Speculation: Trade and Free Agency Talk - 2022-23 Edition - Postseason Success can't be a Myth!

[Digitalbooya]

So we couldn’t afford Fiala and Boldy might be getting a bridge.

 

[Wabit]

So we couldn’t afford Fiala and Boldy might be getting a bridge.

They could have done both. They just chose not to because not signing talent, small d-men, and heaps of dead cap is fun.

 

[Digitalbooya]

They could have done both. They just chose not to because not signing talent, small d-men, and heaps of dead cap is fun.

??

 

[Wabit]

??

Spurgeon getting his awful contract. Remember, Fenton hadn't even talked to him about re-signing before he was fired.

 

[Bdub]

This team is short two top 6 centers, 2 top 6 wings, two top 4 defenseman, and a starting goalie. This team has no future except the outcome of Boldy and kaprizov contracts.

 

[BagHead]

This team is short two top 6 centers, 2 top 6 wings, two top 4 defenseman, and a starting goalie. This team has no future except the outcome of Boldy and kaprizov contracts.

While I'm a little bearish compared to most Wild fans when it comes to our prospect pool, this take is full-on grizzly. This makes it sound like you believe that none of the prospect pool will become anything good. Is that how you meant this?

 

[Digitalbooya]

Spurgeon getting his awful contract. Remember, Fenton hadn't even talked to him about re-signing before he was fired.

Meh, I'm not super upset at the Spurgeon contract. He hasn't done anything to warrant having feelings either way on it.

 

[TaLoN]

Meh, I'm not super upset at the Spurgeon contract. He hasn't done anything to warrant having feelings either way on it.

Hated it when he was signed to it... still hate it today. He should've been traded instead of signed.

 

[BagHead]

Meh, I'm not super upset at the Spurgeon contract. He hasn't done anything to warrant having feelings either way on it.

The difficult part of it is that he still has 4 more years on it after this year. He's "just" worth that contract today. By the time he's 37 he probably won't be. I don't mind the contract overall, but I definitely lean toward the negative side of neutral on it. That said, top 4 defensemen (top 2 at the time he signed it... and still today IMO) don't grow on trees and we had no replacement.

I do wonder what the Wild could have gotten for him in a trade. I can't remember what the speculation was at the time.

 

[Bdub]

While I'm a little bearish compared to most Wild fans when it comes to our prospect pool, this take is full-on grizzly. This makes it sound like you believe that none of the prospect pool will become anything good. Is that how you meant this?

Our prospect pool is above nhl average. Rossi on the other hand was over hyped big time.

 

[Digitalbooya]

The difficult part of it is that he still has 4 more years on it after this year. He's "just" worth that contract today. By the time he's 37 he probably won't be. I don't mind the contract overall, but I definitely lean toward the negative side of neutral on it. That said, top 4 defensemen (top 2 at the time he signed it... and still today IMO) don't grow on trees and we had no replacement.

I do wonder what the Wild could have gotten for him in a trade. I can't remember what the speculation was at the time.

Spurgeon’s NMC turns into a modified no trade after next season.

 

[DANOZ28]

rossi still could be good, im not giving up yet. it took koivu & JEE a long time too be very good centers.

 

[AKL]

rossi still could be good, im not giving up yet. it took koivu & JEE a long time too be very good centers.

He had a good game tonight. Looked like he was just playing instead of overthinking everything.

 

[57special]

He had a good game tonight. Looked like he was just playing instead of overthinking everything.

I think he's going to be ok, it will just take time. Everyone wants it to happen right away...it doesn't always work that way. I will be interested to see how this year in the AHL goes - will he be over a PPG, or will he fade? Will he get a callup sometime after Christmas, or are there no spots available?

It could be worse. Imagine picking Alex Turcotte at 5oa in 2019. He's got 5 pts. in 11gp in the AHL, or something like that, and last year wasn't vg either.

 

[Digitalbooya]

I think he's going to be ok, it will just take time. Everyone wants it to happen right away...it doesn't always work that way. I will be interested to see how this year in the AHL goes - will he be over a PPG, or will he fade? Will he get a callup sometime after Christmas, or are there no spots available?

It could be worse. Imagine picking Alex Turcotte at 5oa in 2019. He's got 5 pts. in 11gp in the AHL, or something like that, and last year wasn't vg either.

I think the part that drove me crazy about Rossi was that it was like he forgot how to play hockey this year. He couldn't carry the puck for 2 feet without bumbling it or losing it to someone else.

He goes down to Iowa and suddenly that's gone. He's got poise with the puck. He's making excellent passes. He's scoring goals. He looks more like the player people think he should be.

Turcotte has had like 2-3 concussions and other injuries. Unfortunate circumstances.

 

[TaLoN]

He had a good game tonight. Looked like he was just playing instead of overthinking everything.

That's what I think as well. He isn't quick at the NHL level, because he's overthinking instead of playing on instinct. That was also one of the same problems Granlund had early on (along with being shocked by the physical play at the NHL level).

 

[BagHead]

I think the part that drove me crazy about Rossi was that it was like he forgot how to play hockey this year. He couldn't carry the puck for 2 feet without bumbling it or losing it to someone else.

He goes down to Iowa and suddenly that's gone. He's got poise with the puck. He's making excellent passes. He's scoring goals. He looks more like the player people think he should be.

Turcotte has had like 2-3 concussions and other injuries. Unfortunate circumstances.

I think that's because Rossi has more time in the AHL. He doesn't feel the pressure as early, so he doesn't get punished as quickly for the wrong move, which makes him able to process his surroundings more fully, which lets him make the right play more often, and so he's confident in his skills because of it.

If you record yourself playing a video game against someone who is a little worse at it than you, and then move on to someone who is quite a bit better at it, you'll see that you don't quite look like the same player. Headshots don't happen as cleanly, movement gets janky or uncertain, and your gameplay appears different because of it. It's my experience that hockey isn't any different.

As long as he works on his skills, especially skating and strength training, and doing them at a quicker pace, he'll get there eventually and probably be a pretty good player.

 

[BagHead]

Our prospect pool is above nhl average. Rossi on the other hand was over hyped big time.

When you lead the CHL in scoring as a draft eligible, that'll happen.

I think the Wild have a pretty decent prospect pool, but the past has shown that great prospect pools do not often translate into great teams. I still have hopes for Rossi, though. I used to think his ceiling was an 80 point two way center, but now I'm thinking more like 60 point. Again, that's ceiling, but maybe he'll surprise me? I like good surprises.

 

[57special]

Rossi certainly had trouble adjusting to the speed and strength of the NHL, again, like MiG. He also likes to play on the perimeter. That will have to change. I don't expect him to be Marcus Foligno, but he does have to learn how to play inside. Zuccarello is tiny, and he does it. Spurgeon, also. Rossi would do well to emulate them.

 

[Webster]

Rossi certainly had trouble adjusting to the speed and strength of the NHL, again, like MiG. He also likes to play on the perimeter. That will have to change. I don't expect him to be Marcus Foligno, but he does have to learn how to play inside. Zuccarello is tiny, and he does it. Spurgeon, also. Rossi would do well to emulate them.

Zuccarello and Rossi have basically the same weight, 181 vs 182, Rossi an inch taller. But Zucc looks stronger. I think that's Rossi's problem, he needs more strength for speed and to win board battles and avoid getting knocked off the puck.

 

[57special]

Zuccarello and Rossi have basically the same weight, 181 vs 182, Rossi an inch taller. But Zucc looks stronger. I think that's Rossi's problem, he needs more strength for speed and to win board battles and avoid getting knocked off the puck.

It's experience, partly talent, but you can never underestimate the strength of a grown man vs. a not so grown one. Even a year can make a big difference in strength, even though on the outside the measurables are the same. Zucc didn't play a minute in the NHL till he was 23yo, and didn't break out till he was 26yo. Now, you want Rossi to be on a quicker timeline than that as a 1st round pick, but there is no doubt that not everyone is ready for the NHL at 21.

 

[TaLoN]

It's experience, partly talent, but you can never underestimate the strength of a grown man vs. a not so grown one. Even a year can make a big difference in strength, even though on the outside the measurables are the same. Zucc, didn't play a minute in the NHL till he was 23yo, and didn't break out till he was 26yo. Now, you want Rossi to be on a quicker timeline than that as a 1st round pick, but there is no doubt that not everyone is ready for the NHL at 21.

And unfortunately he's on a delayed timeline due to the lost COVID year. It literally pushed everything back in his timeline for him.

 

[57special]

And unfortunately he's on a delayed timeline due to the lost COVID year. It literally pushed everything back in his timeline for him.

YUp, just like Turcotte (though it's even worse for him).

Hey, Rossi could just be one of those guys destined to be a AHL AllStar, but it's way too quick to judge him a bust.

 

[thestonedkoala]

My biggest concern is that Guerin is going to lock in that Minnesota isn't a bubble team, but a contender and will sell the farm to get another top 6 to try and push this team, which is then going to blow up in his face.

I'm talking about a 1st this year, a 2nd next year, and a 1st in 2024, plus Carson Lambos, Adam Beckman and Ryan O'Rourke for someone like Patrick Kane or Jonathan Toews or something like that.

 

[57special]

My biggest concern is that Guerin is going to lock in that Minnesota isn't a bubble team, but a contender and will sell the farm to get another top 6 to try and push this team, which is then going to blow up in his face.

I'm talking about a 1st this year, a 2nd next year, and a 1st in 2024, plus Carson Lambos, Adam Beckman and Ryan O'Rourke for someone like Patrick Kane or

I don't think that there is much of a danger of that. He has been on record multiple times, including recently, that he won't sell significant assets for a rental. He did say it would be a different story for a young player with team control for a couple of years or so.

I worry that we will be a bubble team, or a tad better (because STL and NSH are looking bad)and that BG will not get value by trading Dumba, preferring to keep him for yet another fruitless playoff run. I would rather that we get some value for Dumba(a late 1st, I'm thinking, especially if we retain), even though it makes us a weaker team for two months.