Article: How Will the Iowa Wild Deploy Their Young Defensemen?

[Luke Sims]

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[vonlonster67]

Jesper has to be licking his IA chops looking at this core of young studs meshing with what he saw last year.

Hunt - Mermis 
Johansson - Lambos 
Spacek - O’Rourke

Luke I like what you have put together. Another factor? Are our forwards ready for some D injection into their game because every line here possesses some blue line expertise. They all have speed/size/physicality and the protection if we extend the zone entries. Cant wait for the PP.

No rush for Masters to get back, but the timing of him being back may coincide with a call up of one of these players also.

It's crazy to imagine Peart possibly joining this crew next year!

 

[FredJohnson]

there is a bigger storm brewing down I-94
 

35...Desy Moinesy is South of the Twin Cities on I-35.

[FredJohnson]

I forgot Deano's mini-me is the Iowa head coach now. 😣 

[vonlonster67]

35 minutes ago, FredJohnson said:

I forgot Deano's mini-me is the Iowa head coach now. 😣 

No chance that happens, he'll be his own man. BG is smart enough to know the young guns need a more candid approach, flexibility and patience or he would not have put McLean in charge of the FUTURE!

I'm guessing BG's point was made in their first conference.

[MNCountryLife]

The talent we have in IA that we expect to become NHL ready in 3-5 years might explain why BG only has 5 people signed beyond 3 years.  BG needs to keep his focus on this talented group in IA.  Without them we will be stuck in first round purgatory. 

[FredJohnson]

56 minutes ago, vonlonster67 said:

No chance that happens, he'll be his own man. BG is smart enough to know the young guns need a more candid approach, flexibility and patience or he would not have put McLean in charge of the FUTURE!

I'm guessing BG's point was made in their first conference.

I truly hope you're right. Deano has his ride-or-die guys *coughFreddycough* he'll stubbornly put on the ice despite younger guys showing more upside. 

[FredJohnson]

I'm really excited about this! I might have to find a way to watch games this year. #CalderCupChamps

[vonlonster67]

There's been an argument among our group about what DE has or hasn't done for the Wild and if he is truly the right coach for us moving forward. As a whole some agree and some agree to disagree.

I feel that he is entering the "thin ice" zone and his focus better be on the Wild and not the Baby Wild. There will be a lot of moving parts in the next two years and I have to believe the BG is only going to give him so much rope before things change.

Enough said..and debated

 

Edited September 14, 2023 by vonlonster67

[vonlonster67]

5 minutes ago, FredJohnson said:

I'm really excited about this! I might have to find a way to watch games this year. #CalderCupChamps

You wont regret it....it's not top tier audio and video, but it grows on ya and you get to see what's coming!

https://www.ahltv.com/#/pricing

 

Edited September 14, 2023 by vonlonster67

[Protec]

Quote

My prediction for how they will distribute playing time is as follows: 

• Let Mermis and Hunt lead the defensive core as the top guys.
• Play Johansson and O’Rourke because they have experience.
• Play Lambos and Spacek in sheltered roles at first to allow them to warm up to the game.
• Let Masters completely heal and have him fill in for injuries or poor play. 

A potential core with that plan: 

• Hunt - Mermis 
• Johansson - Lambos 
• Spacek - O’Rourke

Let the experienced guys hold down the fort while the new guys get moved in. It seems logical to me.

This seems like a pretty decent starting point. If they're too young somehow, or don't seem ready, pick up another Sujstr type player off waivers maybe. Not really a tough get if needed.

[vonlonster67]

42 minutes ago, Protec said:

This seems like a pretty decent starting point. If they're too young somehow, or don't seem ready, pick up another Sujstr type player off waivers maybe. Not really a tough get if needed.

Based off how these guys been playing in the playoffs of the WHL and World Juniors I'm guessing were flush as Masters will be back hopefully soon.

[TheGoosesAreLooses]

3 hours ago, vonlonster67 said:

There's been an argument among our group about what DE has or hasn't done for the Wild and if he is truly the right coach for us moving forward. As a whole some agree and some agree to disagree.

I feel that he is entering the "thin ice" zone and his focus better be on the Wild and not the Baby Wild. There will be a lot of moving parts in the next two years and I have to believe the BG is only going to give him so much rope before things change.

Enough said..and debated

 

Who me? lol. Looking forward to his young group of prospect coming up and hope McLean is up to the challenge!

[Luke Sims]

6 hours ago, vonlonster67 said:

Jesper has to be licking his IA chops looking at this core of young studs meshing with what he saw last year.

Hunt - Mermis 
Johansson - Lambos 
Spacek - O’Rourke

Luke I like what you have put together. Another factor? Are our forwards ready for some D injection into their game because every line here possesses some blue line expertise. They all have speed/size/physicality and the protection if we extend the zone entries. Cant wait for the PP.

No rush for Masters to get back, but the timing of him being back may coincide with a call up of one of these players also.

It's crazy to imagine Peart possibly joining this crew next year!

 

Can't forget about Peart!

[Luke Sims]

5 hours ago, FredJohnson said:

there is a bigger storm brewing down I-94
 

35...Desy Moinesy is South of the Twin Cities on I-35.

That's my bad. It's been too long.

[vonlonster67]

11 minutes ago, Luke Sims said:

That's my bad. It's been too long.

I knew what you meant.....you do need to take I94 to get to I35 

[Luke Sims]

2 hours ago, vonlonster67 said:

I knew what you meant.....you do need to take I94 to get to I35 

Nah. I messed up. That's on me.

[mnfaninnc]

I have to believe that if they're down here, and that's a big if, Lambos and Hunt will need to be ready by the end of the year to make the jump. 

Everyone else has the same chance to shine, and I'm betting that Spacek really shows up. The others, I think, will end up being trade bait. If Spacek does show up well, I think Addison becomes expendable and is shipped out. Both Lambos and Spacek were excellent 2-way defenders, and it sounds like Hunt is getting there too. 

It'd be nice to have a couple of these guys that are lesser known to come through and be excellent trade chips for what we have missing....though, with the draft this year, I'm not sure we're missing much. 

[FredJohnson]

On 9/14/2023 at 2:15 PM, vonlonster67 said:

You wont regret it....it's not top tier audio and video, but it grows on ya and you get to see what's coming!

https://www.ahltv.com/#/pricing

 

Thanks!!!

[FredJohnson]

On 9/14/2023 at 2:13 PM, vonlonster67 said:

There's been an argument among our group about what DE has or hasn't done for the Wild and if he is truly the right coach for us moving forward. As a whole some agree and some agree to disagree.

I feel that he is entering the "thin ice" zone and his focus better be on the Wild and not the Baby Wild. There will be a lot of moving parts in the next two years and I have to believe the BG is only going to give him so much rope before things change.

Enough said..and debated

 

Regardless of what WE think of Deano, he is the HC the previous GM hired: will he get axed as part of the next talent wave?

[vonlonster67]

1 minute ago, FredJohnson said:

Regardless of what WE think of Deano, he is the HC the previous GM hired: will he get axed as part of the next talent wave?

I like DE, but he is not what I want for a playoff coach, bottom line.

I'm hoping for change. Nothing personal in regard to Deano, I like his fire and his gritty style as a player. He's just not willing to adapt to situations and I'm not willing to give him a free pass because of the salary cap excuse.

[Protec]

Dean's playoff record has been dismal but not entirely fair to put it all on him. There's been a couple issues with goaltending decisions and lack of adjustment but those weren't the only reasons MN lost to STL or DAL.

I think Dean gets the Wild in the playoffs and he gets another chance. If it fizzles again in round one, I think the timing for an off-season change is probably as good as ever. If you keep DE at that point for the regular season success despite playoff shortfalls, you're probably making a mistake not finding a coach who can help the team win in the playoffs too.

[Pewterschmidt]

On 9/14/2023 at 11:05 AM, vonlonster67 said:

Jesper has to be licking his IA chops looking at this core of young studs meshing with what he saw last year.

Hunt - Mermis 
Johansson - Lambos 
Spacek - O’Rourke

Luke I like what you have put together. Another factor? Are our forwards ready for some D injection into their game because every line here possesses some blue line expertise. They all have speed/size/physicality and the protection if we extend the zone entries. Cant wait for the PP.

No rush for Masters to get back, but the timing of him being back may coincide with a call up of one of these players also.

It's crazy to imagine Peart possibly joining this crew next year!

 

FYI the prospect game from last night is on you tube through Wild.com.  No Beckman, Rossi, Milne but Walker played and lambos stood out so there’s that

[vonlonster67]

41 minutes ago, Pewterschmidt said:

FYI the prospect game from last night is on you tube through Wild.com.  No Beckman, Rossi, Milne but Walker played and lambos stood out so there’s that

I watched it all....Wow!!! Lambos and Spacek were amazing and also Kumpulainen, Heidt, Pavek, several others. Walker looked primed as did Hunt and O'Rourke as the Captains.

They got blowed out, but were playing against a stacked older Blues team as you know/watched also. Just shows, Wallstedt needs to mesh with that "D" as they did not give him much help in close.

[Up North Guy]

28 minutes ago, vonlonster67 said:

I watched it all....Wow!!! Lambos and Spacek were amazing and also Kumpulainen, Heidt, Pavek, several others. Walker looked primed as did Hunt and O'Rourke as the Captains.

They got blowed out, but were playing against a stacked older Blues team as you know/watched also. Just shows, Wallstedt needs to mesh with that "D" as they did not give him much help in close.

I watched it also and your comments are right on. Spacek, Lambos and Sammy were the stars for the Wild in my opinion and yes, Wallstedt was hung out to dry too often.