced from the playoffs. It added depth.

 

Oh really?

 

From NBC Sports:

Looking back, owner Craig Leopold wishes his team hadn’t given up all those picks for Hanzal, who’s set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1st.

“In hindsight, geez, I wish we wouldn’t have done that,” said Leipold, per the Minneapolis Tribune. “I supported that decision at the time, and I’m willing to live with it.”

[Bear55]

6 hours ago, bbfenatic said:

who's gonna carry the torch? Coyle, Granny, Nino...doubtful...not ready too and not that kind of character to do so.

 

I don't know, you could say those guys along with Zucker and Staal carried the torches last year. They were the only reason we did anything last year, safe for the playoffs where we all mostly sucked. Koivu had a nice year but for the first time in his life had a lot of help from his linemates, Parise was off. 

Yuk, still don't like this trade. The only way it ends up good is if our new wingers have career years (prob not going to happen) or Ennis is retiring and on LTIR for cape space and Foligno signs for less than he made last year.