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Wild Free Agency Thoughts: 2019 Edition...


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8 minutes ago, IllaZilla said:

Everyone’s wetting their pants over Zuccarello, but last I saw according to CapFriendly he was going to clock in at around $6+M/5 years and a NMC.

 

Which also means Fenton has to protect him in the Seattle Expansion Draft. 

The wild should let a different team over pay for another old free agent. They should continue their rebuild from within and prep for the expansion draft and find the pieces to build around kaprizov. They should get younger and faster and stick to that plan. Let koivu move on as soon as possible. If the next season goes well leave the roster be. If it turns

 south trade stall and Parise and hopefully suter will want to waive his nmc to go as well. Then look at trading dubnyk, brodin, spurgeon, and Zucker. Get lots of picks and prospects and do a complete rebuild around players that are hungry to play and not looking to repeat the status quo.

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Wild Sign Mats Zuccarello, Ryan Hartman and Luke Johnson

 

(sigh) Not exactly a surprise after what was reported yesterday but for Zuccarello, too much $$$ and term given to a guy who will be 32 by the time he reports to camp this fall.  Hartman's deal is pretty reasonable in my opinion.  Johnson gives Iowa some seasoned depth.  It will be interesting to see if that #5/#6 defenseman gets signed that Russo hinted at on his podcast.  Enjoy and discuss...

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45 minutes ago, CreaseAndAssist said:

Wild Sign Mats Zuccarello, Ryan Hartman and Luke Johnson

 

(sigh) Not exactly a surprise after what was reported yesterday but for Zuccarello, too much $$$ and term given to a guy who will be 32 by the time he reports to camp this fall.  Hartman's deal is pretty reasonable in my opinion.  Johnson gives Iowa some seasoned depth.  It will be interesting to see if that #5/#6 defenseman gets signed that Russo hinted at on his podcast.  Enjoy and discuss...

 

You forgot Zuccarello's NMC...so we can protect him from Seattle...

Edited by IllaZilla
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8 minutes ago, IllaZilla said:

 

You forgot Zuccarello's NMC...so we can protect him from Seattle...

 

I should have put that in with one of my updates.  The contract also gives him a 10-team no trade in year 4-5 of the deal too.  

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8 minutes ago, CreaseAndAssist said:

 

I should have put that in with one of my updates.  The contract also gives him a 10-team no trade in year 4-5 of the deal too.  

Wait, why would you need a 10-team no trade list if you have a NMC? Unless the NMC is only for years 1-3?

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1 hour ago, CreaseAndAssist said:

Wild Sign Mats Zuccarello, Ryan Hartman and Luke Johnson

 

(sigh) Not exactly a surprise after what was reported yesterday but for Zuccarello, too much $$$ and term given to a guy who will be 32 by the time he reports to camp this fall.  Hartman's deal is pretty reasonable in my opinion.  Johnson gives Iowa some seasoned depth.  It will be interesting to see if that #5/#6 defenseman gets signed that Russo hinted at on his podcast.  Enjoy and discuss...

Fenton hasn't got a clue. Granlund is a better player, with a more workable deal, Fenton trades him. And now he in desperation acquires 30+ Zucc who's started to fade away, body taking its toll... 5 years with NMC. 🙄 Good luck with that.

 

Kind of hard to believe all of this. Definitely not a glimpse of chance of making the playoffs with this roster.

 

 

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I too think too much term and money along with the damn NMC's that should be outlawed. IMO I would have preferred 3X5 or 4X4 at most not to mention he's another Left Shot LW.

 

Anyways for anyone that actually cares

 

 

Edited by bbgarnett
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2 hours ago, IllaZilla said:

Wait, why would you need a 10-team no trade list if you have a NMC? Unless the NMC is only for years 1-3?

 

Not sure, I thought that was odd too.  Maybe its a NMC the first 3 years and then it turns into a 10-team no trade the last two years.  

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52 minutes ago, CreaseAndAssist said:

 

Not sure, I thought that was odd too.  Maybe its a NMC the first 3 years and then it turns into a 10-team no trade the last two years.  

 

Can’t wait to see which young player the Wild loses to Seattle because every player over 30 on the Wild gets a NMC...

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I actually really like Zuccarello as a player but that NMC is gross. I agree with Illa I have the feeling the Wild is going to lose a young player that they really don't want to lose when it comes time for Seattle to take someone from the roster. The last thing I wanted to see was the team box itself into a corner and face the same situation they did when they lost Tuch and Haula to Vegas.. Unless they can work a miracle and get Parise or Suter to waive the no trade AND be selected by Seattle(at which point I doubt they would even be selected) they appear to be screwed.

Edited by Gnarkill
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I added a bit more to the article this morning, included a projected roster for the Iowa Wild as I see it.  They should have a fairly decent team coming back.  As for Minnesota, its tough to really consider what the Wild did a meaningful improvement when you compare it to what the other teams have done in our division.  

 

Nashville

Added Matt Duchene, Steve Santini

 

Colorado

Added Nazem Kadri, Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, Joonas Donskoi, Andre Burakovsky

 

Chicago

Added Robin Lehner, Andrew Shaw, Olli Maata, Calvin de Haan

 

Dallas

Added Joe Pavelski, Corey Perry

 

Jets

Added Neal Pionk

 

Blues

Won a Stanley Cup, who cares

 

 

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You don't make the playoffs and you add LESS talent than the teams in your conference, let alone in your division?! LOL.

 

Free agency thought: Wild added nothing special. Therefore it will have the worst roster in years when season begins since the old core of the team isn't getting it done. Anyone agree/disagree with me?

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8 minutes ago, Hockey-78 said:

You don't make the playoffs and you add LESS talent than the teams in your conference, let alone in your division?! LOL.

 

Free agency thought: Wild added nothing special. Therefore it will have the worst roster in years when season begins since the old core of the team isn't getting it done. Anyone agree/disagree with me?

 

I disagree with you to a point. This team will go one of two ways, the bottom or the top. Staal and Zucker had REALLY down years last year and I think they will both have a comeback season. Staal because he will not be asked to defend the top line again this year. I think Zucker will just be better, I have a feeling he wants to say F you to Fenton and I REALLY want him too. 

 

If Donato, Kunin, Greenway and Fiala can reach their potential this year we have a good chance of being a really good team.

 

Doobers is a solid regular season goalie that thy need to FING REST ONCE IN A WHILE! 

 

Rask is skating in MN so I REALLY hope he does well but who knows. JEE is what he is, a third line center. 

 

Of course this could be a 1st pick team too :)

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6 minutes ago, Hockey-78 said:

You don't make the playoffs and you add LESS talent than the teams in your conference, let alone in your division?! LOL.

 

Free agency thought: Wild added nothing special. Therefore it will have the worst roster in years when season begins since the old core of the team isn't getting it done. Anyone agree/disagree with me?

I agree. Last year we added 5 or 6 players during the summer - and I asked WHY? This summer we added again - 4 nothing special players:

Zuccarello, Hurtman, Johnson, Dumont.

And I have same question WHY?

Just because we need to sign anyway and it does not matter who?

Zuccarello is almost 32 y.o.(September 1st).  I would sign him maybe for $5M x 3 years maximum and none NMC just for to be traded to Seattle. 

Maybe would be better to use all those money and to sign just one but young extremely talented workhorse capable to lead our team to the Stanley Cup? 

 

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2 hours ago, IllaZilla said:

A bit surprised all the Jets did was add Neal Pionk...especially with their projected $22M in cap space and the only two RFA's of note are Patrick Laine and Kyle Connor...

They do not want to waste their money for nothing special.

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4 hours ago, CreaseAndAssist said:

 

Blues

Won a Stanley Cup, who cares

 

 

Wild did not win a Stanley Cup in their history and even did not reached a Stanley Cup finals, but who cares ... in a Wild organization? Still it is a huge question for the Wild fans.

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2 hours ago, TonyOday said:

 

I disagree with you to a point. This team will go one of two ways, the bottom or the top. Staal and Zucker had REALLY down years last year and I think they will both have a comeback season. Staal because he will not be asked to defend the top line again this year. I think Zucker will just be better, I have a feeling he wants to say F you to Fenton and I REALLY want him too. 

 

If Donato, Kunin, Greenway and Fiala can reach their potential this year we have a good chance of being a really good team.

 

Doobers is a solid regular season goalie that thy need to FING REST ONCE IN A WHILE! 

 

Rask is skating in MN so I REALLY hope he does well but who knows. JEE is what he is, a third line center. 

 

Of course this could be a 1st pick team too :)

While that maybe true but every team would win the SC if their "ifs" would materialize, wouldn't they?! Plus I don't see what would change in Staal and Zucker. How can Eric gain speed in 5 months and Zucker, well, what was his excuse last season? I think your scenario is not on a solid ground. Though it's possible.

 

Last summer a few posters openly thought the Wild had the "best roster in years". Unlike previous years the Wild didn't even make the playoffs. So with a weakened roster...? If a few vets can get their act together and if a couple of young guns can play consistently, they can make the playoffs. And the Wild still have the goaltending problem. That's one tough equation there, Tony.

Edited by Hockey-78
the Wild, not we
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9 minutes ago, Hockey-78 said:

While that maybe true but every team would win the SC if their "ifs" would materialize, wouldn't they?! Plus I don't see what would change in Staal and Zucker. How can Eric gain speed in 5 months and Zucker, well, what was his excuse last season? I think your scenario is not on a solid ground. Though it's possible.

 

Last summer a few posters openly thought the Wild had the "best roster in years". Unlike previous years the Wild didn't even make the playoffs. So with a weakened roster...? If a few vets can get their act together and if a couple of young guns can play consistently, they can make the playoffs. And the Wild still have the goaltending problem. That's one tough equation there, Tony.

 

I agree, Staal looked old and looked tired even before the halfway point of the season.  I thought it might just be about his worry over being traded but he looked just as tired and ineffective after they extended the contract and gave him the NMC he wanted.  I think its just a player losing a step or more to their game...not a good sign for the Wild IMO even if he signed for a discount.  

 

Zucker, I think he could bounce back.  He wasn't shooting the puck and I don't think he was using his speed the same way he used to.  He seemed to want to be more of a set up guy and that's not his game.  He's at his best when he is using his speed to create conflicts for opposing defenses.  He appeared to lack focus.  He needs to have a big year if the Wild are going to have a chance to make the playoffs.

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22 hours ago, IllaZilla said:

 

Can’t wait to see which young player the Wild loses to Seattle because every player over 30 on the Wild gets a NMC...

With Fenton I am really worried we will see Kaprizov to Seattle to protect Staal or Fiala. Nothing Fenton has done has given me any confidence. At this point I have no problem saying he is worse then Fletcher. His trades make zero sense unless his goal was to improve the other teams he is trading with. Saying younger and faster well continuing to shop a younger guy who is the fastest for older and slower players shows no real true game plan. Trading or signing players just because isn't a sign of a good GM.

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6 hours ago, EJ0226 said:

With Fenton I am really worried we will see Kaprizov to Seattle to protect Staal or Fiala. Nothing Fenton has done has given me any confidence. At this point I have no problem saying he is worse then Fletcher. His trades make zero sense unless his goal was to improve the other teams he is trading with. Saying younger and faster well continuing to shop a younger guy who is the fastest for older and slower players shows no real true game plan. Trading or signing players just because isn't a sign of a good GM.

Fenton is utterly incompetent:

 

1). Filip Johansson pick

2).  NN trade

3). Granlund trade

4).  Bitetto acquistionand playing mandate

5).  zuccarello signing with yet another multi year NMC/NTC

6). Two failed trades of Zucker

7). Appointing inexperienced son to ‘run the draft’ - demonstrating both nepotism and poor judgment 

9). No foresight for Seattle expansion draft

 

How many more gaffes can you make in 12 months?  Feel free to add to the list.  This guy is a ‘franchise killer’ with an ego to boot and is an HR nightmare.  Cut bait now....enough is enough.  

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21 hours ago, IllaZilla said:

A bit surprised all the Jets did was add Neal Pionk...especially with their projected $22M in cap space and the only two RFA's of note are Patrick Laine and Kyle Connor...

 

@IllaZilla the Jets still have a pretty loaded prospect pool.  Laine and Connor are two pretty important players they'll want to lock down, long term.  Still, I'm sure they will notice all of the moves Colorado made.  The Central is going to be a beast next year as it normally is.  

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