Minnesota 2023-2024 Affiliates Thread (Iowa Wild, Iowa Heartlanders)

[Sweetnut]

Haven't heard that one before...

That´s behind the Peepee, so I guess stick between the legs? His own 5-hole in other words?

 

[57special]

Net, guys, net.

 

[Minnewildsota]

Net, guys, net.

That don’t make sense. Post net clarity?

 

[Jbcraig1883]

Watched the first. Iowa up 2-1. First PP unit is all forwards. Bankier has both goals. Great tip of ROR's shot and then a nice PP goal from what seems to be his spot (one of his other goals was from same spot). He just might be a player.

ROR looked decent - simple, shutdown D who will shoot on net when he gets a lane. Lambos - man, I just don't think he has any hockey smarts. Hunt looked pretty good - he is definitely the most polished. Spacek - had a couple of whiffs and was out of position defensively a few times. Masters - second PP. Led a 2-1 and made a nice pass that the other player couldn't finish. He's a taller guy with good reach, tries to use his stick well but has a lot to grow defensively.

Forwards - well, you all already know them. If we have had a little hope that Walker might turn into something - nope. Looked much better/more motivated last year.

 

[Wonderful Tacos]

Watched the first. Iowa up 2-1. First PP unit is all forwards. Bankier has both goals. Great tip of ROR's shot and then a nice PP goal from what seems to be his spot (one of his other goals was from same spot). He just might be a player.

ROR looked decent - simple, shutdown D who will shoot on net when he gets a lane. Lambos - man, I just don't think he has any hockey smarts. Hunt looked pretty good - he is definitely the most polished. Spacek - had a couple of whiffs and was out of position defensively a few times. Masters - second PP. Led a 2-1 and made a nice pass that the other player couldn't finish. He's a taller guy with good reach, tries to use his stick well but has a lot to grow defensively.

Forwards - well, you all already know them. If we have had a little hope that Walker might turn into something - nope. Looked much better/more motivated last year.

Yeah. Havent watched the last two games but agree with all of this.

One thing about Bankier I dont like right now - and I'm a huge fan who's hoping to buy his Wild jersey some day - is idk about his compete level sometimes. This also goes for pretty much all of the young guys that we're watching down there but he stops short on board battles and lets the other guy get there and doesnt skate hard enough sometimes (setting aside the fact his skating isnt great to begin with). There was a play toward the end of the game against the Admirals (couple of games ago) where the puck rimmed around the boards in the o-zone to an admiral just beyond him. That player took off with the puck and got enough of a step on the defenseman to push a puck on net that rebounded straight back to another admiral who finished the goal. Now I dont think Bankier was in a position to make a play on the boards or catch the guy but he shouldve been in position to catch the other guy that was following the play and idk why he wasnt. Theres just been a bit of that sort of thing going on which isnt totally unsurprising but also could be a huge problem bc he probably needs to get into the NHL in a bottom 6 role and cant have that weakness in his game if that's going to happen. But mostly excited and enjoying watching him play so far.

Also, have noticed Khaira and Beckman havent played the last 2-3 games. I wonder what's up with that?

 

[Wonderful Tacos]

One other thing in the second highlight of Bankier's PP goal - watch as he angles himself back slightly so Fogarty has a lane to pass to him. I'm not saying its rocket science but its smart and I think a lot of other dudes wouldve legit just stood there puck watching and waiting for their teammate to somehow get the puck to them

 

[Jbcraig1883]

Yeah. Havent watched the last two games but agree with all of this.

One thing about Bankier I dont like right now - and I'm a huge fan who's hoping to buy his Wild jersey some day - is idk about his compete level sometimes. This also goes for pretty much all of the young guys that we're watching down there but he stops short on board battles and lets the other guy get there and doesnt skate hard enough sometimes (setting aside the fact his skating isnt great to begin with). There was a play toward the end of the game against the Admirals (couple of games ago) where the puck rimmed around the boards in the o-zone to an admiral just beyond him. That player took off with the puck and got enough of a step on the defenseman to push a puck on net that rebounded straight back to another admiral who finished the goal. Now I dont think Bankier was in a position to make a play on the boards or catch the guy but he shouldve been in position to catch the other guy that was following the play and idk why he wasnt. Theres just been a bit of that sort of thing going on which isnt totally unsurprising but also could be a huge problem bc he probably needs to get into the NHL in a bottom 6 role and cant have that weakness in his game if that's going to happen. But mostly excited and enjoying watching him play so far.

Also, have noticed Khaira and Beckman havent played the last 2-3 games. I wonder what's up with that?

I noticed the lack of physicality the first handful of games but he seemed more involved in the forecheck the last two games. Still can improve quite a bit in that department.

Khaira and Beckman have been injured - not sure with what or how long. Iowa wasn't that great with everyone, but without those two, Wallstedt, Mermis, etc., they look pretty rough. Hopefully the aforementioned get healthy and Milne can join them.

 

[thestonedkoala]

Iowa wasn't that great with everyone, but without those two, Wallstedt, Mermis, etc., they look pretty rough.

I'm tired of hearing this BS year in, year out about Iowa. They have been in Iowa since 2013-2014 and only made the playoffs ONCE. Their leading scorer for the franchise is Mayhew and they haven't developed a top 6 forward outside the first round, since what? Zucker?

Their defense has also sucked and they have had first and second rounders join the team consistently.

You got to wonder, they have changed their coaching, their scouts, the GMs - and yet Iowa is consistently one of the most mediocre to bad teams in the AHL and outside a first round pick like Rossi or Wallstedt, they have done pretty much crap except develop a few bottom six guys. How Bombardir, McLeod and Hendricks are the development guys and keep their jobs is beyond me.

Iowa being pathetic this year isn't surprising. It's sad.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

I'm tired of hearing this BS year in, year out about Iowa. They have been in Iowa since 2013-2014 and only made the playoffs ONCE. Their leading scorer for the franchise is Mayhew and they haven't developed a top 6 forward outside the first round, since what? Zucker?

Their defense has also sucked and they have had first and second rounders join the team consistently.

You got to wonder, they have changed their coaching, their scouts, the GMs - and yet Iowa is consistently one of the most mediocre to bad teams in the AHL and outside a first round pick like Rossi or Wallstedt, they have done pretty much crap except develop a few bottom six guys. How Bombardir, McLeod and Hendricks are the development guys and keep their jobs is beyond me.

Iowa being pathetic this year isn't surprising. It's sad.

Which players do you think would be current NHL top 6ers if they were "developed" by another team?

 

[thestonedkoala]

Which players do you think would be current NHL top 6ers if they were "developed" by another team?

Sammy Walker and Adam Beckman are good possibilities, dark horses in Tyler Graovac, Alex Khovanov (if anyone could have reached the kid)...

Wild haven't drafted well either in that time. It's hard to say who could have been developed, but you'd think after 10 years they would have had a candidate pop up to challenge for a top 6 spot.

I think Zucker is still the last 2nd round pick that they have drafted to turn into a top 6 forward. Khusnutdinov may break that trend, but who knows? And he might not go directly into the AHL.

Looking at the list: Kaprizov is the last top 6 forward Minnesota drafted, but didn't develop outside the 1st round. Zucker is the last top 6 forward Minnesota drafted outside the 1st round.

Anaheim - Troy Terry (2015, 5th round, spent half a season in the AHL)
Arizona - Matias Macellli (2019, 4th round, spent half a season in the AHL)
Boston - None (though they get a ton of value out of all of their picks and have some good defensemen)
Buffalo- JJ Peterka (2020, 2nd round pick, spent a season in the AHL)
Calgary - None (they have a couple of guys that are close)
Carolina - None (but they had Aho, who came over and has is a top 6 center like Kaprizov)
Chicago - None (like Carolina they had Debrincat come in and wreck it)
Colorado - None
Columbus - Oliver Bjorkstrand (2013, 3rd round pick)
Dallas - Jason Robertson (201, 2nd round pick)

 

[Wasted Talent]

Sammy Walker and Adam Beckman are good possibilities, dark horses in Tyler Graovac, Alex Khovanov (if anyone could have reached the kid)...

Wild haven't drafted well either in that time. It's hard to say who could have been developed, but you'd think after 10 years they would have had a candidate pop up to challenge for a top 6 spot.

I think Zucker is still the last 2nd round pick that they have drafted to turn into a top 6 forward. Khusnutdinov may break that trend, but who knows? And he might not go directly into the AHL.

Looking at the list: Kaprizov is the last top 6 forward Minnesota drafted, but didn't develop outside the 1st round. Zucker is the last top 6 forward Minnesota drafted outside the 1st round.

Anaheim - Troy Terry (2015, 5th round, spent half a season in the AHL)
Arizona - Matias Macellli (2019, 4th round, spent half a season in the AHL)
Boston - None (though they get a ton of value out of all of their picks and have some good defensemen)
Buffalo- JJ Peterka (2020, 2nd round pick, spent a season in the AHL)
Calgary - None (they have a couple of guys that are close)
Carolina - None (but they had Aho, who came over and has is a top 6 center like Kaprizov)
Chicago - None (like Carolina they had Debrincat come in and wreck it)
Colorado - None
Columbus - Oliver Bjorkstrand (2013, 3rd round pick)
Dallas - Jason Robertson (201, 2nd round pick)

How much of this is a direct result of Fletcher trading away all 2nd rounders though?

 

[57special]

Boldy, Rossi, Dewar, Shaw were all developed in Iowa. Hunt and Wallstedt will be up, and probably ROR and Lambos. What is the problem?

 

[Obvious Fabertism]

Sammy Walker and Adam Beckman are good possibilities, dark horses in Tyler Graovac, Alex Khovanov (if anyone could have reached the kid)...

Wild haven't drafted well either in that time. It's hard to say who could have been developed, but you'd think after 10 years they would have had a candidate pop up to challenge for a top 6 spot.

I think Zucker is still the last 2nd round pick that they have drafted to turn into a top 6 forward. Khusnutdinov may break that trend, but who knows? And he might not go directly into the AHL.

Looking at the list: Kaprizov is the last top 6 forward Minnesota drafted, but didn't develop outside the 1st round. Zucker is the last top 6 forward Minnesota drafted outside the 1st round.

Anaheim - Troy Terry (2015, 5th round, spent half a season in the AHL)
Arizona - Matias Macellli (2019, 4th round, spent half a season in the AHL)
Boston - None (though they get a ton of value out of all of their picks and have some good defensemen)
Buffalo- JJ Peterka (2020, 2nd round pick, spent a season in the AHL)
Calgary - None (they have a couple of guys that are close)
Carolina - None (but they had Aho, who came over and has is a top 6 center like Kaprizov)
Chicago - None (like Carolina they had Debrincat come in and wreck it)
Colorado - None
Columbus - Oliver Bjorkstrand (2013, 3rd round pick)
Dallas - Jason Robertson (201, 2nd round pick)

Walker was a college UFA, he’s 1 year into his Wild development and was not a pick at all. Graovac was a 7th rounder that did get some NHL time with multiple teams, this is a a positive for development staff. Khovanov is a off ice issue and demonstration of the risks when you draft off pure skill level alone. Beckman has always been a question mark, his vaunted shot has never been able to beat AHL goalies, is that Wild development related or just a common occurrence with junior players?

Your 2nd round picks are exclusively from lottery teams except Dallas, who was only a partial lottery team and also wasted almost all of their 1st rounders. Not sure what I am supposed to take from that sample set.

 

[thestonedkoala]

Boldy, Rossi, Dewar, Shaw were all developed in Iowa. Hunt and Wallstedt will be up, and probably ROR and Lambos. What is the problem?

Dewar and Shaw aren't top 6 guys. Hunt is up, but remains to be seen as how good he is. Lambos is questionable, but he's a first rounder. Wallstedt is too. ROR is also undetermined.

Walker was a college UFA, he’s 1 year into his Wild development and was not a pick at all.

Fair, but he has also regressed from last year and hasn't even been thought of as a call up this year.

Graovac was a 7th rounder that did get some NHL time with multiple teams, this is a a positive for development staff.

Graovac was a depth player at best that saw time as a 4th line/press box guy. I always felt like he could have had top 6 potential.

Khovanov is a off ice issue and demonstration of the risks when you draft off pure skill level alone.

Torts (I think) talked about Khovanov. He was a hot head, but when he listened to a coach, he did well. I forget the myriad of issues Khovanov had and it was a mutual thing between the organization and the team.

Beckman has always been a question mark, his vaunted shot has never been able to beat AHL goalies, is that Wild development related or just a common occurrence with junior players?

Or both?

Your 2nd round picks are exclusively from lottery teams except Dallas, who was only a partial lottery team and also wasted almost all of their 1st rounders. Not sure what I am supposed to take from that sample set.

I only did 1/3 of the teams so far.

Dallas had a few wasted 1st round picks, but turned around again.

Detroit - None
Edmonton - Ryan McLeod (maybe?, 2nd round pick 2018)
Florida - None
Los Angeles - None (but they have a lot of depth guys taken from all over the draft...Kaliyev is questionable top 6)
Montreal - None (but they have a lot of depth guys taken from all the rounds of the draft)
Nashville - Viktor Arvidsson
New Jersey - Yegor Sharangovich (5th round, 2018 draft) or Jasper Bratt (6th round 2016 draft)
New York Isles - None (but have drafted some outstanding defensemen)
New York Rangers - Anthony Duclair (3rd round, 2013 NHL draft)

Another 9 teams.

The best players in the past 10 years that Minnesota has developed outside the first round is:
Jason Zucker, 2nd round 2010 draft

Best player not developed by Minnesota outside the first round is:
Kirill Kaprizov, 5th round 2015 draft

After 2016, the drafts from 2016-2019 has been an unmitigated disaster with
Brandon Duhaime and Connor Dewar the two best forwards.

They have Vladislav Firstov (bust) and Hunter Jones (massive bust) as their only 2nd round picks in that time frame. Their 3rd round picks include Alexander Khovanov, Ivan Lodnia, Connor Dewar, Adam Beckman and Jack McBain. McBain's biggest contribution is being traded. Khovanov and Lodnia are busts. Beckman is headed that way. Dewar is at least a depth player. Outside that, they have two 1st round busts in Kunin and Johansson. They had better luck in the 4th round landing Duhaime and Shaw.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Sammy Walker and Adam Beckman are good possibilities, dark horses in Tyler Graovac, Alex Khovanov (if anyone could have reached the kid)...

Wild haven't drafted well either in that time. It's hard to say who could have been developed, but you'd think after 10 years they would have had a candidate pop up to challenge for a top 6 spot.

I think Zucker is still the last 2nd round pick that they have drafted to turn into a top 6 forward. Khusnutdinov may break that trend, but who knows? And he might not go directly into the AHL.

Looking at the list: Kaprizov is the last top 6 forward Minnesota drafted, but didn't develop outside the 1st round. Zucker is the last top 6 forward Minnesota drafted outside the 1st round.

Anaheim - Troy Terry (2015, 5th round, spent half a season in the AHL)
Arizona - Matias Macellli (2019, 4th round, spent half a season in the AHL)
Boston - None (though they get a ton of value out of all of their picks and have some good defensemen)
Buffalo- JJ Peterka (2020, 2nd round pick, spent a season in the AHL)
Calgary - None (they have a couple of guys that are close)
Carolina - None (but they had Aho, who came over and has is a top 6 center like Kaprizov)
Chicago - None (like Carolina they had Debrincat come in and wreck it)
Colorado - None
Columbus - Oliver Bjorkstrand (2013, 3rd round pick)
Dallas - Jason Robertson (201, 2nd round pick)

Maybe on Beckman, but Walker had a 27 point senior year of college. I don't really believe that there was ever much of anything there.

 

[thestonedkoala]

Maybe on Beckman, but Walker had a 27 point senior year of college. I don't really believe that there was ever much of anything there.

He had 27 goals last season in the AHL.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

He had 27 goals last season in the AHL.

Still, to go from that to a top 6 NHLer is a pretty tall task. And the most important "development" years were already behind him.

 

[Jbcraig1883]

Well, it's Wally vs Cossa tonight, but Iowa has 6 or 7 ECHLers in the lineup and they are down 2-0 at the end of the first. Bankier on top line and top PP...and that's about all I tuned in for - looked good with puck protection and IQ...still a bit timid on forecheck. Nothing else of note.

 

[57special]

4-1 in the 3rd. Our goal was by a guy called Boudon, whom i've never heard of. Sounds bad for Wall, but two were PP goals, and one was a penalty shot.

 

[Wonderful Tacos]

havent seen it yet but Caedan "only guy in Iowa that knows how to score a f***en goal" Bankier has another one

 

[Wonderful Tacos]

havent seen it yet but Caedan "only guy in Iowa that knows how to score a f***en goal" Bankier has another one

ooh. it was a bit of hero shit skating in from his own blueline. looks like generous assists to walker and orourke.

edit: oops thought this was the ahl affiliate thread

 

[Minnesota]

edit: oops thought this was the ahl affiliate thread

Fixed.

 

[Minnesota]

What a shot.

 

[TaLoN]

What a shot.

Easiest primary assist of Sammy Walker's career

 

[Wonderful Tacos]

Watching the 0-0 Iowa Wild game. Dear reader you may think, given the score, that this is an intense tight-checking contest. Alas its much more a cluster f*** of dudes on both sides throwing the puck into each others skates and failing to string more than one pass together.

Bankier's had a couple of chances hes generated but also took a tripping penalty. That penalty was complete BS tho. Dude legit just fell down next to Bankier. Most likely a make-up call as I think the Wild were 4-1 on PP at that point.

Also wrt the dude that slipped and fell next to Bankier - dudes are falling down all over the place. Much more common in AHL but suspect the arena the San Diego Gulls play in suffers the same humidity/condensation issues that the Sharks' arena does.

Otherwise, Lambos generated a chance with his skating & O'Rourke got his stick on a cross-ice pass in front of the net which had he not wouldve been a sure goal. Beckman has been more noticeable. Milne couldnt get his stick on a big quick rebound right at him that wouldve been an open net.

Ben Gislason (Iowa playbyplay) mentioned that Iowa is the lowest scoring team in the AHL. I didnt realize and hard to find it but if you look at eliteprospects AHL page it does appear to be true. Also darkly funny moment when he checked the score of the MN Wild game live "dark, dark days in Minnesota right now... but plenty of season left!" lol