Speculation: Will the Wild make the playoffs this upcoming season?

Are the Wild playoff bound in 2024-25?


  • Total voters
    38

MuckOG

Registered User
May 18, 2012
15,855
5,839
I think they will make the playoffs, but won't advance past the 1st round.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BagHead

57special

Posting the right way since 2012.
Sep 5, 2012
49,883
21,712
MN
If their goaltending is average, then yes. I am not optimistic about Gus and MAF.
 

Digitalbooya

By order of the Peaky Blinders
Sponsor
Jul 10, 2010
28,010
7,958
Wisconsin
They need to make the playoffs. It will not be good to go into Kaprizov negotiations in the summer having just missed the playoffs for the second straight year.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 57special

57special

Posting the right way since 2012.
Sep 5, 2012
49,883
21,712
MN
They need to make the playoffs. It will not be good to go into Kaprizov negotiations in the summer having just missed the playoffs for the second straight year.
On the one hand, having another lottery pick would be cool. One the other, having no Kap would not.

I wonder if even another one and done would keep him here.
 

Sweetnut

Registered User
Sponsor
Mar 19, 2023
4,197
2,285
Does anyone really expect them to make it, handcuffed with that cap penalty and infested with long term contracts on injury prone, aging core players?
With 50 yo MAF, 40 yo Zuke, Foligno who can't stay healthy to save his life, and the likes of Freddy, MoJo, Merrill etc?

Let the young ones play in leading roles to set them up for next season instead of trotting out Hartman & Zuke on the first line.
 

Webster

Zucc's buddy
Sponsor
Nov 7, 2017
5,297
2,040
You have the minors for learning, not the NHL.

I think Kaprizov has a say on who he wants to play with, and it's working pretty well. Kap & Zucc with a total of 7 points against Chicago who also had most of their final lineup on the ice...
 

Dr Jan Itor

Registered User
Dec 10, 2009
46,745
21,523
MinneSNOWta
On the one hand, having another lottery pick would be cool. One the other, having no Kap would not.

I wonder if even another one and done would keep him here.
You could probably say that even winning the Cup this year might not keep him here. After all, he'll have his Cup now, and then can go live wherever he might want regardless of their Cup certainty.

If he stays, it'll be because he generally likes it here (hockey and non-hockey reasons) and it's the avenue where he can maximize his earnings, as long as Guerin doesn't give in to trading him before UFA.
 

Digitalbooya

By order of the Peaky Blinders
Sponsor
Jul 10, 2010
28,010
7,958
Wisconsin
You have the minors for learning, not the NHL.

I think Kaprizov has a say on who he wants to play with, and it's working pretty well. Kap & Zucc with a total of 7 points against Chicago who also had most of their final lineup on the ice...
It’s important to keep things that work and tinker with those that do not or are currently not working. That means if Kap and Zucc are doing great then keep them together. If they are doing just okay, we could try different situations (swapping centers, swapping Boldy with Zucc, etc). Pretty fluid situation and I suspect Hynes will do just fine with making changes.
 

Webster

Zucc's buddy
Sponsor
Nov 7, 2017
5,297
2,040
It’s important to keep things that work and tinker with those that do not or are currently not working. That means if Kap and Zucc are doing great then keep them together. If they are doing just okay, we could try different situations (swapping centers, swapping Boldy with Zucc, etc). Pretty fluid situation and I suspect Hynes will do just fine with making changes.

Of course, I'll be surprised if Kap and Zucc are still on the same line in March next year. But I'm not sure they'll split them up again unless Kaprizov agrees, they'll probably not piss him off when he can re-sign in less than a year. You heard Leipold said they'll pay and do whatever it takes to keep him.
 

Saga of the Elk

Honoured Person
May 31, 2008
3,298
1,118
Sure, there's a scenario where the team stays largely healthy, Boldy or JEE has a career shooting year, and Wallstedt comes in and delivers a Vezina worthy season. It's a balanced team that doesn't give up a lot, and they have an elite weapon.

However, the team's expected goals-for was actually lower than actual last season, meaning a portion of their offense was luck (e.g. Foligno's 18% shooting). They were still below league average for even-strength goals. Plus, one-line teams are not generally playoff teams.

Every other central team has to get much worse, in other words. I don't see it. Probably looking at picking 8th or 9th in 2025, but signing Marner and Rantanen to matching $96 million deals.
 

f7ben

Registered User
Mar 25, 2018
2,883
929
I actually think they make the playoffs this year.

1. Gus and MAF regress to the mean.
2. Injuries while present will not be as devastating as last year.
3. Kap is healthy to start the year
4. Rossi , Faber , Chisholm , Boldy take the next steps to the upside in their progression
5. Penalty kill improves because it can’t get worse than last year and it’s under the magnifying lense now
6. This is MN and we love drafting #19-23
 

MK9

Registered User
Feb 28, 2008
4,738
2,083
Andover, MN
Maybe Not Really.gif
 
  • Like
Reactions: keppel146

DANOZ28

Registered User
May 22, 2012
7,100
473
nearest bar MN
kaprizov & boldy career years; khus & ohgren 15G each and improved goaltending. i know if kaprizov doesn't make the playoffs he may want out. too late (should have added a player he likes 3 years ago) i say we miss the playoffs with 88 points then IF kaprizov wants out trade him for 3-1sts and a player or 2nd plus 2-4ths & 2-6ths to restock our cupboards.
 
Last edited:

BagHead

Registered User
Dec 23, 2010
7,141
3,999
Minneapolis, MN
So, are the 16 people seeing us as the 5th Central team or as better than Nashville?
As one of those 16, I see the Wild falling somewhere between 1st and 8th in the division, making or missing the playoffs, and winning one Cup or another.

I don't particularly care to worry about the details of a thing that hasn't even begun yet, but I also think they're a better team than they showed last year and I would rather be optimistic at something's beginning than pessimistic.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Digitalbooya

Dr Jan Itor

Registered User
Dec 10, 2009
46,745
21,523
MinneSNOWta
As one of those 16, I see the Wild falling somewhere between 1st and 8th in the division, making or missing the playoffs, and winning one Cup or another.

I don't particularly care to worry about the details of a thing that hasn't even begun yet, but I also think they're a better team than they showed last year and I would rather be optimistic at something's beginning than pessimistic.
Just was wondering if there was any sort mental placing of teams is all.
 

MNRube

Registered User
Oct 20, 2013
6,653
3,768
We have 5 bonafide first-liners/top-pair guys in Kap, JEE, Boldy, Faber & Brodin

Secondary scoring is a bit weak, but Rossi, Zuccarello, Hartman are all clear 2nd line players.

Spurgeon is back. Hunt looks like an upgrade over Merrill.

Foligno, Khusnutdinov, Trenin, Lauko look like solid bottom 6 role players

Goaltending remains a big question mark but we have 3 possible guys to get hot and steal the job. Due for a progression to the mean as far as team SV%.

100+ point season and 1st round loss is coming. Book it.
 

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad