WCQF: Wild vs. Stars Series Discussion

[57special]

Anyone else notice that we can't forecheck anymore? We used to be really good at hemming teams in their own zone, and getting them rattled.

 

[BigT2002]

Size without skill means nothing and both in high skill players is generally hard to find. Both Zucker and Granlund are basically the same size as Kane. Size isn't the detriment most think it is if you have the skill.
They look afraid and I don't know why. But more of it seems to be a confidence in their skills issue than an issue of needing more size.

Kane is but 1 player on a team full of other players who can do the roles you are expecting our smaller size players to do.

Parise is 5'9. He is your Patrick Kane player

Spurgeon is a Dman. He is also about the smallest guy on the team and 5'9 is stretching it greatly. Had a female friend stand by him for a photo who is 5'2 and he was barely taller than her. That is hard for a player in that role to be that small.

Zucker is 5'10



Meanwhile, Chicago:

Toews: 5'10
Hossa: 6'2
Keith 6'1
Seabrook: 6'3
Kane: 5'10


I mean I can do the whole team if you want. The Wild are undersized for this division especially. Look at Winnipeg, Nashville, Dallas and St. Louis. We are the smallest team. Hence why this team never hits or plays physical. They do not have anyone who can actually do it that is a threat.

Meanwhile teams like St. Louis have a ton who will hit. Chicago? No problem. Winnipeg, we already know. Nashville, they are not afraid to do it.

The Wild are an Eastern Conference team in the Western Conference.

 

[BigT2002]

Anyone else notice that we can't forecheck anymore? We used to be really good at hemming teams in their own zone, and getting them rattled.

Not gonna lie. That was Brodziak's fortre

 

[plock]

Size without skill means nothing and both in high skill players is generally hard to find. Both Zucker and Granlund are basically the same size as Kane. Size isn't the detriment most think it is if you have the skill.
They look afraid and I don't know why. But more of it seems to be a confidence in their skills issue than an issue of needing more size.

Same with speed and really any other attribute you have to have more than one tool in you toolbox.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Parise is 5' 11"

 

[The Enemy Within]

I so wish we could be on the other side of the coin right now. Everyone being happy and excited for the upcoming games back home.

 

[BigT2002]

And the year before.

And years before

 

[BigT2002]

Parise is 5' 11"

I don't trust what the Wild broadcast as their actual heights. Spurgeon is Exhibit A. Anyone who has seen either in person knows they are not that tall. I have a photo with Zach and I'm 5'10, he was not taller than me.

 

[57special]

Parise is 5' 11"

I've stood beside him. I'm a hair over 6'. He ain't 5'11". Not that it matters much in the context of the conversation. Size matters, but so does strength, and overall build, as well as skills, speed, technique, mind, courage. They are all important.

 

[plock]

Kane is but 1 player on a team full of other players who can do the roles you are expecting our smaller size players to do.

Parise is 5'9. He is your Patrick Kane player

Spurgeon is a Dman. He is also about the smallest guy on the team and 5'9 is stretching it greatly. Had a female friend stand by him for a photo who is 5'2 and he was barely taller than her. That is hard for a player in that role to be that small.

Zucker is 5'10



Meanwhile, Chicago:

Toews: 5'10
Hossa: 6'2
Keith 6'1
Seabrook: 6'3
Kane: 5'10


I mean I can do the whole team if you want. The Wild are undersized for this division especially. Look at Winnipeg, Nashville, Dallas and St. Louis. We are the smallest team. Hence why this team never hits or plays physical. They do not have anyone who can actually do it that is a threat.

Meanwhile teams like St. Louis have a ton who will hit. Chicago? No problem. Winnipeg, we already know. Nashville, they are not afraid to do it.

The Wild are an Eastern Conference team in the Western Conference.

This team is not losing because of size.This team is losing because of a lack of skill.Most of the young prospects from 2 years ago have not developed into the players they were expected to become and a number of the vets have regressed.

 

[BigT2002]

This team is not losing because of size.This team is losing because of a lack of skill.Most of the young prospects from 2 years ago have not developed into the players they were expected to become and a number of the vets have regressed.

I'm definitely not saying they are losing because of height. But at key positions, it certainly does help. And at those key positions (Granlund, Zucker) it is failing horribly. What is going to upset me is if Chicago can still make it work after signing 2 players to 11.5M/yr contracts. Yet, we can't with 2 that are at 7.5M/yr for caphit.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

I'm definitely not saying they are losing because of height. But at key positions, it certainly does help. And at those key positions (Granlund, Zucker) it is failing horribly. What is going to upset me is if Chicago can still make it work after signing 2 players to 11.5M/yr contracts. Yet, we can't with 2 that are at 7.5M/yr for caphit.

Having a Norris caliber defenseman at $5.5M helps balance things.

What "key position" is Zucker?

 

[BigT2002]

I've stood beside him. I'm a hair over 6'. He ain't 5'11". Not that it matters much in the context of the conversation. Size matters, but so does strength, and overall build, as well as skills, speed, technique, mind, courage. They are all important.

Absolutely. I'm not going down that road just because it is a scapegoat. But it scares me to think that if this team can figure out how to make it work for them....they are going to be hurting. Having 2 players out for the series shouldn't be the doom and gloom to end of it. Parise should not be the reason this team loses a playoff series.

 

[57special]

Not gonna lie. That was Brodziak's fortre

Nah, he was too slow to get in there, similar to Koivu.

Zucker used to be great. Same with Parise. Porter is usually decent, sometimes Coyle. Granlund tries, but he's not strong enough.

Tougher for C's to do it.

 

[BigT2002]

Having a Norris caliber defenseman at $5.5M helps balance things.

So does not having your Captain signed at 6.5, and 2 other wingers at 6 who collectively don't do squat compared to their 2C, 1RW and 2LW are doing. But, as we've said before....contracts can come back to kill ya.

What "key position" is Zucker?

Going away from what the scouts were saying, he was starting to shoot up towards Top 6 forward. He would have a great season and then falter. Then he would come back the next season and play well enough to bounce between 2-3 lines throughout. Which is what you want. You want players who can play much more minutes than they would be doing on a typical day. But he can't. it has gotten to the point where the coaches do not trust him to play in key times. He isn't a special teams man either. I blame that one on coaching a little more than I should, but he overall has not panned out to be that fringe Top 6 player.

But yes, it is merely my opinion.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Absolutely. I'm not going down that road just because it is a scapegoat. But it scares me to think that if this team can figure out how to make it work for them....they are going to be hurting. Having 2 players out for the series shouldn't be the doom and gloom to end of it. Parise should not be the reason this team loses a playoff series.

No, but perhaps playing the best team in the conference is.

 

[plock]

Nah, he was too slow to get in there, similar to Koivu.

Zucker used to be great. Same with Parise. Porter is usually decent, sometimes Coyle. Granlund tries, but he's not strong enough.

Tougher for C's to do it.

Zucker used to be highly overrated.

 

[BigT2002]

No, but perhaps playing the best team in the conference is.

Can't buy that my friend. They've beaten the last 2 Central Division Champs in previous seasons. And both teams were not facing major injuries either. If anything the Wild had more animosity than their opposing teams did.....albeit only what we heard reporting.

 

[57special]

Absolutely. I'm not going down that road just because it is a scapegoat. But it scares me to think that if this team can figure out how to make it work for them....they are going to be hurting. Having 2 players out for the series shouldn't be the doom and gloom to end of it. Parise should not be the reason this team loses a playoff series.

Totally agree. A healthy Parise is our best forward, but they were benching Vanek prior to the injury, so how much of a loss is he, anyway?

We've had no help from Iowa(Dalpe... Really?) this year, and our "big guns" have turned into popguns, for the most part. Stoll and Jones...those were our acquisitions. Pretty underwhelming, but perhaps Fletcher saw where this team was heading and decided not to throw good money after bad.

We tried to get Johansen, and it didn't work out.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Can't buy that my friend. They've beaten the last 2 Central Division Champs in previous seasons. And both teams were not facing major injuries either.

It's still the exception, not the rule.

Colorado was playing above their abilities and everybody knew it going in; Blues are notorious for 1st round no-shows.

 

[BigT2002]

Totally agree. A healthy Parise is our best forward, but they were benching Vanek prior to the injury, so how much of a loss is he, anyway?

We've had no help from Iowa(Dalpe... Really?) this year, and our "big guns" have turned into popguns, for the most part. Stoll and Jones...those were our acquisitions. Pretty underwhelming, but perhaps Fletcher saw where this team was heading and decided not to throw good money after bad.

We tried to get Johansen, and it didn't work out.

The last two paragraphs sell it the most. Our big trade was for a guy who had his bags packed and was salivating to get out of Calargy. The other was a waiver pickup with a NFL reporter wife and a cocaine problem that got him kicked off his championship team. Not exactly great pickups and reminds me of the Simon and Hill days of DR.

Wish it would have worked out. I would have loved to see how the lines would have worked. But alas.

 

[BigT2002]

It's still the exception, not the rule.

You are the Yin to my Yang as always

 

[BurnsyMN]

I have tickets for Monday. Not even remotely excited.

 

[57special]

Zucker used to be highly overrated.

He also used to get out on breaks regularly, was always quick to rip off a very nice wrister, and, God forbid, score once in a while.

I can't explain the nonentity he has become. Perhaps the concussions catching up to him?

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

You are the Yin to my Yang as always

Have to balance out the ledge jumpers.