Series Talk: Playoff Qualifier Series: Minnesota Wild vs Vancouver Canucks (VAN wins 3-1)

[a79krgm]

Minnesota is the hockey state, right? Twin Cities must be a much better option than Columbus.

Yes, but Minnesota is the most notorious place in the world right now … (according to what I see in the news)

 

[TaLoN]

Yes, but Minnesota is the most notorious place in the world right now … (according to what I see in the news)

It's also calming down here faster than other places. Still have the most resources for both hockey and covid with the Mayo Clinic here.

 

[57special]

I can't see the NHL wanting to associate itself with MPLS/SPL right now. I don't blame them.

 

[SupremeNachos]

Yes, but Minnesota is the most notorious place in the world right now … (according to what I see in the news)

NHL hasn't even reached out to Walz or anyone in our state Govt. Don't know about Leipold but that doesn't surprise me everything considered.

 

[grN1g]

Hopefully Kap can get in for the series as he could be a huge factor in the overall outcome. I suspect they will roll with Stalock and the gamelan for the series will be playing aggressive and attack the neutral zone to force Van to have to dump in and allowing Stalock to use his skills as a skater and passer to quickly go the other way.

Can't allow Van to ever comfortably skate in the zone with the puck or the skill will take over and bang one in.

 

[a79krgm]

Hopefully Kap can get in for the series as he could be a huge factor in the overall outcome.
… Can't allow Van to ever comfortably skate in the zone with the puck or the skill will take over and bang one in.

The Wild have the players to do just that. Vancouver is so young and not ready for prime time. I believe a goalie like Kap, (or even Kap himself) can actually win it ALL in this odd summer exhibition that would be called the 2020 Stanly Cup playoffs.

 

[BagHead]

The Wild have the players to do just that. Vancouver is so young and not ready for prime time. I believe a goalie like Kap, (or even Kap himself) can actually win it ALL in this odd summer exhibition that would be called the 2020 Stanly Cup playoffs.

Not sure what makes you call it an exhibition. If a team wins 5 series in a row, I'm pretty sure they deserve the cup. I think the Wild have a legit chance at it, if they get legit goaltending. If they don't, Kaprizov won't be enough to save a series. He'll certainly help, though.

 

[Webster]

Parise (97 games, 74 points) and Zuccarello (73 games, 42 points) have tons of playoff experience. They will be key players.

The Canucks are a bunch of kids with very little playoff experience.

 

[SupremeNachos]

Parise (97 games, 74 points) and Zuccarello (73 games, 42 points) have tons of playoff experience. They will be key players.

The Canucks are a bunch of kids with very little playoff experience.

Same could have been said when we faced the Avs in 2013-14. It's a fact that the Canucks are loaded with some star talent and those type of players usually show up no matter what the situation is.

 

[a79krgm]

It's a shame that the hockey world didn't get to see the Wild complete the season as they were finishing strong and most likely would have got that playoff spot. The Wild were not the same team in March as they were in November, but few outside of Minnesota paid attention.

According to an anonymous coach polled from the Athletic the Canucks will win the series because …

"The Wild, to me, are slow and old and they’re almost lucky to be there. "

 

[DeagleJenkins]

It's a shame that the hockey world didn't get to see the Wild complete the season as they were finishing strong and most likely would have got that playoff spot. The Wild were not the same team in March as they were in November, but few outside of Minnesota paid attention.

According to an anonymous coach polled from the Athletic the Canucks will win the series because …

"The Wild, to me, are slow and old and they’re almost lucky to be there. "

I enjoy them down talking the wild. maybe it gets in some of their heads and they play out of their minds

 

[Webster]

Reporters basically said the Wild don't stand a chance this season, obviously they were all wrong...

 

[Minnesnota]

This is the post @a79krgm is referencing:

No. 7 Vancouver Canucks vs. No. 10 Minnesota Wild
Another series in which all three panelists agreed in picking the winner and also agreed in not feeling great about it. “It’s a tough one. I’ll probably go with the Canucks,” said the executive. “Just because of the youth, the speed and the excitement.” “Canucks but that’s just a gut feeling,” said the coach. “Those are even teams for me. I like the goalie better in Vancouver. I think the young guys in Vancouver are just about superstars. The Wild, to me, are slow and old and they’re almost lucky to be there. They’re like the Montreal of the West.”
Coach’s pick: Canucks
Executive’s pick: Canucks
Scout’s pick: Canucks

It has to be a Eastern Conference coach. No Western conference coach makes the Montreal comparison.

 

[57special]

VAN got one whole point more than MN, and MN was clearly trending upward after an awful start to the season. Just like MTL....hmmm...

 

[Jagged Ice]

This is the post @a79krgm is referencing:

No. 7 Vancouver Canucks vs. No. 10 Minnesota Wild
Another series in which all three panelists agreed in picking the winner and also agreed in not feeling great about it. “It’s a tough one. I’ll probably go with the Canucks,” said the executive. “Just because of the youth, the speed and the excitement.” “Canucks but that’s just a gut feeling,” said the coach. “Those are even teams for me. I like the goalie better in Vancouver. I think the young guys in Vancouver are just about superstars. The Wild, to me, are slow and old and they’re almost lucky to be there. They’re like the Montreal of the West.”
Coach’s pick: Canucks
Executive’s pick: Canucks
Scout’s pick: Canucks

It has to be a Eastern Conference coach. No Western conference coach makes the Montreal comparison.

So the Canucks have the youth who are superstars, speed, excitement and the better goalie and the Wild are slow and old. What are they not feeling great about? Sounds to me like they've made up their minds on who they think wins this series. Like others pointed out, the Wild were the better team just prior to the pandemic, but as usual, this expert panel forgot about that.

 

[BagHead]

This is the post @a79krgm is referencing:

No. 7 Vancouver Canucks vs. No. 10 Minnesota Wild
Another series in which all three panelists agreed in picking the winner and also agreed in not feeling great about it. “It’s a tough one. I’ll probably go with the Canucks,” said the executive. “Just because of the youth, the speed and the excitement.” “Canucks but that’s just a gut feeling,” said the coach. “Those are even teams for me. I like the goalie better in Vancouver. I think the young guys in Vancouver are just about superstars. The Wild, to me, are slow and old and they’re almost lucky to be there. They’re like the Montreal of the West.”
Coach’s pick: Canucks
Executive’s pick: Canucks
Scout’s pick: Canucks

It has to be a Eastern Conference coach. No Western conference coach makes the Montreal comparison.

And if anything, Montreal is the Wild of the East. Montreal of the West, you gotta be kidding!

 

[EXTRAS]

Go kahkonen

 

[Webster]

At least we got a time frame here, sounds like training camp will start July 10th and last for a couple of weeks. Then some pre-games, and the series will start around August 1st.

 

[Webster]

So no Kaprizov

But I'm still looking forward to this tilt with the Canucks. There's going to be a training camp, and I understand some players from Iowa have been invited. Any good centers there? Will be interesting to see who will make the lineup and how the lines will look like.

And no Dubnyk please.

Btw...take a look at this: Wild training camp preview

I don't think Kunin works well as a center. Put him on the left side if he works there, and Galchenyuk in the middle.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

So no Kaprizov

But I'm still looking forward to this tilt with the Canucks. There's going to be a training camp, and I understand some players from Iowa have been invited. Any good centers there? Will be interesting to see who will make the lineup and how the lines will look like.

And no Dubnyk please.

Btw...take a look at this: Wild training camp preview

I don't think Kunin works well as a center. Put him on the left side if he works there, and Galchenyuk in the middle.

Nope.

 

[57special]

Put our only RHS forward at LW?

 

[EXTRAS]

Who do you guys think will be in net?

 

[AKL]

Who do you guys think will be in net?

I would think that's going to be a game day decision based on camp. And it'll probably be a relatively fluid situation depending on how each game goes. They were riding Stalock for a while there, but they'll go with whichever one they think has a better chance to win that night, and no one can really predict that with these two guys.

 

[EXTRAS]

I would think that's going to be a game day decision based on camp. And it'll probably be a relatively fluid situation depending on how each game goes. They were riding Stalock for a while there, but they'll go with whichever one they think has a better chance to win that night, and no one can really predict that with these two guys.

So with "these two" you can confirm that they probably don't go with the big kahk man? Aw nuts.

 

[AKL]

So with "these two" you can confirm that they probably don't go with the big kahk man? Aw nuts.

I wouldn't expect it unless things get really desperate. But with how short the series is, he probably won't see playing time unless one or both get injured.