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Is Wild GM Paul Fenton In Over His Head?


CreaseAndAssist

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2 hours ago, Confrontational said:

I think Zucker will be gone at the NHL draft on June 21st...  I really hope LVK picks him up - but not sure there's enough $...  

 

I think that's almost a given (Zucker being traded) but the bigger problem is that Fenton has tried to trade Zucker to every team in the league. So every GM knows he wants to dump Zucker. Therefore none of those GM's are going to offer anything even close to what Zucker is worth. And not that Fenton would even ask for fair value in return (See Fiala for Granlund) because he would consider it a "hockey trade"...

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52 minutes ago, IllaZilla said:

 

I think that's almost a given (Zucker being traded) but the bigger problem is that Fenton has tried to trade Zucker to every team in the league. So every GM knows he wants to dump Zucker. Therefore none of those GM's are going to offer anything even close to what Zucker is worth. And not that Fenton would even ask for fair value in return (See Fiala for Granlund) because he would consider it a "hockey trade"...

 

For a guy who has 15+ years in an NHL team's front office, he seems to make a lot pretty basic mistakes.  

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6 hours ago, CreaseAndAssist said:

 

For a guy who has 15+ years in an NHL team's front office, he seems to make a lot pretty basic mistakes.  

 

I read an article on him after the Wild hired him and everyone is saying how hard working and thorough he is and what a great judge of talent he is and everything he has done so far has flown in the face of that description.  Trade Nino for Rask basically on a whim without even looking at Rask’s stats or learning that the Canes were going to buy him out this summer? Trading Granlund, the top scorer on the team with a year left on his contract, for a single prospect? And not even Nashville’s best one? Not trading Eric Staal for a prospect and a first round pick because Eric really likes it here? And then re-signing Staal even though he thinks the Wild need to get “younger and faster”? Trying to trade for Phil Kessel even after he found out the Wild were on his No Trade list? Doesn’t sound like someone who is deliberate and thorough, sound to me like someone who is just flying by the seat of their pants and doing stuff to do stuff...

Edited by IllaZilla
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I have had a few conversations of late with some people in the front office.  I asked to speak to a few people prior to dumping my tickets.  What I heard, I confirmed with some people in the MN hockey community.  It is bad enough that I would not even consider re-upping my tickets in hopes of the future without a total facelift.  What we see on the ice is the tip of the iceberg.  The inside of the Wild organization is a four alarm fire - back stabbing, fear mongering, you-name-it.  LIG and Russo are correct.  The culture is malignant - all the way around.  There are now 5 megalomaniacs in the organization - the owner, the GM, and the charter members of the Country Club.  They are not going to get ANY informed players and agents to entertain playing for this dumpster fire unless it is a pure money-grab prior to retirement.

 

 

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2 hours ago, Icechipper said:

I suspect he will settle for a prospect and flip of first round picks for Zucker. That moves us up to No. 10 maybe a pick with more upside ready to make an impact sooner....

 

 

 

Trading Zucker to move up two spots in the draft is beyond stupid so that pretty much sounds like a move the GM would make.

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9 hours ago, EmptyShelf said:

I have had a few conversations of late with some people in the front office.  I asked to speak to a few people prior to dumping my tickets.  What I heard, I confirmed with some people in the MN hockey community.  It is bad enough that I would not even consider re-upping my tickets in hopes of the future without a total facelift.  What we see on the ice is the tip of the iceberg.  The inside of the Wild organization is a four alarm fire - back stabbing, fear mongering, you-name-it.  LIG and Russo are correct.  The culture is malignant - all the way around.  There are now 5 megalomaniacs in the organization - the owner, the GM, and the charter members of the Country Club.  They are not going to get ANY informed players and agents to entertain playing for this dumpster fire unless it is a pure money-grab prior to retirement.

 

 

 

I always felt it was a bad move when Leipold came out and said the new GM he hires wasn't going to blow up the team because Leipold felt the team was just a few tweaks away from the Stanley Cup. Why is the owner dictating what happens with the formation of the team? That's what GM's do: assemble the team. When owners get involved in personnel moves (beyond signing the check) it's never a good thing. See Al Davis, Jerry Jones, George Steinbrenner, etc.

 

And it isn't a good thing either when the GM starts telling the coach who to play (unless the GM is trying to showcase a guy for trade purposes). Or when veteran players dictate to the coach who their line mates are going to be or how long their shifts are going to be.

 

The only way the Wild are going to right this ship is if everyone stays in their lanes and stops trying to do everyone else's job...

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9 minutes ago, IllaZilla said:

 

I always felt it was a bad move when Leipold came out and said the new GM he hires wasn't going to blow up the team because Leipold felt the team was just a few tweaks away from the Stanley Cup. Why is the owner dictating what happens with the formation of the team? That's what GM's do: assemble the team. When owners get involved in personnel moves (beyond signing the check) it's never a good thing. See Al Davis, Jerry Jones, George Steinbrenner, etc.

 

And it isn't a good thing either when the GM starts telling the coach who to play (unless the GM is trying to showcase a guy for trade purposes). Or when veteran players dictate to the coach who their line mates are going to be or how long their shifts are going to be.

 

The only way the Wild are going to right this ship is if everyone stays in their lanes and stops trying to do everyone else's job...

I'm afraid the only way to right this ship is new ownership. At this point it doesn't look like that will happen for the foreseeable future, as CL sees NHL ownership as a viable business(or at least he did a year ago) and wants to keep it in the family. 

 

Let's all stop going to the games and buying merchandise and try to make it happen. It may be the only way.

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5 minutes ago, sweetshot said:

Let's all stop going to the games and buying merchandise and try to make it happen. It may be the only way.

 

It is the ONLY way. 

 

Fans can piss and moan on Facebook and the comment section in the Strib and on here all they want. That isn't going to matter two whoops and a hill of beans to the owner as long as they keep buying season tickets and merchandise. That's the only thing Leipold understands: money.

 

Take away his money stream and either he makes changes or sells the team. But I think he is too big an egomaniac to sell the team. He likes being part of an exclusive club...

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20 minutes ago, IllaZilla said:

 

It is the ONLY way. 

 

Fans can piss and moan on Facebook and the comment section in the Strib and on here all they want. That isn't going to matter two whoops and a hill of beans to the owner as long as they keep buying season tickets and merchandise. That's the only thing Leipold understands: money.

 

Take away his money stream and either he makes changes or sells the team. But I think he is too big an egomaniac to sell the team. He likes being part of an exclusive club...

I think you nailed it. Either way the outlook for this team, at least for the near future, is pretty grim. 

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On 6/6/2019 at 9:05 PM, EmptyShelf said:

I have had a few conversations of late with some people in the front office.  I asked to speak to a few people prior to dumping my tickets.  What I heard, I confirmed with some people in the MN hockey community.  It is bad enough that I would not even consider re-upping my tickets in hopes of the future without a total facelift.  What we see on the ice is the tip of the iceberg.  The inside of the Wild organization is a four alarm fire - back stabbing, fear mongering, you-name-it.  LIG and Russo are correct.  The culture is malignant - all the way around.  There are now 5 megalomaniacs in the organization - the owner, the GM, and the charter members of the Country Club.  They are not going to get ANY informed players and agents to entertain playing for this dumpster fire unless it is a pure money-grab prior to retirement.

 

 

 

Wow, and in my opinion its sad its gotten this toxic that you decided enough is enough and dropped your tickets.  I am not saying your wrong, in fact, you're speaking to them by not re-upping and I hope you had the chance to tell them why.  I haven't heard the backstabbing comments about the front office / locker room of this team.  I'd be interested to hear more of what you've heard.  

 

But responding to @IllaZilla, he's 100% right.  Fenton is flying by the seat of his pants.  As Russo reported, members of the organization urged him not to try to trade for Kessel but he did it anyway.  Like you said before, he thinks he's the smartest guy in the room.  Oh yea, Kessel doesn't want to come here?  Let me call him, I'll persuade him.  Damn, Kessel thinks our team isn't very good and its not worth coming here even after Suter tried to convince him to do so too?  The level of delusion with this club is reaching critical levels and probably its only hope to rectify the situation is through the draft because all we're going to get is lame friends of the country club or has beens hoping to cash in.  

 

Its pretty bleak around this organization...

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On 6/7/2019 at 7:44 AM, IllaZilla said:

 

It is the ONLY way. 

 

Fans can piss and moan on Facebook and the comment section in the Strib and on here all they want. That isn't going to matter two whoops and a hill of beans to the owner as long as they keep buying season tickets and merchandise. That's the only thing Leipold understands: money.

 

Take away his money stream and either he makes changes or sells the team. But I think he is too big an egomaniac to sell the team. He likes being part of an exclusive club...

 

Although he hasn't gotten everything he has wanted.  Despite the fact he's BFF's with Bettman, the Wild are not even close to ever bringing in a Winter Classic because the team is so boring and mediocre.  For a guy that is usually in Top 10-15 in the Hockey News' 100 people of power and influence I am sure that drives him crazy.  But he only has himself to blame.  He's either helped create it or at the very least facilitated it.  

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3 hours ago, CreaseAndAssist said:

 

Although he hasn't gotten everything he has wanted.  Despite the fact he's BFF's with Bettman, the Wild are not even close to ever bringing in a Winter Classic because the team is so boring and mediocre.  For a guy that is usually in Top 10-15 in the Hockey News' 100 people of power and influence I am sure that drives him crazy.  But he only has himself to blame.  He's either helped create it or at the very least facilitated it.  

 

I remember Bettman telling him at that draft we were at "Get a superstar and then we'll talk Winter Classic."

 

So rather than tank and draft a superstar, he goes and signs Zach Parise and Ryan Suter, neither of which are superstars, to lifetime contracts, which brings us to the state the team is in now...

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20 hours ago, IllaZilla said:

 

I remember Bettman telling him at that draft we were at "Get a superstar and then we'll talk Winter Classic."

 

So rather than tank and draft a superstar, he goes and signs Zach Parise and Ryan Suter, neither of which are superstars, to lifetime contracts, which brings us to the state the team is in now...

 

But Tom Saggisor said they were so good?!?!?  

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3 hours ago, IllaZilla said:

 

If his financial management is as good as his evaluation of hockey talent, I'm never investing with him...ever.

 

That Russo article that looked back at the deal, holy crap...Saggisor certainly wanted everyone to know he was the mastermind.  And one Badger played on the love for another; and convinced ownership to make the deal happen.  My only question is what did Sagissor get out of it.  I don't think it was because he had any affinity for the Minnesota Wild unless he just loves Leipold.  

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3 hours ago, CreaseAndAssist said:

 

That Russo article that looked back at the deal, holy crap...Saggisor certainly wanted everyone to know he was the mastermind.  And one Badger played on the love for another; and convinced ownership to make the deal happen.  My only question is what did Sagissor get out of it.  I don't think it was because he had any affinity for the Minnesota Wild unless he just loves Leipold.  

 

Probably just an ego thing, so he can brag to his other hyper rich buddies how he masterminded the Parise/Suter deals while they're playing the back nine at the TPC or something like that...

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1 hour ago, IllaZilla said:

 

Probably just an ego thing, so he can brag to his other hyper rich buddies how he masterminded the Parise/Suter deals while they're playing the back nine at the TPC or something like that...

 

That's probably true.  I can see him yucking it up at some Country Club bar...like he's a big shot.  Yea boys...two $98 million contracts boys, if I'm not there, none it happens.  Seriously, i got this great Florida land deal in the works.  Easy money, who wants in?!?!  

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Not sure how many more years BB has on his contract - but imagine the Wild having to bring back some no name coach to save some cash and cut his teeth on coaching his first NHL team...? Now that would get some fans riled up as well...  Actually, my bet is the average fan doesn't much give a crap like people on here - the average fan probably just needs a reason to scream and yell Dooooobs a few times and they're good...  If that's the case - my bet is they'll keep filling the seats and selling beer...

 

I imagine they'll hoist #9 to the rafters later next year and maybe get Mikko in a coaching position - so there's that to look forward to I guess... : )

 

Can't help but wonder how happy Charlie is tonight - to be out of all that - and now playing a game 7 for the cup...  I personally would have traded him long ago - but, it's kinda funny know Sutter and Parise will be watching him as they kick up their golfing shoes at the local clubhouse and wonder about their decisions...

 

 

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On 6/3/2019 at 9:59 AM, Alexandron said:

I agree more and more with our fans opinion that the trades Nino-Granlund-Coyle to Rask-Fiala-Donato were not equal and made our team even weaker.  So far I am impressed with Coyle performance at the Stanley Cup playoffs. He is having already 8 goals there which is, personally for me, comparable with 10 goals of a real scoring forward Tarasenko.

I'm not really that surprised with coyle in boston.

He's finaly being used right and always played better in the playoffs than regular season ( when healthy) which he is for the first time in 2 years.

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2 hours ago, Confrontational said:

Not sure how many more years BB has on his contract - but imagine the Wild having to bring back some no name coach to save some cash and cut his teeth on coaching his first NHL team...? Now that would get some fans riled up as well...  Actually, my bet is the average fan doesn't much give a crap like people on here - the average fan probably just needs a reason to scream and yell Dooooobs a few times and they're good...  If that's the case - my bet is they'll keep filling the seats and selling beer...

 

I imagine they'll hoist #9 to the rafters later next year and maybe get Mikko in a coaching position - so there's that to look forward to I guess... : )

 

Can't help but wonder how happy Charlie is tonight - to be out of all that - and now playing a game 7 for the cup...  I personally would have traded him long ago - but, it's kinda funny know Sutter and Parise will be watching him as they kick up their golfing shoes at the local clubhouse and wonder about their decisions...

 

 

This is Boudreau’s last year on his contract. And Fenton refused to say if he was going to extend Boudreau. Russo asked him like three times in a row if he was going to extend Boudreau, and all Fenton would say is “Bruce is my coach next season”. The only way Boudreau gets an extension is if he wins the Cup. Not happening with this crew. He’s a lame duck coach now. If you thought the shenanigans with The Country Club were bad last season, wait til this season. 

Parise and Suter couldn’t give a crap about playing for the Cup. They got their money and control of the team and that’s all that matters. Parise’s always hurt, so even if the team made the Playoffs he’d most likely be out with something pulled or broken and Suter just coasts around the ice like he’s out for a Sunday stroll...

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Unless something amazing happens this Wild team will not make the playoffs. Not near enough scoring potential and going for 1-0 and 2-1 wins doesn't work anymore. What could happen is Koivu and Staal at the trade deadline waiving NTCs for a shot at the Cup with a contender. (Remember Boston mercifully sending Ray Bourque to the Avalanche?) Parise and Suter could exercise that option as well. Don't get me wrong, I like those four players. But the window for hoisting Stanley's Cup gets smaller each season.

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I think the team will be a better motivated to make a solid deep playoffs 2019-2020 season.And maybe to win the 1st place at Central Division(so far a dream only) during the regular season then. I just could not believe how fast is time running - 20 years of the 21 Century will be gone next year as well as we (fans and the Wild organization) should celebrate 20 years of the Wild  team's existence, because still it is our team with all its pluses and minuses; with all its successes and problems. They better should make the nice playoffs next year, otherwise , I have feelings that both - coach and GM will be gone too with those 20 years of our team's existence.

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10 hours ago, Icechipper said:

Unless something amazing happens this Wild team will not make the playoffs. Not near enough scoring potential and going for 1-0 and 2-1 wins doesn't work anymore. What could happen is Koivu and Staal at the trade deadline waiving NTCs for a shot at the Cup with a contender. (Remember Boston mercifully sending Ray Bourque to the Avalanche?) Parise and Suter could exercise that option as well. Don't get me wrong, I like those four players. But the window for hoisting Stanley's Cup gets smaller each season.

 

As far as any of those four waiving their NMC’s, see Mats Sundin...

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