Minnesota Wild General Discussion 2024-25

[Webster]

I believe he was specifically speaking to filling a top 6 hole with a stop gap. Everyone knows Zucc needs to be a long ways away from any top 6 role on this team.

Well I think you'll be in for a disappointment if you want Zucc out of top 6. You know Hynes indicated that he'll play with Kaprizov who's known for slow starts. So this could be a good idea for more than one reason.

 

[Wabit]

Well I think you'll be in for a disappointment if want Zucc out of top 6. You know Hynes indicated that he'll play with Kaprizov who's known for slow starts. So this could be a good idea for more than one reason.

MarJo is the first one everyone wants out of the top-6.

 

[Obvious Fabertism]

This is a reason I'm glad I can't stand Russo's voice, listening to his podcasts is out for me.

From what I've gathered about his podcasts it ends up being more the Wild and/or NHL hockey fan in him talking than the reporter with inside info after a couple mins in each segment/topic.

It’s slipped more and more into his writing lately too, everything comes through with his voice as if he were the GM and his emotions are much more present in his writing than years past. I much prefer when he keeps his own biases out of the way, though I understand how difficult that can be.

 

[Bazeek]

It’s slipped more and more into his writing lately too, everything comes through with his voice as if he were the GM and his emotions are much more present in his writing than years past. I much prefer when he keeps his own biases out of the way, though I understand how difficult that can be.

It might be me, but for a few years now it's seemed like he's been tired of the beat reporter gig but hasn't been able to escape from it. He's gotten a foot half out the door, but hasn't really stepped into anything else.

Like following this team for 10+ years as a fan is frustrating, but I can just go do something else when I lose interest. His entire career is kind of tied to it. I can see that getting old, especially when you end up having the same discussions over and over.

Maybe I'm projecting.

 

[keppel146]

It might be me, but for a few years now it's seemed like he's been tired of the beat reporter gig but hasn't been able to escape from it. He's gotten a foot half out the door, but hasn't really stepped into anything else.

Like following this team for 10+ years as a fan is frustrating, but I can just go do something else when I lose interest. His entire career is kind of tied to it. I can see that getting old, especially when you end up having the same discussions over and over.

Maybe I'm projecting.

Oh I think this is true. He’s prob sick of seeing the same style team and no skill. Leipold is the problem here.

 

[Obvious Fabertism]

It might be me, but for a few years now it's seemed like he's been tired of the beat reporter gig but hasn't been able to escape from it. He's gotten a foot half out the door, but hasn't really stepped into anything else.

Like following this team for 10+ years as a fan is frustrating, but I can just go do something else when I lose interest. His entire career is kind of tied to it. I can see that getting old, especially when you end up having the same discussions over and over.

Maybe I'm projecting.

He’s taken a more league wide role lately, and it’s definitely taken his focus away from the Wild. He got completely scooped on the Trenin signing, not even a mention as someone the Wild were looking at and his speculation lately has been at best spotty. I think his connections inside the Wild are no longer as strong as they used to be after some of the recent internal moves too.

I would still rather keep Russo around at all costs, I do not like Joe Smith’s writing at all, structure issues, jarring tone changes, and typos riddled throughout his work just scream unprofessional. I wanted to like him, but he has not won me over, and his insight to the team seems lacking unless he is directly quoting someone else.

 

[Bazeek]

He’s taken a more league wide role lately, and it’s definitely taken his focus away from the Wild. He got completely scooped on the Trenin signing, not even a mention as someone the Wild were looking at and his speculation lately has been at best spotty. I think his connections inside the Wild are no longer as strong as they used to be after some of the recent internal moves too.

I would still rather keep Russo around at all costs, I do not like Joe Smith’s writing at all, structure issues, jarring tone changes, and typos riddled throughout his work just scream unprofessional. I wanted to like him, but he has not won me over, and his insight to the team seems lacking unless he is directly quoting someone else.

I've read a little of Smith's stuff but ended up in roughly the same place you have.

 

[Digitalbooya]

Russo was spot on with the Wild wanting to sign Perron. Sounds like they offered to him but wouldn’t go over 1 year in term.

I also think there’s something going on with Laine. He wouldn’t write about it and tweet about it if there wasn’t serious consideration there.

If you actually listen to the podcasts, it’s easy to decipher what is fact and what is Russo speculation.

 

[BigT2002]

It might be me, but for a few years now it's seemed like he's been tired of the beat reporter gig but hasn't been able to escape from it. He's gotten a foot half out the door, but hasn't really stepped into anything else.

Like following this team for 10+ years as a fan is frustrating, but I can just go do something else when I lose interest. His entire career is kind of tied to it. I can see that getting old, especially when you end up having the same discussions over and over.

Maybe I'm projecting.

IIRC, he received a promotion to be one of the editors for The Athletic for NHL and has been spending more time on national programs and live events. As a result, The Athletic wanted him to take that more public role, which meant the Podcast (hence the two different ones). They even hired a new beat writer for the Wild on The Athletic.

In my opinion, the issue is that he is just too much of a fixture with the Wild to be completely removed from it. After a decade, he's essentially typecasted. Not to mention, he doesn't have the background to formally judge the talent of prospects or talent outside of the lens of pretty much any of us at this point in his career. So the only way to really drum up views and reads is with this market because we all have known him and trusted him for almost 2 decades at this point.

 

[Bazeek]

Russo was spot on with the Wild wanting to sign Perron. Sounds like they offered to him but wouldn’t go over 1 year in term.

I also think there’s something going on with Laine. He wouldn’t write about it and tweet about it if there wasn’t serious consideration there.

If you actually listen to the podcasts, it’s easy to decipher what is fact and what is Russo speculation.

I wonder if it'd be something that happens closer to the start of the season. I'm not sure what else they have to do yet this summer, but I assume it'd all have to be done before figuring out how to fit Laine in. Or what kind of retention we'd need from Columbus.

 

[Saga of the Elk]

It might be me, but for a few years now it's seemed like he's been tired of the beat reporter gig but hasn't been able to escape from it. He's gotten a foot half out the door, but hasn't really stepped into anything else.

Like following this team for 10+ years as a fan is frustrating, but I can just go do something else when I lose interest. His entire career is kind of tied to it. I can see that getting old, especially when you end up having the same discussions over and over.

Maybe I'm projecting.

No, you're right on. Russo is good when he's writing about death, cancer, alcoholism or depression. Sportswise, not so much. Developing a good relationship with Guerin would actually seem to be a fairly routine thing to do: go grab a few sodapops and just talk hockey, try to help fans understand the situation. Instead, you get Russo channeling Larry Brooks: "the Wild should do this, this or this." Nope, have a seat and let the pros do that.

 

[Wasted Talent]

I wonder if it'd be something that happens closer to the start of the season. I'm not sure what else they have to do yet this summer, but I assume it'd all have to be done before figuring out how to fit Laine in. Or what kind of retention we'd need from Columbus.

I think I recall Russo saying that Laine trade isn't possible yet because he's still in the player assistance program, so that would explain why they have to wait with it.

 

[Digitalbooya]

Or might just have a buffer amount in mind for cap accruals/callups.

$1M to Chisholm and $925k for Wallstedt. That would make sense for why it would be viewed as ~ $500k. Maybe they actually are going to run 3 goaltenders for a chunk of the season…

 

[Spurgeon]

Russo was spot on with the Wild wanting to sign Perron. Sounds like they offered to him but wouldn’t go over 1 year in term.

I also think there’s something going on with Laine. He wouldn’t write about it and tweet about it if there wasn’t serious consideration there.

If you actually listen to the podcasts, it’s easy to decipher what is fact and what is Russo speculation.

My guess is they went with Trenin over Perron because there’s more of a “hole” in the bottom 6 the following season than there would otherwise be in the Top 6.

I still don’t know how Laine is even a possible acquisition without moving Gaudreau, which I can’t see being possible. It’s unfortunate that he & Johnny aren’t related.

 

[NHL1674]

My guess is they went with Trenin over Perron because there’s more of a “hole” in the bottom 6 the following season than there would otherwise be in the Top 6.

I still don’t know how Laine is even a possible acquisition without moving Gaudreau, which I can’t see being possible. It’s unfortunate that he & Johnny aren’t related.

Guerin wouldn't dare move one of his guys. We gotta keep the grit! Why move Gaudreau when you can move a Gus or Rossi? Besides, moving Gaudreau would be admitting that he made a mistake with that contract, and his ego wouldn't be able to handle it.

 

[Webster]

Guerin doesn't like Russo, that's what I think. Russo getting frustrated because he can't get much out of the GM anymore.

Btw...unless there's a source, I don't believe that the Wild talked to Perron. That player will fail on Guerin's personality check.

 

[Digitalbooya]

Guerin doesn't like Russo, that's what I think. Russo getting frustrated because he can't get much out of the GM anymore.

Btw...unless there's a source, I don't believe that the Wild talked to Perron. That player will fail on Guerin's personality check.

Russo said they offered a one year deal to Perron, which refutes both points you made.

Why would Perron fail on Guerin's personality check?

 

[NHL1674]

Russo and Smith: Wild boss Bill Guerin stands by his core, but he better be right

Snippets from a pre-season article last year. It's maddening to read it now, because here we are another season later, and nothing has changed. No lessons were learned. BG is still going with "his" guys and handing out cap killing contracts to bottom 6er's.......Zuccarello yet AGAIN struggled 5 on 5, and Hynes' answer is to possibly put him back on the top line this upcoming season....Foligno needed surgery AGAIN....and some kids are in danger of being blocked or seeing reduced ice time thanks to BG/Hynes' antics. I don't see Guerin taking any responsibility for "his" core after this past season....yet he felt quite comfortable calling out a few guys this past week.

Guerin believes in his guys, and he’s put his money where his mouth is by locking up most regulars to multiyear deals. If this eventually ends up in a Stanley Cup boat parade down the Mississippi, Guerin will look like a decisive, go-with-your-gut exec whose loyalty is rewarded. But if not, the Wild could remain in that murky middle, competitive but not really a contender, and won’t have much cap room for what was supposed to be a spending spree when the Parise-Suter buyout cap hits expire. That is a lot of faith in this core group of Wild players, who are 8-15 in their past four playoff rounds for a franchise that hasn’t been to Round 2 since 2015.

Though Zuccarello’s five-on-five underlying numbers took a dip last year, you could see the Wild’s reasoning for bringing him back, aligning his two-year extension with the end of Kirill Kaprizov’s deal. Zuccarello, at age 36, is still an effective top-line player for Minnesota, and his chemistry with Kaprizov no doubt makes the team’s best player happy. And if Zuccarello is gone next summer, you wonder who’d be able to slide into that spot so smoothly?

While Guerin said this wasn’t the reasoning behind the two-year extension, it does buy time for some forward prospects due to turn pro next season to develop in Iowa.

"I like our team with Marcus Foligno way better than without him,” Guerin said.

There are legitimate concerns about Foligno’s durability considering his style of play and the natural aging curve. For what it’s worth, Foligno entered camp feeling “night and day” better than how he was during an injury-plagued 2022-23 season. He doesn’t have to score 25 goals for this deal to pan out. He just has to be himself and stay on the ice and out of the box, not get kicked out one shift into a pivotal Game 5 (questionable call or not).

There will be spots opening in coming years and — if you take Guerin at his word — if a prospect proves he’s ready, they’ll find a way to play them. Guerin is in the business of winning, and he’d better be in the next few years as “one hand tied behind our backs” can only be a crutch for so long.

 

[keppel146]

Guerin doesn't like Russo, that's what I think. Russo getting frustrated because he can't get much out of the GM anymore.

Btw...unless there's a source, I don't believe that the Wild talked to Perron. That player will fail on Guerin's personality check.

100% get the same vibe from the video interviews.

 

[Wabit]

I'm thinking Russo lost his last real "inside man" with Darby now gone. His other one (forget his name) got fired (or something) and there that investigation or something earlier last season.

I don't think Russo can go full anti-Fenton heel again due to his podcast with LaPanta, but I'm wondering if his talking and articles will start to lean more that way?

 

[NHL1674]

I honestly can't believe that Russo hasn't moved to Florida or Vegas by now. I'm sure he's made it known that he's available. He's always posting his love for Vegas and the Knights. Not a secret.

 

[Wabit]

I honestly can't believe that Russo hasn't moved to Florida or Vegas by now. I'm sure he's made it known that he's available. He's always posting his love for Vegas and the Knights. Not a secret.

I don't think he wants to go back to just being a beat reporter for a newspaper. It's aso really up to his bosses at the athletic which team he covers.

Just guessing on this but they brought in Smith and gave Russo a tryout with CAR? a year or two ago. Smith hasn't really taken off with MN fans; writing style, lack of "inside" contacts, fans don't like him, or whatever. Russo didn't really hit it out of the park with the other team fanbase, maybe for the same reasons?

It would probably set Russo back a couple of years if he moved now. Curate contacts with the teams and build up a rep for himself with the fanbase. So he;d be back to just writing articles and not doing the podcasts (or doing them and getting the listeners) and extra stuff like that.

 

[AKL]

This is the season when you start thinking about Kaprizov's future on this team. If they're completely out of it by the trade deadline, which isn't likely, but I wouldn't rule it out either, probably start exploring the value you could get for him. If they finish the season on the outside, you definitely need to have serious talks by the draft, both with him and without him, about what the future could look like.

You're flying close to the sun if you go into the 2025-26 season without a Kaprizov extension, and if he doesn't extend by the trade deadline in 2026, you trade him and don't look back. This organization can't afford to lose Kaprizov, but it definitely can't afford to lose him for nothing the way Calgary did with Gaudreau.

My concern is that Guerin will think he can sign him up until the bitter end. I also think they wouldn't want to risk fans not showing up to games anymore in a sort of "protest" in response to trading him (even if he didn't want to extend here). Combine those two thoughts and it could get ugly for us.

 

[Wabit]

This is the season when you start thinking about Kaprizov's future on this team. If they're completely out of it by the trade deadline, which isn't likely, but I wouldn't rule it out either, probably start exploring the value you could get for him. If they finish the season on the outside, you definitely need to have serious talks by the draft, both with him and without him, about what the future could look like.

You're flying close to the sun if you go into the 2025-26 season without a Kaprizov extension, and if he doesn't extend by the trade deadline in 2026, you trade him and don't look back. This organization can't afford to lose Kaprizov, but it definitely can't afford to lose him for nothing the way Calgary did with Gaudreau.

My concern is that Guerin will think he can sign him up until the bitter end. I also think they wouldn't want to risk fans not showing up to games anymore in a sort of "protest" in response to trading him (even if he didn't want to extend here). Combine those two thoughts and it could get ugly for us.

Guerin's job security comes down to keeping Kaprizov. What might be best for the team won't be best for GMBG keeping his job.

Trade Kap with a year+ left on his deal and be out of a job when the season is over. Or hold on to him keep the job for another year. Hope Kap can be convinced to change his mind over the next year and re-sign. Then the job is secure for at least another season after that.

 

[AKL]

Guerin's job security comes down to keeping Kaprizov. What might be best for the team won't be best for GMBG keeping his job.

Trade Kap with a year+ left on his deal and be out of a job when the season is over. Or hold on to him keep the job for another year. Hope Kap can be convinced to change his mind over the next year and re-sign. Then the job is secure for at least another season after that.

Also a factor in it. The hope is that Guerin doesn't think his job security is tied to Kaprizov, and that trading Kaprizov for a good return could also allow him to keep the job.

In order of most to least job security, you'd think it would look like

1) Sign Kaprizov
2) Trade Kaprizov for a good return
3) Trade Kaprizov for a bad return
4) Let him walk for nothing

I think the only thing Wild fans would hate more than trading Kaprizov is watching Gaborik 2.0 unfold. That means he's 100% fired. Trading him for something might only mean 50-75% chance at getting fired.