Lonkkis

Just now, Icechipper said:

Did someone just use "Wild" and "rush" in same sentence?

Gonna be honest, this is the fastest team we've had in what? 7? 9? 10 years?

Can't honestly remember when we played with atleast some speed, apart from Zucker days.

First time in a long time able to watch a Minny game an we're up 3-0 after 17 mins. Not gonna complain!

Can I call Kaprizov the Russian Pitbull? Because that's what he is, a relentless snippersnapper. 

Was it just me or did Doughty just try to kneecap Kap with his stick?

I get the feeling Kings is going to hate us this season 

5 minutes ago, Icechipper said:

5 min major and game.....potential league sanctions?

1st timers usually get a slap on the wrist and a fine.

Oi! I'm lurking, don't you worry.

I just love seeing Kaprizov play. You never know what he's going to do with the puck.

10 minutes ago, Gnarkill said:

Meh I guess I hae a bit of a different view from most that hate this move... I can deal with it.. to me this tells me they are invested in Kahkonen or Jones and are giving them time. The Wild gave nothing up but a contract for a stop-gap for a few years imo is far better than giving up assets to trade for a guy like Fleury. Would you guys really rather see that they signed a high money/long term guy and completely blocked out the young guys while tying up even more money during a rebuild and right before the expansion? This is a reasonable deal for a 33 year old who led the league in basically every goalie category a few years back. Do I expect him to be an all-star? no. But with our defense core I do expect him to play well enough that he'll be better than Dubnyk was.

 

It looks like Billy boy is sure setting himself up nicely for the expansion draft so far. Right now they don't have to risk losing anyone they don't want/need to.. and it's looking like he's grabbing players that they can expose at the expansion draft, let walk after the season if they don't work out or possibly unload at the deadline to a desperate contender for assets. 

 

Like.. they don't even HAVE To move Dumba.. they can keep him or wait till their asking price is met. no pressure and no teams taking advantage of Bill having to move him or risk losing him in expansion.

 

 

Pretty much how I personally feel about this.

1 hour ago, Hockey-78 said:

Um, so a prospect can't be hot without NHL games? That's why they are prospects! When you get voted as the best goalie in the AHL, you're pretty darn good.

 

The Capitals decided to make Samsonov their #1 goalie and throw Vezina winner Holtby out... Samsonov is YOUNGER than Kahkonen and has played LESS games than Kahkonen in NA. And as their back-up the Capitals acquired Lundqvist for #1.5 million.

 

This comparison alone makes the Wild's move look like rubbish.

 

Yeah, Holtby wants to win so why come to Minnesota? Besides, he's Canadian.

 

Um, so the Wild wants to avoid another Kuemper "situation" by signing an old back-up goalie to continue where Dubnyk left off? To play so bad you get traded. Buddy, you're hanging on to very slippery straws...

 

The most interesting fact would be to know did Talbot get NMC and for how long?

No, Talbot didn't get an NMC of any kind. That's why I mentioned earlier that he is going to get exposed in the expansion draft.

And WSH got rid of Holtby because he was becoming like Dubnyk: letting in goals easy goals that he should have taken etc.

And I'm sorry, being voted as the AHL goalie of the year does not guarantee that he can handle NHL. 

Samsonov already has almost 30 NHL games of experience plus 3 years of KHL experience. Which made it easier for WSH to go with Samsonov and sign Lundqvist as backup.

Ideally the Wild should go with Talbot/Kahkonen tandem, so Kahkonen gets like 25-30 games and takes over as number 1 the following season. By then Kaprizov, Fiala and perhaps Rossi and of course rest of the team have developed a good relationship in the locker room and start showing signs of becoming contenders.

I'll say this much. Talbot wasn't signed to be our no.1 goalie, he was signed as a bridge goalie so to speak. Because he's a bit better than Stalock and as I mentioned elsewhere, he's an insurance incase Seattle takes one of our unprotected goalies.

5 minutes ago, Hockey-78 said:

It's senseless to sign a guy who was replaced by a rookie goaltender from his clear cut #1 goalie position in Edm and now when you have a red hot, cheap goalie prospect, you throw another obstacle based on 36(!) friggin games. And commit to $11 mil. while doing so... 

 

Signing Holtby for that sum and term would've made somewhat more sense. But the Vezina trophy winner settled for less just so he could get to Vancouver. Admirable!

Red hot goalie prospect with only 5 NHL games under his belt. Do we really want another Kuemper-situation? And signing Holtby probably wasn't possible, willing to bet he wants to be a no.1 goalie, not be a body to fill the net while Kahkonen keeps developing.

16 minutes ago, Hockey-78 said:

Signing Cam Talbot for three years, $11 million contract! Not sure why they did it. Okay, they have two inexperienced goalies but still... 

 

Talbot's been trending downwards for a while and this team most likely won't be a contender in the next three years. If they included NMC for all those years, this is definitively a facepalm move. Unless Talbot plays lights out, for three years...

 

 

Wouldn't call him terrible because of his two last Edmonton years, nobody can get good numbers behind that defense, just ask Dubnyk. 91,9% SV and a 2.63 GAA in 26 regular games last season with Calgary, along with 92.4% SV, 2.42 GAA in 10 playoff games.

Is a great signing? Eh, one year too much perhaps. But the cap hit isn't too terrible and if he keeps up his Calgary-form rather than his Edmonton 08-09 form, it's good enough. He's going to be exposed in the expansion draft anyway. Kahkonen gets protected.

"A Wild source says the team will dive into free agency for a goalie. Hearing Cam Talbot is the guy Minnesota may be targeting. -Michael Russo"

Interesting. I'd be okay with him, sure he had a down year in Edmonton but was pretty solid in Calgary.

Insurance for the expansion draft, so Wild can expose Stalock. That's it really, can't really have two fresh rookies as your only goalies incase Stalock gets taken.

So, who do you think the Wild is going to sign as next no.1/mentor goalie? Free Agency is loaded this year so there's a good chance to get a decent one.

Personally would like to see Khudobin wear the Wild sweater once more:

He's prolly not looking for a longterm contract due to his age, he has loads of experience of being both backup and starting goalie, his numbers are good and a character guy.

That is, if he doesn't resign with the Stars.

7 hours ago, CreaseAndAssist said:

Minnesota Wild trade Kunin for Bonino as the team stockpilles talent on Day 2 of the NHL Draft

 

I have full coverage of the players selected in Day 2 of the draft.  Analysis, scout quotes, highlights and more...check it out!  

Thanks for the read! 

8 minutes ago, Hockey-78 said:

Maybe Bonino but as things stand, Bjugstad and Johansson aren't viewed as rentals who can give a boost to a team. Their previous teams dumped them and Guerin decided to roll a dice.

Most likely, yes. Hope for the best, expect the worst I always say. 

1 minute ago, CreaseAndAssist said:

 

But we also will probably have less players this team feels obligated to protect.  We don't have to protect #97.  I think this is real smart on the Wild's part.  

Indeed, also sends a message to the other GMs: "If you want Dumba, it's gonna cost you. A lot."

Since Wild can easily protect Dumba if they want to.

2 minutes ago, Hockey-78 said:

Unless every one of them plays much better than in recent years I don't know what kind of assets they could acquire with their current CVs... probably not much. So Guerin took a safe gamble.

Depth players for the teams chasing the Cup. Bonino has Cup experience, and if Johansson and Bjugstad play well enough, someone might be interested in acquiring them.

Remind me, if either Bonino, Johansson or Bjugstad get flipped next tradeline for assets, aren't the assets expansion exempt?

One other aspect that someone at the Athletic comment section brought up: Guerin could've just acquired Bonino, Johansson and Bjugstad so he could flip them for assets the next deadline. It's an interesting thought for sure.

7 minutes ago, CreaseAndAssist said:

I know this may kill you to wait, but I am at school and its parent-teacher conferences today.  I won't have a post-Day 2 article up until this evening.  But it will be loaded full of analysis, quotes, etc.  So far, the Minnesota Wild are doing a FANTASTIC job with this draft.  We won't know for sure what we have in a few years, but these are good selections IMO.  

Don't sweat it, you have it ready when you can. 

And I agree, this draft has been great so far. Couple of promising centers, a defender with an edge to his game (and from what I hear, great captain-material too)

Well considering the head honcho for the Wild scouting staff is the guy who got Vancouver Boeser, Eliasson and Quinn, wouldn't be too worried.

Bonino only has a year left as far as I know so it's not bad.

Guess this pretty much confirms it: we're in for a major rebuild. Here's hoping they revisit Parise Islanders trade.

Wild gets Nick Bonino, 2020 2nd round and 3rd round picks.

Nashville gets Luke Kunin and 2020 4th round pick.