Article: Kirill Kaprizov Activated Off IR With Hopeful Timing

[Thomas Williams]

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[B1GKappa97]

I don't think they're going to intentionally try not to win, the players are doing a great job of losing organically right now. Which, honestly, is not a bad thing. 

This team needs some young, cheap talent in the future in their top-6 and top-4 defensive pairings. With or, especially, without Kaprizov. Who knows if he sticks around.

If they could somehow land a top-5 pick this year, that should get us a guy who can come up and have a big impact quickly. Right around the same time as we should see Yurov, who looks to project like a top-6 player as well.

Brackett's done pretty well, supposedly, with late 1sts and picks beyond the first round. This will be the first time he could get to decide on a top pick for us. 

Honestly I'll take getting another Matt Boldy on this team over another one-and-done playoff appearance.. 

Edited January 15 by B1GKappa97

[Citizen Strife]

Getting Kaprizov back sure helped against Arizona.  Unless the team pulls of an Edmonton streak, I don't see much happening.

[Willy the poor boy]

2 hours ago, B1GKappa97 said:

 

Honestly I'll take getting another Matt Boldy on this team over another one-and-done playoff appearance.. 

They got rid of Deano... No more one and dones. He was the problem remember?

[mnfaninnc]

To me, the losses keep mounting, especially 4 point swings. Coaches and players are supposed to keep trying to win. However, when you've lost confidence, your play seems to be less than you're capable of. I think this is where we're at.

And, I have no problem with it. At the beginning of the season, I thought we'd have no problem taking 3rd in the division. I didn't see Winnipeg coming at all. However, I also felt like the real joy would be watching our young players mature in the league. This we've seen with both Rossi and Faber. 

I've been a little disappointed in the progress of Boldy, and of course the injuries to Kaprizov, and the most frustrated with the lack of teammates having each other's backs. For me, Boldy is putting up some points, but he has the potential to be much better. What I don't like is a large forward always button hooking and turning. Granted, Boldy can stickhandle real well, but sometimes you just need to step on the gas and will it into the net. 

What Boldy lacks is a little bit of Zach Parise in his game. And I'd like to see him get to that level as I believe he has more talent than Parise did. There's just something about being able to lower your head and go where you want to go with the puck. That part would make him more of a complete player, and make his finesse far more dangerous.

Kaprizov has been right for about 5 games this year. I do not understand how his teammates can 1. let anyone touch him, and 2. not completely dismantle the Winnipeg roster physically. It is good for a team to have some of these games as it builds camaraderie and loyalty to teammates. One last point, Foligno has been around all these shenanigans with Winnipeg and done zilch. He needs to step up, both as a large player and wearing the A. 

Lastly, the Brodin and Spurgeon injuries have essentially killed the season. I still have no idea how Spurgeon got hurt the last time. 

So, let's just say we pick a top defender in this draft, a guy not far from stepping in. Do we start entertaining offers for Spurgeon? He's very good when he's healthy, but that seems to be less and less of the time now.

[B1GKappa97]

10 minutes ago, Willy the poor boy said:

They got rid of Deano... No more one and dones. He was the problem remember?

lol I don't think that's why he got fired. The players obviously tuned him out. The new-coach boost was real and goes to show they could've won more for Dean and just didn't. Too much complacency there.

Now they're just too injured and too cap-strapped to make any moves. We're stuck with what we have. 

Sucks in the short term but I'm hoping that long-term we're better off for it. 

[mnfaninnc]

I was just looking at the young defenders on the Baby Wild. I've got to say, I am pretty disappointed with their offensive point production, I was expecting much better results. 

McLean's got to start putting these guys in places where they can perform better and not bury them lower in the lineup. We need these guys developed quicker.

[B1GKappa97]

6 minutes ago, mnfaninnc said:

So, let's just say we pick a top defender in this draft, a guy not far from stepping in. Do we start entertaining offers for Spurgeon? He's very good when he's healthy, but that seems to be less and less of the time now.

They probably wait until the '26-'27 season, when Kaprizov is due to be a UFA, and then just buy him out of the last year of his contract for more immediate cap-space. 

Anyone they drafted in the 2024 NHL draft probably isn't ready to take his spot until the '26-'27 season anyway. I doubt they'll get too many offers for a then-37 year old undersized defenseman. 

[Citizen Strife]

Spurgeon's contract would require money laun...I mean "third party negotiation" or keeping some of it.  That won't happen for a couple years at most.  My hope is this isn't a Gaborik situation where he just keeps getting reinjured in the same place all the time: where all effectiveness is rendered moot.

Spurgeon's definitely a lifer, provided they get a proper discount out of it.  It could just be a stupid injury bug for one and done year and "welp, forget it."  The annoying thing is just how stupidly good he is defensively.  That's not something you just teach, even as old as he is.

Sure is a pain in the ass to be in: damned if you do, damned if you don't.  Give it til 24-25 and he has 2 years left instead of 4.  I'd be partial to keeping him in a reduced role for a reduced price of $3-4m as he ages, and let him retire with us, barring jettisoning him for practically nothing.  If the injuries are too much, see any takers I guess.

Edited January 15 by Citizen Strife

[Willy the poor boy]

26 minutes ago, B1GKappa97 said:

lol I don't think that's why he got fired. The players obviously tuned him out. The new-coach boost was real and goes to show they could've won more for Dean and just didn't. Too much complacency there.

Now they're just too injured and too cap-strapped to make any moves. We're stuck with what we have. 

Sucks in the short term but I'm hoping that long-term we're better off for it. 

It's just sarcasm directed at SM posters where the concensus was the Wild had the talent to go beyond the 1'st round without Deano standing in the way. As evil as it may seem, I'm enjoying watching the rats scurry from the ship.

I'll give them the injuries don't help, but they would have never given Deano that grace.

My prediction has been Deano will win a 1'st round playoff series before Hynes will and that Deano saved BG's job for 3+ years. BG is the problem in MN. IMO.

 

[mnfaninnc]

37 minutes ago, Willy the poor boy said:

My prediction has been Deano will win a 1'st round playoff series before Hynes will and that Deano saved BG's job for 3+ years. BG is the problem in MN. IMO.

 

What happened to all these IBGIT posts? I will also admit that the Wild overachieved in the regular season, but never were good enough to beat a top 10 team in a playoff series. It didn't help that Deano's track record in the playoffs was abysmal. But, those 3+ years bought Guerin time. Could Hynes have done that? I have no idea.

[B1GKappa97]

2 hours ago, mnfaninnc said:

What happened to all these IBGIT posts? I will also admit that the Wild overachieved in the regular season, but never were good enough to beat a top 10 team in a playoff series. It didn't help that Deano's track record in the playoffs was abysmal. But, those 3+ years bought Guerin time. Could Hynes have done that? I have no idea.

I still do 🙂 One terribad injury-plagued season doesn't change my feelings on his moves tbh. Are we still mad that we got a 24-year old Filip Gustavsson for a 35-year old Cam Talbot? Seems like a steal to me. That Kevin Fiala turned into Brock Faber? That Kaapo Kahkonen turned into Jake Middleton? 

Yeah, he extended Foligno/Hartman/Zuccy to new deals. Oh well. Nobody looks ready to steal their jobs yet and I doubt that changes next year also. Is it really the worst thing if Hartman and Foligno are future 3rd/4th liners? Not really. 

[Willy the poor boy]

BG will address the media at 4:30 or 4:45 right before the game. Hmmm.I just hope he doesn't lose his temper...

[mnfaninnc]

28 minutes ago, B1GKappa97 said:

Yeah, he extended Foligno/Hartman/Zuccy to new deals. Oh well. Nobody looks ready to steal their jobs yet and I doubt that changes next year also. Is it really the worst thing if Hartman and Foligno are future 3rd/4th liners? Not really. 

If we have a bunch of guys on ELCs or just after ELCs, we still will need to hit the cap floor. It is conceivable that the extensions help us get there after next season. I don't know if that is the plan, but it could be.

[mnfaninnc]

24 minutes ago, Willy the poor boy said:

BG will address the media at 4:30 or 4:45 right before the game. Hmmm.I just hope he doesn't lose his temper...

Hmmm, I wonder what he wants to talk about? Nobody thinks a trade happened do they?

[Willy the poor boy]

1 hour ago, mnfaninnc said:

Hmmm, I wonder what he wants to talk about? Nobody thinks a trade happened do they?

Midseason report on the state of hockey.

[Willy the poor boy]

3 hours ago, mnfaninnc said:

What happened to all these IBGIT posts? I will also admit that the Wild overachieved in the regular season, but never were good enough to beat a top 10 team in a playoff series. It didn't help that Deano's track record in the playoffs was abysmal. But, those 3+ years bought Guerin time. Could Hynes have done that? I have no idea.

Absolutely 0 of those IBGWT posts came from my fingers. I've stated BG was in over his head from early on, not the beginning, but early on.

Hynes couldn't get the NJD into the playoffs at all in 5 years. And Natsville never got out of the 1'st round either. I doubt he's got it in him to take the Wild there. JMO.

[Willy the poor boy]

1 hour ago, B1GKappa97 said:

I still do 🙂 One terribad injury-plagued season doesn't change my feelings on his moves tbh. Are we still mad that we got a 24-year old Filip Gustavsson for a 35-year old Cam Talbot? Seems like a steal to me. That Kevin Fiala turned into Brock Faber? That Kaapo Kahkonen turned into Jake Middleton? 

Yeah, he extended Foligno/Hartman/Zuccy to new deals. Oh well. Nobody looks ready to steal their jobs yet and I doubt that changes next year also. Is it really the worst thing if Hartman and Foligno are future 3rd/4th liners? Not really. 

I've said all along he lucked into a lot of that. I'm not saying I'm right, but I am saying I believe that to almost 100%.

The Deano years were all outperforming years to what the talking heads were saying. The 1'st round exits I've been consistent in saying they played so hard to get there they ran out of gas. A series means winning 4 out of 7 against a great opposition. Not an easy thing to do without GREAT goaltending from a mediocre team. I still believe they outplayed Dallas in most areas, excluding the obvious ST's, Big D just had better goaltending

Firing Deano will lead to the end of the BG era.

[Willy the poor boy]

15 minutes ago, Willy the poor boy said:

Absolutely 0 of those IBGWT posts came from my fingers. I've stated BG was in over his head from early on, not the beginning, but early on.

Hynes couldn't get the NJD into the playoffs at all in 5 years. And Natsville never got out of the 1'st round either. I doubt he's got it in him to take the Wild there. JMO.

 

4 hours ago, mnfaninnc said:

Could Hynes have done that? I have no idea.

In fact Mn fan I doubt he could've even gotten them to the playoffs. It was not an easy task for that staff to get them there.

[B1GKappa97]

16 hours ago, Willy the poor boy said:

I've said all along he lucked into a lot of that. I'm not saying I'm right, but I am saying I believe that to almost 100%.

The Deano years were all outperforming years to what the talking heads were saying. The 1'st round exits I've been consistent in saying they played so hard to get there they ran out of gas. A series means winning 4 out of 7 against a great opposition. Not an easy thing to do without GREAT goaltending from a mediocre team. I still believe they outplayed Dallas in most areas, excluding the obvious ST's, Big D just had better goaltending

Firing Deano will lead to the end of the BG era.

Gus was probably just luck, sure, but MAF has still been playing well relative to Talbot since he got traded and he got a young, cheap backup who's turned into a cheap starter for the next 3 years. Talbot is doing well with LAK this season but last year was a disaster for him and I'd rather have Gus over Talbot at this point just for the long-term upside. 

I don't think Faber was luck, he would've gotten to pick who he wanted from whatever prospects they were offering up for Fiala and he made a great choice. And I don't think he's given enough credit for making lemonade out of the lemons that was the Fiala situation. Faber's been a god-send to our blue line which was badly in need of top-4 talent. In that same vein, I don't think Midds was luck either. We needed more size in our top-4 and he went out and got it for a young goalie who wasn't in our long-term plans. 

Predicting the end of the BG era seems like wishful thinking at this point tbh. Its not like he's going to get canned at the end of the year just because we missed the playoffs one time. 

[Willy the poor boy]

1 hour ago, B1GKappa97 said:

Gus was probably just luck, sure, but MAF has still been playing well relative to Talbot since he got traded and he got a young, cheap backup who's turned into a cheap starter for the next 3 years. Talbot is doing well with LAK this season but last year was a disaster for him and I'd rather have Gus over Talbot at this point just for the long-term upside. 

I don't think Faber was luck, he would've gotten to pick who he wanted from whatever prospects they were offering up for Fiala and he made a great choice. And I don't think he's given enough credit for making lemonade out of the lemons that was the Fiala situation. Faber's been a god-send to our blue line which was badly in need of top-4 talent. In that same vein, I don't think Midds was luck either. We needed more size in our top-4 and he went out and got it for a young goalie who wasn't in our long-term plans. 

Predicting the end of the BG era seems like wishful thinking at this point tbh. Its not like he's going to get canned at the end of the year just because we missed the playoffs one time. 

Like I've said, Deano saved his job by having the team outperform expectations for 3 years no less. I don't think Hynes is up to the task. I suppose it is wishful thinking on my part hoping he's gone before he can screw up the team when the cap hits come off. I've/we've waited long enough for a Stanley Cup competitive team.

[B1GKappa97]

1 minute ago, Willy the poor boy said:

Like I've said, Deano saved his job by having the team outperform expectations for 3 years no less. I don't think Hynes is up to the task. I suppose it is wishful thinking on my part hoping he's gone before he can screw up the team when the cap hits come off. I've/we've waited long enough for a Stanley Cup competitive team.

Yeah I don't know about Hynes myself but its also too soon to pass too much judgement at this point. The guy came in mid-train wreck. I think next year will be much more indicative of his long-term potential than this season is. 

Unfortunately, we are just gonna have to be patient. I don't think there's any coach out there that could field a Stanley Cup competitive team while there's $14M in unusable cap hanging around their neck. We knew this day would come eventually as soon as they signed Parise and Suter to those deals. 

[Up North Guy]

13 minutes ago, Willy the poor boy said:

Like I've said, Deano saved his job by having the team outperform expectations for 3 years no less. I don't think Hynes is up to the task. I suppose it is wishful thinking on my part hoping he's gone before he can screw up the team when the cap hits come off. I've/we've waited long enough for a Stanley Cup competitive team.

I really think it is way too soon to judge Hynes. The team did very well until the injuries started to mount. They are getting healthy now and hopefully last nights performance is a prelude to good play. Is it possible that the recent animus toward BG is being reflected in attitudes toward Hynes?

[Willy the poor boy]

11 minutes ago, Up North Guy said:

I really think it is way too soon to judge Hynes. The team did very well until the injuries started to mount. They are getting healthy now and hopefully last nights performance is a prelude to good play. Is it possible that the recent animus toward BG is being reflected in attitudes toward Hynes?

Hynes had 5 years in NJ and couldn't get them to the playoffs. He had no better success in Natsville than Deano had with the Wild who you and many have concluded was not good enough to win a playoff series. Deano had GREAT success with this team for years, you are acting as though Hynes did something spectacular other than a coaching bump. Lets see him do it for a whole season. Aside from the Boston wins most of the other wins came against middling teams.

11 minutes ago, Up North Guy said:

Is it possible that the recent animus toward BG is being reflected in attitudes toward Hynes?

I've been a BG detractor for a long time. Well before Hynes came along, but firing DE and hiring Hynes was kind of a last straw for me with BG.

[Willy the poor boy]

3 hours ago, B1GKappa97 said:

Yeah I don't know about Hynes myself but its also too soon to pass too much judgement at this point. The guy came in mid-train wreck. I think next year will be much more indicative of his long-term potential than this season is. 

Unfortunately, we are just gonna have to be patient. I don't think there's any coach out there that could field a Stanley Cup competitive team while there's $14M in unusable cap hanging around their neck. We knew this day would come eventually as soon as they signed Parise and Suter to those deals. 

This is basically the same team, and I might say an even better version of the team, Deano had to work with over the years. He led the team to a franchise best points record and followed it up with another 100+ point season. The mid train wreck you refer to was nothing more than a 10 game slump that the Wild have gone through for years. Most teams, even the best will go through some tough periods. 

I like how now, the cap situation is very real but with Deano it was just an excuse.

5 hours ago, B1GKappa97 said:

Faber's been a god-send to our blue line which was badly in need of top-4 talent. In that same vein, I don't think Midds was luck either.

The thing about Fabes is it's worked out. I personally would rather have a scorer like Fiala but a lot would have had to been done to keep him here. The thing about the Fiala deal that was inexcusable was BG running his mouth about Fiala while he was actively trying to trade him. Fenton and Fletcher get a lot of shit around here but neither of those two would have been dumb enough to run their mouths about Fiala while trying to trade him.

Even with the brightest rose colored glasses I think you have to admit that was colossally dumb. He did it because he was challenged, he got pissed and he started running his mouth. Again, it's why I believe he'll never be successful. He traded Talbot to the team that gave him an offer, because he was pissed at his agent and likely the player. Didn't shop him around for the best offer just wanted him off the team. By all accounts T bot was a great teammate the players loved and some even spoke up of having gotten a raw deal in the Blues series.

I've seen enough. It's not much of a leap for me to see he lacks quite a bit to be a successful GM