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2018-19 Iowa Wild and other Wild Prospects Discussion


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5 hours ago, CreaseAndAssist said:

Did anyone notice that Matt Hendricks is now a player development coach for the Minnesota Wild?  

How can they afford a designated player development coach only for the up-and-coming 4th liners...

 

 

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I did some research because of the contradictory data where Ivan Lodnia was born. Some data showing that he was born in Los Angeles, California and some in Novi, MI. Even eliteprospects.com was confused too because first, they wrote Los Angeles, CA , then they wrote Novi, MI. I found recently an article "Ukranian pro hockey update" from the Ukranian Daily (Feb.22,2019) - where it was written the whole biography of Ivan Lodnia till 2019. According to it, Lodnia was born 3 years after the family moved from Ukraine to Los Angeles, CA  in 1999. Then 13 y.o. Ivan with his family(except his sister Masha)  moved to the Detroit area  in 2013 (which is Novi - a suburb of Detroit).
Here is a 2019 year article from the Ukranian Daily:

http://www.ukrweekly.com/uwwp/ukrainian-pro-hockey-update-13/

 

And below is a link  to a 2013 year article about an Ivan Lodnia's sister Masha on how she operates their family hockey business and talking about her brother success:

 

https://www.ocregister.com/2013/09/19/hockey-runs-in-the-family/

 

 

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Here are nice highlights 2018-2019 of  our prospect Matvey Guskov on YouTube, who has a very strong one timer shots and a smart play reading during the game :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DrWHuj7E5E

 

Not much agree about a kind of diminishing article of KyleHattrick regarding of Matvey Guskov play, especially when he based on Dominic Tiano OHL writer who said Matvey does not have an excellent one-timer shots.  I do not know what he was watching - Guskov does have a perfect one timer shots, which will be valuable for the Wild team, having a lack of those. That was proved also during our Development Camp this summer. He could be at least a second-line center in the future for the Wild team, but not only a forth-line center as article was predicting. He will grow physically; he also will get more experience; and his father was always a nice example how to play professionally well. We just do not need to loose him because of those destructing articles. He has a rare talent, which we must to keep in our organization.

Here is that questionable article:

https://www.hockeywilderness.com/2019/6/22/18713744/nhl-entry-draft-2019-minnesota-wild-matvey-guskov-fifth-round-london-ohl

 

 

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I do not know if anyone at the Wild forum had a chance to see our 2nd round #42 overall 2019 pick Vladislav Firstov highlights.

Here,  I found some of his highlights from the USHL 2018-2019 year and who had for the Waterloo Black Hawks in 62 games 58 points(26 goals;32 assists; +/- +11):

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x71emru

 

 

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  • 1 month later...

...and coming in at #22 is the Minnesota Wild...Top Ten Prospects (23 and under) for the Wild are;

 

Matthew Boldy, LW (18)
Kevin Fiala, LW (23)
Ryan Donato, C (23)
Kirill Kaprizov, LW (22)
Luke Kunin, C (21)
Jordan Greenway, LW (22)
Joel Eriksson Ek, C (22)
Alexander Khovanov, C (19)
Sam Hentges, RW (20)
Mason Shaw, C (20)

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On 8/16/2019 at 9:17 PM, IllaZilla said:

What’s really sad is that five of the top ten prospect are already on the team, and they still missed the Playoffs...

It seems those 5 players (Fiala, Donato, Greenway, Ek, Kunin) are still too greenish for the tough Stanley Cup playoffs competition. Hope, they will be able to get a real maturation in a couple of seasons. If not , someone definitely will be replaced to a better one.

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On 8/16/2019 at 8:37 AM, IllaZilla said:

...and coming in at #22 is the Minnesota Wild...Top Ten Prospects (23 and under) for the Wild are;

 

Matthew Boldy, LW (18)
Kevin Fiala, LW (23)
Ryan Donato, C (23)
Kirill Kaprizov, LW (22)
Luke Kunin, C (21)
Jordan Greenway, LW (22)
Joel Eriksson Ek, C (22)
Alexander Khovanov, C (19)
Sam Hentges, RW (20)
Mason Shaw, C (20)

I am not sure why did they put Sam Hentges on that list? According to his stats of the last 3 seasons - nothing is too exciting. I also would like to add a few more promising youngsters to this list - Dewar, Firstov, Lodnia, Sokolov, Giroux, Guskov, Sturm, Nesterenko. I am sure, that out of those 12 players not involved yet to the big club , we will be able to find at least 3 players(our possible hidden treasure), capable to make a huge difference to our Wild team and able to produce consistently 30 and more goals per season. Just I do not believe that we are so poor on a real talent. Good exciting news came not long time ago from our Jason Zucker - he is having a goal on 30 and more goals production every season for the Wild team. Definitely he has that chance and potential, if will not be injured (physically and psychologically).

Interesting news I found out recently, that Traverse City Tournament is approaching to us in about 3 weeks. For the first time Toronto team will participate there by replacing usually a strong Carolina team. Here is an article from Detroit about it.

 

http://mihockey.com/2019/07/nhl-prospect-tournament-red-wings-training-camp-details-dates-announced/

 

IMO, if most our mentioned above players will be involved there, then we will get a chance to win that tournament for the first time in our history. No Wild roster yet published for the tournament. Hopefully soon. So far intriguing roster as well as intriguing tournament for the talent exposure. And preparation for it should be done more seriously and better. Hope, Tim Army with his Wild team will get the Cup of that extremely tough and short tournament.

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I forgot to mention one more forward prospect who is merit our special attention also – Adam Beckman(2001). Hope to see him in the Wild uniform at the Traverse City Tournament too.

 

Regarding our 5 prospects goalies, having more interest to see there Lindberg, Kahkonen and Robson. More skeptical about Baribeau and Jones performance because their overall stats are not too promising.

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7 hours ago, Alexandron said:

I am not sure why did they put Sam Hentges on that list? According to his stats of the last 3 seasons - nothing is too exciting. I also would like to add a few more promising youngsters to this list - Dewar, Firstov, Lodnia, Sokolov, Giroux, Guskov, Sturm, Nesterenko. I am sure, that out of those 12 players not involved yet to the big club , we will be able to find at least 3 players(our possible hidden treasure), capable to make a huge difference to our Wild team and able to produce consistently 30 and more goals per season. Just I do not believe that we are so poor on a real talent. Good exciting news came not long time ago from our Jason Zucker - he is having a goal on 30 and more goals production every season for the Wild team. Definitely he has that chance and potential, if will not be injured (physically and psychologically).

Interesting news I found out recently, that Traverse City Tournament is approaching to us in about 3 weeks. For the first time Toronto team will participate there by replacing usually a strong Carolina team. Here is an article from Detroit about it.

 

http://mihockey.com/2019/07/nhl-prospect-tournament-red-wings-training-camp-details-dates-announced/

 

IMO, if most our mentioned above players will be involved there, then we will get a chance to win that tournament for the first time in our history. No Wild roster yet published for the tournament. Hopefully soon. So far intriguing roster as well as intriguing tournament for the talent exposure. And preparation for it should be done more seriously and better. Hope, Tim Army with his Wild team will get the Cup of that extremely tough and short tournament.

 

Those were just the top ten prospects under 23 that The Athletic listed. Eleven through 23 were:

 

11. Louis Belpedio D (Good: Skating, hands, skill, compete. Bad: No projectable role. Doesn't do anything particularly great)

12. Brandon Duhaime RW (Good: Skating, hands, skill, compete Bad: Does everything well, just not great.)

13. Adam Beckman LW (Good: Scorer, skill, finisher Bad: skating, undersized (6'1", 168 lbs))

14. Kaapo Kahkonen G (Had impressive first half of the season, faded in the second half. Needs to show more to move up)

15. Ivan Lodnia RW (Good: Skill, playmaking, scoring Bad: size, skating)

16. Connor Dewar C (Good: Skating, scoring, playmaking, compete Bad: speed, size)

17. Fedor Gordeev D (Good: size, skating, skill Bad: hockey sense)

18. Filip Johansson D (Good: skating, compete, hockey sense Bad: scoring)

19. Hunter Jones G (Good: athletic goalie Bad: loses focus, trouble tracking puck)

20. Simon Johansson D (Good: skill, playmaking, scoring Bad: skating, defense)

21. Marshall Warren D (Good: skating, compete Bad: size, inconsistent offense)

22. Dmitry Sokolov RW (Good: scoring, skill, shot Bad: defense, play away from the puck)

23. Matvei Guskov C (Good: playmaking, size, vision Bad: inconsistent)

 

Honorable mentions:

Brennan Mennell

Luke Johnson

Damien Giroux

Nick Swaney

Nikita Nesterenko

 

Sturm wasn't included in the Top Ten List because he is 24. But he was reviewed as their #4 prospect (which is odd). Sturm is being projected as a 3C-4C.

 

According to The Athletic, Hentges does everything well (speed, quickness, skill, set up, finish, compete, etc.), just not spectacularly. He was an integral part of the #1 ranked St. Cloud State team as a freshman. If he continues to develop, he is projected as a bottom six guy.

 

And that's the knock with most of the Wild prospects. They project as good players, not great players. None of them project as players that will make a difference or that you can build a team around. 

 

And it's nice seeing someone who isn't involved with the team making these evaluations. I think Wild fans have a tendency to overvalue the prospects and players on the team.

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Thanks IllaZilla for the Athletic presentation. It is sounds kind of depressing (#22) . According to the Athletics evaluation no much optimism in their projection and, unfortunately, not giving any chance for the prospects improvement/development. I agree that the Wild fans are always thinking about a better outcome/overvalue of some players/prospects and that is normal, because they are the Wild fans and want to see more team's success than they really having at this moment. Personally, after what nice hockey level I did see during the Development Camp this summer I am feeling more optimistic about our prospects and their future development into a real professional players. The progress was evident. Before this summer I was much more skeptical for decades about our prospects talent and their development. Like I said before, I believe that at least 3 current prospects are going to be our team's difference makers. Maybe initially with some their up and down inconsistency. We just need to find them attentively, develop well but not disturb by critics. I am sure most of them are reading our messages. Probably, the Traverse City Tournament this fall will be the first step of that differentiation between the past and the future. Hope, I was not wrong in my prediction. Time will tell us.

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2 minutes ago, Alexandron said:

Thanks IllaZilla for the Athletic presentation. It is sounds kind of depressing (#22) . According to the Athletics evaluation no much optimism in their projection and, unfortunately, not giving any chance for the prospects improvement/development. I agree that the Wild fans are always thinking about a better outcome/overvalue of some players/prospects and that is normal, because they are the Wild fans and want to see more team's success than they really having at this moment. Personally, after what nice hockey level I did see during the Development Camp this summer I am feeling more optimistic about our prospects and their future development into a real professional players. The progress was evident. Before this summer I was much more skeptical for decades about our prospects talent and their development. Like I said before, I believe that at least 3 current prospects are going to be our team's difference makers. Maybe initially with some their up and down inconsistency. We just need to find them attentively, develop well but not disturb by critics. I am sure most of them are reading our messages. Probably, the Traverse City Tournament this fall will be the first step of that differentiation between the past and the future. Hope, I was not wrong in my prediction. Time will tell us.

 

Well, that’s what you get when you make the playoffs. Middle to low first round draft picks. And you’ll get nice players there, but not game changers. And that is what the Wild is full of. Nice players. 

 

Until the owner acknowledges that the team needs a rebuild, the Wild will continue to spin their wheels. And eventually the reliance on Parise, Suter and Koivu is going to blow up in their face. 

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23 hours ago, IllaZilla said:

 

Those were just the top ten prospects under 23 that The Athletic listed. Eleven through 23 were:

 

11. Louis Belpedio D (Good: Skating, hands, skill, compete. Bad: No projectable role. Doesn't do anything particularly great)

12. Brandon Duhaime RW (Good: Skating, hands, skill, compete Bad: Does everything well, just not great.)

13. Adam Beckman LW (Good: Scorer, skill, finisher Bad: skating, undersized (6'1", 168 lbs))

14. Kaapo Kahkonen G (Had impressive first half of the season, faded in the second half. Needs to show more to move up)

15. Ivan Lodnia RW (Good: Skill, playmaking, scoring Bad: size, skating)

16. Connor Dewar C (Good: Skating, scoring, playmaking, compete Bad: speed, size)

17. Fedor Gordeev D (Good: size, skating, skill Bad: hockey sense)

18. Filip Johansson D (Good: skating, compete, hockey sense Bad: scoring)

19. Hunter Jones G (Good: athletic goalie Bad: loses focus, trouble tracking puck)

20. Simon Johansson D (Good: skill, playmaking, scoring Bad: skating, defense)

21. Marshall Warren D (Good: skating, compete Bad: size, inconsistent offense)

22. Dmitry Sokolov RW (Good: scoring, skill, shot Bad: defense, play away from the puck)

23. Matvei Guskov C (Good: playmaking, size, vision Bad: inconsistent)

 

Honorable mentions:

Brennan Mennell

Luke Johnson

Damien Giroux

Nick Swaney

Nikita Nesterenko

 

Sturm wasn't included in the Top Ten List because he is 24. But he was reviewed as their #4 prospect (which is odd). Sturm is being projected as a 3C-4C.

 

According to The Athletic, Hentges does everything well (speed, quickness, skill, set up, finish, compete, etc.), just not spectacularly. He was an integral part of the #1 ranked St. Cloud State team as a freshman. If he continues to develop, he is projected as a bottom six guy.

 

And that's the knock with most of the Wild prospects. They project as good players, not great players. None of them project as players that will make a difference or that you can build a team around. 

 

And it's nice seeing someone who isn't involved with the team making these evaluations. I think Wild fans have a tendency to overvalue the prospects and players on the team.

 

On 8/16/2019 at 7:30 PM, IllaZilla said:

Basically the Wild have a bunch of good prospects, but no one who is a difference maker...

IMO Khovanov could be a diamond in the rough...

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2 hours ago, sweetshot said:

 

IMO Khovanov could be a diamond in the rough...

This is what they said about Khovanov...

 

Tier: Legit NHL prospect

Khovanov had a tough draft season in 2018-19 due to contracting Hepatitis but looked better this season. He didn’t have dominant point totals, but he was a big part of a dangerous power play unit in Moncton. He has excellent vision and patience. He looks to make plays, often making high-end ones, but showed a decent shot this season that I didn’t know he had in him. Talking to his coach last year about Khovanov’s iffy speed and pace, the coach argued it would improve once Khovannov got conditioned. Typically when I hear that I figure it’s a coach trying to defend his guy, but Khovanov did look a step quicker this season, even if his speed is still average, and he played more physical too.

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2 hours ago, sweetshot said:

 

IMO Khovanov could be a diamond in the rough...

Strange, that he is a single and signed by the Wild player not included yet into the Wild system for the second year already according to their website. Nesterenko finally they did inserted recently in their system.

 

http://wild.ice.nhl.com/club/roster.htm?type=prospect

 

In my opinion also, Khovanov should be starting this season in AHL for building better his professional experience but not in OHL. Sadly he is still a part of OHL. Same I would say about a Damien Giroux - first of all, he should be signed by the Wild as well as be playing in AHL but not OHL where he is playing for 3 seasons already as a Captain now of Saginaw Spirits team. IMO he is a very progressive player . Impressed of his stats during his career especially for his playoffs production.

 

https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/270155/damien-giroux

 

Other real difference maker in the rough could be not  signed yet Kirill Kaprizov. Hopefully next season we will see him here.

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10 minutes ago, Alexandron said:

Strange, that he is a single and signed by the Wild player not included yet into the Wild system for the second year already according to their website. Nesterenko finally they did inserted recently in their system.

 

http://wild.ice.nhl.com/club/roster.htm?type=prospect

 

In my opinion also, Khovanov should be starting this season in AHL for building better his professional experience but not in OHL. Sadly he is still a part of OHL. Same I would say about a Damien Giroux - first of all, he should be signed by the Wild as well as be playing in AHL but not OHL where he is playing for 3 seasons already as a Captain now of Saginaw Spirits team. IMO he is a very progressive player . Impressed of his stats during his career especially for his playoffs production.

 

https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/270155/damien-giroux

 

Other real difference maker in the rough could be not  signed yet Kirill Kaprizov. Hopefully next season we will see him here.

 

Khovanov is only 19. He can't qualify for Iowa until he turns 20 or has played 4 seasons in the CHL. It's the NHL or the OHL for him.

 

Same deal with Giroux. He is only 19. He needs to be 20 or have played four seasons in the CHL to qualify for the AHL. This is what the Athletic said about him: "I like Giroux’s sense and compete a lot, but I don’t know if at 5-foot-10 he has the speed for the NHL."

 

 

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1 hour ago, Bear said:

We dont value speed or size

 

That’s because the team doesn’t know what it wants to be. Does it want to be a fast, skilled team, or does it want to be a big, hulking, grind it out team? There is no direction from the front office. Just get some big names...

Craig Custance has a great article on how the Central Division currently stands up against the Blues. And I’ll give you one guess who was in last place out of the six teams...

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On 8/19/2019 at 11:08 AM, IllaZilla said:

 

Khovanov is only 19. He can't qualify for Iowa until he turns 20 or has played 4 seasons in the CHL. It's the NHL or the OHL for him.

 

Same deal with Giroux. He is only 19. He needs to be 20 or have played four seasons in the CHL to qualify for the AHL. This is what the Athletic said about him: "I like Giroux’s sense and compete a lot, but I don’t know if at 5-foot-10 he has the speed for the NHL."

 

 

It seems NHL gave us just one real option – to sign first Giroux and then to build a new Wild 3rd line – Khovanov- Sturm- Giroux. And that line maybe will be more productive than the line Greenway-Ek-Donato which should play for the Iowa Wild team in AHL certain amount of time for a better appreciation to be a part of the big club. All three players were giving to the fans controversial feelings about their production last year – especially for Greenway and Donato during the Calder Cup playoffs in AHL as well as for Ek during the regular season in NHL.🤔

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On 8/19/2019 at 6:39 PM, IllaZilla said:

That’s because the team doesn’t know what it wants to be. Does it want to be a fast, skilled team, or does it want to be a big, hulking, grind it out team? There is no direction from the front office. Just get some big names...

Craig Custance has a great article on how the Central Division currently stands up against the Blues. And I’ll give you one guess who was in last place out of the six teams...

Regarding the NHL size athlete and his speed is always a dilemma parts, which way should be our Wild’s preference? I did not read yet that article (I am guessing that we were on a last place), but I think that both parts are equally important for the modern hockey. Probably a nice balance of the size and the speed among players will give us a grind as well as a faster movement against the opposite team. The roles of the players should be determined individually – a grind minded or speedy minded player related mainly to his anthropometric; physical and physiological data. In general, both type of players developed naturally by Mother Nature as well as some of them have ideally both traits in one player. Multiple variations of those players are : bigger size player and speedy in skating(IMO the best option); bigger size player and moderate/or slow in skating ; moderate size player and speedy in skating(my second preferable option); moderate size player and moderate/or slow in skating; smaller size player and speedy in skating; smaller size player and moderate/or slow in skating(IMO the worst option). The question is how to range those sizes and speeds? What is considered – bigger/moderate/smaller size player, because the heights and weights could vary widely ? What is considered a speedy player? And other question - how the speed is combining with a talent? Sometimes we see plenty of speed and have tons of production; sometimes we see plenty of speed but zero production; and sometimes we see zero speed, but tons of production. Probably, all those questions could be addressed not only to forwards and defesemen but to a goaltenders for their play as well. Anyway, I will end up by the Hockey-78 phrase : hockey is life; and life is hockey. Mainly boring, but sometimes gets very excited. 😉.

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