Minnesota Wild General Discussion - 2022-23

[57special]

Pens fan here just lurking around other teams' boards. A few questions for ya:

1. How has Addison and his mustache been?
2. I've had interest in Merrill since his last season in Vegas. Looks like he's doing decent for his role. Would he be available in a trade?
3. Similarly, I've also had interest in Greenway since his first full NHL season. Would he be available in a trade?

I like a lot of your players but I'll just limit my list to those three.

Pens need to upgrade their LD and LW.

Speaking strictly for me;

1- Facial hair or not. Calen has perfected the trailer park look.

2- For me, absolutely he would be available. Unfortunately, because of his low cap hit(1.2M) and the fact that Evason seems to really like him, I don't see him being moved. MN has two years of onerous cap penalties coming up, so they need roster players on the cheap.

3- See answer # 2. Because he makes more (3M), he has a slightly better chance of being moved, but only if a few other things happen, such as Duhaime, Shaw, and Gaudreau sign for low cap hits. I would guess that he is worth a late 1st/early 2nd if he can stay healthy and string together some good games. Personally, i wouldn't mind seeing him gone. i was a big fan, but the past couple of years have been disappointing.

 

[57special]

So, Merrill seems to have won out over Goligoski as a 3rd D regular, and I don't really understand why, or at least, I don't understand why there isn't more of a rotation. To me, Goligoski, when rested, is a better player than Merrill.

Don't get me wrong, I wasn't crazy about the Goli signing(considering our cap sitch), but Merrill is tough to watch some nights. I don't really understand why we would re-sign Goligoski for two years if we aren't even going to play him. I'd just as soon that we have Mermis as a backup, at 40% of the cap hit. Maybe even Hunt, if he continues to develop.

 

[Obvious Fabertism]

So, Merrill seems to have won out over Goligoski as a 3rd D regular, and I don't really understand why, or at least, I don't understand why there isn't more of a rotation. To me, Goligoski, when rested, is a better player than Merrill.

Don't get me wrong, I wasn't crazy about the Goli signing(considering our cap sitch), but Merrill is tough to watch some nights. I don't really understand why we would re-sign Goligoski for two years if we aren't even going to play him. I'd just as soon that we have Mermis as a backup, at 40% of the cap hit. Maybe even Hunt, if he continues to develop.

Merrill has definitely been an underperformer in my eyes this season, there were long stretches of decent play for him last season but he hasn’t been consistent to start this one. I will give him a bit more rope due to the injury messing with his off-season, but I also would not have an issue moving him before the deadline.

 

[57special]

Merrill has definitely been an underperformer in my eyes this season, there were long stretches of decent play for him last season but he hasn’t been consistent to start this one. I will give him a bit more rope due to the injury messing with his off-season, but I also would not have an issue moving him before the deadline.

They aren't going to move him, because he only makes 1.2M. Next year, maybe, if one of the LHD prospects grabs a job at camp. I just think that I'd prefer a rotation of him and Goli, rather than one or the other.

I wonder if Evason/Guerin are regretting the Goligoski contract, and are treating him this way so he will waive his NMC to go to another team. That 2M in cap would come in handy both this year, but especially next.

 

[MNNumbers]

With Reaves
10-3

Without Reaves
9-8-2

Also coincides with Greenway returning from injury. 11-3-0 since Greenway returned.

Also an easier part of the schedule, although i think most here would say that Reaves has been a nice surprise.

 

[57special]

Also an easier part of the schedule, although i think most here would say that Reaves has been a nice surprise.

He plays smarter than i would've thought, and meshes perfectly with Dewar and Shaw. Shaw... during that scrum last night when he was getting his facewashed, and Reaves started to step in, I wouldn't have put it past him to tell Reaves not to take his fight.
When Duhaime comes back he'll take Reaves spot, but there will always be an injury, or just a need to rest someone. Good to have him around, as long as he can be surrounded by speed.

 

[DigitalBoldy]

He plays smarter than i would've thought, and meshes perfectly with Dewar and Shaw. Shaw... during that scrum last night when he was getting his facewashed, and Reaves started to step in, I wouldn't have put it past him to tell Reaves not to take his fight.
[bWhen Duhaime comes back he'll take Reaves spot[/b], but there will always be an injury, or just a need to rest someone. Good to have him around, as long as he can be surrounded by speed.

No he won’t. Shaw will come out. Just you watch.

 

[JiricekSaveUs]

Steel is just as bad as Rask but nobody want to talk about it because he’s young-ish

 

[Wabit]

Steel is just as bad as Rask but nobody want to talk about it because he’s young-ish

Meh, for what Steel is being paid he's fine. Rask would have been fine as an $825k/yr player, he was awful for a $4m/yr player.

 

[AKL]

Meh, for what Steel is being paid he's fine. Rask would have been fine as an $825k/yr player, he was awful for a $4m/yr player.

Neither of them are fine for that line at any price point.

 

[Wabit]

Neither of them are fine for that line at any price point.

Neither of those players are at fault that they were put on that line. Bad roster construction, bad coaching, bad lines, etc. are to blame for that.

I'm fine with Steel as the 12/13 FWD for what he's being paid.

 

[57special]

Meh, for what Steel is being paid he's fine. Rask would have been fine as an $825k/yr player, he was awful for a $4m/yr player

Neither of them are fine for that line at any price point.

Steel is just as bad as Rask but nobody want to talk about it because he’s young-ish

All of these things are true

 

[f7ben]

So , struggle for a wild card ….lose in 5 to whoever and then draft 19th

Yay

 

[DigitalBoldy]

So , struggle for a wild card ….lose in 5 to whoever and then draft 19th

Yay

I'd rather make the playoffs than not. I have enough loser hockey with Wisconsin (1 NCAAs in Granato's first 6 years).

 

[f7ben]

I'd rather make the playoffs than not. I have enough loser hockey with Wisconsin (1 NCAAs in Granato's first 6 years).

I’d rather have a team sometime in my life that has a real shot at winning a cup.

 

[thestonedkoala]

I'd rather make the playoffs than not. I have enough loser hockey with Wisconsin (1 NCAAs in Granato's first 6 years).

Only Winnipeg/Arizona has a worse playoff win percentage than Minnesota.

I guess that's Minnesota sports. Good enough to make a playoff spot and then get blown out. I guess if you don't want to win Cups and always be mid place that's great.

 

[f7ben]

Only Winnipeg/Arizona has a worse playoff win percentage than Minnesota.

I guess that's Minnesota sports. Good enough to make a playoff spot and then get blown out. I guess if you don't want to win Cups and always be mid place that's great.

And Winnipeg destroyed us when they got lucky enough to get us in the playoffs

 

[Wabit]

This year's team is so special teams dependent. If they score a PP goal they'll win, if they don't they'll lose. If they give up a PP goal they'll lose, if they don't they'll win.

neither team having a pp goal: 5-1-1 (128p pace)
7 games
3 reg wins
2 OT wins
1 loss
1 OT loss

w/o ppg: 5-7-1 (69p pace), 0-6-0 if the other team gets a pp goal
13 games
3 reg wins
2 ot wins
7 reg losses
1 ot loss

w/ ppg: 14-5-1 (119p pace)
20 games
11 reg wins
3 ot wins
5 reg losses (3 reg and 1 OT loss were the 1st 5 games of the season)
1 ot loss

w/ ppg against: 6-10-1 (63p pace)
17 games
5 reg wins
1 OT win
9 reg losses
1 OT loss

w/o ppg against: 13-2-1 (138p pace), 8-1-0 if MN scores a pp goal
16 games
9 reg wins
4 OT wins
2 reg losses
1 OT loss

 

[DigitalBoldy]

I’d rather have a team sometime in my life that has a real shot at winning a cup.

Only Winnipeg/Arizona has a worse playoff win percentage than Minnesota.

I guess that's Minnesota sports. Good enough to make a playoff spot and then get blown out. I guess if you don't want to win Cups and always be mid place that's great.

Ahhh yes, the age old argument that we should suck ass for 3-5 years just so we can (probably) be in the same spot we are now. Never gets old.

 

[Wabit]

 

[AKL]

2 extra games seems slightly excessive considering it was clearly an accident and his first offense but oh well. If 1 extra game is deserved, 2 isn't gonna break anything.

 

[57special]

It was hard to tell, and only he can know his intent, but Shaw was out of control there, and his knee did come up. That's the first sign of him being a loose, undisciplined, cannon since being called up. It was common for him to be undisciplined in the AHL.

 

[Wabit]

I think 2 games is fair for Shaw because I do think it was unintentional (due to his past knee problems). If I thought it was intentional I'd say throw the book at him.

 

[thestonedkoala]

Ahhh yes, the age old argument that we should suck ass for 3-5 years just so we can (probably) be in the same spot we are now. Never gets old.

Ahhh, yes the age old argument that Minnesota doesn't have a first line center or a number one defenseman and to watch teams like St. Louis and Colorado winning the Stanley Cup because they sucked for a few years.

 

[Minnewildsota]

Ahhh, yes the age old argument that Minnesota doesn't have a first line center or a number one defenseman and to watch teams like St. Louis and Colorado winning the Stanley Cup because they sucked for a few years.

Ahhh, yes. The argument that a select handful of teams sucked and it turned out ok but completely ignore the fact that other teams have sucked and have literally won nothing and some even continue to suck