Training 2021 Wild Camp

[Alexandron]

Here is more info for tonight game, which is almost same roster as it was during the 1st game against St. Louis. Our former prospect Sam Anas is involved for the Blues team:

[lynxrattle]

A most important game. Excel here and they will most likely get a chance in the big league.

[Alexandron]

4 hours ago, lynxrattle said:

A most important game. Excel here and they will most likely get a chance in the big league.

Agree. They must to show their best of their skills and talent. 

[Alexandron]

And we won that game!!!!!! in OT with a score 4:3. Team were able to put 35 shots vs 20 during the game. Kahkonen initially lost 3 goals on 4 shots, but then he focused and made huge huge saves and was able to stop the rest 17 shots including in OT. Personally for me he was #1 star of the game. From our side we put 4 goals - Rask, Duhaime, Sturm and Beckman (GWG in OT),which was his 4th goal in 3 preseason games. Beckman had an assist in this game too. Kulikov also had 2 points (2 assists) tonight. Rossi, Addison, Greenway and Merrill had 1 assist each. I would like to mention our defenseman Kulikov. I heard his name entire game on listening all 3 periods on a radio which I do not remember that for many years. He was like a very valuable machine for this team. I would like to put him as a 2nd star of the game. And I would give a 3rd star of the game to Beckman - our shining talent who placed GWG in OT from Kulikov and Rossi assists.

[lynxrattle]

Ok. Beckman starts in the big team. What else could one do to earn it. Just don't fight again, please.

[Icechipper]

In the event either Beckman or Boldy manages to stick a top-six slot in St. Paul, Greenway and his contract potentially could be flipped for an established center and/or draft pick.

 

Now, I want Greenway to succeed, and there's a nice article about him in today's Star-Tribune (thank you scribe, Sarah McLellan). I'd also like Greenway to keep his head up and keep two hands on his stick.

 

Rossi is apparently (I haven't seen him play) fast and sturdy. Still looks like a Babyface though. Can see him waiting in Iowa, hanging with young guys getting stronger.

 

Bottom line, as always, is follow the dollar. The Wild are paying a lot of money to allow Suter and Parise to continue their careers elsewhere (certainly still in the NHL). Payroll considerations will drive decisions, which is why it's likely one or both of Duhaime and Pitlick make the varsity.....

[Alexandron]

Wild Winnn!!!!!!against Chicago team with a score 3:2 in OT. GWG was able to net Dumba from Fiala and Merrill assists. Actually it was pretty tight not simple at all game. Their goalie was very steady, and, probably will have a nice professional future. Kind of a sad part from this game Addison and then Boldy have got injuries. Addison after a while started to play again, but Boldy went to the locker room and did not returned. I do not know how serious his trauma, but hopefully he will be able to play on Saturday against same team on a road game. Probably, we will see a newcomer Pitlick  in this game according to the coach's plans.

[Icechipper]

Thanks for that report

[Alexandron]

Last preseason game tonight is running against Chicago team. Practically we have main rosters in both teams and in 2 minutes left in that game score is  1:5. Kahkonen vs Fleury. Like I said before, Chicago team is better this season and probably, will pretend to a 3rd playoffs spot mostly because of Fleury presence , IMO. 

From our side, Boldy; Addison; Rossi and Beckman are not involved in this game. First 2 players are also injured , in my understanding.  Talbot supposed to play this last game, but he did not. Our team is not showing much offense. Shots so far 35 in our net vs 26 in Fleury's net.

[Alexandron]

We lost that game with a score 1:5. Kind of a disappointed score with a main roster on a road during the last game . Total shots in our net were 37 vs 26 in Chicago's net. The most shots from our side made Sturm (5) and Fiala (4).

[Alexandron]

Kaprizov's superb skills, but, unfortunately, 0 shots in last game:

 

[EmptyShelf]

2 hours ago, Alexandron said:

Kaprizov's superb skills, but, unfortunately, 0 shots in last game:

 

There are a handful of guys in the league that could put those two moves together a full speed (and unconsciously, to boot).  For anyone who said that he isn't worth the $9MM; there are AT LEAST 17 skaters making more than $9MM in 21/22.  My guess is 5 guys have this kind of ability at this stage of their career.  Kap will prove to be worth all the $, but will the Wild be able to keep him beyond that with the miserly approach to building a team???

[lynxrattle]

The fun factor of individual skills don't carry too far. McDavid doesn't look like a happy camper. We would need the team to be competitive.

 

I'm kind of pessimistic both about the team and Kap. The team doesn't look like a winning team and with the surprise factor gone and the games meaningless if the team doesn't win, I'm expecting a sophomore slump of sorts for Kap. I hope they prove me wrong, of course.

[Alexandron]

Duhaime earned the last main roster spot and will play under new number #21. Rossi and Beckman were send to Iowa. Talbot did not play last night because of personal matter according to Russo news.

Edited October 10, 2021 by Alexandron

[EmptyShelf]

6 hours ago, lynxrattle said:

The fun factor of individual skills don't carry too far. McDavid doesn't look like a happy camper. We would need the team to be competitive.

 

I'm kind of pessimistic both about the team and Kap. The team doesn't look like a winning team and with the surprise factor gone and the games meaningless if the team doesn't win, I'm expecting a sophomore slump of sorts for Kap. I hope they prove me wrong, of course.

To me, the issue with the Wild is now the 'Complementary' players.  EEK is the only C/W that we have drafted high over 10 years that might contribute Top 50-75 Offensive production this year.  That sucks, there is no other way to say that.  Kap was a gift in the 5th.  The D that we drafted highly have been decent to solid - not superstars like Makar or Hughes (I get where they were picked).  Thereafter, we have FAs, a few trades (Fiala is the best of the bunch), and an assortment of MEH players.  In short, they NEED to have offensive firepower materialize from the drafted players.  You cannot (and we don't) just sign them in FA:  we are known as a 'rest home that pays' the over-the-hill vets with nowhere else to go.  Typically, you also need to draft highly to find these players, and you cannot whiff on them either.

 

Kap will produce - he is too good not to do so.  But, adding all this 'filler' around him (including the graybeard, Zucc) is just not the way to build a dynamic playoff team.  I have beaten the Draft and the Avs into the ground (and clearly, they seemingly tanked for higher picks).  However, absent some 'swings' at elite offensive players, you simply must find the diamonds later in the 1st (like a Pastrnak) or early in the 2nd (Aho).  BG looks to be cleaning this horrendous drafting up (Filip Johansson, anyone?), but you DO need to play them.  I don't find much development in the AHL for elite players - too slow, causes plateau of player skills, and bad habits develop.  When you are in a rebuild of your core offense (and we are), you need to play them (Beckman, Boldy when healthy, and Rossi).  THEY HAD BETTER PLAY MORE THAN 10 GAMES EACH IN THE NHL THIS YEAR.  We are not going to get squat from Rask, Bjug, and others I have beaten into the ground for months/years now.....We will just 'exist', and get pounded in the playoffs.  We also lack an identity - we are NOT high skill, overly fast, exceedingly aggressive, etc.  We are a vanilla mid-level club in ALL respects.  Just good enough to hover around the playoffs, receive an early exit, and a mid to low first round pick.  My solution:  Play the rookies, take your lumps and a higher draft pick, and be significantly more offensively capable in the 2+ years.  This 'hanging around to be competitive' is a LOSERs approach IMHO.

[EmptyShelf]

Oh, and BTW:  while I like Sturm and this years version, Duhaime, neither have scored much throughout their hockey careers at any level.  They are not (nor will be) average or elite offensive producers.  They are speedy effort and role players.  They should never be picked above a multi-level goal/point producer.  They are complementary.  We need point producers.  Beckman, Boldy, and Rossi should NEVER be blocked by these types.  The Sturms and Duhaimes should be picked instead of the Bjugs, Rasks, and Gaudreau's - who bring nothing to this team.  I also like the idea of running out lines 2, 3, and 4 (and inserting the younger players) - we barely have a first line, and the others are somewhat redundant.  Lastly, all of this 'cap management' crap with ELCs is simply CRAP.  This is a business, and you don't leave your best performers on the bench to alleviate your past stupidity - you move forward and make whatever tweaks are necessary to perform.  Otherwise, you lose your customers.......

[lynxrattle]

I've always been on the let them grow in the minor leagues side of things, but lately I've been thinking that maybe that is too old school nowadays. There are examples of prospects just stepping in with minimal experience. Even Guerin himself stated that those days of offensive players needing to climb to the first lines through the fourth line minutes are over: if you're expected to be an offensive player you should show what you can do getting 1st or 2nd line play with PP time.

 

They should just go with 4 lines, more or less equal minutes. If we're only one goal down at the end, then maybe let Kap and Fiala play for the final give minutes.

[Alexandron]

14 hours ago, lynxrattle said:

I've always been on the let them grow in the minor leagues side of things, but lately I've been thinking that maybe that is too old school nowadays. There are examples of prospects just stepping in with minimal experience. Even Guerin himself stated that those days of offensive players needing to climb to the first lines through the fourth line minutes are over: if you're expected to be an offensive player you should show what you can do getting 1st or 2nd line play with PP time.

 

They should just go with 4 lines, more or less equal minutes. If we're only one goal down at the end, then maybe let Kap and Fiala play for the final give minutes.

If we will play with our current main roster as we did last preseason game then we will see lots of players rotations done by Evason. He likes to do that if he does not see any nice solid wins and production. I do not know if he will give more or less equal minutes, but I think he will give more time to the most productive lines.  And probably, we will see more lines like

1st line Kaprizov - Rossi - Zuccarello;

2nd line Beckman- Hartman- Fiala;

3rd line  Greenway - EEK- Foligno;

4th line Rask- Sturm- Bjugstad.

Unfortunately, Boldy will be not available at least till the end of November or beginning of December and then I would like to see the 4th line as Boldy - Sturm - Bjugstad.

 

From my understanding, the entire team will spend 3 days at Duluth before the regular season will start.

 

[Alexandron]

Wild Training 2021 Camp is over. The real hockey life of the full 2021-2022 season is starting today, for us on Friday (against Ducks late game at 9:00 p.m. and then next day on Saturday against Kings at 9:30 p.m.). Congrats to all our fans! Hope, our team will give us lots of positive excitements during the both seasons(regular and playoffs if we will reach it) this year.

Nice that our team has a chance to drive to Duluth and to spend some time at gorgeous Lake Superior place there. Interesting, do they have a special team's resort in Duluth or stay for 3 days in any available hotel?

Edited October 12, 2021 by Alexandron

[Alexandron]

Duluth is bonding , hopefully very tight our players together:

https://www.hockeywilderness.com/2021/10/12/22721914/wilderness-walk-hanging-out-in-duluth

 

Hope Foligno; Spurgeon; Dumba; Kaprizov and other players  did some nice fishing of salmon and trout on a Lake Superior too for a better team's bonding. As well as soccer, which they always do before each game.

 

Edited October 12, 2021 by Alexandron

[Alexandron]

Tough questions for the team? :