Minnesota Wild General Discussion - 2022-23
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Obvious Fabertism
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No clear timeline per Russo's most recent info, he went the natural healing rather than surgery route so its not clear. He has started skating but indications are that he is still a ways out.
JiricekSaveUs
Danila Yurov Fan Club Executive Assistant
- May 2, 2018
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fredrikstad
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Any injury updates on Brodin, Duhaime, or Hartman?
I keep looking at waivers and talk myself into claiming guys like Svechinkov (the other one), Bellows, and Toninato just so Petan/Cramarossa aren't in the lineup.
I keep looking at waivers and talk myself into claiming guys like Svechinkov (the other one), Bellows, and Toninato just so Petan/Cramarossa aren't in the lineup.
Well, Cramarossa doesn't actually play, really, but I'm with you on Petan, and Steel, also. Petan looked really good down in Iowa in his brief time there, but he just can't replicate that in the NHL.
One the one hand I'm hoping that Walker isn't brought up yet because i think he needs a bit more seasoning, OTOH, he couldn't be worse than Petan, could he? He's faster, bigger, is leading Iowa in scoring by a fair bit, and would slot in as a RHS C/RW on the Boldy line.
Imagine the spot we'd be in if Shaw and Dewar hadn't worked out so well.
I don't have any issue calling up a prospect to give them a try.
The callup doesn't mean the coach is going to play them (Addison last year) though, His MO has been to play the guys with NHL experience before the prospects. Even if he did play him; Shaw would probably get moved up tp the Boldy line, and Walker ends up with Dewar and Reaves.
Thing is, you would be breaking up one of our most effective duos in Dewar and Shaw, and Walker's game is more about speed, skill, and smarts. He grinds, but that's not really what he's good at. I would pick him to go with Boldy...he can't be worse than Petan, and would probably be a lot better. Just scored again tonight- he's Iowa's leading scorer by a good bit, is 14th in AHL scoring, and leads all rookie scoring. He is significantly better than any other forward down there, IMO, right now.
Ideally, he'd have a bit more time down in the AHL, but at this point you have to try him out. Boldy is dying out there.
I sure wish Rossi would hurry up a get good, too, because Steel is barely better than Petan, and plays a far more important position. It's hard to watch.
I think Merrill needs to sit for a couple of games. Would like to see what we’ve got in Hunt right now as well at the NHL level.
Spurgeon
Registered User
Merrill has needed to be off this roster since game 1 of last year’s playoffs.
I wouldn't mind seeing some of Hunt at some point, either. Maybe sometime after Christmas... the only thing is, I'll bet that they'll bring up Sustr instead, because...big. NVM that he doesn't use his size, isn't a NHL'er, and has no upside. BIG!!
So who does Hunt play with (5v5 ToI/g):
Addison (12 mins)
Dumba (18 min)
Spurgeon (15 min)
Any one of them. You might want to go with Spurgeon or Dumba, just for a while... sub in a regular at certain critical points in the game.
I don't think the point is to get him to be a NHL regular right away. More to give him a taste of what the game is like at a higher level, then send him back down with, hopefully a renewed commitment to improving.
I think next season will be the earliest that he has a chance to be a NHL regular, and it's by no means a certainty then.
I’m not sure I’d put him with Addison. Addison is a full adventure in the d zone
That's a wonderful way of saying, Addison has the defensive awareness of a squirrel on meth
I guess I just don't see the point of Hunt getting a callup if the d-corps is healthy. He's not an upgrade to anyone (maybe Addison) in the d-zone. He's not lighting up the scoreboard in Iowa to where it would be a boost to the low 5v5 scoring. Sustr/Mermis are better pressbox d-man option because they have nothing to gain by playing in the AHL.
I don't agree. He's not great, or even good, but he's ok, especially for a 3rd pairing rookie Dman. I don't expect him to be Brodin....that's silly. I see how much the PP has improved, and I am happy that Addison is doing a good job on it, and we don't have to watch Suter, or any of the other options we have tried over the years. Spurgeon didn't get it done, nor Brodin, nor Dumba, or Suter... I appreciate Addison for what he is.
I think you underestimate how hard it is to play defense in a league where the players are faster than they ever have been, and holding, hooking, slashing, interference, and obstruction is called more than it ever has been. There is a great grey area in between excellent and bad, and that's where 95% of Dmen live. Players like Brodin, and Spurgeon, are outliers... just because a Dman isn't as good as them doesn't mean they are worthless.
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Addison on the PP and Addison the rest of the time are two different things. He makes the PP better, for sure, and nobody will really even argue that point. The PP stats with Addison are 10p in 95 mins, 18gf/1ga. The PP without Addison is 35 mins 2gf/0ga.
It's the 5v5 play where Addison is an adventure. The 5v5 stats with Addison are 2p in 306 mins, 11gf/20ga. The 5v5 stats without Addison are 867 mins, 36gf/33ga. The adv stats are a lot kinder to Addison, but that big of a variation can't just be explained away by luck. He's out of position a lot, can't box out, and at times has looked completely lost in the d-zone.
Addison just isn't the RD I'd want to stick another rookie callup (Hunt/ROR) with and think they would have any type of success 5v5.
The GF% when Addison is on the ice 5v5 is a team worst for defensemen at 35.48%.
Addison is a power play specialist and that’s great for what we need. Let’s not pretend he’s anything but bad at defense. He’s a young Tyson Barrie at the moment.
See, you’re putting a whole lot of words in my mouth. I never said Addison was worthless. I said he was an “adventure in the d zone.” I don’t want to put a rookie defender (Hunt) with a guy like Addison. Maybe down the road it would be a better idea.
Obvious Fabertism
Registered User
I think the defensive issues are very overblown, Addison doesn’t play anything like a young Barrie. Barrie would actively leave his coverages in order to cheat for offense, Addison is generally staying in the right places and just getting beat in the same ways that nearly every rookie defenseman that enter the league does. He is not as safe with the puck in the corners as he needs to be and he does not box out at all, but he is at least positionally acceptable, which is fine by me for a rookie offensive defenseman. He doesn’t make the brain dead turnovers that still plague Dumba to this day, so I count that a win moving forward.
Great points. Addison is relatively responsible, and doesn't go on walkabouts in the O zone. I find him to be quite efficient in his forays into the offensive zone, like Spurgeon.
His weaknesses have to do with his stature, and maybe talent. Some guys aren't born to be dogged defenders, or board battlers, and his lesser reach and height makes it harder for him to cover, or play physically.
His natural abilities are as a guy who is good with the puck, and on the PP, for sure. I've actually been surprised at how he has been playing defensively. He is showing decent judgement and concentration, compared to his play in the AHL, where he was more of a loose cannon with inconsistent defensive effort.
Again, the guy is a rookie. It is hoped that he will get better. Being around players like Brodin, and especially Spurgeon, should do him nothing but good. Hopefully he gets a bit stronger in the off season, and learns how to use it. He is certainly bigger than Spurgeon, and pretty stocky... I know he's got some toughness in him, but i don't know if it will translate to winning puck battles.
Calling Addison relatively responsible makes me cringe.
No. Middleton is relatively responsibly. Addison is probably the worst defender we have in the d zone (stats say Goligoski, then Addison).
Y’all get on Dumba for his defensive mistakes (and have for years during his rough stretches). Imagine if Addison was in his spot playing 6 more minutes of 5v5 against tougher competition. He would get shelled every shift.
He’s a power play specialist and that’s it at the moment.
No. Middleton is relatively responsibly. Addison is probably the worst defender we have in the d zone (stats say Goligoski, then Addison).
Y’all get on Dumba for his defensive mistakes (and have for years during his rough stretches). Imagine if Addison was in his spot playing 6 more minutes of 5v5 against tougher competition. He would get shelled every shift.
He’s a power play specialist and that’s it at the moment.
No, he was never bad, but he was abused physically early on. A lot of rough stuff was let go back then.
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