Article: Maple Leafs Reportedly Targetting Wild's Zach Bogosian

[Thomas Williams]

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[Pewterschmidt]

If it’s a 4th or lower I say keep bogo

[B1GKappa97]

Trade him for what you can get. Its okay if we miss out on him, it won't make or break the blueline next year. There will be other 3rd pairing defensive defensemen if we want them on the cheap. 

Let Hunt get more time in the NHL in the meantime, maybe don't pair him with Chisholm though since they're both still cutting their teeth. 

[B1GKappa97]

As long as we're staying in the top-10 in the draft, I don't think we need to worry about the future of the blueline too much. Should be able to land a guy like Buium or Parekh if they want a top-line out of the box defender, or they could get a bigger Matt Dumba in Carter Yakemchuk if they want a bomber, which is something we are currently lacking on the PP. 

If somehow all those guys are gone (I'd assume Yakemchuk should still be there, but never know with the NHL's size-obsession) and somebody has gambled on Silyayev's potential, then shucks, we get to pick from potential top-line talent like Eiserman or Berkley Catton (who's more facilitator than sniper) most likely.

If we fall out of the top-10 the options are a little more limited on the blue-line since I assume teams will jump all over them, but we should end up with, at worst, a guy like Helenius who can be an Ek clone for our future GREEF2.0 line with Oghren and Foligno. 

Can we just fast-forward to July now?? 

[Will D. Ness]

Toronto seems like a team that would overpay.  Tell them they have to take Merrill too.

We are short on RHD, Hunt is LHD... but shouldn't stop us.

[mnfaninnc]

3 hours ago, Pewterschmidt said:

If it’s a 4th or lower I say keep bogo

I'd be looking at a decent prospect that Judd wanted when they drafted him, maybe in the last 2 drafts where he hasn't really developed yet.

[mnfaninnc]

2 hours ago, B1GKappa97 said:

Let Hunt get more time in the NHL in the meantime, maybe don't pair him with Chisholm though since they're both still cutting their teeth. 

I say put them together and let them sink or swim together. This could be a pairing for next season!

[mnfaninnc]

1 hour ago, B1GKappa97 said:

Can we just fast-forward to July now?? 

No, we need to move in a little better position for the draft 1st.

[mnfaninnc]

47 minutes ago, Will D. Ness said:

Toronto seems like a team that would overpay.  Tell them they have to take Merrill too.

We are short on RHD, Hunt is LHD... but shouldn't stop us.

You are correct on the handedness. I would play Chisholm on his off side on that pairing, give him a little angle advantage on the point. I like keeping Hunt on the left side. 

I do think Toronto would overpay, but I don't like the idea of them taking Merrill too. I think we can get someone to take Merrill stand alone, or simply stick him on waivers which we won't even need to do until next year.

[mnfaninnc]

I did here that Colorado was willing to deal. Boy I'd love to acquire Calum Ritchie somehow in a deal. He's from last season's draft and hasn't developed too much. 

Ritchie is having an improved season in Oshawa, but not killing it. He's a little behind Hunter Haight in points. He should be decently scouted since he is Kumpulainen's teammate. 

Prying him loose would be a good way to get a nice prospect. But, what could we offer? A suggestion might be one of the Dewey's plus a 3rd party cap relief deal on another player? I do wish Shooter would get a little creative with some of his deals, thinking outside of the box to get what he wants. 

[Penigma]

This team is hurting on the 3rd D line but unless you think Hunt simply can't play with confidence this year, you should trade Bogosian for something fair.  Even IF you are concerned about Hunt, you have Merril, Goligoski, and Mermis as well as Ryan O'Rourke to fill out that last D line.  Bogo has been playing 2nd pair but they don't need to do that.  They need to take Faber off of playing 25 plus minutes, though.  If you can get a 3-5th rnd pick, you should jump at it.

[FredJohnson]

Toronto gets Bogo and Freddie.

Minnesota gets...relief.

[mnfaninnc]

Correction^^^

Ritchie is aggregately below Haight, and if you consider availability part of ability, he would be behind him. However, Ritchie has only played in 42 games and has 59 points, so, while available, it appears he is outplaying Haight on probably a better team.

Oshawa is in 2nd place in their division within striking distance of 1st. Saginaw has slumped to tied for last in their division, but a point out of 3rd. Haight also had a 2-3 week point drought which probably led to the team slump.

Out west, Prince George has won it's division and is in 1st place in its conference. Heidt is behind teammate Funk and Firkus from Moose Jaw for the scoring title. Kalem Parker plays for Moose Jaw, a defenseman we drafted, I think last season. He's having a decent season. 

Metallurg won this morning and is up 2-1 in their series, Yurov 0 pts.

Torpedo is currently down 1-0 to SKA. 

[Protec]

Yurov is being left alone by the Wild right now out of respect for the player, KHL club, playoffs, etc. Hopefully he has a great run with Metallurg and gets experience.

There's no way the Wild aren't calling as soon as their playoffs come to an end. Yurov might be young, but he'd be an upgrade over a handful of current roster players. His future role is more of a top six spot, so another year in the KHL isn't the worst because MN is gonna have to jettison Johannson and develop a little better balance. That is gonna be near impossible for next season due to the cap constraints. 2025-26, MN is poised to have three really decent looking lines that can score. 

If they trade Bogo maybe they can ask low-man on the totem-pole Chisolm to wear this?

[Will D. Ness]

2 hours ago, mnfaninnc said:

You are correct on the handedness. I would play Chisholm on his off side on that pairing, give him a little angle advantage on the point. I like keeping Hunt on the left side. 

I do think Toronto would overpay, but I don't like the idea of them taking Merrill too. I think we can get someone to take Merrill stand alone, or simply stick him on waivers which we won't even need to do until next year.

As long as Merrill doesn't have a cap hit next year I'm cool with whatever.  He has been outplayed by Mermis for most of the year.  Both are 7D.

Chisholm is playing righty as a lefty with Brodin and doing ok.  Rookie mistakes galore but I like his game especially after he puts on 10 lbs in the MNCfan training program this offseason.  

[mnfaninnc]

20 hours ago, Will D. Ness said:

Chisholm is playing righty as a lefty with Brodin and doing ok.  Rookie mistakes galore but I like his game especially after he puts on 10 lbs in the MNCfan training program this offseason.  

Chisholm has made some mistakes, but some are correctible too. What struck me was the difficulty he had in putting larger wingers up against the back boards and pinning them there. At 6'1" 190, you would think it might be easier, but giving away 30 lbs. is not so easy. Can anyone imagine what Addison would have looked like trying to do that?

He's also had some unforced errors in taking care of the puck. Perhaps he was feeling a little rushed and didn't realize the time he had. I would suggest that the experience right now is good, and the game still needs to slow down a little for him. Having Brodin as a partner should help in those regards. 

Speaking of the game slowing down, I think this is exactly where Lambos is, and to some respect, Spacek and Masters. The jump to the A was a pretty big leap for all 3 players. I'm convinced that O'Rourke has improved here, his issue is simply size and strength. We may have seen a breakthrough on S. Johansson, though, he had a big points week last week. That would be an ideal surprise, as he's also an RHS. 

Lastly, in Torpedo's game last night, Firstov scored his 2nd of the playoffs. Think about this for a second: Firstov got to Iowa at the same time Rossi did. He was there very shortly before being loaned to the K. Some have said it was an organizational difference, others have said it was Firstov's request to go home for a time. Who really knows? But, he is on loan there and under contract here. There should be no problem with visas or with contracts when his season ends. I just have to wonder, what kind of shape will Firstov be in if he gets here? Has he grown? Has he paid attention to thickening? Is he ready for NHL minutes? We should find out!

[Up North Guy]

2 hours ago, mnfaninnc said:

He's also had some unforced errors in taking care of the puck. Perhaps he was feeling a little rushed and didn't realize the time he had. I would suggest that the experience right now is good, and the game still needs to slow down a little for him. Having Brodin as a partner should help in those regards. 

It has been speculated in a few places that he is trying too hard rather than letting the game come to him. With the way the Jets kept him in the A I can understand it to a degree. Hopefully he is getting past that as he gets more NHL ice time.

[Will D. Ness]

1 hour ago, Up North Guy said:

It has been speculated in a few places that he is trying too hard rather than letting the game come to him. With the way the Jets kept him in the A I can understand it to a degree. Hopefully he is getting past that as he gets more NHL ice time.

I hope he is coachable because I think the mistakes are an easy fix.  Maybe new scenery and new opportunity is what he needs.  He has the chops no doubt.