Confirmed with Link: Wild Sign Zuccarello 5yrs $6m aav

[2Pair]

One thing Russo just noted is that Zuccarello will likely play on a line with Parise, at least to start. Coming from Bruce.

That's a bad idea Bruce. Stop forcing the talented players to carry this guy around the rink.

 

[Uberdachen]

Boudreau’s questionable-looking announced lines are usually only valid for 1 1/2 - 2 periods. Except when they included Tyler “NES Ice Hockey skinny guy glitched with infinite bounce of his person” Ennis.

 

[nt3005]

Meh, I'm indifferent with this signing - because it's what I come to expect from Minnesota. Tread water, scramble near the end to make the playoffs and get stomped. Rinse, repeat. Zuccs doesn't do much for me, because this team's motto is make the playoffs at all costs. We lucked into Boldy (thank you Detroit and Edmonton), but in the past 10 years, I can't remember a team winning a Stanley Cup because of an impact signing. Boston? With Chara, maybe?

St. Louis?

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

St. Louis?

Their impact move was a trade, not a signing.

 

[Webster]

Here's the Zuccarello interview that Russo talked about. I think you'll find some answers there.

 

[BuiumSaveUs]

Wingers in 3 years:
Parise
Zucker (unlikely)
Zucc
Kaprizov
Kunin
Greenway
Donato
Fiala
Boldy

Assume Zucker is traded, Parise, Zucc, are essentially untradeable, and Fiala, Kaprizov, Boldy, and Kunin(due to handedness and intangibles) unlikely to be traded that means that either both of Greenway and Donato have to be 4th line players. I.e. it’s very likely that this signing indicates that some of these young guys that we are selling as big parts of our future will be gone. I think it’s likely that Greenway transitions to the middle, even if I think he’s not suited for it, but still, it’s obvious that there are a lot of moving parts with the young guys.

Boldy-xxxx-Kaprizov
fiala-JEE(gross)-Kunin
Parise-Greenway-Zuccarello
Donato(I guess)-Rask(barring buyout)-xxxx

 

[Wild11MN]

Boudreau’s questionable-looking announced lines are usually only valid for 1 1/2 - 2 periods. Except when they included Tyler “NES Ice Hockey skinny guy glitched with infinite bounce of his person” Ennis.

Uberdachen is back.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

I'm not closing the door on Kunin as a center quite yet.

Parise will be 37/38 in 3 years and it would not surprise me if he's on the 4th line by then.

If one of Greenway or Donato are traded because Kaprizov, Boldy and Fiala are legit, then there are worse problems to have, I guess.

 

[2Pair]

Having to sell off your excess NHL talent sure would be a nice problem to have.

 

[Wabit]

Because unless we're going to put Rask or Eriksson Ek between them, which would be foolish, we are dropping a 35 or 36 year old center between a 35 year old wing and 32 year old wing.

I don't mind that we have guys in their 30's on the team, but I'd like to spread them out a bit.

So put Kunin between them and you'll have the no quit, energy line; but with skilled players, not 4th line scrubs.

I'm not sold on Kunin as a center, but I'd rather try him there than no emotion Koivu, JEE, Rask choices.

 

[thestonedkoala]

St. Louis?

Who did they sign? Tarasenko and O'Reilly (who was traded for with guys they drafted).

 

[CROCODILE SEATS]

Would much rather see him with Fiala.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

So put Kunin between them and you'll have the no quit, energy line; but with skilled players, not 4th line scrubs.

I'm not sold on Kunin as a center, but I'd rather try him there than no emotion Koivu, JEE, Rask choices.

I'm not against it.

Then maybe Staal with Fiala and Zucker/Donato on either side; Koivu with Greenway and Zucker/Donato.

 

[Wabit]

I'm not against it.

Then maybe Staal with Fiala and Zucker/Donato on either side; Koivu with Greenway and Zucker/Donato.

I think you'd almost have to put Zucker with Koivu. Neither Fiala or Donato showed much in the d-zone that impressed me. Zucker isn't a stalwart in the d-zone either, but he does read the plays better and knows when to cheat out of the zone.

 

[nickschultzfan]

Zucker-Staal-Zucc
Parise-JEE-Fiala
Greenway-Koivu-Kunin
Foligno-Rask-Hartman

Suter-Dumba
Brodin-Spurgeon
Seeler/Hunt-Pateryn

Do not get lost in the 2nd v. 3rd line stuff. Koivu's line many nights will be better, but all nights it gets the top matchups. I think those 3 guys could make life very difficult for other teams' best players, give space for Fiala and Parise to feed on weaker parts of the lineup.

Donato is primed for a sophomore slump. I would put him in Iowa as 1st line center and get him to work at that position for the year. Why? Because Boldy-Donato-Kaprisov would be a fun line to drop on the league.

 

[57special]

I can't think of a forward who is less suited to playing C than Donato. He's weak, not fast, and poor defensively.

 

[TaLoN]

Bump Rask out of the lineup, Kunin to 2nd line center, JEE to 4th line center... or 3rd line RW Sturm to 4th line center.

 

[Engebretson]

If getting Kunin more work as center is the plan, I'm at least a little interested. He didn't look spectacular there in the limited time he had there last year, but it's not foreign to him and with some work he wouldn't look completely lost centering a 2nd line.

Rask is going to be the wildcard here. I doubt he works the James Sheppard Memorial Popcorn Machine this year due to his cap hit, so I imagine he's going to be bumping someone who is likely more deserving of being dressed. I hope he surprises me, but I'm not holding my breath.

 

[Lapa]

Fenton likes lizards apparently (????)

 

[Uberdachen]

Rask is going to be the wildcard here. I doubt he works the James Sheppard Memorial Popcorn Machine this year due to his cap hit, so I imagine he's going to be bumping someone who is likely more deserving of being dressed. I hope he surprises me, but I'm not holding my breath.

Sweet potato peeling christ, Rask running a popcorn machine:

 

[Webster]

Fenton likes lizards apparently (????)

Zuccarello the lizard...he probably likes that.

But it sounds a little better if you listen to Fenton's entire press conference. He said a lot of interesting stuff, for example why Zuccarello got 5 years, and plans going forward.

 

[DeagleJenkins]

Zuccarello the lizard...he probably likes that.

But it sounds a little better if you listen to Fenton's entire press conference. He said a lot of interesting stuff, for example why Zuccarello got 5 years, and plans going forward.

yeah just simply his entire quote on the lizard thing makes more sense than what they cut off for us to see

 

[a79krgm]

Yeah Zuccarello did this for the Norwegian-American community in Minnesota and Wisconsin, about 1.5 mill people.
And now they're going crazy

That's right. He keeps talking about how many Norwegians are here in Minnesota. It's like he's organizing them. Preparing for a takeover, 5th column style. Once that happens we will all be forced to eat lutefish and pickled herring.

 

[Webster]

That's right. He keeps talking about how many Norwegians are here in Minnesota. It's like he's organizing them. Preparing for a takeover, 5th column style. Once that happens we will all be forced to eat lutefish and pickled herring.

This was actually mentioned as part of why the Wild really wanted him...local advertising and commercials. So I guess the Norwegians will show up in their thousands now...

Btw...Zuccarello will hold a press conference in Oslo tomorrow, where he'll sign the contract. Guess some people from the management will be there as well.

 

[pfunk]

Zucker-Staal-Zucc
Parise-JEE-Fiala
Greenway-Koivu-Kunin
Foligno-Rask-Hartman

Suter-Dumba
Brodin-Spurgeon
Seeler/Hunt-Pateryn

I would agree with this lineup but don’t see it happening unfortunately. Don’t see Parise getting stuck with a couple younger kids but he could help cover for some of Fiala’s lackluster defense.

Fiala has never been a big goal scorer but he has good vision and creativity so I wouldn’t want him on a line with Zucc like some have proposed. Spread the creativity out. That 3rd line is going to be very good for defensive deployment but certainly will be able to chip in and score. 4th line will also be tough to play against.

Looking at this on paper just makes me cringe more about that Nino-Rask trade. Thinking of what we are paying Rask to play 4th line center makes a guy sick. He doesn’t seem to fit there but hasn’t shown anything close to enough to suggest he could play up the lineup.

I also don’t love the thought of burying Donato in Iowa after he came over and in my opinion couldn’t have done a whole lot more to impress. Love the way he gets pucks on net and creates chances, but some defensive refinement wouldn’t hurt. Having said that, as important as responsible two way play is, sometimes I just wanna let these kids with some offensive tools play a little more freely and see what they can do. Especially in a year where expectations may be a little lower.