Article: Rutger McGroarty Could Accelerate the Wild's Timeline

[Tony Abbott]

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[Citizen Strife]

The question in those scenarios is McGroarty a better fit than Iginla, Catton, Eiserman, MBN, etc?  A two year head start is nice, but does he have more upside than just picking BPA right now?

[Citizen Strife]

*Extra edit*

The off-chance the BPA is Yakemchuk or Silayev (though unlikely) is also taken away going after a LW.  The Wild DO need wingers, but keeping what they have gives them flexible control until they make the pick.

[Pewterschmidt]

Guerin might have just made a self-inflicted logjam that makes it difficult to add an NHL-ready prospect in McGroarty without blocking someone else.

With Zuccarello on the books for two more years, Hartman for three, and Foligno and Freddy Gaudreau for four, where's the room for young players to make it?

Guerin doing Guerin things.  If McGroarty never come to MN we'll never know why but this the latest evidence that Guerin's unforced error of extending the apathetic old core has consequences.  Keeps me from being able to say "I trust Guerin & Co's plan" and they are really executing on that plan.  Guerin is over his head as an NHL GM and we're watching him learn thru his mistakes, with the added bonus of watching him flame employees and getting investigated by the league for his conduct.

Also, if a prospect cannot take a spot from Fred, Nojo, Zuccy (w/o 97) or Foligno then they are not an NHL prospect

Edited June 25 by Pewterschmidt

[Tony Abbott]

2 minutes ago, Pewterschmidt said:

Also, if a prospect cannot take a spot from Fred, Nojo, Zuccy (w/o 97) or Foligno then they are not an NHL prospect

Yeah, you can say that but at least Hartman/Zucc/Foligno are locked into the lineup, and probably the top-nine, for quite a while. They're not waiving those guys anytime soon.

[Pewterschmidt]

39 minutes ago, Citizen Strife said:

A two year head start is nice

I can't say whether McG is a better prospect than anyone at #13 in this years draft but the two year head start is absolutely a tie breaker given this teams 97 window.

[Pewterschmidt]

2 minutes ago, Tony Abbott said:

Yeah, you can say that but at least Hartman/Zucc/Foligno are locked into the lineup, and probably the top-nine, for quite a while. They're not waiving those guys anytime soon.

Hartman is legit top 9 and Foligno is a necessary evil (muscle but no hockey sense) in the top 9.  I'm not sure I can agree on Zuccy.  He was such a ghost last year w/o 97 and he's now another year older so I think all parties get motivated to find him a new team at the trade deadline.

[OldDutchChip]

not  a fan of this route. if we do trade Rossi i want a proven player, not a coin flip and not something that is a work-in-progress type (so essentially no rookies or prospects)

why add to the already over hyped list of never ending prospects that cannot deliver when at the core there is a different route that is mandated ..... argh i won't go in with this again, but reminder - this does NOTHING to help with our situation with Kap; this does not bring more wins, but rather more learning pains and reliance on one man only without giving him adequate help and/or protection, which he will grow tire off by years end

Tony writes -  With Öhgren, Marat Khusnutdinov, Riley Heidt, Danila Yurov, and more knocking on the door yes they are knocking and so are all the other slew of prospects, but the issue here  is that they are  merely knocking on the door and no one is breaking it open. its not fair to lay it on new comers but it has been a theme for some time with our draft picks (let's not add Faber to this, and leave Wall off until he actually plays on a regular basis - so all we got is Rossi from the last decade????? really???? that is a great development and drafting we been hearing about?????) so now we are going to all of a sudden believe!!! and count on for 3 rookies (Ohgre, Nutty, Riley) to step in and deliver!! not weird - wild.

just do the right thing billy - offer a package for a proven player that fits immediate timeline. give Kap a C. and make sure he is priority and not Middleton. 

 

 

[Burnt Toast]

The Jets aren’t going to take a pick for McG. They will be looking to add a difference maker heading into next season.  I’m thinking a player hitting their prime years. So Rossi is not quite their target. IMO

[Protec]

Just another developing scenario that is tantalizing but probably out of the Wild's reach. 

This is why the draft shortfalls since Brackett & Guerin began further limit what they can do. The needs and assets or lack of assets for MN are a result of this management groups decisions. 

On one hand cost certainty and veteran experience is good but detrimental when flexibility or opportunity limit what the Wild can do. Going after an unhappy young prospect or signing a solid UFA means you need money, roster-spot, or assets to trade. Lambos, or O'Rourke are players the Wild drafted somewhat for position. Two high picks who now don't fill an NHL slot or draw any trade interest. 

I liked the idea of Tuch before MN got Foligno and now I like the idea of getting McGroarty but MN is stuck with the hockey IQ of a Moose... 😎

[Protec]

Pewterschmidt will appreciate that MN didn't go BPA with O'Rourke or Lambos looking back because they easily could have taken Evangelista or Stankoven. 

You don't draft for position unless you can get it as a byproduct of the best player available. 

[B1GKappa97]

14 hours ago, Citizen Strife said:

The question in those scenarios is McGroarty a better fit than Iginla, Catton, Eiserman, MBN, etc?  A two year head start is nice, but does he have more upside than just picking BPA right now?

I think part of the reason you trade for a guy who's ready to make the league now is it accelerates the timeline for Kaprizov. You can say 'look we have a top-6 that is set now once Yurov comes over!' during negotiations instead of 'just wait a couple years until Eiserman/Catton/Iginla come in!' 

That said... idk why the Jets would want to help us. We can probably still get an exciting player at #13, but will it be exciting for the Jets who then need to wait another few years to see the payoff? While also directly helping a divisional rival improve sooner? I'm not so sold they'd be willing to do that.

Especially after the allegedly hard feelings they had with us snagging Chisholm off waivers. 

[Mateo3xm]

I would love to get Mcgrorty but I don’t want to trade Rossi for him. If we could somehow get him without giving our 13th that would be better. RM is a stud and I think he has Boldy potential.

[Mateo3xm]

22 hours ago, Citizen Strife said:

The question in those scenarios is McGroarty a better fit than Iginla, Catton, Eiserman, MBN, etc?  A two year head start is nice, but does he have more upside than just picking BPA right now?

No way iginla falls to us. I think RM has better playmaking and goal scoring than MBN. I think he’s more well rounded than Eiserman and he’s got way more size than Catton. 

[Quebec1648]

While it might be tempting to make a trade, what guarantee to the Wild get, that the player would even want to play here? Worst case scenario, would be trading a 1st round draft pick, only to have the player refuse to sign with the Wild. 

I would play hardball with the Jets, by offering a lesser pick or prospect. If this guy really wants out of Winnipeg, the Jets will trade him, otherwise he will refuse to sign, leaving the Jets with nothing. This doesn't mean the Jets would trade him to the Wild, but it's worth exploring a possible deal.

[mnfaninnc]

On 6/25/2024 at 5:11 PM, Citizen Strife said:

The off-chance the BPA is Yakemchuk or Silayev (though unlikely) is also taken away going after a LW. 

This sounds like something you might do at the draft table when your guys have fallen off the board. You might have to do it quickly like 2 picks away from 13.

[mnfaninnc]

23 hours ago, Protec said:

Pewterschmidt will appreciate that MN didn't go BPA with O'Rourke or Lambos looking back because they easily could have taken Evangelista or Stankoven. 

You don't draft for position unless you can get it as a byproduct of the best player available. 

I disagree, according to Brackett's draft board, he had Lambos way higher than he got him. O'Rourke was supposed to be a late 1st early 2nd round pick. 

Just because they didn't pan out, doesn't mean they didn't draft BPA. They thought they had.

Most people also don't consider the learning curve issue with the lost 1.5 seasons of covid. For instance, Lambos didn't seem to improve much last season, but it was his 1st in the A. Perhaps Winnipeg targets him, his jr. team was in their back yard. 

But for all these guys taken in 2020-2022, they will develop at different levels depending on how much covid hurt their development. I still think Lambos can be a top 4 defender, it may take an extra season to get there, though. Same with Spacek. 

For ODC, I think the article here was more trading for McG with #13 instead of trading Rossi. Giving Rossi a running mate might be good. Rumor has it McG is ready to sign this season. While it would be unproven, getting a good player 2 years further along could make a difference with Kaprizov. That would be especially true if he made the squad and contributed. From what I remember of McG's draft scouting report, he was skilled but also an effort guy. Even if unproven, if we've got guys like Dino, Ohgren and McG who are effort guys and have skill, I'd rather watch that than have a seasoned guy come in and Johansson the season.

[Jon]

Stramel gets understandably panned. Two bad years at Wisconsin and being a questionable 1st rd choice and all. But, I’m of the philosophy you stick to your guns when it comes to prospects. Is McGroarty worth it? I’m not sure. And then there’s Rossi. He has a much better case to argue for keeping him here in MN. I don’t like the idea of giving either one up for McGroarty. Depending on how the draft plays out, maybe for the 13th. 
 

Both Stramel and Rossi were drafted by the Wild and have things about their game that warrant patience and proper development. The trade talk and criticism about Rossi and Stramel, respectively, bother me a little bit. It doesn’t instill confidence and belief in our own players. Who would want to play for that? 
 

This might be a crazy idea, but treat the players right all the way through and who knows, they might want to play for you, they might turn into a capable, productive player, and we might get to enjoy fun, contending hockey. I hope we don’t see McGroarty in any kind trade involving Rossi or Stramel. Just my thoughts.

[Patrick]

I'm getting tied of Tony Abbott and others peddling the lie that BG handcuffed the Wild with NTCs.  Zuccarello and Johansson have full NMC and those deals are for two years. Foligno has a M- NTC for the last two years of his deal. Hartman and Guadreau both have M-NTC.  If ALL of our top prospects develop he won't have trouble finding roster spots. Even if BG had given full NMC most guys would waive them if they are looking at the press box by staying.

[TCMooch]

I don’t think we have a good enough package to give the Jets compared to other tteams.

jets I think will want a roster player back that is ready to contribute now to help them. They won’t want a bunch of draft picks back

[Protec]

17 hours ago, Jon said:

Stramel gets understandably panned. Two bad years at Wisconsin and being a questionable 1st rd choice and all. But, I’m of the philosophy you stick to your guns when it comes to prospects. Is McGroarty worth it? I’m not sure. And then there’s Rossi. He has a much better case to argue for keeping him here in MN. I don’t like the idea of giving either one up for McGroarty. Depending on how the draft plays out, maybe for the 13th. 
 

Both Stramel and Rossi were drafted by the Wild and have things about their game that warrant patience and proper development. The trade talk and criticism about Rossi and Stramel, respectively, bother me a little bit. It doesn’t instill confidence and belief in our own players. Who would want to play for that? 
 

This might be a crazy idea, but treat the players right all the way through and who knows, they might want to play for you, they might turn into a capable, productive player, and we might get to enjoy fun, contending hockey. I hope we don’t see McGroarty in any kind trade involving Rossi or Stramel. Just my thoughts.

Boldy had a rough patch in NCAA. Stramel played his first year there as a youngster which could be seen as a developmental advantage. His second year being under a new coach and things going sideways in WI is not entirely on Stramel. It's not so bad that he didn't score 40 goals or drive the top line. He's not hurt which is a good sign. He's getting another kick at the can this season with a new program and coach who likes him.

Rossi came around to be a nice player. I agree it's not good to say a guy sucks for sure, but doubts aren't unwarranted. I think being patient is generally a good trait and we should try to do that. Stramel at age 22-23 is when I'd begin to look at him like a Beckman or Addison when you begin to see how the translation to NHL will work out. Pat Maroon played at least 4-5 seasons in the AHL so that's probably not typical but MN doesn't have to be in a hurry. Let's hope time proves out Brackett is better than average.