sweetshot

I may not think too much about EEk's skills, but you're right, it can't be a long term move. Right now and for the near future they need him, even if I think he is only a 3C. He may have to be put in the 2C spot.

You may be right, but honestly, what stands out about this guy? We've seen him for a whole season with consistent minutes, granted he didn't have Messier and Tikannen as his wingers, but I didn't see the puck skills that would make him a high end center. He's got decent size and skates pretty well.

You're right, he hasn't been...but IMO unless he all of a sudden shows skills we haven't seen yet, I don't ever see him higher than a 3rd center. If he's our #2, and it looks like that's a possibility next year because we don't have any other options at this point, we're not looking too good. In fact, with Coyle as #1, we're looking pretty bad. Maybe we can sign MK for another 2 years and our problems at center disappear

Aren't centers generally the guys that are supposed to make their linemates better and have some playmaking skills. EEk didn't show much of that at all last year. He doesn't appear to have enough game(skills--passing, stickhandling, etc) to be a center.

Sort of where I'm at with EEk.

Why just swap Greenway and Ek? I like the fact they're trying Greenway at center, but then moving Ek to wing doesn't seem to gain the Wild anything at center. Do you think they've given up on Ek at center? I would have thought playing Greenway at center would add to the center position.

I heard that too and he's probably right, but my lord, $3Mil. Have any of these guys done enough in their careers to get the kind of respect they need to get from current Wild players in order to have any kind of impact?

You're right. I looked up what these guys are getting paid this season--comes to $3Mil give or take. That's a lot of cash for 4 players wearing short skirts!

That's probably about all the Wild could afford.

There isn't anything. If anybody was/is dictating power play time(and I do believe it has happened at times--probably not when Lemaire was coach but ever since he left) it has come from the higher-ups in the organization as part of their continued effort to try to sell the fans on the fact that MK was/is a #1 center. MK has never dictated his own power play time. No way.

The perimeter seems to be where the majority of Wild players like to hang out. Head coach has an impact on the PP as well as the Wilds PP struggled when Yeo was coach, averaging about 17%. Boudreau has it at a respectable 20.5% over the past 2 seasons.

My guess is the Wild knew about Granlund's injury, they just didn't want to open that can of worms shortly before the playoffs. NHL teams love to hide injuries if there is any way to do so. And give away almost no details if an injury is reported.

Oh, so Brunette actually improved the PP(18.5%) to the point that it was the highest PP Yeo had while he was head coach. I couldn't remember how all that played out. Looks like Yeo didn't learn a thing as the Blues PP dropped from 21.3 o 15.5 Yeo's first full year as head coach. How does Yeo not know this, or does he and ignores the numbers??? That's one check from me in the I'm glad he's gone column. Is your memory that good or are you a statistics savant?

Wasn't the power play supposed to be Brunette's responsibility when he started coaching for the Wild? It got worse(alot worse) after he took over--it's never been the same.