Alexandron

I understand very well your point, still, in my opinion, NHL hockey sport is not a kids game but a cruel professional business involving enormous amounts of millions of dollars. I still didn't want Laine here even if he had a good defensive ability too. Many media mentioned before that he had some real mental problems. Why do we need a psych person in our team? If the person is taking some psych medications, then what we can expect out of his play? Missing attention, missing focus, missing games, prone to more mistakes.... I understand and support a hockey player with real physical injuries, who needs a time to restore his physical status for the game, but not a player with mental problems who is taking a special neurological medication or addicted to drugs. That part is always hard to restore completely, especially in such a cruel sport as NHL professional hockey.

I agree. Most fans believe that drafted young prospects will make a huge impact in their big clubs. But unfortunately, many factors able to affect this perspective.

Thanks for posting. I am glad we didn't sign him ,especially , if he didn't want to play in our team. It is a huge concern if player have got previously an NHL's player assistance program. We have seen that in other teams. When team needs that player during the crucial period of the season or playoffs season, the player was not available because he entered into that specific program. It is developing an idiotic situation for the entire team. We have seen that in Columbus, Colorado, Washington... In my personal opinion, those players should be disqualified from NHL for restoring their mental problem. NHL sport needs professional warriors but not the players with mental weakness.

Just read an interesting detailed new article by Tony Abbott at hockeywilderness.com. " Is Danila Yurov better prospect than Marco Rossi?" An interesting view, but I still think , time will show who really is better when Yurov will play in the Wild team. I am more concerned about Rossi. First season here he had 1 assist in 19 NHL games, then he didn't want to go back to AHL and was sitting on the bench and watched 5 more NHL games until he was moved back to Iowa. Then after that, he had a personal professional training with different coaches entire summer before he showed us his 40 points last season (21 goals; 19 assists). I think, that intentional intensive personal training for entire summer helped him to become a real NHLer. Without that he would be a real AHLer like we have seen out of him before.

I agree. From day 1 too many injuries and too many passengers locked with a NMC/NTC who has a diminished hockey IQ related : or to a comfortable contract; or to the older age; or to the lower level of talent; or all combined above. I am still thinking that more tryouts of our prospects in a big club would help to make a better and valuable selection. We missed that opportunity with Firstov last season. He probably would develop a nice duo with Khusnutdinov in the Wild team. Statistically he was even better in KHL than Khusnutdinov. And in AHL he had 4 points(2 goals;2 assists) in 10 played games last season. Missed opportunity for the Wild to have him. Khusnutdinov came directly from KHL, but Firstov needed to go through AHL first, which is a huge anchor for the Russian prospects. No doubt.

According to eliteprospects site, Vladislav Firstov moved back from the Iowa Wild team to the KHL same Torpedo Nizhnii Novgorod team, where he played perfectly well for 2 previous seasons. Good for him, who will have a better professional experience there. Future Considerations said about him "Solidly built and skilled, Firstov is a hard-working power forward who has an impressive hockey IQ". And McKeen's Hockey said "He is an offensively gifted player whose puck possession skills allow him to extend possessions". He was our 2nd round draft; #42 overall in 2019. But it's very sad that the Wild club didn't find a chance for him to play few games for the big team last season. And maybe we would have a different result for that season too.

Minnesota Wild Announces Roster for Fourth Annual Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase hosted by the St. Louis Blues. Total 3 teams will participate in this showcase which includes Blues team in addition to the Wild and Blackhawks teams: https://www.nhl.com/wild/news/minnesota-wild-announces-roster-for-fourth-annual-tom-kurvers-prospect-showcase-081324 Here will be our roster there: https://media.d3.nhle.com/image/private/t_document/prd/idu75klhkyx4s7ggpn5c.pdf

I still believe that both Buium and Yurov are potential stars "not yet in the NHL" prospects based on statistical achievements at their age. Buium and Faber probably will be the most talented defensemen duo in the Wild history if they will be capable to bring us to the Stanley Cup finals. Of course, combined with a solid team's offense and goaltending. Regarding Yurov, in recent publications, he was statistically even better than Tarasenko for stats at his age among all Russian players. And second was Kaprizov for stats at same age as Yurov is. But I will be very happy if Yurov will reach a similar level as Kaprizov made for the Wild team in his last 4 years of playing here. So far, Kaprizov is the most talented player in the Wild history. I can't compare anyone else in 24 years of the Wild existence who was able to show his outstanding results. Probably, he is merit to be in a Hall of Fame in Minnesota for a sports achievement, if we have one.

An hour ago was published a very nice article by Kalisha Turnipseed by analyzing a possible Trenin's fits into a Wild different offensive lines. It sounds he could play a big role in a Wild's playoffs contending for a long waiting more successful result. Hope, that will happen soon: https://hockeywilderness.com/news-rumors/minnesota-wild/yakov-trenins-defensive-prowess-can-make-the-wild-more-consistent-r30180/

I don't think the fans love is a significant criteria for HOF. I think the most important are the longevity of the player's performance in NHL (not everyone capable to play well in NHL for a long period of time; 20 years, for example); his play's importance/influence for the overall team's performance; his production (goals; assists); or GAA and amounts of wins for the goalie; wins in Stanley Cups; World Championships; Olympic games; different trophies during his professional career. And maybe something else too...

Thank you . 8 more people from Minnesota. It seems not a lot from a State of Hockey. Wish to see at least 20. Or at least Matt Cullen too. He is really merit that honor.

Nice question. I think yes, especially if this combined with multiple awards in Stanley Cups, World Championships, Olympics. Nice example is Matt Cullen, who won 3 Stanley Cups(1 with Hurricanes and 2 with Penguins). In my opinion, it should be at least 10 inductees to HHOF, but not 7 per year. We have so many retired hockey players who really merit to be inducted to the HHOF. And from my understanding not active NHL players should be inducted to the HHOF, but only retired one.

Just found out, that 2 Minnesota native hockey players - women were inducted into the NHL Hockey Hall of Fame this 2024 year among other 5 people. There were Natalie Darwitz from Eagan, MN and Krissy Wendell-Pohl, from Brooklyn Park, MN. Both played for the University of Minnesota team, as well as played for the US national team at the World Championships, and Olympic games. And both got multiple awards there when played at the end of 20th Century and at the beginning of 21st Century. I think, that is a historic moment for the State of Minnesota and their names should be placed on our ice Xcel Energy arena too. And maybe they both should drop the puck on our home opener game this fall. That would be a very nice extremely rare event here.I really do not know who else have got a chance to induct into the NHL Hall of Fame from Minnesota.

A couple interesting and detailed articles were published recently at hockeywilderness.com site regarding Lauko and Trenin team's upgrade and regarding of Minnesota native promising prospect Charlie Stramel who was drafted in round 1 ; #21 overall in 2023. It seems they all could play an important role in the forming of team's identity. https://hockeywilderness.com/news-rumors/minnesota-wild/are-lauko-and-trenin-an-upgrade-from-the-deweys-r30165/ https://hockeywilderness.com/news-rumors/minnesota-wild/charlie-stramel-wont-be-a-bust-if-the-wild-are-patient-with-him-r30168/

It is going to be an interesting competitive home opener game for us on October 10th, 2024. The Blue Jackets team of our former head coach Evason(hired a week ago in Columbus) will be playing against our Wild team of the current head coach Hynes.