IllaZilla

Latest Athletic mock draft now has the Wild drafting Cole Eiserman, LW, USNTDP, or maybe Konsta Helenius, C, Tappara. 

I just want Dallas to lose because I don’t want to see that asshat Suter’s name on the Cup…

I’m not happy seeing either Parise or Suter in this position, but at least Parise got knocked out. Basically hurt the first four years of his 13 year deal with the Wild, and then whines about not wanting to be part of a rebuild when his contract is the reason the GM can’t bring in more talented players. FU Zach Parise. 

The Athletic's 2024 NHL Entry draft v1.0 has the Wild selecting Tij Iginla. How ironic would it be if the Wild selected the son of the original Wild killer...

 

I think they should take Michael Brandsegg-Nygaard and really mess with the Wild jersey guy...

Looks like the Wild get #13 overall. Hopefully they learned their lesson last year and take the best player available and not reach for the 64th best player because size…

1 hour ago, CreaseAndAssist said:

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.  

Yeah, back in the olden times when I was a season ticket holder, they team would send us surveys on what we thought of the arena, the direction of the team, how to improve the in-game experience, etc.

 

But after the Wild were the only team besides the Maple Leafs to NOT lower ticket prices after the first Lockout, I wrote them a very pointed letter about their decision and gave up my season tickets. And I haven't missed it bit.

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…

The Athletic posted their Wild fan End-of-Season survey the other day, and I'd be interested to see what your answers/opinions would be. I think some of the questions have multiple answers, but you were only allowed to pick one.

 

1. What was the biggest problem with this past season’s team?

Coaching

Goaltending (0.897 save percentage)

Lack of depth

Penalty kill (74.5 percent)

Underperforming veterans

 

2. Brock Faber is expected to sign a contract extension as soon as July 1. What do you expect the contract to look like?

One-year deal

Three- or four-year bridge deal

Seven- or eight-year deal with $8-$8.9 million AAV

Seven- or eight-year deal with $9-$9.499 million AAV

Seven- or eight-year deal with $9.5 million-plus AAV

 

3. Jake Middleton has one year left on his contract with a $2.45 million AAV. Would you extend him this offseason?

Yes

No

Depends on the term

 

4.  Boldy has averaged 30 goals over the past two seasons. What do you think he will become?

True superstar

Perennial 40-goal guy

Consistent 30-goal guy

Somebody who will always leave you wanting more

 

5. Craig Leipold admitted last fall that re-signing Kirill Kaprizov when his $9 million-per-year contract ends is constantly in the team’s mind. What’s your concern level as to whether Kaprizov will sign an extension next summer when he’s one year from free agency?

Very concerned

Somewhat concerned

Not concerned at all. He’s staying.

 

6. Despite his 21-goal rookie year, the Wild could consider trading Marco Rossi this summer if they’re not ready to commit to him long-term. Should they trade Rossi if it’s a Cutter Gauthier-type trade: Rossi for a top young player with bigger upside?

Yes

No

Depends on return

 

7. What do you think Rossi will become?

No. 1 center

Top-six center

Third-line center

Depth forward

 

8. If the Wild were to trade Filip Gustavsson, what kind of return would you expect?

Top-six forward

Top prospect

First round pick

Second- or third-round pick

Middle-six forward

Blue-line help

Another goalie

 

9. Regardless of no-trade protection they may have, which one of these core players would you be most open to trading?

Jared Spurgeon

Jonas Brodin

Marcus Foligno

Mats Zuccarello

Ryan Hartman

 

10. In reality, though, which player do you most expect to be traded this offseason?

Filip Gustavsson

Freddy Gaudreau

Jake Middleton

Jon Merrill

Marco Rossi

Marcus Johansson

 

11. What is your confidence level that John Hynes can get the Wild over the hump?

Very confident

Cautiously optimistic

Doubtful

Not while there is $14.7 million in dead cap space

 

12. If the Wild trade Gustavsson, how confident are you in a Jesper Wallstedt-Marc-Andre Fleury tandem?

Very confident

Somewhat confident

Worried

That would be a disaster

 

13. What do you expect Wallstedt to become?

Superstar goaltender

Solid No. 1 goalie

No. 1 goalie but not reaching expectations

Career backup

Bust

 

14. Which prospect not named Wallstedt are you most excited about?

Caeden Bankier

Carson Lambos

Daemon Hunt

Danila Yurov

Hunter Haight

Liam Ohgren

Marat Khusnutdinov

Rasmus Kumpalainen

Rieger Lorenz

Riley Heidt

 

15. After hearing Guerin insinuate that the Wild won’t be a true Cup contender until the Zach Parise and Ryan Suter buyout penalties are largely off the books in 2025-2026, do you agree with the decision to buy them out?

Yes to both

Yes to Parise

Yes to Suter

No to both

 

16. Guerin is entering his sixth season as Wild GM. How would you rate his performance?

Excellent

Satisfied

So-so

Disappointed

 

17. Are you confident that Guerin will be able to turn this franchise into a Stanley Cup contender after the buyout pain disappears?

Very confident

Somewhat confident

Unsure

Doubtful

No way

 

18. Which of these areas of concern you most about the Wild over the next two seasons?

Center depth

Coaching

Goaltending

Iowa’s lack of success

Leadership

Secondary scoring

Size on defense

 

19. Xcel Energy Center is considered one of the best arenas in the league, but would you be a proponent of renovations to add to the type of bells and whistles (clubs, restaurants, bars) most other arenas have added?

Yes

No

 

20. Guerin made no excuses in his end-of-year presser about the season and how injury-riddled they were, but he admitted the Wild’s lack of depth was due to the fact that they couldn’t afford injuries because of the dead cap money. What must happen for you to consider 2024-25 successful knowing it’s their final season of cap limitations?

Make the playoffs

Win a round

Deep run

Win the Stanley Cup

^Truth. 
 

Even if the Wild were 100%, they still don’t match up to any of the Playoff teams. 
 

The Wild are just like the Twins. They may say they want to compete for the World Series (Stanley Cup) but the reality is they are just happy with a division pennant. Or in the Wild’s case, making the Playoffs. 
 

And I don’t buy into the “these guys have so much pride” argument. Because they showed no pride whatsoever during the season finale against Seattle. 
 

I can’t wait to see GMBG sign Zuccarello to a five year deal after the “cap hell” is over. Or Foligno and Hartman to a five year deal because “grit”.  Or Johansson because…whatever.

 

This team is a mess because they refuse to tear it all down and rebuild. They  keep saying they are striving for the Playoffs because once you make it there anything can happen. Yeah, no. Most of the teams that were expected to move on did. The Wild are not like the 2014 Kings who rode Jonathan Quick to the Cup. 
 

They have no goaltending (yet). They have one line that can score. Maybe Yurov in 2025-26 will improve this. I’m not holding my breath. The defense is mediocre if not down right bad beyond Faber. And I’m not seeing a whole lot of help in Iowa. 
 

Just another year of mediocrity and then the inevitable “We’ll be better next year!”

On 4/20/2024 at 12:49 PM, Alexandron said:

They should make this forever rule. Why they didn't make this strict rule at least 10 years ago? If vet is less producing, then place him on a bench to think more how to play better and where. It seems we need to miss playoffs few years in a row to make after a more evident progress for the team. 

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. 

Wally reminded me a lot of Al when he did the U of M broadcasts with Frank Mazacco. Goldy used to be the crowd going with the weekly “Frank” “Wally” “Frank” “Wally” chanting at the Old Marriucci Arena…good times, good times…

I would kill to have Al back calling the Wild broadcasts. My god that would be fun! He wouldn’t be afraid to light the team up if they were goldbricking.  But unfortunately it seems that the current environment is all “rah, rah, rah, don’t criticize the team!”

Off topic, but I just about did a cartwheel when I saw Jack Edwards was retiring. Jack Edwards was the worst. He even out homered Lapanta…

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 Gadreau 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.

2 hours ago, CreaseAndAssist said:

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.  

No room for him with all the extensions...

I remember when the North Stars played the Penguins in the Stanley Cup finals and Jaromir Jagr appeared to spear one of the North Stars players (I can't remember who) and no penalty was called and for the rest of the broadcast Al referred to him as "Jaromir Jagr, King of the Spear!"

43 minutes ago, CreaseAndAssist said:

 

Yet we are keeping one or possibly both of them for next season.  The 2024-25 Minnesota Wild: Locking into Mediocrity!  

I don't have a problem with keeping Flower for one more year and mentoring Wallstedt. I'd rather have him mentoring Wallstedt than the Chubby Hubby.

 

And truly, the only thing that matters is that the team stays healthy. The Wild have so little depth that one injury will throw them into a tailspin.

 

Fleury made some comment about how hungry the team was and how they want to get back to the Playoffs next season. They didn't look too hungry to me. As a matter of fact, they looked all fat and happy this season, especially during that final game against Seattle. A lot of comments in the pressers this season about "too many passengers", but then let's give everyone NMC's. We keep hearing about how great a farm system the Wild has, but instead of giving the young players chances, let's lock up all the graybeards for the next three seasons. 

 

There was a pretty good article in The Athletic about how it's going to be put up or shut up time for the Wild to retain Kaprizov's services next season. He seemed generally unhappy after this season. And next season is going to be more of the same if the Wild can't stay healthy and certain players under perform again. Because next season, Kaprizov's NMC kicks in and if the Wild can't right the ship, Kaprizov can walk after the 2025-26 season. But they will still have Foligno, Hartman, and Gadreau to carry the team...

Thank god that wet fart of a season is over. And we don't even have the excitement of a high draft pick to look forward to. 

41 minutes ago, ClusterChuck said:

I'll assume maybe Iowa in the PO's ? That's why he's playing there and not here.

Iowa is out of the playoffs. They have two games left. So Wallstedt will get two more games as opposed to one. 

1 hour ago, Jimtown guy said:

 

So...does this mean Gustavsson is on thin ice? (pun intended...)

So...has anyone heard about Gustafsson getting called out for poor practice/training habits? Apparently John Hynes spoke with Gustafsson about his poor training habits this season and will be speaking to Gus about it again this off season...

3 hours ago, CreaseAndAssist said:

 

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.  

There was a "What Went Wrong for The Wild?" article in the Athletic and all the homers in the comment section were signing the praises of Guerin and how clever he was for getting the draft picks he did for Dewar and Duhaime and how the Foligno, Zucarello, et al. extensions were a steal because by the time the cap recapture penalties come off the books, those guys will be playing on the third and fourth lines and paying $2M for a fourth liner isn't a bad deal...

This is neither here nor there, but BG exchanged Duhaime for a slightly higher draft pick (low 3 vs mid 4) and Dewar for a lower draft pick (3 for a 2) and everyone is wetting their pants like he’s a genius…

9 minutes ago, TropicalFruitGirl26 said:

Utah Ice Jazz? Hahaha.....small NBA joke...VERY small...  

How about Utah Jazz Hands?