Minnesota Wild In-Season Thread 2022-23

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

                                          

 

Season right around the corner, so here is your in-season general commentary thread.

Wild start their season at home, but the four games they play in will not be pushover games at all!
The hungry NY Rangers, up n coming LA Kings, defending Champion Avalanche, and the Boudreau led, revitalized Canucks all visit St. Paul right out of the gate!

Let's go boys!

Edited May 20, 2023 by TropicalFruitGirl26

[wildstars95]

   .... Waiting for the Wild shenanigan's Myself

                                                                                          just a shot in the dark ,hoping to see 70 powerplay goals at least this year 

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

16 minutes ago, wildstars95 said:

   .... Waiting for the Wild shenanigan's Myself

                                                                                          just a shot in the dark ,hoping to see 70 powerplay goals at least this year 

Minnesota looked like a pre season powerhouse, but we all know what that’s worth…..

 

Wanting to be pleasantly surprised.

Gonba be up to Kap, Zuc, and Boldy to carry these guys.

 

Maybe a Calder-like campaign from Rossi?

A fan can dream , eh?

[J0e Th0rnton]

20 hours ago, TropicalFruitGirl26 said:

Minnesota looked like a pre season powerhouse, but we all know what that’s worth…..

 

Wanting to be pleasantly surprised.

Gonba be up to Kap, Zuc, and Boldy to carry these guys.

 

Maybe a Calder-like campaign from Rossi?

A fan can dream , eh?

Who the heck is calen addison and how have I never heard of him?

 

I watched this kid move the other night and his lateral movement and shot have shades of prime Brent Burns.

 

Powerplay 1 is his and I doubt Spurgeon or Dumba can knock him out of it if the coach is smart.

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

2 hours ago, J0e Th0rnton said:

Who the heck is calen addison and how have I never heard of him?

 

I watched this kid move the other night and his lateral movement and shot have shades of prime Brent Burns.

 

Powerplay 1 is his and I doubt Spurgeon or Dumba can knock him out of it if the coach is smart.

 

He's a potentially top pair defenseman who may FINALLY be given a real, fair long stay at the NHL level to further develop that's who!

He has had very little NHL playtime (granted, he is still now only 22) being behind other veteran bodies the Wild iced over the past two seasons.
Also, there is a bit of perception he isn't 'defensively sound', and his size (under 6' and under 200 pounds) hasn't done him any favors in the eyes of some.

Still though, offense is his game, and at 22 I don't expect him to be a complete shut down player as a defenseman, as that can be coached to go along with what looks like COULD be fantastic point ability.
If his goals and assists are consistent, I am willing to be the coaches would be willing to live with him just having even "average" defense, and not worry too much about his size (hello...Jared Spurgeon?).

At any rate, with some injuries to vets on the blue line, and Mat Dumba seemingly not the focal point on the blue line any longer, Addison should be getting his real shot to show what he could do playing against men at the highest level.
Something to really look forward to for fans in a season that, overall, may not turn out very well.

 

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Two more days until Minnesota takes to the ice for real!

I will personally be seeing quite a bit of the New York Rangers to start off as the Tampa Bay Lightning visit them today, then the Rangers come into St. Paul to play the boys in green.
As I mentioned before, a nice early test for the Wild with the quartet of teams they see immediately.

Also, according to dailyfaceoff, Marco Rossi is slotted in the 4th line?
I hope that doesn't stay that way for long as I think, inexperience or not, he may make a better 2C than a 4C.

EEK seems to be slotted into the 2C position, though I can see EEK and his linemates (preferrably with Foligno being one of them), as a tough, scoring 3rd line.

Either way, I know lines will be fluid until the Evason gets a feel for who works best with whom when the pressure to win is on.
Looking forward to see what this Wild group can do.

[Jimtown guy]

So looking forward to this season. I know it was pre season but I liked how they looked. Rossi and Addison will only get better as the season progresses. Now that Fleury has adjusted to this team in front of him I expect him to have another stellar season between the pipes. Obviously getting past the first round would be nice. Go Wild!!!!

[IllaZilla]

I am actually curious to see how this team turns out. I think for a while the team has needed to "blow it up" and rebuild. This is about as close as I think we'll come to it, since Leipold is reluctant to use the "R-word" for fear of people not buying tickets.

 

I'm kind of glad they are starting Rossi on the fourth line, so he doesn't feel he has to be "The Man".

 

And yes, @Jimtown guy, it would be nice to see them get past the first round. I don't know what it is with this team. They've changed players, coaches and GM's and still can't get past the first round...

[Math]

Matt Boldy will have hell of a season. I have him in some of my fantasy teams and everyone was like "who the heck is that guy ?!?". Just my 2¢.

[Icechipper]

Addison No. 2. Got kid from Pittsburgh in Zucker deal. From Brandon, Man. Born in 2000. Nowhere as near as big as Burns, but yes, mobile

[Math]

3 minutes ago, Icechipper said:

Addison No. 2. Got kid from Pittsburgh in Zucker deal. From Brandon, Man. Born in 2000. Nowhere as near as big as Burns, but yes, mobile

 

I didn't remember Minnesota got him from the Zucker transaction. If Addison turns out as the new Dumba/Klingberg blend without the mistakes options, then I guess it's a win.

[ClusterChuck]

On 10/11/2022 at 10:28 AM, Jimtown guy said:

So looking forward to this season. I know it was pre season but I liked how they looked. Rossi and Addison will only get better as the season progresses. Now that Fleury has adjusted to this team in front of him I expect him to have another stellar season between the pipes. Obviously getting past the first round would be nice. Go Wild!!!!

Maybe even more so the D have adjusted to Fluery's style, Rebounds etc. Way different than Talbot.

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

3 hours ago, ClusterChuck said:

Maybe even more so the D have adjusted to Fluery's style, Rebounds etc. Way different than Talbot.

 

This is an underrated and good point.
The team playing in front of a given netminder ABSOLUTELY has to know the goalie's tendencies.

And while MAF giving up rebounds isn't ideal, let's face it, it is how he has played goal his entire career.... makes spectacular saves, reads rushes properly, moves around very athletically...BUT, tends to give up the juicy rebounds.
At the tail end of his career, that isn't gonna change.

Enter his defense in front of him, if they understand this, see how the shots go, then can anticipate, then cleanup, some of that rebound mess.
Things like that take a bit of time and now that MAF has played a good number of games in a Wild sweater, I think the team in front of him should be better equipped to deal with any deficiencies in his game.

Edited October 13, 2022 by TropicalFruitGirl26

[ClusterChuck]

Our D had to adjust every other night between Talbot and Fluery styles for those last few months also. Now we get some stability.

[Jimtown guy]

[ClusterChuck]

What happened to rolling 4 lines if Rossi is only averaging 4 mins per game? 

Since preseason wasn't televised, I did see some highlights and quickly noticed one huge player (hopefully a D-man) 
Didn't catch his name but he looked like he was at least 6'-6" and Big...Could use someone like that clearing guys away from our net.
Spurge and Dumba aren't doing much in that category.

[Jimtown guy]

[Icechipper]

Have only seen highlights, so question: Are we getting out muscled? Outside of Foggy, Ek and Middleton, we're not a big team by today's standards.

[IllaZilla]

On 10/17/2022 at 10:52 AM, ClusterChuck said:

What happened to rolling 4 lines if Rossi is only averaging 4 mins per game? 

Since preseason wasn't televised, I did see some highlights and quickly noticed one huge player (hopefully a D-man) 
Didn't catch his name but he looked like he was at least 6'-6" and Big...Could use someone like that clearing guys away from our net.
Spurge and Dumba aren't doing much in that category.

 

Spurgeon couldn't move my nephew who plays PeeWee hockey from in front of the net, and people are going to hate on Dumba for what he is not. I don't dislike Dumba, however I don't think he's as good as the Wild FO says he is. But the Wild have never been good at clearing the front of the net. Ever.

 

I haven't been able to watch any games since Bally's bought FoxSports, so I can't really comment on what has happened over the last three games. But I do know the Wild defense has never been physical. They seem to prefer more finesse defensemen rather than the big, hulking types. Poke check rather than body check. Both styles have their advantages and disadvantages.

 

But if the goalies are playing like Dan Cloutier, it wouldn't matter if the Wild had Scott Stevens and Bobby Orr out there...

[Alexandron]

On 10/17/2022 at 10:52 AM, ClusterChuck said:

What happened to rolling 4 lines if Rossi is only averaging 4 mins per game? 

Since preseason wasn't televised, I did see some highlights and quickly noticed one huge player (hopefully a D-man) 
Didn't catch his name but he looked like he was at least 6'-6" and Big...Could use someone like that clearing guys away from our net.
Spurge and Dumba aren't doing much in that category.

That was Andrej Sustr - nice sized 31 y.o. defenseman 6'7"; 216 lbs. He played during his career in Tampa (about 6 seasons);in Anaheim (28 games in 2 seasons) and in KHL ( 2 seasons).

[notfondajane]

On 10/13/2022 at 3:25 PM, TropicalFruitGirl26 said:

 

This is an underrated and good point.
The team playing in front of a given netminder ABSOLUTELY has to know the goalie's tendencies.

And while MAF giving up rebounds isn't ideal, let's face it, it is how he has played goal his entire career.... makes spectacular saves, reads rushes properly, moves around very athletically...BUT, tends to give up the juicy rebounds.
At the tail end of his career, that isn't gonna change.

Enter his defense in front of him, if they understand this, see how the shots go, then can anticipate, then cleanup, some of that rebound mess.
Things like that take a bit of time and now that MAF has played a good number of games in a Wild sweater, I think the team in front of him should be better equipped to deal with any deficiencies in his game.

How is he doing this season? He is still the Pens all time worst goaltender! 

[ClusterChuck]

9 hours ago, Alexandron said:

That was Andrej Sustr - nice sized 31 y.o. defenseman 6'7"; 216 lbs. He played during his career in Tampa (about 6 seasons);in Anaheim (28 games in 2 seasons) and in KHL ( 2 seasons).

That's him !! Thank You.
Could use some beef like that around the net. Not too heavy to be that slow either. 

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

4 hours ago, ClusterChuck said:

That's him !! Thank You.
Could use some beef like that around the net. Not too heavy to be that slow either. 

 

As someone who kept an eye on and rooted for this guy and wanted very badly for him to shape into that 'big, tough, mean defenseman', I can share this:

 

I don't DISLIKE Andrej Sustr, but having him watched him as a young 21, 22 yr old come up through the TB Lightning system then into the NHL, I know not to expect what people THINK they can expect from him at that size.

For the most part, he is not the big physical guy he projects, unfortunately.
Believe it or not, finesse of all things, is more his game, and when he is right, he uses his size to position himself and cover as much ice as possible with that considerable wingspan of his.
Skating is average, offensive skill, well, not much to speak of there.....he has a decently hard shot, but his accuracy....well, it gets into broad sides of barns territory....
His best skillsets are to disrupt plays, clear zones, find teammates exiting the defensive zone, and when he is inclined to do so....yes, clear the front of the net.

But therein lies the rub:
The AHL Crunch and Gulls....and the NHL Lightning and Ducks had been trying, unsuccessfully, to get him to play to his size, but like they say, you can't squeeze blood from a rock.
It's just not his game despite his size. Aggressive play is not his style..... his overall hits and PIMs on just about any given season in the NHL would attest to that, as well as the eye test.

Every once in a LONG while, he will get a hair up his arse about something, be a bit of a terror on the ice, then leave coaches and fans thinking: "Hey...that guy can be an awesome, hard nosed, mean defenseman!"
Only to disappoint those same people once he 'calms down' and goes back to being his normal, defense first, finesse guy.

When he returned to the NHL after a brief stint in the KHL, his decision making with the puck seemed improved, as did his willingness to take the body a bit more, but the physical part of his game still isn't up to par with his fellow big defensemen in the league and still leave much to be desired given his size.

Think of the sorts of things Jonas Brodin does for the team, and Andrej Sustr fits along that mold, except I'd categorize Sustr as perhaps 'Brodin-lite', as Jonas does the skating, disrupting, firing the puck, and finding teammates better than Andrej still.

 

Sustr is perfectly serviceable as a bottom pair defenseman (second pair if he has a very good offensive style partner), or extra defenseman if a team has a solid six D already, but there is a reason why a balanced team like Tampa Bay and an offensive first team like Anaheim didn't have this guy stick around.
He IS a 'team guy', won't mire the club in controversies, and will always speak highly of teammates. He has those nice qualities going for him though.

Now...if somehow, some way, Dean Evason can unlock the Mr. Hyde in this guy more often, or perhaps playing alongside a true aggressive defenseman like Jacob Middleton rubs off on him, then great...Minnesota has a solid, mean big man back there.
But I wouldn't get too excited that would be the case.

The search for that nasty, shut down, everyday defenseman will continue for the Wild, unfortunately.

Edited October 20, 2022 by TropicalFruitGirl26

[Alexandron]

Congrats to our Minnesota native player Alex Goligoski who reached yesterday 1000-game mark in NHL. It is not an easy achievement in NHL, but he did it! Wild club should celebrate this event.

Here is a nice article to read:

https://www.hockeywilderness.com/2022/10/21/23416111/minnesota-wild-score-news-alex-goligoski-1000-games-stats-nhl

 

 

[Jimtown guy]

https://www.nhl.com/wild/news/wild-recalls-fogarty-103122/c-337022650?fbclid=IwAR0gIOF8018SVRs9Z6kefxj87SG0PiJ1oZ7ZmvtgChXJyNkZL3WeP3CHZcU