CreaseAndAssist

Samuel Hlavaj is playing pretty damn well for Team Slovakia.  3 wins, 1.93 goals against average and a .933 save percentage.  That includes a win over Team USA.  

David Spacek is doing fairly well on Team Czechia.  And Marcus Johansson is 4th in the World Championships in scoring 4-5-9 and 1st on Team Sweden in points.  Joel Eriksson Ek has also been pretty damn good for Team Sweden too; but Johansson's sudden surge makes you wonder where was that assertiveness this year.  

Hunter Haight (Saginaw, OHL) plays for the Memorial Cup tournament host and defense prospect Kalem Parker (Moose Jaw, WHL) won the Ed Chynoweth Cup to advance to the Memorial Cup.  So two prospects in the big CHL tournament.  

Marco Rossi doesn't have a lot of points (1-2-3), but Team Austria has had a surprisingly solid showing for the World Championships as well.  Including rallying back from a 6-1 deficit in the 3rd period to force a 7-6 OT loss to Canada but then following it up with a 3-2 win over Team Finland (1st time they ever beat Finland).

Tij Iginla is certainly one of the players I wouldn't mind seeing them draft.  Although I've seen some other Mock's where he's gone before the Wild pick at #13.  Cole Eiserman is an interesting choice...big US National Development Team star who de-committed from the Gophers to stay and play closer to home.  

I didn't see anyone mention this; but Matt Hendricks is the new GM of the Iowa Wild and Mike Murray, Mat Sells and Chris Kelleher were made Assistant GM's to Bill Guerin.  So all internal hires usually means the status quo is unlikely to change.  

Crease And Assist: Episode #43, A Little Bit of This, and a Little Bit of That

@MNSOTA and I discuss what the Wild could learn from the NHL playoffs, the PWHL playoff series triumph by Minnesota, the IIHF World Championships, and we answer a bunch of listener questions too.  Lastly we talk about some terrible Canadian fan songs.  Give it a listen!  

11 hours ago, IllaZilla said:

I found the question about the Xcel renovation a bit odd. I usually go to watch hockey at Xcel, not eat in a restaurant at the arena or watch the game on tv in a bar at the arena…

Not sure if you remember her, but WildShutterbabe she had commented during the season that she really wasn't in favor of many of the supposed in-arena upgrades because she felt it was going to be just an excuse to jack up her ticket prices for things that really didn't improve her game experience.  She's been a season ticket holder from Day 1.  

Honestly, I have no idea how she's managed to put up with this club for so long.  Although she has mentioned it's getting harder and harder for her to justify it to herself each year.  

I know that you, @IllaZilla used to be a season ticket holder and heck the boards used to be made up of a lot of season ticket holders that most became ex-season ticket holders.  

I haven't been to a game in person in a few years, and I'll be honest...I don't really miss it.  

Russo's had that question on the post-season questionnaire before, my guess is he's just curious if fans are as excited about the X as it now approaches being 25-years old.  

Interesting to see him include some of the older vets who are already locked in with NMC's and long-term deals.  Perhaps hoping to poke at management for regrettable moves?  If so, I'm on board with that approach.  

8 hours ago, TropicalFruitGirl26 said:

 

Heh...yea, I perused some of it.
Too much hassle to answer a bunch of questions NO ONE in the Wild organization is going to read, take notice of, or really care about if someone by chance, happened to.

I'd really be worried about a team's front office if they were concerned about random internet polls like this one.
Fortunately, they aren't.

Yea I'd be REALLY worried what a fan of another team really thought of what our front office was like.  

That would be intense...

But the point is to get a pulse of fans opinion on the team.  A survey is a pretty good way to do it.  Whether Wild management pay attention to it or not; that's not his concern.  Although it might prompt some questions the next time he's interviewing management.  

Teams survey their season ticket holders about some of these same things.  Perhaps not as much about NMC's and trades etc, but game experience, satisfaction with the direction of the team...and I've heard from STH's from time to time that they've left some scathing comments.  

I took the survey.  Guerin didn't exactly get a glowing review from me.  It's a shame they didn't do checkboxes instead of pick one only multiple choice.  Its a Google Form...they could've received more nuanced data that way.  

On 5/6/2024 at 9:09 PM, Tomdog said:

Am I onto something, or on something. 

When BG look for guys who fit the "room" is he really looking for someone who is fine with being mediocre. Good enough to make the playoffs and not get crazy passed about losing in the first round. 

 

Whatever he's looking for, his guys haven't delivered anything to this organization that it wasn't doing before.  Eventually the results will speak for themselves.  His promotion to Team President along with being General Manager likely means that could be a while before he's held accountable for 'his guys.'  

17 hours ago, Tomdog said:

More truth from Illa.

After looking at the playoff rosters to make my picks for the family playoff bracket, I find that every team has multiple top 10 or better drafted players. 

Most have at least 1 top 5 draft pick.

The only way we will have top talent on this team is to be bad or draft Russians and wait for them.

The Wild missed a huge opportunity to get a top 5 draft pick this year.

It doesn't require be epically bad for multiple years,  but a team does need to have a bad season occasionally. 

 

Maybe it really is time to trade away everyone they can and start over.

We have been advocating a tear down of this organization for years, but it just won't do it.  The owner wants the 2-3 games of playoff revenue and he doesn't care about anything else.  

Until we stop serving that playoffs no matter what matter we will continue to be a mediocre to above average team at best.  Unless the prospects really deliver, that likely will not change and with Guerin cementing vets into roster spots...it makes it pretty damn tough for those kids to get a chance.  

I also agree, the comments about the 'pride in the room' thing is pure crap.  This team had coasted on and off through significant portions of the season and then just coasted near the end too.  At least 80% at least.  

Hellebuyck didn't deliver.  Nichushkin raised his game.  It surprised me too; since the Jets were playing well while Colorado was struggling to stop goals.  I still think that will be Colorado's Achilles heel.  

But bringing this back to the Minnesota Wild, the playoffs continue to prove how far this team really is from being a serious contender.  We don't have the size, the grit, the want to or the determination to win those kinds of games.  

There isn't any team that has advanced so far where I feel like the Wild could've beaten them in a best of 7 series.  

That's my point.  He was a vets first kind of coach.  Where young kids feel blocked out or unvalued.  And since you hope those players lead some day; perhaps Ron Francis decided not to let that get any worse.  

 Either way, like most coaches, Dave Hakstol has a shelf-life.  It might go well for a bit, but then it will sour and you'll send him on his way.  

Hired to be fired...same for just about all head coaches in pro sports.  

Eberle wasn't struggling for ice time.  He had no reason to be unhappy.  But perhaps younger players weren't so happy?  

Either way, I think we knew Hakstol probably wasn't going to be a 5-6 year head coach in Seattle from when he started.  

I think they will make a big move to go for Rod Brind'Amour and if they can't snag him I think Dean Evason maybe gets the opportunity.  Dan Bylsma is also a fair possibility given his work in Coachella Valley.  But that's just an outsider's perspective on it.  

All kidding aside, the Delta Center is not a terrific upgrade over where they are now.  Currently, just 12,000 unobstructed seats and even after remodeling it will still be less than 18,000.  

The best part is the franchise is no longer connected to Meruelo.  Beyond that, this is kind of a lateral move IMO.  Although in theory this market should be affluent enough to support this team for the future.  I'd still have rather have seen the team move to Houston than Salt Lake City.  Toyota Center is closer to NHL standards as arenas go and I think it would make for a better road trip (Texas two step) and keep all but one team in the Central Division in the Central time zone.  

Coyotes recap...they were here....and now they're gone!  

Looks like these Jets were snowed in by the Avalanche this post-season.  

On 4/28/2024 at 3:01 PM, Tomdog said:

And maybe that the Wild lead the league in attendance gives the owner the idea that all is well with his team.

We the Sheeple...

I was talking about this with my dad.  Back in the KITN 29 days (Wildcat growl), Wally and Frank were great on the air and I still think peak High School Tournament was Wally on the play by play and Lou Nanne as the analyst.  And that family was the ones that helped preserve was was left when the Marathon Club (that I think had the Hobey Baker) had a fire.  

5 minutes ago, IllaZilla said:

That would work if the owner would stick to writing paychecks, but he doesn’t. He wants that Playoff money. So he insists on no rebuilds, it’s Playoffs or bust. 
The coach wants to keep his job, so he is going to do what the owner wants. With vets you have a known quantity. You don’t know what a rookie can do. So you are going to play the vet. And the way the Wild operate, the only way a rookie is going to get a vets spot is if the vet starts shooting at their own goal. 
Plus they can’t move any of the vets because Guerin gave them all NTC/NMC’s. 

We said as much on our latest podcast.  And its why this team will likely be nothing more than a highly paid Stanley Cup pretender organization at best.    

Crease And Assist: Episode #42, Pour One Out for Al Shaver

In this episode, @MNSOTA, Kalisha and I discuss which player should the Minnesota Wild try to move this season, what are people's expectations for next season if the roster stays mostly as is, Al Shaver memories and we answer listener questions too!  Give it a listen!  

Reminder of the draft party on June 28th, at Tom Reid's Hockey City pub from 5:30PM-10PM.  I hope you can be there!  

Jack Edwards had a pretty good interview on Voice Behind the Voice Podcast, especially when he talks about the day ESPN became a mockery of itself.  But he seemed to not handle the criticism very well and only dug in his heels to act like a jackpipe when challenged.  Glad he's retiring.  

BUT BACK TO THE ACTUAL topic on hand...

Al Shaver lived a full life, as did Bob Cole.  Both great broadcasters who were terrific at capturing the moment and adding to the atmosphere of the even without making it about them.  And son Wally and grandson Jason are an outstanding legacy as hockey play-by-play men who loved the game as much as their father and grandfather did.  

Yurov re-signs with Metallurg Magnitogorsk, 1-year, $434,000 deal.  So 'Yurov Watch' comes to a quick and unceremonious end!  

He certainly didn't mind sharing his feelings about the team if he didn't think something was right or perhaps getting a bit sarcastic about a non-call.  While that's usually shamed in today's broadcasters, I'd be happier with that than today's brown-nosing, excuse-making homers so many teams have working their broadcasts.  

21 hours ago, IllaZilla said:

I guess I look at it this way. Let Yurov sign in the KHL next season. There isn't any room for him on the current roster thanks to giving guys like Freddy Gaudreau and Marcus Johansson multi-year extensions.

 

This team still has to prove it can get past the first round. I highly doubt the addition of one Russian center is going to be the catalyst that propels this team to the second round (or further) of the Playoffs.

 

The core of the team is basically the same as the last two seasons. So which team is going to show up?

 

Glass half-full says Spurgeon comes back and plays to his normal level of production, Faber doesn't have a sophomore slump, Kaprizov doesn't get off to his normal slow start, the team stays healthy, Boldy becomes more consistent, the goaltending improves, and Khusnutdinov, Ohgren and Wallstedt have meaningful production.

 

Glass half-empty says Spurgeon isn't the same after his surgeries, Faber has a sophomore slump, Kaprizov gets off to a slow start, the team continues down the injury path, Boldy is still inconsistent, the goaltending isn't improved, and the rookies are ineffective.

 

Plus there is all this nonsense being tossed around about trading Rossi. To what end? They finally develop a center who is probably going to come in top five in the Calder voting and they want to trade him the first chance they get.

That's pretty fair.  Although I thought Spurgeon's game was in decline even before he got hurt this season.  He looks slower and more timid which for a pint-sized defenseman who is getting older is not a good sign.  

But they definitely need him to be top notch if this team is going to do anything; and by anything I mean just making the playoffs.  

I don't have a big issue with Danila Yurov spending one more season in the #KHL either, but I think he could make a bigger impact.  IMO, it was kind of like Eric Staal when he arrived, he was a force multiplier.  He helped the team have two dangerous lines.  I think Yurov could do that.  

However, next year...it's going to be the same underwhelming team needing just about everything to go right in order to make the post-season and still probably do nothing once it gets there.  My only fear is that Guerin will add another big grit guy because of the mental fragility discussed in their post-season press conference.  

3 hours ago, IllaZilla said:

No room for him with all the extensions...

And Yurov basically wants a bunch of bonuses, most of which Russo feels he has no chance of achieving but the team has to be able to pay for those bonuses which makes him perhaps too costly next season with its cap constraints.  

Legendary voice of the Minnesota North Stars and the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers Al Shaver died of a sudden illness at the age of 96.  I've seen a lot of people share their memories of his play-by-play over the years.  

Hearing him say, "He Shoots, he scores!!!" is probably my earliest memory of hockey.  What are your memories of Al Shaver and his broadcasts?  

Danila Yurov won the Gagarin Cup with Metallurg Magnitogorsk.  Although according to Russo, it sounds like the Wild are not planning on having him come over until AFTER next season.