Article: Minnesota's Future Is Still Intact

[Will D. Ness]

Beckman does not look like he belongs in the NHL at this point.  I don't think Shaw, Letteri or Luccini have been consistently effective either but they at least have had moments.  

Hoos looks like a keeper.  Oghren still TBD.  

 

 

[mnfaninnc]

13 hours ago, Will D. Ness said:

Beckman does not look like he belongs in the NHL at this point.  I don't think Shaw, Letteri or Luccini have been consistently effective either but they at least have had moments.  

Hoos looks like a keeper.  Oghren still TBD.  

Beckman does not. He's too light. He has to gain strength/weight to get it done. If he refuses again this offseason to do what is needed, I think we need to use him as trade bait.

Shaw doesn't look so good either. I think he's worried about his knee and is not in good playing condition either. Most players do not come back from ACL surgeries right after they start. Peterson was a unicorn in that aspect. 

Ogie will be a keeper, and Dino is too. I don't believe Lettieri will be more than a call up, but Lucchini has shown some things but also needs more strength/weight to play in the role we gave him here. I think he's back to a 2-way deal next season, though. 

I do believe Yurov will be a keeper too, and if we could get all 3 guys on the roster to grow together, that could be big. Also having The Wall in uniform certainly changes our team age. I'm looking forward to having the rookies have a larger role than they have now. What this means, though, is that we will need to be ok if they make mistakes. We should be demanding they learn from them, though.

[Will D. Ness]

36 minutes ago, mnfaninnc said:

Beckman does not. He's too light. He has to gain strength/weight to get it done. If he refuses again this offseason to do what is needed, I think we need to use him as trade bait.

Shaw doesn't look so good either. I think he's worried about his knee and is not in good playing condition either. Most players do not come back from ACL surgeries right after they start. Peterson was a unicorn in that aspect. 

Ogie will be a keeper, and Dino is too. I don't believe Lettieri will be more than a call up, but Lucchini has shown some things but also needs more strength/weight to play in the role we gave him here. I think he's back to a 2-way deal next season, though. 

I do believe Yurov will be a keeper too, and if we could get all 3 guys on the roster to grow together, that could be big. Also having The Wall in uniform certainly changes our team age. I'm looking forward to having the rookies have a larger role than they have now. What this means, though, is that we will need to be ok if they make mistakes. We should be demanding they learn from them, though.

 Shaw has seemed to be a little gun shy, but he proved himself last season when he is 100%.  I'm betting he will get a contract over Luccini.  Maybe both?

Hoos and Ohgren looked pretty damned good together vs LA.  You are right... they probably will make the roster as the new and improved Deweys.  Hoos is going to explode IMO.  He is a ticking bomb.  I just haven't seen enough of Ohgren yet.

I thought Yurov signed another for another year?  If not, he is almost assuredly going to make the roster.

Now if we can only get rid of Nojo...

[mnfaninnc]

5 minutes ago, Will D. Ness said:

I thought Yurov signed another for another year?  If not, he is almost assuredly going to make the roster.

I believe the Yurov situation is still fluid. He's got an unsigned contract in place with Metallurg, but was waiting until the end of the season to sign it....or, make the jump. The Metallurg contract is only for $330k, which is significantly more than the A, but significantly less than the N. 

IIRC, he wants a clause in his ELC that if he does not make the team, he will be loaned back to Metallurg. While this is not standard in the ELC agreement (I believe), Guerin has been known to have "handshake" agreements beyond the contract. 

Personally, I think with the selling at the TDL, that signaled to Yurov there is room if you can make it. The options we have with Johansson and Gaudreau to be moved are good if that player can climb the ladder and beat them out. 

I expect him to sign his ELC after this long, deep Metallurg run to the Cup finals in Russia. Kaprizov has said he's waiting for him. Kaprizov has said he isn't talking with him right now. As soon as that series ends, I expect Kaprizov to recruit him here. Based upon what we've seen from Ogie and Dino, I'd say that is a good testament as to how good Yurov can be here. Now all he needs is a good nickname.

[Will D. Ness]

2 minutes ago, mnfaninnc said:

I expect him to sign his ELC after this long, deep Metallurg run to the Cup finals in Russia. Kaprizov has said he's waiting for him. Kaprizov has said he isn't talking with him right now. As soon as that series ends, I expect Kaprizov to recruit him here. Based upon what we've seen from Ogie and Dino, I'd say that is a good testament as to how good Yurov can be here. Now all he needs is a good nickname.

Yeah, it seems that success in the KHL is translating pretty damned good whereas success in the AHL isn't as robust.  He shouldn't worry about the money.

As far as a nickname... it better not be Yurie.

[mnfaninnc]

2 minutes ago, Will D. Ness said:

As far as a nickname... it better not be Yurie.

Or Dani, though Dani and Dino have a ring to it.

[Up North Guy]

2 hours ago, mnfaninnc said:

Or Dani, though Dani and Dino have a ring to it.

How about KK97 - OV1, Dino - OV2, Firstov - OV3, Yurov - OV4? The "OV" crew.

[mnfaninnc]

19 hours ago, Up North Guy said:

How about KK97 - OV1, Dino - OV2, Firstov - OV3, Yurov - OV4? The "OV" crew.

Could you imagine LaPanta figuring this out?

[Pewterschmidt]

On 4/15/2024 at 7:44 PM, mnfaninnc said:

Perhaps it's just me, but he also looks to run someone along the boards rather than skate stop

Shawzy understands his role.  4th liners should be more Clutterbuck and less Nojo.  Luchini and Letteri could extend their careers by doubling their body check totals (without doubling their PIM's).  As the Hartman's (more Finnish than Swedish) and Foligno's (Guerin's emotional support animal & team meathead) get older and slide down the lineup, the bubble NHL'rs will get sent to the European no-check spritzer league.

[Pewterschmidt]

22 hours ago, Will D. Ness said:

As far as a nickname... it better not be Yurie.

Yur-in?

[MacGyver]

If we must insist on these silly nick names there is the official way to do it. So Speedy Backstop it is!

 

 

[mnfaninnc]

1 hour ago, Pewterschmidt said:

Yur-in?

Kind of like Prosser: Yur-in, we win!!!

[mnfaninnc]

55 minutes ago, MacGyver said:

If we must insist on these silly nick names there is the official way to do it.

Genius should have been under the letter G. Nobody was more of a genius than Gretzky.

[Up North Guy]

7 hours ago, mnfaninnc said:

Could you imagine LaPanta figuring this out?

It would be hilarious.

[The Minnesota Grit Goons]

1. I don't understand why the Rossi offseason isn't mandatory and replicated for most prospects, especially weaklings.  Can anyone explain this?  How is this not part of the commitment.

2. I'm worried that we risk keeping Kap to get 2 more years of sales out of him and then he has the power to walk for no return value. Is there any way we can get him to at least allow us to leverage his trade value near the end of his contract, even if he wants to move.  Or does being a free agent get him more money?  If Demidov falls to 5ish, can we trade up to get him to almost force Kap to stay with 4 russians + firstov.  lol  Trade 2024 1st  + Rossi/Peart/Spurgeon? + maybe a 2nd or 3rd pick.  Or we could trade for another russian.

We NEED Kap to resign or get a decent return on him.  Otherwise we risk not being scary good  from 2026 - 2030.