Minnesota Wild General Discussion - 2023-24

[Webster]

Laine can help when it comes to the lack of secondary scoring, and he should be the perfect linemate for Zucc. I think Laine can deal with his personal issues if he's on a team where he's happy.

 

[57special]

2 years at 50% retained would be interesting at least. If he were able to treat it as a fresh start and buckle down, he might make it worthwhile. If he doesn't, then at least it's only 2 years. The rest of our problems last longer than that.

Counterpoint, he only play 18 games last year, scored 9 points, and has an addiction problem. Mojo makes less than half what Laine would if he was 50% retained. If he had such out put we would be screaming. Laine is a bad hockey player right now, and brings nothing to a team if he isn't scoring.

With Guerin's concerns about the lockerroom I don't see how he is a fit. Better that the team adopts a lost puppy.

So what would it cost to get Laine? Rossi going the other way? Maybe Rossi+?

Not a chance. Laine barely has value right now, even at 50% retained. Rossi has nice value as a 22 yo C with team control. This is not the Laine of 7-8 years ago. He is going down the Ryan Johansen path of development.

 

[Wasted Talent]

Counterpoint, he only play 18 games last year, scored 9 points, and has an addiction problem. Mojo makes less than half what Laine would if he was 50% retained. If he had such out put we would be screaming. Laine is a bad hockey player right now, and brings nothing to a team if he isn't scoring.

With Guerin's concerns about the lockerroom I don't see how he is a fit. Better that the team adopts a lost puppy.


Not a chance. Laine barely has value right now, even at 50% retained. Rossi has nice value as a 22 yo C with team control.

I think Laine entered the player assistance program for mental health reasons, not addiction.

 

[Obvious Fabertism]

Laine can help when it comes to the lack of secondary scoring, and he should be the perfect linemate for Zucc. I think Laine can deal with his personal issues if he's on a team where he's happy.

I have generally not been a Laine fan since he entered the league, but I do think he would fit in and bring a lot to this team that we are missing. Health is a major concern for him, and if he didn’t like the WPG winters he may not like it here, though there is significantly more lifestyle options here. There would need to be significant discussions with him to ensure he fits, but if he is motivated, that shot and puck carrying ability would be a boon, we also have the team defense to cover for some of his deficiencies.

Zucc-Rossi-Laine would certainly be an entertaining combo, likely high event hockey.

 

[57special]

Laine can help when it comes to the lack of secondary scoring, and he should be the perfect linemate for Zucc. I think Laine can deal with his personal issues if he's on a team where he's happy.

So, who plays defense on that line? Not those two.

I think Laine entered the player assistance program for mental health reasons, not addiction.

The two often go together.

 

[BuiumSaveUs]

Hey, we all love to get that sweatshirt for $10 at Marshall's that cost $55 at the Gopher site, even if we have to pick through 47 other pieces of crap.

No problem with Guerin asking around about everyone, and everything. That's his job.

Laine is 26 yo. It's bizarre that his two best years in the NHL were when he was a teenager.

I’m fine taking a chance on him with tons of retention

 

[AKL]

So, who plays defense on that line? Not those two.

I like Zuccarello-Ek-Laine because
1) Ek can play defense
2) Norway, Sweden and Finland are all represented on one line
3) They're even in geographical order on the lineup card

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Yeah, Ek would pretty much have to play with them next year. Maybe Rossi the year after.

I'm fine with Laine if we're buying low.

 

[Wabit]

I have generally not been a Laine fan since he entered the league, but I do think he would fit in and bring a lot to this team that we are missing. Health is a major concern for him, and if he didn’t like the WPG winters he may not like it here, though there is significantly more lifestyle options here. There would need to be significant discussions with him to ensure he fits, but if he is motivated, that shot and puck carrying ability would be a boon, we also have the team defense to cover for some of his deficiencies.

Zucc-Rossi-Laine would certainly be an entertaining combo, likely high event hockey.

Zucc-Hartman-Laine or Zucc-JEE-Laine. A Zucc-Laine combo would need someone to open up space in the o-zone and play defense in the d-zone. I really don't really like the idea of Hartman and Laine on the same line due to the overall lack of RHS FWDs though.

Foligno-Rossi-Laine would probably be the starting point I would try for a Rossi-Laine combo.

 

[BagHead]

Counterpoint, he only play 18 games last year, scored 9 points, and has an addiction problem. Mojo makes less than half what Laine would if he was 50% retained. If he had such out put we would be screaming. Laine is a bad hockey player right now, and brings nothing to a team if he isn't scoring.

With Guerin's concerns about the lockerroom I don't see how he is a fit. Better that the team adopts a lost puppy.


Not a chance. Laine barely has value right now, even at 50% retained. Rossi has nice value as a 22 yo C with team control. This is not the Laine of 7-8 years ago. He is going down the Ryan Johansen path of development.

Yup, I fully agree on the downside of Laine. I think the Wild have two options if they want to aquire a top-6 veteran player without paying through the nose — they can either acquire a player with little downside but also dwindling upside (ex. Perron), or a guy with high downside but also high upside (ex. Laine).

The question then is, what is the Wild's goal for the next two years? Is it to merely make the playoffs? A veteran UFA might do the trick then. If their goal is bigger than that, they need to make a splash, and there will be risk involved in that. I don't have high hopes for Laine, but the risk with him is still smaller than the risk of blowing a hole in the team to acquire a guaranteed great player. If the downside is realized, the good news is that it's over in 2 years. That lack of term is risk-mitigation.

 

[keppel146]

Counterpoint, he only play 18 games last year, scored 9 points, and has an addiction problem. Mojo makes less than half what Laine would if he was 50% retained. If he had such out put we would be screaming. Laine is a bad hockey player right now, and brings nothing to a team if he isn't scoring.

With Guerin's concerns about the lockerroom I don't see how he is a fit. Better that the team adopts a lost puppy.


Not a chance. Laine barely has value right now, even at 50% retained. Rossi has nice value as a 22 yo C with team control. This is not the Laine of 7-8 years ago. He is going down the Ryan Johansen path of development.

I don’t see them giving him away though for peanuts, especially if they retain.

Would people want Laine if we hypothetically gave them 2nd+Peart?

 

[BagHead]

I don’t see them giving him away though for peanuts, especially if they retain.

Would people want Laine if we hypothetically gave them 2nd+Peart?

No. My desire for him extends only as far as he is inexpensive to acquire.

 

[57special]

I don’t see them giving him away though for peanuts, especially if they retain.

Would people want Laine if we hypothetically gave them 2nd+Peart?

Russo specifically said we would have to send salary back the other way. I don't see how we could take on Laine at 4.35M this year, and not find a way to sign Yurov, otherwise.

We don't have much in way of bad salary anymore, except for guys that have NMC/NTC's, so i don't know who we would send back Merrill, but he only makes 1.2M. A replacement player(i.e. Hunt) would be making about 900K, so I don't see the savings, though i would love to see the back of Merrill.

Would not be crazy about letting Peart go before we see what he looks like this year.

 

[Wabit]

I don’t see them giving him away though for peanuts, especially if they retain.

Would people want Laine if we hypothetically gave them 2nd+Peart?

Lambos/Hunt + 2nd. I like Peart more than either of those 2 LD.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Laine at 50% and Chisholm at $1M and we don't need to do anything with salary. Would still have ~$900k in space.

 

[Webster]

Zucc-Hartman-Laine or Zucc-JEE-Laine. A Zucc-Laine combo would need someone to open up space in the o-zone and play defense in the d-zone. I really don't really like the idea of Hartman and Laine on the same line due to the overall lack of RHS FWDs though.

Foligno-Rossi-Laine would probably be the starting point I would try for a Rossi-Laine combo.

Are you saying Zuccarello can't play defense? Stats say he's okay, he even played PK for the Rangers. The reason he was so effective on the PK is that he was swinging that long stick of his back and forth with speed, blocking every shooting lane. The Wild never figured it out. Now it's too late, use his energy on the PP.

 

[BuiumSaveUs]

Are you saying Zuccarello can't play defense? Stats say he's okay, he even played PK for the Rangers. The reason he was so effective on the PK is that he was swinging that long stick of his back and forth with speed, blocking every shooting lane. The Wild never figured it out. Now it's too late, use his energy on the PP.

Laine could be the demise of Zucc tho. He’d likely take over Zucc’s spot on the PP (where he gets the majority of his points) and if that defensively challenged line doesn’t workout, Zucc could find himself in no man’s land

 

[Webster]

Laine could be the demise of Zucc tho. He’d likely take over Zucc’s spot on the PP (where he gets the majority of his points) and if that defensively challenged line doesn’t workout, Zucc could find himself in no man’s land

WelI I doubt that's Guerin's plan for the next two years, as long as Zucc keeps producing.

 

[Obvious Fabertism]

Stamkos hitting FA is an intriguing option too.

 

[57special]

Laine could be the demise of Zucc tho. He’d likely take over Zucc’s spot on the PP (where he gets the majority of his points) and if that defensively challenged line doesn’t workout, Zucc could find himself in no man’s land

Great point. You've got Kap, JEE(need a C, and he's a really good netfront guy, anyway), Dman, Boldy, and Zucc right now. Can't see demoting Boldy, JEE, Kap (obv), Dman, unless we decide to go all forwards, which is usually a mistake.

Laine would be taking Zucc's spot, Zucc would go down to #2PP to mentor Rossi, Ohgren. Alternative would be to have Laine on PP#2, which wouldn't be a bad idea, as he has a clear skill set, and one that might mesh well with Rossi's.

 

[Wabit]

Great point. You've got Kap, JEE(need a C, and he's a really good netfront guy, anyway), Dman, Boldy, and Zucc right now. Can't see demoting Boldy, JEE, Kap (obv), Dman, unless we decide to go all forwards, which is usually a mistake.

Laine would be taking Zucc's spot, Zucc would go down to #2PP to mentor Rossi, Ohgren. Alternative would be to have Laine on PP#2, which wouldn't be a bad idea, as he has a clear skill set, and one that might mesh well with Rossi's.

I'd start Laine on PP2.

I'd move Boldy down the PP2 before Zucc. Simply because it needs a shooter more than another passer. All of Rossi, Spurgeon, and Zucc are pass first guys. Foligno or Hartman would be there as the net front guy.

 

[Wasted Talent]

Stamkos hitting FA is an intriguing option too.

He's probably looking for one final payday with some term attached, something Wild can't do currently.

 

[57special]

He's probably looking for one final payday with some term attached, something Wild can't do currently.

Just don't see us having the space. Still a very good player with Cup winning experience, and would do wonders for the PP. It's one year too early for us to have a shot at him.

 

[Wabit]

Just don't see us having the space. Still a very good player with Cup winning experience, and would do wonders for the PP. It's one year too early for us to have a shot at him.

It would be more than the PP that he would do wonders for.

Kap/Stamkos/Zucc
Boldy/JEE/Rossi
Foligno/Hartman/Ohgren
MarJo/Freddy G/12th FWD.

 

[keppel146]

Stamkos hitting FA is an intriguing option too.

That’s someone who I don’t think we can afford. I’ve already thought about him.