CreaseAndAssist

I don't think there is a why beyond simply looking at the results of it. It's not all bad, but there are still quite a few busts if you look at the last 25 years of the players made with that selection (13th Overall) in the draft. 2023 - Zach Benson (BUF) 2022 - Frank Nazar (CHI) 2021 - Matt Coronato (CGY) 2020 - Seth Jarvis (CAR) 2019 - Spencer Knight (FLA) 2018 - Ty Dellandrea (DAL) 2017 - Nick Suzuki (VGK) 2016 - Jake Bean (CAR) 2015 - Jakub Zboril (BOS) 2014 - Jakub Vrana (WSH) 2013 - Josh Morrissey (WPG) 2012 - Radek Faksa (DAL) 2011 - Sven Baertschi (CGY) 2010 - Brandon Gormley (ARZ) 2009 - Zack Kassian (BUF) 2008 - Colten Teubert (LOS) 2007 - Lars Eller (STL) 2006 - Jiri Tlusty (TOR) 2005 - Marek Zagrapan (BUF) 2004 - Drew Stafford (BUF) 2003 - Dustin Brown (LOS) 2002 - Alexander Semin (WSH) 2001 - Ales Hemsky (EDM) 2000 - Ron Hainsey (MON) 1999 - Jani Rita (EDM) 1998 - Michael Heinrich (EDM)

Crease And Assist Episode #41: Death of a Wild season Kalisha, @MNSOTA and myself discuss what we thought Bill Guerin would say at the post-season presser as well as what he ended up saying. We also have Way Too Early Slogans for the 2024-25 season and listener questions too including lots of talk about the Arizona / Salt Lake City situation. Give it a listen! Thanks to @IllaZilla and @Tomdog for chiming in with Slogans (which we read on the air)!

I thought the exact thing as I heard that comment from the press conference. It basically screamed...no one is pushing out #90 and #89. Or maybe they'll get one shift to prove it and if they don't...they won't.

I have felt they've been doing what they've wanted for a long time. They play the way the players decide is best. If Kaprizov and Zuccarello is on the line they have to pass it 15 times before they even think about shooting the puck. If its Eriksson Ek and Kaprizov are together they might crash the net... But the style varies by the line that is on the ice and its been this way through multiple GM's, coaches and obviously many different rosters. In Guerin's post-season presser, he mentioned the need for the players to have more swagger, more FU to their game. Although he agreed with the comments from players that the team is mentally fragile and that they didn't handle adversity well (injuries, etc). I still think this team doesn't really know what it wants to be or is what its best at being. It has one superstar...some very good to good players and some warm bodies. But its random, inconsistent and the result didn't really surprise me.

Simple takeaways from this presser... "A lot of inconsistencies" Defended Marcus Johansson a lot Said the team is mentally fragile Hynes and Guerin felt there is a lot of things to work on Trades, Free Agents, Draft...going for it for next season and not just waiting until Cap hell is over... Said rookies / young players are going to have step up and take spots occupied by vets and encouraged them to do it, or at least push for it to push the vets to be better. Brock Faber played with two broken ribs the last month

Oh, they certainly were the cancers people told us they were. I know that for a fact. As far as Darby goes, his role has mostly been as the guy running the practice coach. That's why he's kind of stayed on throughout different regimes.

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It is interesting that the Wild's continued mediocrity can keep a person sane. Honestly, one would think the Wild would be detrimental to mental health. It has been fun chiming in at the end and feel free to meet up at the draft party at Reid's on June 28th.

The 13th Overall pick has a pretty ugly history if you've ever looked at it.

I will have to look for that, although it hardly surprises me to see them kiss Guerin's ass.

Wallstedt played last night in Iowa. So I am going to guess its Fleury's start.

Minnesota Wild (39-33-9) 87pts 6th in the Central 3.02 Goals For Per Game (21st in the NHL) 3.16 Goals Against Per Game (20th in the NHL) 22.3% Power Play (12th in the NHL) 74.6% Penalty Kill (30th in the NHL) Top 5 Scorers: 1. #97 Kirill Kaprizov ~ 45G 50A = 95pts 2. #12 Matt Boldy ~ 29G 38A = 67pts 3. #14 Joel Eriksson Ek ~ 30G 34A = 64pts 4. #7 Brock Faber ~ 7G 39A = 46pts 5. #38 Ryan Hartman ~ 21G 23A = 44pts Top 3 PIM's: 1. #5 Jake Middleton ~ 77 PIM's 2. #38 Ryan Hartman ~ 72 PIM's 3. #24 Zach Bogosian ~ 63 PIM's Top Goaltenders: 1. #32 Filip Gustavsson (20-18-4) 3.06GAA .899% 3SO 2. #29 Marc-Andre Fleury (17-14-5) 2.98GAA .895% 2SO Vs. Seattle Kraken (33-35-15) 78pts 6th in the Pacific 2.59 Goals For Per Game (29th in the NHL) 2.83 Goals Against Per Game (8th in the NHL) 20.5% Power Play (18th in the NHL) 79.4% Penalty Kill (17th in the NHL) Top 5 Scorers: 1. #19 Jared McCann ~ 29G 32A = 61pts 2. #22 Oliver Bjorkstrand ~ 20G 37A = 57pts 3. #7 Jordan Eberle ~ 17G 27A = 44pts 4. #10 Matty Beniers ~ 14G 22A = 36pts 5. #37 Yanni Gourde ~ 9G 22A = 31pts Top 3 PIM's: 1. #3 Will Borgen ~ 65 PIM's 2. #37 Yanni Gourde ~ 62 PIM's 3. #6 Adam Larsson ~ 55 PIM's Top Goaltenders: 1. #35 Joey Daccord (18-18-11) 2.45GAA .916% 3SO 2. #31 Philipp Grubauer (14-16-2) 2.85GAA .899% 2SO Lines: Seattle Kraken Burakovsky~Beniers~Eberle McCann~Yamamoto~Schwartz Kartye~Gourde~Bjorkstrand Tatar~Bellemare~B. Tanev R. Evans~A. Larsson Oleksiak~Borgen Dumoulin~J. Schultz Daccord Grubauer Minnesota Wild Kaprizov~Eriksson Ek~Boldy M. Johansson~Rossi~Hartman Ohgren~Khusnutdinov~F. Gaudreau Shaw~Lucchini~Chisholm Middleton~Faber Brodin~Bogosian Merrill~Goligoski Fleury Gustavsson

Russo has mentioned it a fair amount on his podcasts. I had heard there was some picture circulating from last summer where Gustavsson was looking a bit out of shape. Guerin's comments remind me of the "one good month" comment he made about Fiala before he ended up shipping him out.

Maybe you should work in Wild PR, this probably is what he will say...spot on.

Exactly...they gave them a raise AND the security of the NMC or NTC. It was crazy and I said as much when it happened. I agree wholeheartedly you make the player compromise one or the other...not give them both. Cheaper deal...job security, expensive deal...no security. If a player asked for both...I'd ship them out right away. But Guerin just didn't want to lose his bro's on the team.

Where do you see that? Although it probably is better value than I think many of us expected. Still, it's a shame they couldn't shop #17, #38, and #36.

(shrugs) You add some more young players to the lineup and your top players showcase a bit more skill. IMO this is the path the team needs to follow...but Guerin has to have his 30+ bro's in the locker room...and because he's already paid them the kids will likely sit while the trot out the old bones next season. Last night felt like a game where the Wild kind of teased us...see this is what we could be, but we won't you know?

(shrugs) Honestly, when the Wild were officially eliminated from playoff contention it was a sigh of exasperation. It was 100% relief. This team had been in denial way too long and because of its 'pride' it's going to again draft in that middle muck area where you get players with some question marks and what if's instead of bonafide talent that is going to be a franchise cornerstone for years to come. IllaZilla is 100% correct. Craig needs to back the hell off. Be bad, maximize the talent acquisition through the draft...be less reliant on free agents and you can be good for a long time if you do it right. The NMC's are insanity incarnate. It's an anchor to this franchise. I really wonder if it was Guerin's overuse of NMC's is what finally drove Chris O'Hearn (his cap guy) to finally jump ship since it made it untenable for him to do his job without addressing the massive NMC elephant in the room.

Not sure why I quoted myself. Anyways... Iowa are officially eliminated from AHL playoff contention with a loss to Manitoba this last weekend. Mikey Milne continues to be the hot hand as does Luke Toporowski who has been a pretty decent pick up for Iowa. With how little Minnesota used Adam Beckman it seems like a bit of a waste keep him in the NHL press box instead of letting him provide offense for Iowa so they may have had a chance to make the post-season. But what do I know?

He should have some better support next season if this is the route they go. Although broadcasts are hinting more and more that they feel Fleury will hang them up. If that happens I can't imagine Wallstedt stays in Iowa. So far Khusnutdinov, Ohgren look fairly capable...and the cheap contracts should be helpful for this team too.

Is this what you think Wild GM Bill Guerin will say in the post-season autopsy?

Feel free to share your slogans for 2024-25 Wild season here; whether its serious or sarcastic...we'll put them in for our next episode!

A Yogi Berra classic...

Episode #40: Questions For Our Leader (Bill Guerin) In this @MNSOTA and Kalisha share questions generated from listeners for Wild GM Bill Guerin including what they think will be his likely responses. They also ask how fans are feeling about this team as the 2023-24 season inches closer to a conclusion. Again there is a reminder of an NHL Draft Get together on June 28th at Reid's at 5:30PM-to-10PM, we'd love to meet-n-greet! Lastly, do you have slogan for the Minnesota Wild for the 2024-25 season, if so what is it, it doesn't matter how sarcastic or sincere it may be. Post it here and we'll include it in next week's show!

Maybe, maybe not. I think he's let teams take a lot of liberties (and in different ways) and he can't really do anything when he's not healthy enough to be in the lineup. IMO, his presence on this team is rather overrated at this point and we have him for another 4 seasons. (sigh)