Article: Wilderness Walk: Brackett Talks Heidt, Kumpulainen

[Thomas Williams]

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[mnfaninnc]

There's no need to panic, they'll be plenty of time for that later usually wrote TMQ writer Gregg Easterbrook. I think we have that same thing here. We do need to play with urgency, however, not desperation yet, and start games on time. Grinding out wins needs to become part of the process, and forget pretty goals, just get goals.

So, where are the prospects at?

1. Riley Heidt just dipped below the 2 pt/gm pace he was on
2. Hunter Haight is still in 2nd with 35 pts.
3. Petrovsky, Kumpulainen, and Yurov had uneventful weeks
4. Firstov is scoring again, he's up to 12
5. Adam Beckman is at 23gp 5-9-14. I'd suggest this isn't good enough in the A, and he'll need some better production
6. Dino's week was also uneventful
7. Sammy Walker is at 21gp 3-7-10. See Beckman for comment
8. Daemon Hunt is better than .5 pt/gm. Expect to see him called back up as he has been dominating the stat sheet since returning. 
9. Simon Johansson suddenly has 4 goals 2 assists, a good streak for him
10. Carson Lambos is stuck at 1-5-6 in 22gp. I sense struggle, he is -5. Remember in jrs. he was like a +60 last season
11. Masters and Spacek have traded some positive time on the Heartlanders. I expect them to be up for the A as I anticipate both Hunt and Lambos getting calls up I-35
12. Charlie Stramel had a nice weekend. 12gp 2-3-5. Maybe he just had to get that first one?
13. After a solid season last year, Jack Peart is having a rough one this season: 16gp 1-3-4
14. Liam Ohgren added another goal
15. Caeden Bankier is playing again! No points, -2. Expect him needing more time to catch back up to the players
16. The Wall had a down week, his gaa is now above 2

Overall, some of the disappointments from early one are finally starting to produce. 

[MrCheatachu]

I found the comments on Stramel were interesting too (emphasis mine), sounds like they are projecting him as middle-six, similar role as Ekker:

Quote

“He’s not a different player than what we saw before,” Brackett said. “You’re still talking 6-foot-3, 215 pounds, can skate, physical, plays the game with an edge. Is he producing points right now? No, but I don’t necessarily think that point-producing is what Charlie’s game’s going to be about. That’s not how it’s going to be defined. “Is he playing in straight lines? Is he getting pucks to the net? Is he hard to play against? Is he drawing penalties? Is he combative? Is he winning faceoffs? That’s a lot of what we see and have seen in him, but at the same time, we want to see him take a step forward. Last year was a hard year and it was an introduction to college hockey for him, so we want to see progress.”

And

Quote

Brackett doesn’t quite understand Stramel’s usage at fourth-line wing right now, but the Wild still very much envision him as a middle-six center. Badgers first-year coach Mike Hastings didn’t respond to an interview request regarding Stramel’s season and development.

 

[Citizen Strife]

If Stramel or Kumpulainen end up even half the players Ek is, that is a win. Or even just big defensive wizards.  Imagine three centerman or power forwards with size like that shutting down top lines for years.  Ek is still crazy young for what feels like an eternity with the team.

[mnfaninnc]

Can Kumpulainen head to the A next year even though he's playing in Canada this year (major jrs.), or does he have to stay there until he's 20? If he has a decent year like he's having, I would think he's big enough to start competing in the A and getting that experience a year early. 

[Pewterschmidt]

6 hours ago, mnfaninnc said:

There's no need to panic, they'll be plenty of time for that later usually wrote TMQ writer Gregg Easterbrook. I think we have that same thing here. We do need to play with urgency, however, not desperation yet, and start games on time. Grinding out wins needs to become part of the process, and forget pretty goals, just get goals.

So, where are the prospects at?

1. Riley Heidt just dipped below the 2 pt/gm pace he was on
2. Hunter Haight is still in 2nd with 35 pts.
3. Petrovsky, Kumpulainen, and Yurov had uneventful weeks
4. Firstov is scoring again, he's up to 12
5. Adam Beckman is at 23gp 5-9-14. I'd suggest this isn't good enough in the A, and he'll need some better production
6. Dino's week was also uneventful
7. Sammy Walker is at 21gp 3-7-10. See Beckman for comment
8. Daemon Hunt is better than .5 pt/gm. Expect to see him called back up as he has been dominating the stat sheet since returning. 
9. Simon Johansson suddenly has 4 goals 2 assists, a good streak for him
10. Carson Lambos is stuck at 1-5-6 in 22gp. I sense struggle, he is -5. Remember in jrs. he was like a +60 last season
11. Masters and Spacek have traded some positive time on the Heartlanders. I expect them to be up for the A as I anticipate both Hunt and Lambos getting calls up I-35
12. Charlie Stramel had a nice weekend. 12gp 2-3-5. Maybe he just had to get that first one?
13. After a solid season last year, Jack Peart is having a rough one this season: 16gp 1-3-4
14. Liam Ohgren added another goal
15. Caeden Bankier is playing again! No points, -2. Expect him needing more time to catch back up to the players
16. The Wall had a down week, his gaa is now above 2

Overall, some of the disappointments from early one are finally starting to produce. 

Thanks MNFAN.  So to the Wilderness, which of our prospects are going to drive offense (not defense) in next 2-3 yrs?  I'm crossing Walker and Beckman off that list.  That leaves: Dino, Yurov, Ohgren and maybe Stramel can play a middle 6 role by then.  Heidt is getting alot of steam but he doesn't have fuzz on his peaches yet so let's all chill out about him.  Someday but let's not hear about him for next 3 yrs like we did with Beckman.  Who else?

[Disco Strangler]

Wild, assistant GM Chris O’Hearn ‘mutually agree to part ways’

Not weird-Wild

[mnfaninnc]

In other news:

Craig Berube was fired from St. Louis. I wonder if he'd make a decent assistant? Likely he's still under contract by St. Louis as he will be sitting at home eating pizza while the Blues continue on for the season. 

[mnfaninnc]

12 minutes ago, Disco Strangler said:

Wild, assistant GM Chris O’Hearn ‘mutually agree to part ways’

Not weird-Wild

For those who don't know, Chris O'Hearn was Guerin's right hand man ( I don't know who the left hand man is ) and was responsible for negotiating contracts and the expert on transactional matters as well as CBA issues. 

He had signed a new contract in the offseason, my how things change in a hurry. Oddly, O'Hearn who is young for the position (41) was a holdover from the Fenton era.

Could it be that there was some discontent in the front office over our current cap situation? With the injuries to larger contract people, it has left us with little depth. Now, where do we find a better contract negotiator?

[Pewterschmidt]

24 minutes ago, mnfaninnc said:

For those who don't know, Chris O'Hearn was Guerin's right hand man ( I don't know who the left hand man is ) and was responsible for negotiating contracts and the expert on transactional matters as well as CBA issues. 

He had signed a new contract in the offseason, my how things change in a hurry. Oddly, O'Hearn who is young for the position (41) was a holdover from the Fenton era.

Could it be that there was some discontent in the front office over our current cap situation? With the injuries to larger contract people, it has left us with little depth. Now, where do we find a better contract negotiator?

I can't imagine O'Hearn made the contracts/NMC with Fred, Foligno, Hartman, Zuc without Geurin's review and blessing.  What am I missing if i'm looking for a conspiracy?

[Up North Guy]

1 hour ago, Pewterschmidt said:

I can't imagine O'Hearn made the contracts/NMC with Fred, Foligno, Hartman, Zuc without Geurin's review and blessing.  What am I missing if i'm looking for a conspiracy?

If he did do those without BG's blessing I would expect a public hanging....I mean firing rather than mutual agreement.

[mnfaninnc]

17 hours ago, Pewterschmidt said:

I can't imagine O'Hearn made the contracts/NMC with Fred, Foligno, Hartman, Zuc without Geurin's review and blessing.  What am I missing if i'm looking for a conspiracy?

I'm pretty sure that Guerin probably said he wanted those guys resigned. To the full details of the contracts, Guerin may have been loosely involved leaving the details to O'Hearn. 

If you're looking for a conspiracy, though, Pewter, perhaps it was a personal mishap that needed to be swept under the rug? Is there any current footage of a Christmas party, or other gathering? Was there a Thanksgiving mishap? Go digging, and if you can't find anything, make something up that is very entertaining!  

[Pewterschmidt]

14 minutes ago, mnfaninnc said:

I'm pretty sure that Guerin probably said he wanted those guys resigned. To the full details of the contracts, Guerin may have been loosely involved leaving the details to O'Hearn. 

If you're looking for a conspiracy, though, Pewter, perhaps it was a personal mishap that needed to be swept under the rug? Is there any current footage of a Christmas party, or other gathering? Was there a Thanksgiving mishap? Go digging, and if you can't find anything, make something up that is very entertaining!  

Please refer to other post insinuating that the O’hearn dismissal involves Bedards mom and a Chili’s 🌶️ express

[Up North Guy]

1 hour ago, mnfaninnc said:

I'm pretty sure that Guerin probably said he wanted those guys resigned. To the full details of the contracts, Guerin may have been loosely involved leaving the details to O'Hearn. 

If you're looking for a conspiracy, though, Pewter, perhaps it was a personal mishap that needed to be swept under the rug? Is there any current footage of a Christmas party, or other gathering? Was there a Thanksgiving mishap? Go digging, and if you can't find anything, make something up that is very entertaining!  

Russo intimated on KFAN this morning that there was possibly an HR issue involved. That would put a big stopper on the team being explicit as to what transpired. Also, maybe it is possible that there are others involved, which would also keep a lid on it until it is finished.

[mnfaninnc]

On 12/14/2023 at 10:41 AM, Pewterschmidt said:

Please refer to other post insinuating that the O’hearn dismissal involves Bedards mom and a Chili’s 🌶️ express

Was this in Nashville, or on the way back home closer to Chicago?