Off Season Move(s) Thread

[BagHead]

It seems obvious to me that size is important, but isn't all important. Size without skill makes you irrelevant. Skill without size gets you far, but not all the way. Skilled size gets you playoff runs and maybe Cups.

There are also 20 (something) roster spots, so there is room for a few players who are small and also skilled, like Marchand. You can have them, but the key is to not have too many.

 

[north21]

Wasn't that long ago everyone was focused on speed and skill. If you have too much tunnel vision you are screwed and end up coveting guys like Brazeau.

 

[Saga of the Elk]

Super small centers like Jacques Lemaire, Wayne Gretzky, Joe Sakic, Sidney Crosby and Brayden Point just can't play playoff hockey.

 

[BagHead]

Super small centers like Jacques Lemaire, Wayne Gretzky, Joe Sakic, Sidney Crosby and Brayden Point just can't play playoff hockey.

I agree that plenty of small players have done very well in the playoffs. I also will note that those teams had both small and large players, and many of the large players were also skilled players. The reality is that size is important to a degree, but skill is even more important.

If the Wild want to get bigger and better, the key isn't moving their most skilled and easiest to move small man, it's to move on from the old small guys who are growing less effective.

 

[Saga of the Elk]

I agree that plenty of small players have done very well in the playoffs. I also will note that those teams had both small and large players, and many of the large players were also skilled players. The reality is that size is important to a degree, but skill is even more important.

If the Wild want to get bigger and better, the key isn't moving their most skilled and easiest to move small man, it's to move on from the old small guys who are growing less effective.

So no extension for Kaprizov?

 

[AKL]

If the Wild want to get bigger and better, the key isn't moving their most skilled and easiest to move small man, it's to move on from the old small guys who are growing less effective.

Rossi is 35 in short person years

If the Wild want to get bigger and better, the key isn't moving their most skilled and easiest to move small man

Actually this reminds me of when companies do layoffs and lay off their cheapest employees that are doing most of the day to day work to keep things moving.

 

[BagHead]

So no extension for Kaprizov?

I want to laugh and love this post.

 

[57special]

Rossi is 35 in short person years

It's actually the other way around- smaller dogs live longer, making Rossi 12yo right now.

 

[Sweetnut]

It's actually the other way around- smaller dogs live longer, making Rossi 12yo right now.

So there you have it. Zuke is not actually 50 yo, because he's small, so therefore he's 15 yo.

 

[DigitalBoldy]

Super small centers like Jacques Lemaire, Wayne Gretzky, Joe Sakic, Sidney Crosby and Brayden Point just can't play playoff hockey.

Serious question. Is this the type of player you think Rossi is?

 

[57special]

So there you have it. Zuke is not actually 50 yo, because he's small, so therefore he's 15 yo.

But he's a very old 15.

 

[AKL]

So there you have it. Zuke is not actually 50 yo, because he's small, so therefore he's 15 yo.

Bad news for Eriksson Ek though, who's approaching his 40th birthday, as well as Foligno, who's turning 47 this year.

 

[Sweetnut]

Bad news for Eriksson Ek though, who's approaching his 40th birthday, as well as Foligno, who's turning 47 this year.

Aha, so New Guy is actually 75. That's why he couldn't move at all on the ice. Makes sense.

 

[57special]

No wonder Jiricek is getting injured so much... he's getting old

 

[thestonedkoala]

Honest question after seeing Dallas, Toronto, Florida and Edmonton reach the finals; how far off is Minnesota from being a legit contender? I feel like they are spinning their wheels and are further off than they were when Guerin took over the team.

In the next few years a lot of the older veterans are going to be moving and I don't know if their prospect group will be able to take over. Thank God for Faber and possibly Buium...but I don't know. This group seems pretty mediocre.

 

[MNRube]

Honest question after seeing Dallas, Toronto, Florida and Edmonton reach the finals; how far off is Minnesota from being a legit contender? I feel like they are spinning their wheels and are further off than they were when Guerin took over the team.

In the next few years a lot of the older veterans are going to be moving and I don't know if their prospect group will be able to take over. Thank God for Faber and possibly Buium...but I don't know. This group seems pretty mediocre.

Largely depends on how good the Buium, Yurov, Ohgren, Jiricek, Wallstedt group is.

If we get two or three difference makers out of that group, I like our chances to be a Top 5 team.

The core of Kap, Boldy, JEE, Faber is pretty strong IMO.

We also have to get something back of value if we trade Rossi and get Kaprizov locked up.

Also Toronto lost in the semis

 

[Saga of the Elk]

Honest question after seeing Dallas, Toronto, Florida and Edmonton reach the finals; how far off is Minnesota from being a legit contender? I feel like they are spinning their wheels and are further off than they were when Guerin took over the team.

In the next few years a lot of the older veterans are going to be moving and I don't know if their prospect group will be able to take over. Thank God for Faber and possibly Buium...but I don't know. This group seems pretty mediocre.

It gets pretty depressing to think that teams like Montreal and St Louis might be in a better position going forward than Minnesota is. Anaheim has a ridiculous amount of talent and even San Jose is starting to trend the right way. Columbus and Detroit are growing into playoff calibre teams and the Wild's big offseason moves so far are sign Marcus Johansson, look to trade the 23 year old second leading scorer on the team and not have even a first round pick to upgrade the pipeline before Charlie Stramel arrives.

 

[thestonedkoala]

Largely depends on how good the Buium, Yurov, Ohgren, Jiricek, Wallstedt group is.

If we get two or three difference makers out of that group, I like our chances to be a Top 5 team.

The core of Kap, Boldy, JEE, Faber is pretty strong IMO.

We also have to get something back of value if we trade Rossi and get Kaprizov locked up.

Also Toronto lost in the semis

Crap I got Carolina and Toronto flipped.

Faber was gassed and was mediocre in the playoffs. My concern is we're going to run him into the ground.

 

[MNRube]

It gets pretty depressing to think that teams like Montreal and St Louis might be in a better position going forward than Minnesota is. Anaheim has a ridiculous amount of talent and even San Jose is starting to trend the right way. Columbus and Detroit are growing into playoff calibre teams and the Wild's big offseason moves so far are sign Marcus Johansson, look to trade the 23 year old second leading scorer on the team and not have even a first round pick to upgrade the pipeline before Charlie Stramel arrives.

Ahh yes, we are doomed because we resigned Mojo for under $1M. Much better to have Gaunce and Boyd than a guy who can actually play as your 13th F.

We also have not traded Rossi yet. And if we do trade an undersized RFA C who just shot 17% it remains to be seen if that is a smart move.

The franchise is in the healthiest place it has ever been. I don’t get all the negativity. The buyouts are behind us. We are a lock to have a good lineup next year with a half dozen really good prospects capable of providing internal upside. All indications are we are in for a very entertaining season

 

[MNRube]

Are we the Panthers? No.

Do we have a good team that is now adding cap flexibility and some great prospects? Yes.

Is Bill Guerin Satan? Maybe.

Would a core of Marco Rossi and Kevin Fiala win the Stanley Cup? Definitely.

 

[Saga of the Elk]

Ahh yes, we are doomed because we resigned Mojo for under $1M. Much better to have Gaunce and Boyd than a guy who can actually play as your 13th F.

We also have not traded Rossi yet. And if we do trade an undersized RFA C who just shot 17% it remains to be seen if that is a smart move.

The franchise is in the healthiest place it has ever been. I don’t get all the negativity. The buyouts are behind us. We are a lock to have a good lineup next year with a half dozen really good prospects capable of providing internal upside. All indications are we are in for a very entertaining season

"Doomed." I mean, yes, the franchise is in a better place than it has been -- to damn with faint praise. It unfortunately doesn't mean "contending for the Stanley Cup" even if you truly believe Yurov is coming in like Sergei Fedorov or even Michkov or Demidov. Put aside that unlikely scenario and ask, what are the chances Kaprizov plays 82 games for the first time? What are the chances JEE plays 60?

I tried to make the optimistic case for the Wild this playoffs but they blew it against a team that was barely competitive against the Skinner/Pickard Oilers. Sure, Buium is a legit prospect and others may be too -- including Jiricek -- but every team in the west has young players they are plugging in. Utah is going to be a big free agent destination. Chicago is adding talent.

Is Guerin going to get a much better player than Rossi in return? At best, he'll get a Rossi-level player because that's how the NHL trade market works. One step forward, one step back.

 

[MNRube]

"Doomed." I mean, yes, the franchise is in a better place than it has been -- to damn with faint praise. It unfortunately doesn't mean "contending for the Stanley Cup" even if you truly believe Yurov is coming in like Sergei Fedorov or even Michkov or Demidov. Put aside that unlikely scenario and ask, what are the chances Kaprizov plays 82 games for the first time? What are the chances JEE plays 60?

I tried to make the optimistic case for the Wild this playoffs but they blew it against a team that was barely competitive against the Skinner/Pickard Oilers. Sure, Buium is a legit prospect and others may be too -- including Jiricek -- but every team in the west has young players they are plugging in. Utah is going to be a big free agent destination. Chicago is adding talent.

Is Guerin going to get a much better player than Rossi in return? At best, he'll get a Rossi-level player because that's how the NHL trade market works. One step forward, one step back.

All those young teams have only young players. How many of those teams adding similar prospects to ours have a core of prime players as good as Kap, Boldy, Faber, Ek?

The only team you mentioned with a core ready to win is St. Louis. And I’m not sure their present core + Dvorsky/Snuggerud is any more poised to be contenders than what we have cooking

 

[57special]

Bad news for Eriksson Ek though, who's approaching his 40th birthday, as well as Foligno, who's turning 47 this year.

Not to speak of Brazeau...


we can keep this bit going for a long time.

 

[KaprizovSaveUs]

Honest question after seeing Dallas, Toronto, Florida and Edmonton reach the finals; how far off is Minnesota from being a legit contender? I feel like they are spinning their wheels and are further off than they were when Guerin took over the team.

In the next few years a lot of the older veterans are going to be moving and I don't know if their prospect group will be able to take over. Thank God for Faber and possibly Buium...but I don't know. This group seems pretty mediocre.

They’re a Barkov/Eichel and another top 6 winger away

 

[57special]

Is Bill Guerin Satan? Maybe.

If he is, then I am disappointed. Do better, Hell.