Minnesota Wild General Discussion - 2023-24
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- Dec 10, 2012
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I don’t have an issue with Zucc now. I think he’s a solid overall contributor. Albeit nowhere near as effective as his raw point totals suggest.
The issue comes when you consider we will already have Rossi & Marat in Top 9 roles the next few years. Zucc makes a 3rd smaller player.
Similar to Addison, the writing is on the wall for him not being a longterm fit. He will stick out like a sore thumb in a year or two when we presumably have a young, attacking forward core with several young guys who want PP minutes.
The issue comes when you consider we will already have Rossi & Marat in Top 9 roles the next few years. Zucc makes a 3rd smaller player.
Similar to Addison, the writing is on the wall for him not being a longterm fit. He will stick out like a sore thumb in a year or two when we presumably have a young, attacking forward core with several young guys who want PP minutes.
His numbers in the KHL skyrocketed when he was moved to center.
Dr Jan Itor
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- Dec 10, 2012
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His numbers in the KHL skyrocketed when he was moved to the top six and his minutes doubled
- Dec 10, 2012
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This season: 49 points in 62 games, 15:12 per game
Last season: 12 points in 59 games, 8:06 per game
- Dec 10, 2012
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Here are some lineup cards before November 8th:
Take note of his linemates. Mikhail Grass, a rookie fourth liner, and Nikita Grebyonkin, another guy in a similar situation to Yurov who didn't come into the season with a solidified roster spot (he played less than Yurov did last season)
Again, October 13th and 15th with Grass and Grebyonkin
Here's one pre "switch to center" where he actually was playing center with top six wingers, he scored 0 points and was -1 that game.
Here's the lineup card from November 8th when he was "moved to center" but also moved to a line with Mikhailis and Petunin full time
November 11th
November 14th
November 16th
November 18th
Take note of his linemates. Mikhail Grass, a rookie fourth liner, and Nikita Grebyonkin, another guy in a similar situation to Yurov who didn't come into the season with a solidified roster spot (he played less than Yurov did last season)
Again, October 13th and 15th with Grass and Grebyonkin
Here's one pre "switch to center" where he actually was playing center with top six wingers, he scored 0 points and was -1 that game.
Here's the lineup card from November 8th when he was "moved to center" but also moved to a line with Mikhailis and Petunin full time
November 11th
November 14th
November 16th
November 18th
Prior to November 8th: 23gp 6g 7a 13pts 53 faceoffs ~ 2 faceoffs/game
November 8th to end of season: 39Ggp 15g 21a 36pts 389 faceoffs ~ 10 faceoffs/game
Eyeballing the TOI, there might be slight uptick November 8th and after.
Grass averages less than 8 minutes per game.
Grebyonkin actually looks like a good player.
I'm curious, why is it so imperative that Rossi play center?
Dr Jan Itor
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- Dec 10, 2012
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Yes, see my most recent post.
What you are attributing entirely to a move to a center is actually a move to center + top six.
He was moved up because he was already playing well on the lower line, the uptick in scoring is largely attributable to playing more consistently on a better line. It's certainly not a situation where you can say with confidence that the uptick is entirely, or even primarily, because of the position switch. I definitely wouldn't say he has to be a center over a guy who's played that position his entire life, before Yurov even steps foot on the continent.
I'm all for having center depth. Depending on what happens with Rossi and Khusnutdinov over the next couple years, we may not even need or want Yurov to play center though. A lot is still up in the air. I don't think it's at a point where we can declare
I think we can afford to wait and see how Yurov looks, how Rossi and Khusnutdinov look, how the rest of the lineup looks, and who's actually better fit for the position when they're all playing together in the NHL.
The point of all this is that Yurov is not some can't miss center prospect who dominates games at center and sucks on the wings. he can play all of them at least adequately, and he's going to produce more with more consistent, better linemates, regardless of position.
- Dec 10, 2012
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And if Yurov isn't a better fit at center than Rossi or Khusnutdinov, move him to wing, yeah, that's the point. Nothing is etched in stone and things can change.
I think it's just becoming more clear that I have a lesser opinion of Rossi being able to grow as a player. He's not big and he's not fast. I wouldn't describe his skill as high end either. His smarts are what carry him as a player becuase nothing else stands out. Yurov is (mostly) the opposite of that. Great size at 6'1" and a fast skater. The high end skill is pretty clear when watching him too.
- Dec 10, 2012
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I'm not disagreeing that Yurov is going to be a better player than Rossi, I'm disagreeing that Yurov being the better player necessarily means Yurov has to play center and Rossi or Marat have to move to the wing.
And the context of the games didn't support your original assertion that he scores more at center because he's at center.
Well we are still searching for that high end 1C. Why we wouldn't do everything in our power to put Yurov on path to succeed as that would be mind numbingly Minnesota. Are you expecting Khusnutdinov to be our 4C? I guess they could run Yurov-Ek-Rossi-Khusnutdinov as the center group. That's limiting Khusnutdinov's potential though.
If Yurov can't make it as a center, then try him at wing. But IMO, he has to show he can't be the guy before moving to wing.
I’d be open to moving our first and Rossi if it meant moving up high enough in this draft to get Demidov
Dr Jan Itor
Registered User
We can see what happens next year with Yurov, Rossi and Khusnutdinov before needing to decide anything. One of them might make it an easy decision.
boring. Way more fun to project them all at their ceiling and start planning the cup parade routes
Dr Jan Itor
Registered User
My initial thought is that unless Rossi and Khusnutdinov have really strong years next year at center, and assuming that Yurov stays and center and has another good year, I would probably default to moving one of the 5'9" guys to wing and start Yurov at center in the NHL. But any of those 3 could change that.
Curious what level of defender Rossi could pull back in a trade. It is concerning that this organization doesn't really seem capable of developing a defender. All of Lambos, O'Rourke, Hunt, Spacek, Masters, Johansson, etc do not appear close to an NHL top 4. They didn't develop Faber.
- Mar 19, 2023
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Is it too late for any of them though? Defenders usually takes longer to develope.
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