2019 Wild Playoff Chances and Possible Opponents

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

 

Alright, alright...first off, I KNOW the Wild have to get into the playoffs first....so, I am NOT counting any chickens before any hatchings.

But, I figured, what the heck....the Minnesota Wild are up n down, looking good, looking bad....play very well, play in such a manner that it makes us all wanna pull our hair out and scream...…….but you know what? So are a few of the teams around them that they are battling for the Wild Card spots with!

 

I was listening to NHL Network yesterday and they were talking about the various playoff races...and you know what one analyst described the Western WC race as?  "That turtle race for the West wild card spots"
And he isn't wrong!!

 

Minnesota, Dallas, Colorado, Vancouver, St. Louis, hell, even the losing streak Ducks, the woeful Oilers, the upstart Coyotes, and, after last night, the flippin BLACKHAWKS, all wanna make claim to a possible playoff berth, and if one were to look at the point standings, it is NOT impossible!

Not in "the turtle race" anyways....

 

Here are the current standings:

But our discussion here would center on the Wild themselves and possible opponents...……..IF they manage to out-tortoise the other turtles, right?

 

 

Yea, right off...let's FORGET Nashville and Winnipeg for the purposes of catching them....ain't gonna happen. Barring some monumental collapse by either, followed by a Herculean run by Minnesota, the Wild simply aren't gonna catch either....Also, let's forget for a minute the top three in the Pacific, as they likely will finish as the top three, they may just jockey for position.

That leaves the red highlighted teams the Wild are contending with.

And even though we figure some of those teams are realistically not going to get in, the point totals, as of this posting, Feb 3, 2019, suggest they still have a chance....and apparently, in the turtle race, anything is possible.

So can the Wild be the faster shelled reptile here?
Assuming they catch Dallas and grab a top three spot (and I use that term loosely with regards to Minnesota), then they likely face either WPG or NSH...whichever doesn't win the division.

Or, if they finish in the top Wild Card spot, they AGAIN, likely face either WPG or NSH...this time whichever DOES win the division...and also assumes their record is below whomever finishes at the top of the Pacific...….otherwise, the Wild will face the Pacific leader (right now, likely Calgary).

 

Should the Wild finish as the 2nd WC, then the same teams are likely opponents.... WPG, NSH..whomever wins their division and finish better than the Pacific leader...or the Pacific leader again, should they finish with the best record.

 

I see a common theme here....if the Wild manage to be the faster turtle, the Jets, the Predators, and likely, the Flames are their first round opponents...and Minnesota would face any of those on the road to begin the series.

 

So whaddya guys think?
Wild get in in light of all these slow moving teams they are surrounded by?
If they do get in...any preference as to whom they face in the first round?

I know the running joke is "one n done"...and if they face either Nashville or Winnipeg, that may be the case once again, as I believe those teams are, top to bottom, superior to the Wild.
Hmmm...but how about those "dominant" Calgary Flames? I think I'd rather face them, crazy as it sounds!

Calgary has been hella good....but in watching some of their games, they also give up a LOT of scoring opportunities to the opponents.....its just, to date, their goaltending has bailed them out of even the WORST of defensive gaffes by the team... I.E., NOBODY has really made Calgary pay for their more egregious defensive errors, while their offense continues to roll.
Minnesota would still be a big underdog in a match up like that, but a playoff team at least serving up chances to beat them on a silver platter? Sure...why not!

 

As good as the Flames have played, many of their guys are still playoff newbies...and that could make all the difference for even an underdog team like Minnesota. The Jets and Preds are MUCH more playoff tested and seasoned.

 

Cmon boys n gals...humor me...talk to me about Wild playoff chances (do they REALLY have to worry about Edmonton, Arizona, and Chicago!!??), and who you like as the opponent if they get in. 
 

[CreaseAndAssist]

(yawn)  I'll tell you what I think.  This team NEEDS to miss the playoffs.  It really does.  Making the playoffs will only have the insanity continue longer.  It will only encourage 'tweaks' when it really needs to be ripping this team apart.  

 

Honestly I am posting a poll on Twitter where I ask the question to Wild fans (its open for two days) will this team make the playoffs and if it does will it make it beyond the 1st round?  

 

IMO, to make the playoffs and be out in the 1st round only helps pad the ledger of Craig Leipold.  This team doesn't have the talent or the scoring to be a factor IMO.  It is a club that's good enough to hang around, maybe sneak in...but then will be dismissed and I think that's the culture that exists with this club.  Making the playoffs is good enough...and they feel accomplished enough to have their season end in Mid-April.  If they don't make it...oh well, they hit the course a little earlier than they have the last 6 years.  I don't think at least one of their members of their leadership group gives a rat's a%% most nights.  Another member of the leadership group desperately wants to go farther and the so called leader isn't the type of player to put this team on its back and take it anywhere.  But hey, he gets angry once in a while.  

 

It is my hope that Fenton realizes how flawed this group of players is and shreds it.  Its not a coaching problem.  I ran a poll last week and 57% of fans who answered the poll said they'd be willing to endure a 3-4 year (or longer) rebuild.  Small sample perhaps...but I think more and more fans understand how flawed this club is currently constructed.  

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Well, since WISHING the Wild would miss the playoffs and tear down the entire team isn't going to make it so, what we are left with is a team, that, yes, is good enough to make the playoffs, but likely not good enough to go beyond.

And some big contracts (the obvious ones are Parise and Suter) are far too early in them for the Wild to buy out (and have their salaries, pretty sizeable still on the books for the next two decades) and make any kind of reasonable dent in financial flexibility.

 

Some contracts will be up soon (in the next two to three years), and perhaps the Wild can look to start paring things down then if they haven't progressed any more than they have the last several years....at that point, perhaps guys like Parise or Suter can be persuaded to waive their NMC's, so they can "win" elsewhere, and the Wild can begin a real rebuild.

Minnesota is not at that point from the FO standpoint yet. For better or worse.
So again, we have a team that can still play hockey, is still capable of beating good teams when they play as a group, and is doing this while missing a key ingredient (Mat Dumba) and having some severely underperforming players this season (Zucker and Granlund come to mind right away).

Yep. They will have some real crappy games played, some games that make us wonder why in the hell we even follow this team, but given the current playoff environment, you can see lots of other teams are having similar, some worse, issues....and thus, the Wild, here and now, are just gonna have to play the best they can, with what they got, and see where things go from there.
I think we can all guess the likelihood of what happens in the post season if they get in, but as they say, games aren't played on paper, NO team is gonna forfeit, and there is always the possibility of some dumb luck that gets them to places in the post season they may have no business being in.

And the team is not so bad to finish as a lottery team, so I see NOTHING really gained by just missing the playoffs as opposed to just barely making it in...…….draft wise and positionally in the West, it equates to about the same, except if they are actually IN, they have a chance to win something, no matter how slim. Zero if they just miss.

 

So to that, you have Dallas that seemingly has forgotten to score, but now plays better defense...and Ben Bishop looks like the Ben Bishop that led the Lightning to the Cup Finals some years ago....you have the one line team of Colorado with some serious decisions to make in goal.... you have teams like Vancouver, Edmonton, and Arizona, who all have talent, but very few of their players are fully into their prime years, and even less have extensive playoff experience, if any at all, and you have the Blues who really MAY tear stuff down if they don't get in, and the Blackhawks and Ducks who look like they are in freefall mode...except the Hawks actually have a decent prospect in Collin Delia in goal (and just like Minnesota, have big contracts they would have a hard time moving or buying out right now), but overall are a shadow of their former championship selves.

 

That leaves the Wild with just as good a shot to get into the post season as any other turtle team struggling to get in.
Unless the Wild are going to go into a truly disgusting mode of "tanking", the team should be good enough to stay in the mix, or just barely miss...……...I prefer they get in.

[IllaZilla]

The Wild certainly aren't showing any urgency in the last couple of games to make anyone believe they are a Playoff caliber team. Or at least one that can do some damage in the Playoffs. Or even that the supposed "message" from the Niederreiter trade was received. Maybe Fenton should have waited until after the break for that trade. They were 3-1 after the trade, but have now lost two straight. Any momentum they started building after the trade seems to have been killed by the All-Star Break.

 

But we've all seen this movie before. The Wild will make the Playoffs not because they are better than other teams, but because other teams were worse than they were. Then the minute they face a team that throws a check or two or the inevitable "hot goaltender" they curl up in the fetal position and slip quietly out of the Playoffs.

 

In true Minnesotan fashion, I'll be surprised if they miss the Playoffs, but then again it won't surprise me if they miss. The only thing this team had done to "improve" over the last several seasons is keep bringing in a new fourth line and the obligatory "tough guy". The first through third lines are basically unchanged over the last three seasons. And have resulted in a one and done in the Playoffs. 

 

So, yeah. They'll probably make the Playoffs. And they'll probably collapse like a house of cards in the first round as well. Whee.

 

 

[Tomdog]

I honestly don’t think they make the playoffs. Wild have been trending down since the loss of dumba. St. Louis and ariz. have been trending up as well as Chicago. 

Of course trades could change those trades but as of now, no playoffs. 

[ClusterChuck]

Probably a better time for this thread was during the break. Before the break I felt we were still 'good enough' to take 3rd place but that was based on looking at all the teams previous 10 game stats. Teams below us were averaging 4-5-1 or 5-3-2 etc while the Wild were slightly better.

Even tho we played better against Chicago we still gave points away. Just as possible we take 3rd place, I can see Dallas, St. Louis and even Chicago above us by the end.

We're at that all too familiar position heading towards the trade deadline.

Last year I hoped to end up facing Vegas. It would've been fun overall. And yet we ended up getting Blue and the Yeo's....

That's why I don't make a wish for an opponent anymore.

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

@IllaZilla

 

Your contention that the Wild would make the playoffs because others are worse..... yep, I can roll with that.
That was partly my point as well. It is what it is.

And in that kind of environment, despite the Wild's many flaws, they have a shot to get in (in fact, STILL holding a playoff position even now) because those other teams are just as bad, if not worse.

 

It's why I feel tis better to barely get in, than to barely miss.

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

2 minutes ago, ClusterChuck said:

Probably a better time for this thread was during the break. Before the break I felt we were still 'good enough' to take 3rd place but that was based on looking at all the teams previous 10 game stats. Teams below us were averaging 4-5-1 or 5-3-2 etc while the Wild were slightly better.

Even tho we played better against Chicago we still gave points away. Just as possible we take 3rd place, I can see Dallas, St. Louis and even Chicago above us by the end.

We're at that all too familiar position heading towards the trade deadline.

Last year I hoped to end up facing Vegas. It would've been fun overall. And yet we ended up getting Blue and the Yeo's....

That's why I don't make a wish for an opponent anymore.

 

Timing for the thread itself is about right....before the ASG, sure, but just as valid now.

Turtle race, remember?
The race about a half dozen teams can't seem to pull away and win.

NOBODY in that bottom Western group is going to separate themselves from anyone else....unless, as @Tomdog pointed out, trades are made that significantly affect the races.

 

Before, after, the ASG.... all that has changed is the perception.

The reality is still, that the Wild are flawed....but so are their competitors.

[ClusterChuck]

20 minutes ago, TropicalFruitGirl26 said:

Turtle race, remember?
The race about a half dozen teams can't seem to pull away and win.
 

Before, after, the ASG.... all that has changed is the perception.

The reality is still, that the Wild are flawed....but so are their competitors.

Agreed but I fear the rest are Snappers while we are just the common variety. Tap us with a stick and our head and legs disappear while the other's come out a Bitin'.  

 

For once I liked BB's shake up of the lines. I first thought it doesn't help the new guys but we have to try anything at this point. Overall it seemed to work last night.

Foligno's finally getting more respect too. Well deserved.

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

18 minutes ago, ClusterChuck said:

Agreed but I fear the rest are Snappers while we are just the common variety. Tap us with a stick and our head and legs disappear while the other's come out a Bitin'.  

 

For once I liked BB's shake up of the lines. I first thought it doesn't help the new guys but we have to try anything at this point. Overall it seemed to work last night.

Foligno's finally getting more respect too. Well deserved.

 

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

FWIW, and yes, I realize these are regular season records, but have a look at how the Wild compare to the Central division vs the Pacific Division, as well as some others in the current turtle race.

Interesting that Chicago has a damned good record against its own division, mediocre and abysmal of course, against every other one.

Seeing as how the wild card teams are bracketed one each in the divisions, the Wild, according to these records, would slot in better in the Central playoff bracket, while say, a team like Dallas, slots in better against the Pacific.

Of course, I suppose I should dig out the actual team vs team records, because if the Wild get in and slotted in the Central, they WON'T be facing the likes of the Hawks, Avs, Stars or Blues....it will be against Preds or Jets.

 

Entering today's action:

[Tomdog]

3 hours ago, ClusterChuck said:

Agreed but I fear the rest are Snappers while we are just the common variety. Tap us with a stick and our head and legs disappear while the other's come out a Bitin'.  

 

For once I liked BB's shake up of the lines. I first thought it doesn't help the new guys but we have to try anything at this point. Overall it seemed to work last night.

Foligno's finally getting more respect too. Well deserved.

I think this year may be a little different. I see a few players that will stand up for themselves more than previous years. 

As for the line changes, I think they need to put charlie back at center and slide mikko down to 3 or 4 c where he belongs. 

 

[Hockey-78]

5 hours ago, CreaseAndAssist said:

(yawn)  I'll tell you what I think.  This team NEEDS to miss the playoffs.  It really does.  Making the playoffs will only have the insanity continue longer.  It will only encourage 'tweaks' when it really needs to be ripping this team apart. 

 

but I think more and more fans understand how flawed this club is currently constructed.  

I agree with this. Couldn't care less if they make it the 1st round... and exit. Who's the opponent doesn't even matter nor entice since it doesn't affect one bit how this team prepares or makes adjustments to face them.

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

29 minutes ago, Tomdog said:

I think this year may be a little different. I see a few players that will stand up for themselves more than previous years. 

As for the line changes, I think they need to put charlie back at center and slide mikko down to 3 or 4 c where he belongs. 

 

 

I agree a bit with the overall willingness to mix it up a bit for some players, but if the Wild ARE matched up against the Preds, or the Jets especially, unfortunately, I think they are still outmatched in the physical department.

Minnesota does not match up very well at all against either Nashville or Winnipeg, IMO (and to the surprise of no one), which is why if the Wild DO get in, I'd prefer those Calgary Flames...who coincidentally, also like playing a rough type game.

Either way, Wild will be firm underdogs regardless of match up, but at least the Flames would provide more scoring chances for Minnesota, and a less proven goalie in Dave Rittich (if he is indeed their go-to guy)…..
Of course, the Wild would have to be able to take ADVANTAGE of any chances given, and that there is the rub in all this, isn't it? 

[IllaZilla]

21 minutes ago, TropicalFruitGirl26 said:

 

I agree a bit with the overall willingness to mix it up a bit for some players, but if the Wild ARE matched up against the Preds, or the Jets especially, unfortunately, I think they are still outmatched in the physical department.

Minnesota does not match up very well at all against either Nashville or Winnipeg, IMO (and to the surprise of no one), which is why if the Wild DO get in, I'd prefer those Calgary Flames...who coincidentally, also like playing a rough type game.

Either way, Wild will be firm underdogs regardless of match up, but at least the Flames would provide more scoring chances for Minnesota, and a less proven goalie in Dave Rittich (if he is indeed their go-to guy)…..
Of course, the Wild would have to be able to take ADVANTAGE of any chances given, and that there is the rub in all this, isn't it? 

 

Wild head-to-head record to date:

 

CAL 2 games, 0W-2L 1 goal for, 4 goals against

NAS 1 game, 0W-1L, 2 goals for, 4 goals against

WPG 3 games, 3W-0L 10 goals for, 5 goals against

 

Seems like they are handling the Jets just fine this season...

 

But it doesn't matter who they get matched up against. That team will have the "hot goaltender"...

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

@IllaZilla

Well, well...color me surprised.
Of course, a seven game series is a completely different animal, but hey, if Minnesota does draw the Jets right away, then I will hang my hat on them handling them in the regular season!

Wooohooo...I can say we got a shot then! 

[rottenrefs]

Troubling for the Wild is they play up and down the first half of the season, then around this time of year start their push toward the playoffs. Ultimately they run out of gas once they reach the playoffs. Their spirits are high (that they got there) but that's when other teams idling along all year long learning and applying their game as consistent as can be... Reach another gear; of which the Wild don't have.

 

With the Wild they're still dilly-dallying along trying to figure out decent line combinations 80 games into the season, for the 8th consecutive season.

 

One day I'll have to sit down and rewrite what I deem: It's in the water - explaining why this team is what they are and nothing more.

[CreaseAndAssist]

The charts are cute, but no matter how hard you try you are not going to convince me this team is going to make it out of the 1st round of the playoffs if it even makes it at all.  

 

Beyond the fact the team has played the Jets well, the playoffs are a different animal.  We had years where we owned then division leading Chicago in the regular season only to allegedly run into a 'hot goaltender' and be bounced in the 1st round.  

 

This team doesn't have the go-to scoring group of players, junkyard dog around the crease mentality, and be willing to pay the physical price (blocking shots, taking a hit, delivering hits) to win games in the post-season.  Not consistently at least.  

 

We'll have some close chances, but still too many flybys...until our back is against the wall and maybe we eek out a victory, maybe two before we get bounced.  That isn't part of this club.  Its not going to be a possession metric, its not a statistic.  But its a clear consistent trend through the last 6 years.  Only difference is the core is OLDER.  

 

Go blow sunshine up another fanbase's ass....

[Icechipper]

We aren't done "tweaking." Neither is Winnipeg. How many games was Byfuglien in this season? He was a force of nature in Wild's destruction last spring.

[ClusterChuck]

18 hours ago, TropicalFruitGirl26 said:

Of course, a seven game series is a completely different animal, but hey, if Minnesota does draw the Jets right away, then I will hang my hat on them handling them in the regular season!
 

That's why I wanted the Wild to face VGK last year but not in RD 1. No way the NHL would let the Cinderella story end 1st series.

Vegas would have had to learn how to beat us and would they be able to do it soon enough to take the series. Probably, But it would've been in their heads.

Of course we had to get past RD1 ourselves for that to happen.  

The Jets would take it up a notch while we rely on what we did most of the season vs them. 

17 hours ago, rottenrefs said:

 

With the Wild they're still dilly-dallying along trying to figure out decent line combinations 80 games into the season, for the 8th consecutive season.

 

 This ^

How many teams that go on a long PO run spent the season with this plan?

 

Fenton may pull a rabbit out and get 1-2 more solid players that may spark the team similar to when (sorry about this) we got Dubnyk.

But will that be enough to continue in the PO's?

I think the only way we see a deep run anytime soon is if we're able to sneak up on teams like in '03.

A quiet bunch of team oriented players.

 

 

 

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

50 minutes ago, ClusterChuck said:

 

I think the only way we see a deep run anytime soon is if we're able to sneak up on teams like in '03.

A quiet bunch of team oriented players.

 

 

 

 

Funny you should mention this, because I actually thought this myself the other day...."sneaking up on teams"....or probably more accurately, upsetting teams (probably LITERALLY!) and winning games and series Minnesota has no business winning.

It's happened before with other series....I can think of the very passive San Jose Sharks teams of the 90's slipping past powerhouse Detroit teams, teams like the pre-Ovechkin Capitals getting past others like Pittsburgh and the Rangers...and yea, that Wild team in 03 that probably should have been done in April.

 

All possible....although highly unlikely.
Our current Minnesota squad, not too long ago had some real chances to go far in the post season...and always seemed to be ousted by a championship Chicago team.

 

Meanwhile, other teams like Nashville, like Winnipeg were either wallowing around trying to figure stuff out, or started their steady ascent....and saw, at that time, a team like Minnesota as one they needed to beat and/or surpass to get to where THEY wanted to get.

 

I know our Wild team now are nothing like those that had a better chance to win those years ago, but the mentality of the opponents (such as the Jets and Preds), may still be "oh, it's those Wild in the playoffs again.....let's put them out in a hurry!".

And why I think sneaking up on teams this go round, as opposed to 03, is likely nigh impossible.

 

Now....if we get a team with things maybe, MAYBE the Wild can exploit (again, thinking Calgary) in their defensive structure, perhaps Minnesota can steal a series there.
Yes, yes....all "hopeful" stuff, and not likely to be realized, but hey, if the team does get in, just gotta find something as a fanbase to hang our hats on.... let the FO, the management team, the coaching staff, and the ownership worry about fixing what ails the team...we as fans can't do anything about it, despite SOME fans thinking they can make a difference ranting inanely on a message board.

 

The trading deadline will still be telling though...all this slow turtle paced parity we are seeing by the bottom of the Western playoff bracket may be turned on its ear once the buyers and sellers are truly sorted out and the contenders start putting some real distance between themselves and the pretenders.

 

 

[IllaZilla]

49 minutes ago, ClusterChuck said:

That's why I wanted the Wild to face VGK last year but not in RD 1. No way the NHL would let the Cinderella story end 1st series.

Vegas would have had to learn how to beat us and would they be able to do it soon enough to take the series. Probably, But it would've been in their heads.

Of course we had to get past RD1 ourselves for that to happen.  

The Jets would take it up a notch while we rely on what we did most of the season vs them. 

 This ^

How many teams that go on a long PO run spent the season with this plan?

 

Fenton may pull a rabbit out and get 1-2 more solid players that may spark the team similar to when (sorry about this) we got Dubnyk.

But will that be enough to continue in the PO's?

I think the only way we see a deep run anytime soon is if we're able to sneak up on teams like in '03.

A quiet bunch of team oriented players.

 

 

 

 

The Jets didn't have to take it up a notch. The Wild were pretty much done when Suter busted his leg at the end of the season and then were totally done when Parise broke his sternum during the series. Sad thing is none of the players stepped up to fill the void left by those two. Shows how little depth the Wild had/have.

 

The Dubnyk thing worked because the Wild finally had a solid goal tender. It allowed the rest of the team to concentrate on being offensive minded rather than always having to worry about cheating back to help out the goaltender, because they didn't trust the goaltender. The Wild have a solid goaltender in Dubnyk, contrary to popular belief. They give up 2.84 goals per game, which ranks them 7/15 teams in the West. Only Dallas, Nashville, Vegas, Winnipeg, Arizona and Calgary give up less goals. The problem, once again with this team, is that they don't score. They are ranked 11/15 teams in the West in goals per game at 2.79. Only Arizona, Dallas, Anaheim, and LA score less than them. And giving up more goals than you are scoring isn't a winning combination...

[CreaseAndAssist]

48 minutes ago, IllaZilla said:

 

The Jets didn't have to take it up a notch. The Wild were pretty much done when Suter busted his leg at the end of the season and then were totally done when Parise broke his sternum during the series. Sad thing is none of the players stepped up to fill the void left by those two. Shows how little depth the Wild had/have.

 

The Dubnyk thing worked because the Wild finally had a solid goal tender. It allowed the rest of the team to concentrate on being offensive minded rather than always having to worry about cheating back to help out the goaltender, because they didn't trust the goaltender. The Wild have a solid goaltender in Dubnyk, contrary to popular belief. They give up 2.84 goals per game, which ranks them 7/15 teams in the West. Only Dallas, Nashville, Vegas, Winnipeg, Arizona and Calgary give up less goals. The problem, once again with this team, is that they don't score. They are ranked 11/15 teams in the West in goals per game at 2.79. Only Arizona, Dallas, Anaheim, and LA score less than them. And giving up more goals than you are scoring isn't a winning combination...

 

Exactly, its been an offense issue and a heart issue for some time.  

 

But seeing the naive takes around here how the Wild are actually pretty close just reminds me of our favorite wild.com fall back.  We the Sheeple.  Obviously they're believing every scrap of crap the team promotes when the team has another poor effort.  

 

Did anyone else see that pathetic cherry picked stat tweet Wild.com had about Jared Spurgeon being the 6th Highest Scoring defenseman in the league since January 3rd?  

 

Honestly, take the rose tinted glasses off...this team is old, slow and has a pop-gun offense.  

 

Mikko Koivu ~ 8 goals for $5.5 million

Charlie Coyle ~ 9 goals for $3.2 million

Jason Zucker ~ 14 goals for $5.5 million

Ryan Suter ~ 6 goals for $7.5 million

 

That's 37 goals for $21.7 million dollars.   Ovechkin has 37 goals by himself for $9.5 million.  We are giving a ton of prime ice time and money to players who are giving the team lousy goal production.  Yet who gets the majority of the power play time?  Same cast of underachievers.     

[wild.source]

Just going back to the first post in this topic, the Wild have swept the Jets so far this season. So I think the Wild would do pretty well during the postseason against the Jets. But on the other hand the Prds have done pretty well against the Wild.

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

6 minutes ago, DevinWieser said:

Just going back to the first post in this topic, the Wild have swept the Jets so far this season. So I think the Wild would do pretty well during the postseason against the Jets. But on the other hand the Prds have done pretty well against the Wild.

 

I think that would be tough to replicate in a 7-game match, but if the Wild end up in the post season against Winnipeg (that is, in fact, the current match up), then I guess the fans can hope the players and coaches can gleam something out of those wins...regular season or no.

What worked, what didn't against the Jets?
Were there other circumstances that could have led to the Wild having an advantage in those games?
Did the Jets possibly underestimate the Wild? Errr, albeit more than once! 

 

Winnipeg wants to win and wants to win badly....right now, the way things stand, we'd just be in their way.

But I do like your enthusiasm.