Article: It’s Time For the Wild To Raise Their Ceiling, Not Their Floor

[Justin Wiggins]

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[Luke Sims]

Great read, Justin!

[mnfaninnc]

I completely agree with this point of view. This is the time to have everyone start at ground 0 and build a team. 

Training camp is the perfect place to not even have established lines yet. See what you've got. You know things that have worked together before that you can count on, but let's see if maybe some other combinations are better!

Let's see what Rossi looks like next to Kaprizov and Zuccarello. Let's see if Ek has better chemistry with them. And, yes, throw Gaudreau in there too, but not all the time. And (for Pewter) GIVE DEWAR A SHOT THERE TOO!

Of course there's another item to try-different wings playing together. Why not split up Zuccarello and Kaprizov now and see if they click with other wings also? Same with Boldy and Johansson. 

Early in training camp, and this is real early, there are a lot of bodies. All of these guys can play. A mad scientist's mentality is necessary here. Let's see if Duhaime and Kaprizov click, or Beckman and Zuccarello? If you find something in camp, then try it out in preseason. 

This is the time to just make up lines by throwing darts at a board and see what comes up. 

[Greenbean]

Watching Evason repeat the same process year after year and him thinking the results will be different is getting old. I'm kinda over it, either he can bring this team to its true potential, or BG needs to start exploring the option of replacing him. 

[vonlonster67]

Right on point Justin, but I've come to expect this with DE, I'm not surprised by this one bit and proves my previous notes of contentions with him as coach. 

To be fair also, it is the third day of camp, so I hope you and I are proven wrong in our observations and expectations. 

[Paul Bunyan is Real]

I couldn't disagree more. While Rossi has stayed here all summer getting stronger and prove he is an NHL caliber player. He still has to do it on the ice.

You want to piss off Kaprizov. Put a rookie w him. He proved that his 1st year here w his text that went virol. Do not put him w AHL players.

[jessail]

I agree!! Good read.

[TCMooch]

Evason is a fucking idiot and this team will get nowhere with him behind the bench.

 It’s freaking training camp/pre-season and your top line center is out for a bit…why the hell would you not try Rossi in that scenario. It’s literally zero risk.

[vonlonster67]

4 minutes ago, TCMooch said:

Evason is a fucking idiot and this team will get nowhere with him behind the bench.

 It’s freaking training camp/pre-season and your top line center is out for a bit…why the hell would you not try Rossi in that scenario. It’s literally zero risk.

DE is a good coach, not a great coach and not a fit for this team moving forward.  He's old school and a bit stubborn and stuck in his ways, refusing change. BG is not going to allow this to continue. It may be time to make the big decision after or during this season. 

[Up North Guy]

Dang, we haven't even gotten to the first preseason game and everyone is calling out DE. Well, let me join in and agree. This is a stupid move looking in from the outside. I wanted DE moved out last year and I still do.

[Cole_Train]

Yep, I’m quite over DE. We’ve already seen this episode. He’s taken the team as far as he can in my opinion. Just a big rehash of the same shit. We’ll properly see all the same lines we’ve seen, have a season swoon, heat up to make the playoffs just to be knocked out of the first round again. The only new thing is, he might not be so hard on the refs this time though cause he’s learned a thing. Grizzle
-The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. -Albert Einstein

Edited September 23, 2023 by Cole_Train

[vonlonster67]

Listening to Maroon's presser today has me damn excited to see that 4th line. What a cool customer, Cup cred, matter of fact, sage vision and advice. When this guy speaks....listen....you'll fill that reaction in your gut that tells you exactly what he's about and its not a showboat.

This is not like having a Reavo. Maroon is no B.S, actually skilled in front of the net and doesn't have to pray tell to the other team about a throw down or stick his face in the TNT cameras and DO NOTHING to protect KK on the ice when Suter is making him a chopping block.

We are 200% better on the fourth line this year

[NorthStarWildFan]

Couldn’t agree more about Rossi, why not see exactly what you have now when it doesn’t mean anything! Finding this out in season will undoubtedly cost us games and could mean the difference between making the playoffs and not. 

[Need4speed99]

Couldn't agree more. There is NO reason rossi isn't on the 1stline in the preseason. Seriously, this is just stupidity and makes me question dean and Billy even more. Get with the program, play skill players together and see what happens.

[TheGoosesAreLooses]

On 9/23/2023 at 10:13 AM, vonlonster67 said:

DE is a good coach, not a great coach and not a fit for this team moving forward.  He's old school and a bit stubborn and stuck in his ways, refusing change. BG is not going to allow this to continue. It may be time to make the big decision after or during this season. 

A good coach without a single playoff series is not a good coach.  Teams don't play to win the president's trophy, they play for the Stanley. Scraping together enough to get into playoffs multiple times only to fizzle with the same mistakes over and over in the first round is not a good coach. 

I 'm hoping BG makes his move soon. DE's doing no favors for the future.

[vonlonster67]

2 hours ago, TheGoosesAreLooses said:

A good coach without a single playoff series is not a good coach.  Teams don't play to win the president's trophy, they play for the Stanley. Scraping together enough to get into playoffs multiple times only to fizzle with the same mistakes over and over in the first round is not a good coach. 

I 'm hoping BG makes his move soon. DE's doing no favors for the future.

That's the separation, good is regular season Deano...great coaches adapt and move on to become Cup winners!