Article: Wild's Rookies Leading Team As Season Closes

[Thomas Williams]

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[kapislife]

Can't leupold just suck it up and send Johansson and gudreau to the ahl? Pay them down there and forget about em

[Protec]

No place for neck-beards on the number 2 unit. 

I think Fred can bounce back. I'm giving him a mulligan. We need to stay focused on who's the laziest, most apathetic, elite Swede, who water-skis on the backcheck, swings one-handed stick at guys, doesn't hit, shows zero emotion, doesn't drive play, is the opposite of sandpaper, and still get's 14mins every game. That's the biggest problem right now.

[Imyourhuckleberry]

Wouldn't mind seeing the Wild use a middle round pick on Evan Gardner, the 17 year old goalie for the Saskatoon Blades. He hasn't been rated as a top 10 goalie, but he's been extremely good this season for the team with the fewest goals allowed, and he's given up just 8 goals in 6 playoff games so far, all wins.

[mnfaninnc]

What, no mention of Denver winning the NCAA Championship and our Rieger Lorenz saving his best for last as he puts up an assist and goal?

Speaking of Lorenz, stay in school. He needs at least another year there. 

Would it be good resource allocation to move Gaudreau and Johansson to the A? Both would have to pass through waivers, but if they didn't, we wouldn't have to pay them. We would get back roster slots that ELCs could easily fill.

However, you're talking about sending down $2m + $2.1m in salary. That's quite a commitment. What many do not understand, though is the real dynamic in the buyout penalties. Leipold is not paying Parise and Suter $7m+/yr. He's paying them much less. Their contracts were only about $4m/3 years left and he's paying maybe 75% of that? So, while we appear to be a cap ceiling team, we are getting away with paying players a cap basement salary. This with sellout crowds. 

So, in the affordability area, an extra $4.1m that is down in Iowa can't be that bad. The buyouts haven't been very good for the team, but for the owners, they've had a very nice ROI. I think if a young player can beat out the older guys in camp, clearly, perhaps the franchise could suck it up for a year.

[mnfaninnc]

I'm wondering about this. Both the big Wild and Baby Wild will be out of the playoffs this spring. Normally, after a long season, the players are now booking tee off times, with the exception of Zuccarello and Gaudreau who will be on baby duty.

Heinzy has weaned the team through the season using his understanding of Evason's system, tweaking it where he thought it would perform better. But, this system is not Heinzy's. 

What would happen if he called in the players after the last game for a little minicamp of practices to introduce his new system which ideally will emphasize locking down the front of the net on defense and flooding the front of the net on offense. Then, informing the players that this perimeter play is no longer acceptable. At the end of the 3rd day, he could keep the young guys a little longer and emphasize the need for coming in heavier (of course with muscle weight not couch weight). To me, it would be a bummer not to get to go home for 4 days, but, it would also give me an advantage for expectations next season over guys who aren't there. 

I think it's important psychologically to exploit the disappointment of not making the playoffs to something positive. Let them spend the summer with working out that bitter taste in their mouths but also have hope of the new direction that the team is headed into. 

I'm not even sure if the CBA would allow this?

[Up North Guy]

1 hour ago, mnfaninnc said:

I'm wondering about this. Both the big Wild and Baby Wild will be out of the playoffs this spring. Normally, after a long season, the players are now booking tee off times, with the exception of Zuccarello and Gaudreau who will be on baby duty.

Heinzy has weaned the team through the season using his understanding of Evason's system, tweaking it where he thought it would perform better. But, this system is not Heinzy's. 

What would happen if he called in the players after the last game for a little minicamp of practices to introduce his new system which ideally will emphasize locking down the front of the net on defense and flooding the front of the net on offense. Then, informing the players that this perimeter play is no longer acceptable. At the end of the 3rd day, he could keep the young guys a little longer and emphasize the need for coming in heavier (of course with muscle weight not couch weight). To me, it would be a bummer not to get to go home for 4 days, but, it would also give me an advantage for expectations next season over guys who aren't there. 

I think it's important psychologically to exploit the disappointment of not making the playoffs to something positive. Let them spend the summer with working out that bitter taste in their mouths but also have hope of the new direction that the team is headed into. 

I'm not even sure if the CBA would allow this?

Not sure it would be allowed but i certainly can see the benefits from it.

[FredJohnson]

4 hours ago, kapislife said:

Can't leupold just suck it up and send Johansson and gudreau to the ahl? Pay them down there and forget about em

I think Nojo can be sent down (No Trade Clause). Frauddie cannot be sent to the AHL or anywhere without his permission (No Move Clause).

Or maybe it's the other way around...

[FredJohnson]

Wild's Rookies Leading Team As Season Closes

I've been wanting to see some of the Yutes in St. Paul for about 2 months. I feel vindicated.

[FredJohnson]

7 hours ago, Protec said:

No place for neck-beards on the number 2 unit. 

I think Fred can bounce back. I'm giving him a mulligan. We need to stay focused on who's the laziest, most apathetic, elite Swede, who water-skis on the backcheck, swings one-handed stick at guys, doesn't hit, shows zero emotion, doesn't drive play, is the opposite of sandpaper, and still get's 14mins every game. That's the biggest problem right now.

@ Who can this be?? @

(sarcasm)

[mnfaninnc]

8 hours ago, FredJohnson said:

I think Nojo can be sent down (No Trade Clause). Frauddie cannot be sent to the AHL or anywhere without his permission (No Move Clause).

Or maybe it's the other way around...

Both can be

[mnfaninnc]

10 hours ago, Imyourhuckleberry said:

Wouldn't mind seeing the Wild use a middle round pick on Evan Gardner, the 17 year old goalie for the Saskatoon Blades. He hasn't been rated as a top 10 goalie, but he's been extremely good this season for the team with the fewest goals allowed, and he's given up just 8 goals in 6 playoff games so far, all wins.

You have a good eye. Statistics wise, Gardner has had a very good track record for the last few seasons. He's also 6'2" 174. He'll gain strength, and possibly another inch. This is on the borderline of small goalie. If he's rated that far down the list, spending somewhere in the 5th round would be a nice place to do it. He can stay in jrs. for a couple of seasons before we figure out if the 2 guys we just signed are any good.

[Need4speed99]

Hopefully next year they keep the prospects up, given Billy's track record im skeptical. 

This is showing let the youth play, even next year. We know the ceilings of the vets (a few shouldn't take roster spots) put them in the box and give kids the minutes.

Billy tied up another 15 in aging vets, his dumbass needs to let the youth play.

I don't care what liepold says, you roll this same team out next year, they won't do a thing. Time to get serious.

 

[B1GKappa97]

5 hours ago, Need4speed99 said:

Hopefully next year they keep the prospects up, given Billy's track record im skeptical. 

Based on...? When guys are ready for the NHL, they get playing time. 

Matt Boldy wasn't stuck in the AHL for very long. Marco Rossi clearly needed some extra seasoning and once he made it clear he was ready he was never at risk of being sent back down. We didn't  even try to put Marat down in the AHL once he came over. 

Guys like Beckman and Sammy Walker, who have already gotten outplayed by Ohgren and Khusnutdinov very early into their NHL careers, though? Yeah, they probably don't deserve to make the NHL club. I'd say the GM got those evaluations correct... right? 

Maybe Ohgren gets caught in a numbers game but honestly I doubt it. He seems to be well equipped to man the bottom-6. And oh, hey, look at the books, Lucchini is gonna be an UFA after this season so there's a spot left open for Ohgren... 

I think the GM has a solid idea of what he is doing.. 

 

[mnfaninnc]

10 hours ago, Need4speed99 said:

I don't care what liepold says, you roll this same team out next year, they won't do a thing. Time to get serious.

None of us cares about what Leipold thinks, but that's Guerin's boss, he has to care! Anyone who doesn't care about what the boss thinks ends up unemployed fairly quickly. 

Leipold's goals, and our goals as fans do not have the same agenda. But, the last time I think Guerin looked, none of us have our signatures on the bottom right of his paycheck. I do believe that if Leipold came to Guerin and asked if we could be a contender sooner if we played the kids, Guerin would acknowledge yes and jump at the opportunity. 

I think that what Leipold would also find out is if you play the kids, you'll get a faster, more entertaining product too. And faster and more entertaining usually is good for crowds. Instead of taking profit, he'd be investing profit into a better chance for greater profits later, like deep playoff runs and a superstar resigned. I think it would be in Leipold's best interest to have this conversation with Guerin.

What is the value of a $2m player with 30 points? I know we don't like the style of play, but his speed element can add something and $2m doesn't seem like a lot to pay for 30 points from a forward. Could Beckman get these 30 points for less? I'm pretty sure Yurov would get more and we'd probably like his style better. 

If Guerin were to have this conversation with Leipold, I would think that Johansson may be a casualty of that conversation. He has an NTC designation, but I believe that Guerin can go to him and present the situation. "We were expecting more production from you last season. We're going to be playing more of the kids, they're ready. We have 2 options here, you can choose a place where you'd like to go, and I can try to make it happen for you, or I could put you on waivers to go anywhere, and if you pass send you down to Des Moines. Which do you want?" This is the part where Guerin could be bluffing a bit, but could also do it and an agent isn't going to save him here. Washington would probably take him back.

[mnfaninnc]

Last night's win was a good, solid win, especially beating a motivated Cam Talbot. The Kings still had something to play for. They may be the opponent to first face the Stars now. 

I liked what the young players showed, though I absolutely hate the 11/7 combination. I thought Dino had his strongest game yet, and he was very visible in a good way. I thought Ogie was solid, and I thought the line blending was good giving Kaprizov and Boldy a chance to play with the kids. To me, it looked like they were having fun.

Goose again was solid in net. Both Vegas and Kings had something to play for. Fleury gets spanked 7-2, Goose shuts down team 3-1. Fleury can no longer be counted on to win important games against top 10 teams. Let him ride off into the sunset. Shooter, tell him it's over. You can see it plain as day. Don't let him convince you he had bad luck, it's obvious his reflexes have slowed and they won't get any faster. 

After Kaprizov hit Fiala on the back up hip check, do you think he chirped at him? Fiala obviously didn't see that one coming. I'm hoping that we see a lot more of this youth to start next season. They've got energy and speed. We need that in our lineup. 

[mnfaninnc]

Saginaw came away with a big 7-2 victory to retake home ice advantage in their series, putting them up 2-1. Haight had no points.

[Up North Guy]

6 hours ago, B1GKappa97 said:

I think the GM has a solid idea of what he is doing.. 

We all hope so.

[FredJohnson]

If we roll out the same (type of) roster next year, KK97 becomes a high risk of leaving. The Cardio Boys (Frauddie and NoJo) have got to be demoted at the very least.

KK-JEE-Boldy

Zuccy-Rossi-Hartmann

Ogie-Rat-Yurov (if tryout goes well)

Foligno-Frauddie-Shaw

 

Faber-Midd

Bogo-Brodin

Chisel-Spurge (if he recovers)