Minnesota Wild General Discussion - 2023-24

[Dr Jan Itor]

Some have been on Gus. Some haven't.

At this point, I'm not believing that all of last year was a mirage.

He's not playing up to his standard, but neither is half the team.

 

[Obvious Fabertism]

Gus was pretty open about how last year he felt like he knew what his defenseman were doing all the time and it made things easy for him to just focus on the shooters. I won’t put more words in his mouth, but the bottom 4 D this season is playing so unpredictably in their decisions that I imagine it is making his life much more difficult. Cross crease passes to net front guys should never be voluntarily left open, some of our defenseman seem to disagree with that statement based on their coverage decisions.

 

[57special]

Thoughts on Letierri? or ?

 

[roon]

Jesper please?

You mean its generally a bad idea to throw a bunch of money at a goalie who had one great statistical outlier of a season and pin our hopes for the next couple of seasons on him repeating that performance?

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

You mean its generally a bad idea to throw a bunch of money at a goalie who had one great statistical outlier of a season and pin our hopes for the next couple of seasons on him repeating that performance?

Hard to call it an "outlier" when there no other real seasons to compare it to.

 

[roon]

Hard to call it an "outlier" when there no other real seasons to compare it to.

Well - when a goalie doesn't show enough to take the job in Ottawa.....just about any positive season is going to be an outlier.

 

[DANOZ28]

what would have been wrong with a 2 yr 2.5 mill prove last year wasn't a fluke deal?

 

[Circulartheory]

You mean its generally a bad idea to throw a bunch of money at a goalie who had one great statistical outlier of a season and pin our hopes for the next couple of seasons on him repeating that performance?

$3.75mil AAV is hardly considered a "bunch of money", especially for a goalie that did play as the top person in the 1A/1B duo.

His contract is 29th in goaltenders and his "outlier" of a season was top 5. I'd say that bunch of money was a bargain for what he could have commanded if he really played hardball.

And offtopic of goalies....

If nothing else, I can have fun watching this group...

 

[Sweetnut]

Looking at TOI for Zuke vs Jesper Bratt in yesterdays game, Zuke had a average shift time of 59 seconds, 17 shifts and total time 16.44 minutes
Bratt had 40 seconds average, 26 shifts, total time 17.38.
Bratt was flying on the ice, had 1+3 and was involved in both PP and SH. He did have energy all game and was never out of gas.
Zuke looked slow, made mistakes and on the second goal he lost the puck behind the net in the offensive zone and coasted his way back to defend. By the time he reached the slot in his own zone, the puck was already in the net.
Wild must learn to manage the minutes the players are on the ice. Too long shifts makes for poor desicions and no energy to do the defensive work when we lose the puck.

 

[Webster]

Evason in panic mode: "We'll be ready tomorrow". Well, another loss and I'm not sure what will happen to the coach.

Ek still best player with 5 goals and 5 assists. Now he's on the 3rd line. Is this good asset management?

Looks like Hunt is in over Merrill.

Practice lines today:

Kaprizov - Rossi - Boldy
Johansson - Hartman - Zuccarello
Foligno - JEEk - Maroon
Duhaime - Dewar - Lettieri

Brodin - Faber
Middleton - Addison
Hunt - Mermis

Goalie TBD

 

[Sweetnut]

Thoughts on Letierri? or ?

I think I like him. The jury is still out, and I am most likely out to lunch as usual, but he might be worth keeping up during the Sweden trip, if the math allows it.

 

[57special]

My .02. After looking good(not great) for most of last year in the AHL, Hunt has looked mediocre in the times I've seen him this year. I'm all for giving him a shot, but if he looks bad, then am also in favor or sending him back down. Not the end of the world... he will have plenty more chances if he picks up his play.

I think Letierri has been so-so. A bit more physical than i thought he'd be, with decent speed. Not having any effect on the game, for good or bad. I think i like Walker's upside a bit more.

I prefer both to Petan, who is the top scorer down in Iowa.

 

[Parax]

Evason in panic mode: "We'll be ready tomorrow". Well, another loss and I'm not sure what will happen to the coach.

Ek still best player with 5 goals and 5 assists. Now he's on the 3rd line. Is this good asset management?

Looks like Hunt is in over Merrill.

Practice lines today:

Kaprizov - Rossi - Boldy
Johansson - Hartman - Zuccarello
Foligno - JEEk - Maroon
Duhaime - Dewar - Lettieri

Brodin - Faber
Middleton - Addison
Hunt - Mermis

Goalie TBD

These are even strength lines. Ek has 5 points at 5v5. Hartman has 7. It's pretty unfair to either to put them on the 3rd line, but someone needs to go there. I think it's more unfair to Hartman since he was the best player on the top line to this point, his demotion is more the fault of his linemates than himself.

 

[Sweetnut]

These are even strength lines. Ek has 5 points at 5v5. Hartman has 7. It's pretty unfair to either to put them on the 3rd line, but someone needs to go there. I think it's more unfair to Hartman since he was the best player on the top line to this point, his demotion is more the fault of his linemates than himself.

The way I see it, this is more balanced lines and allows Ek to stabilize the defensive side of it while also provide an extra offensive touch to the "third" line. (maybe think of it as two second lines?).
Zuke clearly needs to be the creative player on his line, and separating him and Kap is a great way to make him shoot more. MoJo brings the speed and can separate the defenders to give Zuke that extra space that he needs.
It is great to finally see some changes

 

[HockeyRube]

Question for the posters here. The Wild seem to be really struggling at breaking out of their own zone this year imo. Is this systemic, on the players, or am I way off base?

 

[north21]

Question for the posters here. The Wild seem to be really struggling at breaking out of their own zone this year imo. Is this systemic, on the players, or am I way off base?

Our bottom 3 D right now are borderline nhl players, getting spurgeon back should help but we are just not as strong on the back end as we are use to.

 

[Webster]

Zuccy furious:

“It’s not like these guys don’t f***ing work hard. We work hard every day. This is the hardest working team I’ve been a part of. Sometimes when it goes bad you just work too hard too.”

Report by Jessi Pierce.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Zuccy furious:

“It’s not like these guys don’t f***ing work hard. We work hard every day. This is the hardest working team I’ve been a part of. Sometimes when it goes bad you just work too hard too.”

Report by Jessi Pierce.

Correct. Sometimes you just get out-talented.

 

[roon]

$3.75mil AAV is hardly considered a "bunch of money", especially for a goalie that did play as the top person in the 1A/1B duo.

His contract is 29th in goaltenders and his "outlier" of a season was top 5. I'd say that bunch of money was a bargain for what he could have commanded if he really played hardball.

And offtopic of goalies....

If nothing else, I can have fun watching this group...

It is a bunch of money given our cap situation. This desire to look across the NHL at other goalie contracts is silly. Giving Gus that much money when we already overpaid Flower is just silly....and it is a bunch of money given our situation.

 

[AKL]

It is a bunch of money given our cap situation. This desire to look across the NHL at other goalie contracts is silly. Giving Gus that much money when we already overpaid Flower is just silly....and it is a bunch of money given our situation.

What would you have done? Let Gus go for nothing of meaningful value and spent way less on a much worse goaltender and ran with Fleury as the full time starter? That hardly seems like a better option.

Fleury being overpaid is sunk cost. That doesn't mean you spend less on the players that deserve it.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Signing Gus to that deal, there is obviously the expectation that he would be better than he has been. Season is still early.

 

[roon]

What would you have done? Let Gus go for nothing of meaningful value and spent way less on a much worse goaltender and ran with Fleury as the full time starter? That hardly seems like a better option.

Fleury being overpaid is sunk cost. That doesn't mean you spend less on the players that deserve it.

What I would have done is gone full tank/rebuild during the buyout penalties.

So yea - I would have let him walk for nothing - signed some league min backup and let Flower lose us games. Its a much better option than this shit show.

Trade the guys that want out of a rebuild that you don't really have team control over....looking at you KK...and the others can help build something for the long term.

 

[AKL]

What I would have done is gone full tank/rebuild during the buyout penalties.

So yea - I would have let him walk for nothing - signed some league min backup and let Flower lose us games. Its a much better option than this shit show.

Trade the guys that want out of a rebuild that you don't really have team control over....looking at you KK...and the others can help build something for the long term.

I'm talking about what you would have done with Gus/goalie situation, given rebuilding/tanking wasn't an option. If we were going to start a rebuild/tank, it should have been done 2/3 years ago.

 

[north21]

It is a bunch of money given our cap situation. This desire to look across the NHL at other goalie contracts is silly.

This is literally what the GM is suppose to do, you can't just make up an imaginary market.

Giving Gus that much money when we already overpaid Flower is just silly....and it is a bunch of money given our situation.

Flower is probably going to retire after this year and is in the last year of his contract anyway, gus is a perfect stop gap until wally steps in, or they will be a great combo in the years to come.

 

[roon]

I'm talking about what you would have done with Gus/goalie situation, given rebuilding/tanking wasn't an option. If we were going to start a rebuild/tank, it should have been done 2/3 years ago.

My answer doesn't change. Let him walk and sign a league min backup or let Jesper come up and learn from Flower. Tanking and rebuilding is always an option...even if Craig says its not. Even if its only for a year or two.