Is it too early in the season to yell, Fire Evason! Asking for a friend.....
Minnesota Wild General Discussion - 2023-24
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Is it too early in the season to yell, Fire Evason! Asking for a friend.....
- Dec 10, 2012
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Are you thinking all three of those kids are gonna be on the NHL team and they're not going to fill any holes with vets? That's a bold assumption. And even if it's true it doesn't help us this season in regards to Rossi.
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He played Foligno with Zucc prior to Kaprizov's arrival.
This really would solve most problems with the lineup(if healthy);
Kap - Ek - Boldy
Hartman - Rossi - Zucc
Johansson - Gaudreau - Foligno
Maroon - Dewar - Duhaime
Only way that happens is if the GM steps in and wants to see Kap away from the pending UFAs to determine their value without him. Hartman can take draws on his side and there's no reason to put that line out for defensive zone draws.
- Dec 10, 2012
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Yeah that's an entirely separate conversation from the one about where Rossi plays this year with the guys we actually have on the roster.
- Nov 7, 2017
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As I said, they expect Rossi to compete for the puck, and this will of course include some physical play. I don't mean fighting or big hits, but he can't be afraid to touch others to win the puck. Yes he looked slow too, and some lack of strength, but he's been working on that all summer.
I doubt we'll see those two Russians in the NHL next year, Guerin isn't known for rushing things. Both are also playing on the 3rd line in the KHL, looks like they need some more time.
I'm not excited about the preseason at all. The opening night roster is already set. unless an injury happens. There aren't any roster spots open for one of the prospects to take. The cap isn't there to make it work even if the team wanted to.
I can't get worked up over training camp lines. So what if Rossi is stuck with the scrubs? It's the scrubs that will get the majority of the games in the preseason. FFS it's not worth playing the top of the lineup players until the last few preseason game. There are too many guys desperate to make a name for themselves and do stupid things in the early preseason games.
The lines will be what they'll be on opening night, and I'll have issues with them no matter what they are.
I can't get worked up over training camp lines. So what if Rossi is stuck with the scrubs? It's the scrubs that will get the majority of the games in the preseason. FFS it's not worth playing the top of the lineup players until the last few preseason game. There are too many guys desperate to make a name for themselves and do stupid things in the early preseason games.
The lines will be what they'll be on opening night, and I'll have issues with them no matter what they are.
Practices right now aren't really great due to the number of players. It gets the blood pumping and starts knocking some of the rust off is about all.
Get past the first 4 preseason games then start to worry about lines. The majority of the cuts will be done by then so the real practices can start.
Remember this was G1 preseason roster last season:
MuckOG
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- May 18, 2012
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Chicken or the egg? How much of an opportunity has Rossi been given to play in a top 6 role in his limited NHL experience? We aren't going to learn anything about him playing a grinder role that he's not suited for. IMO, this is sink or swim time for him. He should start camp playing in the top 6 until he shows he can't cut it. But he needs a legit opportunity.
I mean, at what point does a player have to show something to warrant playing in that spot? Hell, I’m a 6’2” right handed center, maybe I should be given a shot in the top 6 too?
- Dec 10, 2012
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He's never going to "deserve" it the way you want to measure it, because you want him to be put in a position to fail.
If this was some alternate reality where we had Caufield instead of Rossi, would you be satisfied with putting Caufield next to Foligno and Gaudreau and saying if he can't mesh with their style he can't ever play in the top six with guys like Boldy or Kaprizov?
Or let's look at Boldy, did he have to "deserve" being put next to Fiala, or did we just understand that that was going to be his best chance at success and stick him there anyway?
MuckOG
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- May 18, 2012
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Are you suggesting that in order to get a real opportunity to play a top 6 role, he first needs to prove himself being able to master a 3rd or 4th line grinder role?
Dr Jan Itor
Registered User
I'm in favor of starting him higher in the lineup, but I also don't think it's too much to ask to look like a competent NHLer playing on the 3rd line.
Foligno and Gaudreau might not be an avenue to put up tons of points, but it shouldn't really have anything to do with the overall eye test.
- Dec 10, 2012
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Yes and no. If a guy is playing on a line with players who play nothing like him, you should expect it to look disjointed, awkward, and bad. If he's playing with guys who play a similar or compatible style, it's going to be an easier adjustment and he's going to be able to play off of them better.
Dr Jan Itor
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- Dec 10, 2012
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Which is weird because he checked all of those boxes until Dean stashed him on the fourth line, right?
So maybe we try something different this year.
I really can't think of a reason not to start him with Boldy and Johansson other than "he has to earn it". We're not a contender, we're a fringe playoff team. We're not loaded at center (high end or depth), and this is our top center prospect. This isn't even a conversation most other teams fans would be having. Try him on that line until it doesn't work. Don't keep him off until he masters the art of grinding.
Dr Jan Itor
Registered User
That's all I'm asking of the coaching staff at this point. If he fails, he fails. But give him a legit opportunity that lasts longer than 2 or 3 games. Give him 10 games with some quality linemates. And don't make him sit for a mistake when you let Joe Blow on the other end of the bench continue to play after making a similar boneheaded mistake. It gets infuriating watching a kid get benched for one bad turnover when a guy like Zucca makes 2 bad turnovers in the same damn shift.
- Dec 10, 2012
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Yet another article that bemuses me. Hockey Wilderness' s Justin Hein writes about Adam Beckman, and whether his prospects of making the NHL are diminishing. Fair enough. I then go on to read that Beckman is a scrappy, undersized forward, and is compared to Brad Marchand and Vincent Trochek. Huh? Beckman was a good 6' when he was drafted, and has grown since then. He looks to be at least 6'1", if not more, which is hardly undersized for a winger.
He then goes on to say that there is "plenty of physicality and defense to his game". Huh? Beckman is mediocre defensively, at best, and while long, is hardly physical. It sounds like he is referencing Connor Dewar and Mason Shaw, not the lanky, but decidedly unphysical(if you've ever seen him fight, or in board battles, you'd have to agree), Beckman.
Just one of those things that you read that make you go, hmmm.....
He then goes on to say that there is "plenty of physicality and defense to his game". Huh? Beckman is mediocre defensively, at best, and while long, is hardly physical. It sounds like he is referencing Connor Dewar and Mason Shaw, not the lanky, but decidedly unphysical(if you've ever seen him fight, or in board battles, you'd have to agree), Beckman.
Just one of those things that you read that make you go, hmmm.....
Circulartheory
Registered User
Rossi isn’t even close to the player Caufield is. That’s the disconnect so far in the conversation. Rossi couldn’t outplay Steel or Jost last year. Are you gonna tell me that Caufield wouldn’t have been able to outplay those guys in that role? Please…
Boldy literally was put next to Fiala because all he had to beat out were scrubs (Rask?) and there was zero chance that the GREEF line would have been broken up. It’s actually pretty arguable that Fiala’s line was the 3rd line given the usage of the Kaprizov and GREEF line.
In order to get top 6 minutes, Rossi would have to be better than Eriksson Ek and/or Hartman. Can you tell me with a straight face that Rossi is better than either one of those two? Can you tell me with a straight face that Rossi is even better than Gaudreau? I couldn’t say that without considering myself a liar.
4th line grinder, no. 3rd line player who shows he actually belongs in the NHL? Yes.
Again, just because the player is on the third line doesn’t make them a grinder. The issue here is Foligno is on that line, not that Rossi is on that line.
Chicken/egg, who cares. Why can’t you guys just admit it, you want Rossi to be given special treatment over established players like Hartman and Eriksson Ek. That’s really what you are saying.
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