CreaseAndAssist Posted August 14, 2018 Share Posted August 14, 2018 11 hours ago, TonyOday said: Zucker will be a superstar. I think he puts 40 in this year. (sigh) Kind of a low bar if 40 is all it takes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtofMinny Posted August 29, 2018 Author Share Posted August 29, 2018 Let's look at teams that should improve and those who should slide. St. Louis seems to have improved their roster, I don't see the same as I look at probable line combos from: COL, DAL, CGY, EDM, CHI, SJS, LAK, NAS, WPG, ANA. I don't see that any of them have really done a lot to improve their roster. Some of those teams are already really good, but I don't see anyone leapfrogging the WIld this year with the exception of STL. Change my mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtofMinny Posted August 29, 2018 Author Share Posted August 29, 2018 Also, I think it's safe to say that Las Vegas will take a step back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fargocase Posted September 1, 2018 Share Posted September 1, 2018 Holy crap Dirtman. You must be new to Wild boards. Same old crows here that were back on the old Wild Msg boards. Don't you know the Wild sucks, the Owner Sucks! The GM Sucks! All the Players suck!!! I want a Stanley Cup now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtofMinny Posted September 4, 2018 Author Share Posted September 4, 2018 On 8/31/2018 at 7:55 PM, Fargocase said: Holy crap Dirtman. You must be new to Wild boards. Same old crows here that were back on the old Wild Msg boards. Don't you know the Wild sucks, the Owner Sucks! The GM Sucks! All the Players suck!!! I want a Stanley Cup now! I know, right? Just trying to get a fair but not-so-negative post going, but this is a tough crowd. Seems like the changes folks want with the team/org. on this board are never enough. I have to say, I may be crazy, but I have a feeling we will be pleasantly surprised this year. Just a gut feeling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomdog Posted September 5, 2018 Share Posted September 5, 2018 I am in a wait and see position right now. I don't really expect a lot, based on our free agent signings, but hope the style of play will change enough to make up for the lack of talent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtofMinny Posted September 5, 2018 Author Share Posted September 5, 2018 I think we need 270 goals (up 17from last year) and allow 220 (down 12 from last year. League was 296 and 203 respectively. My tally comes pretty close to this on goals for (Staal 30, Zucker 30, Nino 25, Parise 25, Granlund 20, Ek 15, etc...) I think we can do it if we get full years out of these guys and maybe a couple of young guy surprises. I think we can cut down on the goals against too. We added some grit and with any luck, we will get more PP opportunities. Our numbers are not terrible, in fact they could be very, very good. I am going to go into the season with high hopes. We are in Minnesota after all!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fargocase Posted September 6, 2018 Share Posted September 6, 2018 Numerous "experts" are predicting Wild miss the Playoffs and a good chance they'll be correct. But there are things to be optimistic about. I still think healthy Nino could get 30 goals and have a breakout season like Zooker did last year. Unlike others, I haven't given up on Coyle, either. I fully expect to be thrilled by Zooker again. I'm really curious to see if EEk can break thru and start scoring. I'm curious and optimistic about Greenway. I think he is the real deal. Again, unlike other negative Nancys, I know Parise is still fully capable of having an excellent year, just like Big E. had last season. Why would I think that? Because it was obvious last year last quarter of the season and in his short playoff run. Do I demand and expect a Cup run? No. Love to see one and there is a chance but honestly doubtful. That said, pizzing and moaning and bidtching and whining constantly is boring. Drop the pucking puck already, let's play hockey! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtofMinny Posted September 6, 2018 Author Share Posted September 6, 2018 Right on, Fargo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4Check Posted September 6, 2018 Share Posted September 6, 2018 3 hours ago, Fargocase said: Numerous "experts" are predicting Wild miss the Playoffs and a good chance they'll be correct. But there are things to be optimistic about. I still think healthy Nino could get 30 goals and have a breakout season like Zooker did last year. Unlike others, I haven't given up on Coyle, either. I fully expect to be thrilled by Zooker again. I'm really curious to see if EEk can break thru and start scoring. I'm curious and optimistic about Greenway. I think he is the real deal. Again, unlike other negative Nancys, I know Parise is still fully capable of having an excellent year, just like Big E. had last season. Why would I think that? Because it was obvious last year last quarter of the season and in his short playoff run. Do I demand and expect a Cup run? No. Love to see one and there is a chance but honestly doubtful. That said, pizzing and moaning and bidtching and whining constantly is boring. Drop the pucking puck already, let's play hockey! IMO, the Wild are a top 6 center, elite goal scorer and goaltender away from being a cup contender. I suppose it's not out of the realm of possibility that Zucker & Nino could take the next step closer to elite, that JEE is on the cusp of being a top 6 center and that Dubnyk extends his regular season excellence to the playoffs. IF (big IF) the aforementioned all materialize plus good health and (for the first time) a key trade deadline acquisition, COULD potentially add up to creating the formula for a cup contender. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fargocase Posted September 6, 2018 Share Posted September 6, 2018 The thing I'm stuck on is where/how do the Wild acquire the Top 2 Line Center???? IMO the chance of EEk blossoming into that is near zero. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rottenrefs Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 4 hours ago, Fargocase said: The thing I'm stuck on is where/how do the Wild acquire the Top 2 Line Center???? IMO the chance of EEk blossoming into that is near zero. Ek has a better chance than Mikko. Haula had a better chance than Mikko; so did Tuch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rottenrefs Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 While it would be nice to see a Cup some day... I'd settle for smarter team and player management. Both are HUGE long-shots this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fargocase Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 21 hours ago, Fargocase said: The thing I'm stuck on is where/how do the Wild acquire the Top 2 Line Center???? IMO the chance of EEk blossoming into that is near zero. Weird, I can't edit my previous post. Re-reading this, I want to add the qualifier that I don't think EEk will blossom into a quality NHL 2nd Line Center next season. Maybe in a couple years... Numerous times over the years I've complained about Coyle being jerked back and forth from Wing to Center to Wing... With MiG firmly entrenched on RW, and no one else on the horizon (that I see) maybe, for the good of the team, Coyle should be permanently shifted to Center this season. I don't know if he has the hcokey sense or vision but he has the tools. He's a lot faster than a lot of people realize IMO and he matches up physically against any big NHL Center. But does he have the top notch offensive instincts? The nose for the net, the passing ability to set up linemates? He definitely can rag the puck when he wants, which facilitates guys getting open. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4Check Posted September 8, 2018 Share Posted September 8, 2018 5 hours ago, Fargocase said: Weird, I can't edit my previous post. Re-reading this, I want to add the qualifier that I don't think EEk will blossom into a quality NHL 2nd Line Center next season. Maybe in a couple years... Numerous times over the years I've complained about Coyle being jerked back and forth from Wing to Center to Wing... With MiG firmly entrenched on RW, and no one else on the horizon (that I see) maybe, for the good of the team, Coyle should be permanently shifted to Center this season. I don't know if he has the hcokey sense or vision but he has the tools. He's a lot faster than a lot of people realize IMO and he matches up physically against any big NHL Center. But does he have the top notch offensive instincts? The nose for the net, the passing ability to set up linemates? He definitely can rag the puck when he wants, which facilitates guys getting open. I have always liked the way Coyle attacks with speed when entering the zone in the middle of the ice. However, IMO, it won't happen unless Koivu was traded. (with an NTC, it's highly unlikely) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rottenrefs Posted September 8, 2018 Share Posted September 8, 2018 17 hours ago, 4Check said: I have always liked the way Coyle attacks with speed when entering the zone in the middle of the ice. However, IMO, it won't happen unless Koivu was traded. (with an NTC, it's highly unlikely) One thing I have noticed about Coyle is when he plays wing (prior to last year) he was more prone to occasionally crash the net than when he plays center. When he plays center he seems to lose all interest in going in hard on net. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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