Shine or Shrink in the Playoffs

[Protec]

Who's gonna step up for the Wild and deliver a big playoffs? Last year #97 was the best Wild player against STL. Will he build on that and be even better this year? I'd have to think he's the favorite. Will Boldy find a playoff penchant for scoring or will Nyquist & Johansson prove GMBG was smart to go get them? 

I'll be watching Hartman and Fiala to decide whether those guys shrinking up last season was the norm.

Will MAF show us he's still got it or is elite Swede goaltending the Wild's future?

Is Kilngberg gonna burn the d-core or will he help keep the puck out of the Wild net? Perhaps Faber should come in and lead the Wild past the first round?

[Will D. Ness]

I like the 4th line being a significant difference in games.  Duhaime looked good last game.  Dewar has been looking good for a month.  Reaves just needs to get it in the net.

3rd line will be a mystery.  Can Sundqvist play center?  Sam Steel?  Rossi?  (jk Rossi aint even close). It will be interesting to see what we put together between Moose and Nyquist.

D wise... it is a dilemma for me.  I don't want Klingberg.  I don't want Addison.  I think I want Faber.  Tough call though because Faber is just so raw.  Although in comparison, Klingberg is so overcooked and Addison is a soy burger.

Let's not fool ourselves though.  It will be Klingberg who we all will be yelling at on the TV screen.

[Ivan]

3 hours ago, Protec said:

I'll be watching Hartman and Fiala

Um, yeah, would love if Fiala was still here, heh.

Just glad it is Dallas and not the Avs for round 1.

[Jon]

I hope it’s the goalies playing on an unfathomable level. In hockey, nothing brings me more joy than seeing a white-hot goalie absolutely demoralizing the soul of a team. To see a knowing grin because he robbed the star and now the star just looks defeated or in complete disbelief. Then talk about the hype the crowd gets! The energy is wild. It’s so loud and now the team HAS to play like their hair is on fire.

 

So yea, goalies for me. I hope they dominate.

[Protec]

Quote

Um, yeah, would love if Fiala was still here, heh.

I'm interested to see what Fiala does because he was not great in the playoff for MN. If he's awesome in LA it would reignite the debate over whether that was good reason to move on. I mean the Wild didn't have the money, but many of us said, "who cares Fiala stinks when he's needed most against VGK or STL."

Hartman had a great series against Vegas so I'm hoping he can elevate his game for the upcoming Dallas series. Ek is gonna be missed the most IMO.