CreaseAndAssist Posted July 19, 2019 Share Posted July 19, 2019 They Were Once Wild: The Star Talent That Passed Through Minnesota In this retrospective, I look back at the Star talent that was not drafted by the team and stayed here less than 5 seasons. Collectively its not a bad team I put together, but too bad we didn't get most of them when they were in their prime. Check it out and discuss. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hockey-78 Posted July 20, 2019 Share Posted July 20, 2019 Hard to really start arguing about the players you selected. That's a well constructed group. On the top of my head I'll say: Devin Setoguchi. I don't think the Wild got what they wanted out of him or just couldn't find a role for him. He WAS in his prime, 24 years old and having scored 73 goals combined in the three previous seasons when joining the Wild. But nothing would come of it. He should've been a top 6 forward for a few years. But I guess since he failed after that elsewhere too his years with the Sharks were more or less a fluke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetshot Posted July 21, 2019 Share Posted July 21, 2019 If you want to include a cheapshot on the team you could possibly include Matt Cooke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexandron Posted July 22, 2019 Share Posted July 22, 2019 Thanks LIG. Another player who came into my mind was Guillaume Latendresse. I think he was a pretty talented player. The first season he played for the Wild team was very promising and extremely impressing by his scoring ability and his nice size always creating some tension around the net, but continuous injuries practically destroyed his talent and character as well. Wikipedia wrote about his career an interesting article including his especially initial impressing stats for Drummondville Voltigeurs team. He was noticeable as a player for the Montreal Canadiens too. Here is a link to read about him: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guillaume_Latendresse 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starofthenorth Posted July 22, 2019 Share Posted July 22, 2019 (edited) 17 hours ago, Alexandron said: Thanks LIG. Another player who came into my mind was Guillaume Latendresse. I think he was a pretty talented player. The first season he played for the Wild team was very promising and extremely impressing by his scoring ability and his nice size always creating some tension around the net, but continuous injuries practically destroyed his talent and character as well. Wikipedia wrote about his career an interesting article including his especially initial impressing stats for Drummondville Voltigeurs team. He was noticeable as a player for the Montreal Canadiens too. Here is a link to read about him: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guillaume_Latendresse If I remember right Latendresse got wrecked by a heaping bowl of poutine... Edited July 22, 2019 by Starofthenorth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hockey-78 Posted July 22, 2019 Share Posted July 22, 2019 Latendresse had talent for sure but I don't think he even had a breakthrough year... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hockey-78 Posted July 22, 2019 Share Posted July 22, 2019 "Star Talent that passed through Minnesota"... "Matt Cooke"... #theeuphemismofalltime Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetshot Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 5 hours ago, Hockey-78 said: "Star Talent that passed through Minnesota"... "Matt Cooke"... #theeuphemismofalltime OK, maybe it was a bit of a stretch... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomdog Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 It’s so sad that so many of those players were either played out of position, or told to play a different game from what made their career. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Icechipper Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 Gotta love Fletcher signing Baby Wilds OReilly, Fitzgerald to contracts, as well as Prosser, for his AHL Phantoms. And Chris Stewart to a Flyer tryout. Heard he's asking around for Stephane Vielleux's phone number ........ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IllaZilla Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 19 minutes ago, Icechipper said: Gotta love Fletcher signing Baby Wilds OReilly, Fitzgerald to contracts, as well as Prosser, for his AHL Phantoms. And Chris Stewart to a Flyer tryout. Heard he's asking around for Stephane Vielleux's phone number ........ Well, he is familiar these guys. I don’t blame him with going with what he knows. O’Reilly is going to be tough to replace in Iowa. Good signing for Lehigh Valley... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hockey-78 Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 17 hours ago, sweetshot said: OK, maybe it was a bit of a stretch... Maybe it was. I can give you though; as a POS cheapshot artist easily in the TOP10 of all time. If he wanted to be a star talent as a slimeball, he succeeded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hockey-78 Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 17 hours ago, Tomdog said: It’s so sad that so many of those players were either played out of position, or told to play a different game from what made their career. You know Tom, I kind of agree and don't agree. It's true some of them didn't find a role due to reasons unrelated to them. But many of those players were acquired clearly past their prime. Some of them ended their career or found themselves in Europe after their stint with the Wild. It wasn't the Wild coach's or organization's fault in that respect that those players didn't get anything done in Minnesota. They just were through as top pros, they couldn't pull of the next gig nor get a decent contract anywhere else either. "Played out of position or told to play different game"... which players did you specifically have in mind? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hockey-78 Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 Fletch reunites with as many players as Fenton! A common strategy but is it any good? Who's the copycat? Do they eat the same cereals? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnarkill Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 18 minutes ago, Hockey-78 said: Fletch reunites with as many players as Fenton! A common strategy but is it any good? Who's the copycat? Do they eat the same cereals? Yes, it's called "Booty O's" and is sold by the WWE. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomdog Posted July 24, 2019 Share Posted July 24, 2019 17 hours ago, Hockey-78 said: You know Tom, I kind of agree and don't agree. It's true some of them didn't find a role due to reasons unrelated to them. But many of those players were acquired clearly past their prime. Some of them ended their career or found themselves in Europe after their stint with the Wild. It wasn't the Wild coach's or organization's fault in that respect that those players didn't get anything done in Minnesota. They just were through as top pros, they couldn't pull of the next gig nor get a decent contract anywhere else either. "Played out of position or told to play different game"... which players did you specifically have in mind? Pavel dametry comes to mind first. Told to play center With Jacques’s defense first center system when he clearly was an offense first winger. Many of the scorers had the same issue. Stop trying to score if it ment any chance the puck goes the other way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CreaseAndAssist Posted July 26, 2019 Author Share Posted July 26, 2019 On 7/21/2019 at 6:13 PM, sweetshot said: If you want to include a cheapshot on the team you could possibly include Matt Cooke. In full disclosure...I did have Setoguchi and Cooke in the original version. Yet as I thought and considered names from the past and since I wanted the 'best' Wild team I could make of people that fit the requirements I swapped them out. Setoguchi SHOULD have been able to make this list...but the career numbers just didn't pan out after that promising 1st season. Cullen certainly demonstrates how longevity and consistency (albeit modest totals) can help someone pile up the points. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CreaseAndAssist Posted July 26, 2019 Author Share Posted July 26, 2019 On 7/24/2019 at 6:09 AM, Tomdog said: Pavel dametry comes to mind first. Told to play center With Jacques’s defense first center system when he clearly was an offense first winger. Many of the scorers had the same issue. Stop trying to score if it ment any chance the puck goes the other way. (shrugs) I am more with Hockey78 on this one. By the time we got most of these players listed their best days were past them. They were a step or three slower and they couldn't do what they used to do in many cases so they were relegated to Power Play specialists. Of that team I put together, only Rolston and to a lesser extent Daigle outperformed their expectations. Brian Rolston is my favorite Wild player of all time. Consistent, a leader...didn't complain and I didn't hold it against him for wanting to be paid since we got him on a bargain deal. But interestingly, that Wild team let Rolston go. This Wild team, sort of in a similar situation with Eric Staal...after having a terrible season (after a really good one the year before) we locked him up for two more years. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fargocase Posted August 2, 2019 Share Posted August 2, 2019 On 7/20/2019 at 1:05 PM, Hockey-78 said: Hard to really start arguing about the players you selected. That's a well constructed group. On the top of my head I'll say: Devin Setoguchi. I don't think the Wild got what they wanted out of him or just couldn't find a role for him. He WAS in his prime, 24 years old and having scored 73 goals combined in the three previous seasons when joining the Wild. But nothing would come of it. He should've been a top 6 forward for a few years. But I guess since he failed after that elsewhere too his years with the Sharks were more or less a fluke. Setoguchi was fighting a raging alcohol problem. That sad story came out a long time ago. You all apparently have a very different idea of what constitutes a "Star" or "Star Talent." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CreaseAndAssist Posted August 3, 2019 Author Share Posted August 3, 2019 Its obviously relative to what our team is. But these are the most statistically significant players that fit the parameters I set. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hockey-78 Posted August 3, 2019 Share Posted August 3, 2019 19 hours ago, Fargocase said: Setoguchi was fighting a raging alcohol problem. That sad story came out a long time ago. You all apparently have a very different idea of what constitutes a "Star" or "Star Talent." So?! The star talent was there. Untalented players don't score 31 goals in a season. Abusing substances doesn't preclude having talent. Ask Theo Fleury or Grant Fuhr. I've come to the conclusion that when speaking about different ideas of anything you're in your own class. Or galaxy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fargocase Posted August 3, 2019 Share Posted August 3, 2019 No one who knows anything about the NHL would consider Seto a "Star " in any sense of the word or in any context relating to him and the NHL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hockey-78 Posted August 3, 2019 Share Posted August 3, 2019 2 minutes ago, Fargocase said: No one who knows anything about the NHL would consider Seto a "Star " in any sense of the word or in any context relating to him and the NHL. I bet $1 mil. you can NEVER prove that claim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CreaseAndAssist Posted August 3, 2019 Author Share Posted August 3, 2019 44 minutes ago, Fargocase said: No one who knows anything about the NHL would consider Seto a "Star " in any sense of the word or in any context relating to him and the NHL. I simply tried to create the best Wild team I could with the parameters I set. The defense for this team is nothing to get excited about and calling any of them stars is a gross overstatement. Yet if I want anyone to read it...star talent sounds better than the average to above average talent that passed through the Minnesota Wild. I could've stuck to just forwards and its a more respectable team, but since I drafted a full team with my obscurity team...i thought might as well draft a full squad again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fargocase Posted August 3, 2019 Share Posted August 3, 2019 I've researched exWild players many times. Crazy that so much time has passed since we were trying to guess who would be the first Wild Captain. Here's an exWild player who I thought turned out to be an above average defenseman - Andy Sutton. Huge and super raw. Lemaire played him at forward and D but Risebrough traded him too early. Was pretty good for Nashville. I don't remember if you mentioned them but Joel Ward and the defenseman Michalek went on to have good careers after a cup of coffee with the Wild. I'd say Nick Leddy would also be on the list of players mistakenly traded. IMO good chance Tuch will turn out to be the biggest Eff Up, along with losing Gaborik as an UFA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.