Article: The Wild's Inevitable Tank Is About More Than the Draft Pick

[Justin Wiggins]

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[B1GKappa97]

This team can't even tank properly! UGH! 

[TCMooch]

Can’t wait for us to miss playoffs by one point and draft 15 or whatever

[Will D. Ness]

11 minutes ago, TCMooch said:

Can’t wait for us to miss playoffs by one point and draft 15 or whatever

Sad but most likely true.

The one thing though is that maybe we can see a healthy KK97 play his game and hopefully develop some simpatico with Rossi.

 

[Will D. Ness]

Also, lets get Hunt back up here Hynes... WTF.

[mnfaninnc]

While I think this is an optimistic take on Spurgeon's injury, I don't see him ever being the same again. If we do end up trading for a player, I'd like to see an RHS D we can resign, preferably resign reasonably. I know top defending salaries have gone up, and I'm not used to capinflation yet. 

I am higher on Spacek than Masters, but I'd say both are 2-3 seasons away. It appears as if Spacek is playing a bit more than Masters (not sure if Masters got hurt). But, essentially, the leader in games has only played about 1/2 of them for the Baby Wild.

Lambos, to me, seems to be the closest as I already consider Hunt part of the roster. I'd also not want to use any of our 1st or 2nd round picks for the next couple of years. 

We're going to have games like last night's, where Goose2 stands on his head and Kaprizov sneaks a couple by, but we get dominated in every other aspect of the game. But, they will be few and far between, it usually doesn't work out that way. 

For me, I'm preparing myself for news that while Spurgeon's surgeries are deemed a success, that they also find far more damage to him than originally thought, and the 14 years of play has finally broken the player. I'm bracing myself for extended LTIR time which could be contract long. 

The timeline looks like hip Feb. 6, and back a month later. I think if the back gets pushed back a little in the timeline, the hip had extra damage. I also believe that Spurgeon has an incredible pain tolerance and plays through stuff none of us have ever known about. 

I'd love to see him play 1,000 games in a Wild uniform, but to me, multiple surgeries means problems. Problems to the core of a player isn't necessarily the kiss of death to a career, but it is restricting. 

Now, if I'm Shooter, I don't do anything until the all star break. I'm going to see where the team is at that time. I've also got to realistically see where this season is going. We have jumped the Sabres and Canadiens, and have made it back to the middling pack in the West (though the teams right ahead of us have 2 games in hand). I'd recall Hunt as soon as Fleury is in the clear or on IR, and throw him into the deep end. Pair him up with Middleton on the 2nd unit. See how he reacts to an increased role.

At the All Star break, I'm going to reassess everything. I'll have to meet with owner Leipold who keeps track of the team and explain this just isn't our year. Playoffs are a pipe dream and if by some miracle we get there, the team will be too exhausted to go anywhere. I'd present the benefits of looking longterm, and while this is a bump in the road, it brings up the opportunity to get some guys some valuable experience they wouldn't necessarily get in a stretch run, and I'd try to fill from within. 

I did have a couple of ideas on Pesce/Skjei, and maybe bringing back Granlund to help out offensively. I'm also going to have to work the phones and field inquiries on some of our designated players. I would hope some of them would agree to go as we start the transition. I'd ask for a reprieve on the playoffs or bust, and I'd start working with the agents of Firstov, Yurov and Dino. Dino and Yurov need contracts. With Firstov, we need intentions. If he's got a problem with us, we need to know if he'll go to another organization. His K numbers dictate that he has value. 

Sometimes, promoting from within is the best plan to go. We saw that with the Twins and Vikings this year, as some depth guys thrived when given the opportunity. So, I'd want eyes on Bankier, Beckman, Hunt, Lambos and The Wall. I might want to see cameos from Heidt, Haight, Petrovsky and Kumpulainen before season's end. Prepping for next season is a great goal, but it also requires sacrifice on paper. But, we need that in the organization at this time, and, we could really use the high picks in the 1st 2 rounds this draft.

[mnfaninnc]

7 minutes ago, Will D. Ness said:

Also, lets get Hunt back up here Hynes... WTF.

Roster was at 23, Fleury wasn't going on IR, they needed the roster spot for The Wall just in case. He'll be back, but this is life on an ELC as a depth player.

[TheGoosesAreLooses]

Trade Fleury for Broberg + salary retention and a low round pick. Let's get this tank started. Broberg wants out and EDM needs a backup badly. Send Merrill to the A and cycle some young defenders. We could use a top ten pick badly and running this aging team into the ground in a race to the bottom of the draft chart is not attractive. 

[MacGyver]

Last I looked the Wild are only a few points behind Calgary for the last wild card spot. This team will be in the playoffs. 

[Imyourhuckleberry]

7 hours ago, mnfaninnc said:

So, I'd want eyes on Bankier, Beckman, Hunt, Lambos and The Wall. I might want to see cameos from Heidt, Haight, Petrovsky and Kumpulainen before season's end. Prepping for next season is a great goal, but it also requires sacrifice on paper. But, we need that in the organization at this time, and, we could really use the high picks in the 1st 2 rounds this draft.

Mason Shaw has skated in a couple of games now with the Iowa Wild. The Minnesota Wild may want to give him some NHL shifts late in the year with Dewar if his recovery is going well.

Guerin doesn't generally seem to believe in giving teenagers NHL ice time, so I'd bet against Heidt, Haight, Petrovsky and Kumpulainen getting NHL time, but I could see each of the other guys(Bankier, Beckman, Hunt, Lambos and Wallstedt) getting some NHL minutes as the season progresses.

Hunter Haight is the oldest of the 4 teenagers, turning 20 in early April, followed by Petrovsky in August. They are playing decently in Canada, but it's a pretty big jump to NHL ice. Don't think Guerin believes in cameos for the youth.

[MacGyver]

Correction to my previous post above. Wild are currently 6 points behind Nashville for the second wild card spot. Not Calgary.

[Luke Sims]

16 hours ago, Will D. Ness said:

Also, lets get Hunt back up here Hynes... WTF.

tried to tell y'all

[Protec]

The Wild have had such a weird year it's pretty up in the air yet. They have games left in the Central that could move them up if they start winning. It's possible Gus gets hot. That has happened before. Nashville just lost to FL. The middling teams are ahead of MN but not by a huge margin. Gotta wait and see.

[Protec]

It's true the Wild have had many bad losses but they've had some surprising wins too given the season's strange circumstances. I don't think the Wild really have a tank going. It looked bad but it also looks like they could still be in the hunt.

[B1GKappa97]

13 hours ago, MacGyver said:

Last I looked the Wild are only a few points behind Calgary for the last wild card spot. This team will be in the playoffs. 

They are 6 points back of Nashville, with a game in hand. So same as they've been since the post-coach boost fell off. IE: not making it. 

The second half surge is likely incoming though, typical Wild >:(

[mnfaninnc]

10 hours ago, Imyourhuckleberry said:

Mason Shaw has skated in a couple of games now with the Iowa Wild. The Minnesota Wild may want to give him some NHL shifts late in the year with Dewar if his recovery is going well.

I'd probably agree with you on this, but let's remember that Shaw has an A contract, not a 2-way NHL contract. I would suggest that he brought a lot more to the Wild than just his 4th line play, Shaw was tenacious and a huge loss late last year. Losing both he and Ek just before the playoffs was a really big deal.

Recovering from ACL surgery, to me, seems like more than just a few warmup games. I think that what happens to Shaw likely depends on the TDL and any college free agents we might pick up. We stand at 46/50 contracts, so theoretically there's room, but it may be earmarked for some other moves. Some of our prospects have not yet signed, but I think their deals might count more towards next season than be on the books for this one. 

[Mateo3xm]

On 1/22/2024 at 7:21 PM, MacGyver said:

Last I looked the Wild are only a few points behind Calgary for the last wild card spot. This team will be in the playoffs. 

You think so huh?

what would be the point of eeking into the playoffs just to get smashed in the first round??

this team is a dumpster fire. If they somehow pull it off, it would be beyond stupid but very Mn team like.