CreaseAndAssist

Wild Trade Conditional 7th round pick in 2021 to Pittsburgh for Nick Bjugstad Meh. Nick Bjugstad is so good, the Penguins just paid $2 million to get rid of him. The Wild essentially risked nothing or virtually nothing in this deal. I love how the other fans jumped in to tell us about Nick Bjugstad as though we haven't seen him play since he was in high school or anything like that. I hope Bjugstad understands that this just may be his 'last' NHL chance to show he deserves to stick around in the league. Either way, he gives the team another center with just 'ok' speed and maybe some flashes of offense. Its like Pokemon with this club for stockpiling ok skaters. Collect 'em all! The conditions are listed in my article. This is the part that is annoying. Why should it matter where he's from? I don't see understand that's such a priority for some people.

2020 Minnesota Wild Draft Preview: Defenseman I look at the defenseman available in this year's draft. I have one more draft-focused article left which I will publish probably this weekend. Also, the draft dates hae been announced, on October 6th & 7th, 2020. Enjoy and discuss. I really like Schneider's skillset.

Not likely, since Nesterenko will likely only get bit time on that club. Boldy was given a fair amount of ice time right from the start. We'll see if Newhook and Boldy stay paired together. Because Boldy really didn't take off until he had Newhook as his center instead of Jack McBain.

The AHL is a very good league. I don't think its that far off from the KHL. Khovanov finally got in, but didn't do much and went just 2-for-6 on his draws and had no shots on goal.

Russo's a great source, but there are plenty more Wild voices to check out. Especially, if you want to hear discussion that goes beyond just news.

Minnesota Wild Podcast-opia 2020 has been a pretty rough year for just about everyone, but for podcasts its been kind of a boon as people perhaps have the time and reason to start them. I give sort of show descriptions to a bunch of Minnesota hockey podcasts that I regularly listen to. Enjoy and tell me what you're listening to.

IMO, Nesterenko is a long-term project. We'll see what kind of a freshman year he has on a still fairly loaded Boston College team.

Who cares, he thought he was 'above' playing in the AHL. Khovanov is probably finding out what every young player finds out, the game gets so much faster the higher the level you play. Time and space become more and more fleeting and he's not going to have 3-4 seconds to decide what he wants to do with the puck like he did when he was in the 'Q'.

Lodnia was scratched for Dinamo Minsk today. Menell on the otherhand had 3 assists in Dinamo's 5-4 OT win over Barys Astana. So for the young forward prospects hoping to develop in the KHL, while the guy who spent some time in the AHL and thrived...is thriving in the KHL. Hmm...maybe the AHL isn't such a bad league afterall.

Nesterenko is such a long way off. I wonder what line he'll play on with the Eagles. That is a pretty deep team, and ice time might be tough to come by for a freshman. I really hope he can start to fill out his frame as he's pretty slight. IMO, way too soon to know what we have in him. It doesn't mean he sucks or anything, but he probably has at least 3-4 years of college for us to see before we have any idea of what sort of possibe NHL future he may have.

Just thought I'd drop this little note. Alexander Khovanov has been scratched two games in a row for Ak Bars Kazan. Belarus is a mess and Russia is propping up the dictator because that's what they like to do. Like I said, I am not sure I'd want to be there if I'm any pro hockey player and be in the mess of what could be a civil war in that nation.

Yea, I'm not sure I'd want to take my career to Belarus right now. But it is what it is, I heard their game against Jokerit yesterday was postponed because of threats of violence. Did anyone see that Khovanov was a healthy scratch for Ak Bars Kazan's 1st game? I am not sure if he's playing in the one today, his team is currently trailing 1-0.

Askarov is the only goaltender probably worthy of a 1st round pick. Blomqvist and maybe Daws are 2nd or 3rd round picks. After that you're probably picking those guys in the 5th round or something like that. The most intriguing thing about Askarov to me is the combination of size, athleticism and the fact he's a 'wrong' catching goalie in that he catches with the right hand. That's pretty rare and would likely make him more of a challenge for shooters to deal with. However, his poor season last year is kind of cautionary. While Alexandron has listed a whole bunch of Russians; maybe 3 of them I think have a legit chance at an NHL roster. Kaprizov, Khovanov and maybe Firstov. The rest are pretty long shots to make it.

2020 Minnesota Wild Draft Preview: Goaltenders It should work this time! Enjoy and discuss!

I never made it private though. According to what I see on my end, it says its marked public. I'm looking into it. Not sure when I'll get some help on this though.

Strange. I will look into that.

@IllaZilla please DM me on Twitter and we can talk about that article.

2020 Minnesota Wild Draft Preview: Goaltenders Here is Part 2 of my 4-part series on potential draft targets. With the goaltenders, other than Askarov none should be a target with the #9 pick but perhaps for consideration later in the draft. Enjoy and discuss...

100% agreed. Want to write an editorial something to that effect?

As they say on the Common Man Progrum, "Just get into the Playoffs, anything can happen!?!" IALTO. Free agency usually only guarantees teams will throw stupid money at players they shouldn't. Its why I'd stay pretty quiet on the free agency front and instead do what I could with trades that focus on getting younger and faster. Its either that, or I start over again by becoming a full-time Kraken fan.

Well the Wild had a chance to deal Staal and get a 1st round pick and Sean Kuraly in return just two years ago. Instead Fenton decided to keep Staal at a slightly reduced rate but gave him a modified no trade clause because he was all out of jelly beans or M&M's on his desk. Staal can stick around. He's still pretty affordable and quite frankly we don't really have anyone waiting in the wings to replace him. Let his contract play out this year and then move on. In fact, I wouldn't be buying out anyone. No sense burning cap space on buyouts if we already know this will probably be a rough season coming up. IMO, it would be more productive to try to move Parise; even if we have to take a bad but shorter term contract back in return. But beyond that...this team should also consider clearing out the clutter that doesn't fit the faster, younger mentality. If you're not going to play fast, play hard...see ya! My guess is we see them possibly move Greenway or maybe even Ek too if it gets them a player this team really wants. Ek's a 3rd line center, but you could say the same for Nico Sturm. Right now, Sturm is cheaper.

I also filtered out people that have skating issues. Even if they might be highly ranked...I'm 100% not interested if they're average to slightly above average skaters. We can't keep drafting players without wheels and then wonder why we can't attack or defend effectively when our guys are 1 or more steps slower than our opponents.

I would say the Wild seem to now finally be interested in getting younger and faster. Its why I really hope we don't see them sign an older free agent center just for the sake of adding a new player as it roadblocks that goal of getting younger and faster. Think about it, the team has rid itself of that second core as Coyle, Niederreiter, Zucker and Granlund are no longer with the club. So its just geezers and younger players for the most part, at least up front. So the Wild might as well let the foagies age out and fall off the roster and embrace being young. Beckman can't play in Iowa. That rule is in place to protect junior teams from losing their star talent to an AHL team. He could make the Minnesota Wild, just not Iowa; not until his junior team is eliminated at least. IMO, Kunin, Eriksson Ek haven't really been blocked. They could have taken a spot in the Top 6 if they were capable enough and had the talent. But they haven't really seized it. They are more role players than players that drive offense. Kaprizov will be given Top 6 time and opportunity. I have no doubt about it. Whether he's ready for that yet, that's a whole different story.

Doubt it. This draft has some decent defenseman in it, but I can't imagine they'll draft a defenseman with their 1st pick. I will have the draft preview coming up soon. Menell leaving sucks for Iowa. We'll see if he can thrive in the KHL and then come back the NHL later. He certainly is a person who is kind of used to the unconventional route. Glad you are liking the draft preview so far.

#EmbraceTheTank Yea, the Wild are not doing themselves any favors by being too good for the lottery but not good enough to do anything if they do eek their way into the playoffs.