2013/2014 Minnesota Wild News and Notes - New Division and New Expectations

[Gaps]

Can we please have a good, open, non-violent conversation about this quote? Maybe I'm in the minority, or maybe the quote is taken out of context, but am I the only one that finds this quote to be inappropriate for any player to be making in this situation. This is not my usual "I hate Koivu" spiel (which I still do). Realistically, look at the way Koivu and the team has been playing and then to righteously proclaim that you will not change how you're playing in order to possibly improve the team??? wah...

You hate the guy so you choose to take it that way. By the age of 30, every single player has already developed their own style and they are not going to change it anymore, no matter how badly fans may want them to. You can always work on your deficiencies (like Koivu has in the summer, as has already been mentioned by several others) but the basis of his game is not going to change. The same goes for Parise, Suter, Pominville etc. At this point in their careers they are what they are, whether you like it or not. That is probably what he was saying and there is nothing wrong with that.

 

[TaLoN]

Again, the real problem is, this team was talent deficient for a long time. Koivu - a more natural 2nd line center was forced into the top line center role due to that lack of talent. Fans see him playing as top line center and start expecting results he's not capable of. He's not an elite top line player and never will be. He CAN be an elite 2nd line player, but Yeo... until this coming Friday... was unwilling to make the change away from Koivu for whatever reason.

I do think it's odd that he is just "assuming" because of Granlund's success, that Coyle will automatically succeed to the same level, since we have not seen the type of dynamic play from Coyle... ever. Also odd that just because Granlund has adapted his game, Yeo thinks due to Coyle's size and iq that he will automatically make the same adjustments and succeed to the same level at the defensive end as well.

Yeo gets some favorites and makes decisions based on those quite often. Granlund IMO has EARNED his playing time next to Pominville and should be on the top PP unit and on the 5 on 3 PP unit and should get a chance to center Parise as well. Coyle at center is still relatively unknown at the NHL level... he was injured in the 2nd game at the position!

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Again, the real problem is, this team was talent deficient for a long time. Koivu - a more natural 2nd line center was forced into the top line center role due to that lack of talent. Fans see him playing as top line center and start expecting results he's not capable of. He's not an elite top line player and never will be. He CAN be an elite 2nd line player, but Yeo... until this coming Friday... was unwilling to make the change away from Koivu for whatever reason.

I do think it's odd that he is just "assuming" because of Granlund's success, that Coyle will automatically succeed to the same level, since we have not seen the type of dynamic play from Coyle... ever. Also odd that just because Granlund has adapted his game, Yeo thinks due to Coyle's size and iq that he will automatically make the same adjustments and succeed to the same level at the defensive end as well.

Yeo gets some favorites and makes decisions based on those quite often. Granlund IMO has EARNED his playing time next to Pominville and should be on the top PP unit and on the 5 on 3 PP unit and should get a chance to center Parise as well. Coyle at center is still relatively unknown at the NHL level... he was injured in the 2nd game at the position!

Reason being, that our only other options were completely unproven, and you could even make the case that they still are.

 

[Jarick]

For me, I see it as Coyle having the potential to be an offensive minded center. I think he's closer to a David Backes type, 25-30 goals, 60-65 points, and playing a really physical game.

To somewhat defend Yeo, since the Wild don't have any elite offensive players, if they can get three good lines that can defend and score, that might be a solution. Elite teams can roll multiple lines that are not liabilities and can pop in goals. Look at Chicago, Boston, San Jose, etc. The question would be if the Wild can do enough in the absence of elite offensive talent. They are excellent defensively, so they don't have to really cover for liabilities up front (so long as they keep Heater out of the mix).

I'm looking at the schedule and it's still pretty soft for the first half of November:

Habs
Devils
Flames
@ Caps
@ Canes
Leafs
Panthers
Jets

Lots of struggling teams and winnable games. Worth a shot to experiment now IMO rather than screw around.

 

[rynryn]

its wishful thinking at this point. granlund was always projected to be an offensive minded guy. coyle...no. he only really showed acumen in juniors where he was quite a bit above average in size. oh and that one clip everyone keeps posting everywhere. really...remember Gagne's 8 point night? Coyle is nowhere near as aggressive as backes in any facet of the game. edit: he's going to be solid no matter what, but I think people are way too optimistic.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

its wishful thinking at this point. granlund was always projected to be an offensive minded guy. coyle...no. he only really showed acumen in juniors where he was quite a bit above average in size. oh and that one clip everyone keeps posting everywhere. really...remember Gagne's 8 point night? Coyle is nowhere near as aggressive as backes in any facet of the game. edit: he's going to be solid no matter what, but I think people are way too optimistic.

21-22 year old Backes? Or 28-29 year old Backes?

Of course Coyle isn't going to be a Backes-type player yet. Hell, Backes wasn't a Backes-type player when he was 21. But when Coyle is 25 or 26, I can definitely see it.

 

[tyratoku]

Harding taking shots from D at #mnwild morning skate - usually the sign he is starting

Aww yiss

 

[Jongdo]

Bienvenue, willkommen and välkommen! Lots of French Canadian, four Swiss and one Swedish media outlet set to attend tonight's #mnwild game.

No finnish?

 

[tyratoku]

THEY'RE ALL IN TONIGHT BOYS AND GIRLS

josh harding starting for #mnwild. Jonas brodin, charlie coyle and keith ballard returning. Out of town tonight, so follow @blountstrib

aww yiss x5

 

[Lapa]

THEY'RE ALL IN TONIGHT BOYS AND GIRLS


aww yiss x5

**** yes.

 

[Northland Wild Man]

THEY'RE ALL IN TONIGHT BOYS AND GIRLS


aww yiss x5

 

[plock]

Does anyone think Coyle is an offensive minded forward? If so, why?

This year I think his production will be in the neighborhood of 15 goals 15 assists.It's really too early to tell what kind of player he will be he has only played 86 professional level games (39 NHL 47 AHL) and he's just 21 years old so we will have to wait and see.I am not so sure he should be put in the role of top line center at this stage in his career.

 

[tomgilbertfan]

THEY'RE ALL IN TONIGHT BOYS AND GIRLS


aww yiss x5

 

[Hall of Faber]

Christmas came early this year!

 

[Puhis]

THEY'RE ALL IN TONIGHT BOYS AND GIRLS


aww yiss x5

 

[rynryn]

im not really opposed to how Yeo is dividing up the players right now--and I'd hesitate to call Coyle the "top line" center until we see how things shake out. If all goes according to plan Koivu and Brodz will be taking on the top lines of the opposition nearly every shift so Parise and Coyle should be a little freer of pressure in the bad guys zone. Koivu's strength is his defensive play--i dont' think anyone is going to argue that, and if we're dividing up ice time i'd be more than happy if he ended up shutting down the scoring from the other team and a Parise and Coyle duo ended up scoring more. than a Koivu/Parise duo. I'm skeptical. In theory this should work--Granny and Pomms have certainly benefited.

 

[rynryn]

21-22 year old Backes? Or 28-29 year old Backes?

Of course Coyle isn't going to be a Backes-type player yet. Hell, Backes wasn't a Backes-type player when he was 21. But when Coyle is 25 or 26, I can definitely see it.

it was a long time ago but i think Backes was always a bull in the china shop kind of player. talking play style, not stat sheet.

 

[Jarick]

Looking at stats for 5v5 TOI and quality of competition:

First line ~ 14 minutes, 0.500 QoC
Second line ~ 13 minutes, 0.450 QoC
Third line ~ 12.5 minutes, 1.400 QoC

So the third line was going out against the opposition's top lines, second line was getting a little more favorable matchups than the top line, which was probably facing the other team's checkers and maybe top defense.

Was:

Parise - Koivu - Fontaine
Nino - Granlund - Pominville
Cooke - Brodziak - Heatley
Veilleux - Konopka - Mitchell

Now:

Parise - Coyle - Fontaine/Heatley
Cooke - Granlund - Pominville
Nino - Koivu - Brodziak
Mitchell - Konopka - Fontaine/Heatley

Assuming then that Koivu's line will get matched up against the other team's top lines, you'd think Coyle and Granlund will get the easier matchups. I would imagine they get split more or less.

Parise - easier competition
Coyle - n/a
Fontaine/Heatley - about the same, maybe a little easier?
Nino - tougher competition
Koivu - tougher competition
Brodziak - same
Cooke - easier competition
Granlund - about the same
Pominville - about the same

One effect of the new lines could be forcing Koivu to take on a more aggressive mindset offensively...he won't likely defer to Nino/Brodz as much as he would with Parise, so maybe they are going to try to get him to shoot more? Either way, I think his productivity will dip in theory but maybe not in practice (since he was down a bit 5v5 this year).

Parise and Coyle would probably see a boost in points, Granlund and Pominville a wash...

How about that for over-analyzing the situation based on a ton of conjecture?

 

[rynryn]

i don't think that's over analyzing. i think that's more or less the same sort of rationale the coaching staff is using. or in Yeo's simplified speech: the opposition will have to pick it's poison.

 

[Avder]

THEY'RE ALL IN TONIGHT BOYS AND GIRLS


aww yiss x5

 

[thestonedkoala]

So that's what it looks like when we have a legitimate 1st line center playing...

 

[Billy Mays Here*]

So that's what it looks like when we have a legitimate 1st line center playing...

 

[thestonedkoala]

 

[Jongdo]

#mnwild lines in Saturday practice the same ones used in third period of Friday's win v Montreal. Coyle back to wing with Koivu, Parise.

 

[Billy Mays Here*]

Honestly, I think that's the best way to go. I didn't mind Coyle at center but with Granlund showing he's ready to take that spot, Brodziak, and Koivu, and Konopka, I think Coyle is best suited as a winger right now. Maybe if one of our centers gets injured, we can put him back there but until then, I think those are the best lines possible. I wanna see more of that Nino, Granlund, Pommers line, and though Koivu isn't the best possible 1st line center, I'd rather have him there then a 3rd line center with grinder wingers.

Parise - Koivu - Coyle
Nino - Granlund - Pommers