Article: The Wild’s Championship Pathway Winds Through Russia

[Tom Schreier]

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[FredJohnson]

Minnesota’s prospects are their most straightforward pathway out of perpetual mediocrity.

I don't know why we keep overpaying bottom 6 guys (Trenin most recently) after giving NoJo, Frauddie, Foligno, etc. too much last year.

[OldDutchChip]

Last year, Kaprizov mentored Marat Khusnutdinov, Minnesota’s dynamic Russian rookie. 

see again we are over hyping our prospects. Marat is not a Dynamic phenom. He is a tiny fourth liner. A Dewar with maybe a bit more potential. Dynamic is reserved for something unique. Marat is not that.

as far as bringing in more russians - billy could have just kept Kap's buddy Kuli for a mil and played him on 3rd line (that would have been much cheaper than Midds) and that be fine. also, i think kap has plenty of friends and family all over the world that he doesn't need us to find him a pal. he wants to win. giving him trenin just because he is russian or drafting more russian players is not going to help. i think he would be much more excited if he had Brady Tkachuk on his line over some uknown russian teen that he again has to mentor. Kap is young, give him power and strength in term of teammates and let him work. F#ck mentoring these prospects who will never be as good as him.  Give him what he deserves and he will bring us what we deserve. Stanley Cup.

[FredJohnson]

[Fortis]

1 hour ago, OldDutchChip said:

he wants to win. giving him trenin just because he is russian or drafting more russian players is not going to help. i think he would be much more excited if he had Brady Tkachuk on his line over some uknown russian teen that he again has to mentor.

I agree. Remember his “leaked” text message back in 2020-21 about having to practice with the COVID taxi squad and not the veteran squad?
 

 “What the f*** I want to be with best players, not s*** players.'"

[B1GKappa97]

Quote

Perplexingly, the Wild have doubled down on their high-floor, low-ceiling strategy under Bill Guerin. They’ve played hardball in negotiations with high-end players like Kaprizov and Marco Rossi but handed out extensions with no-trade clauses to aging, mediocre veterans. In doing so, they have created a second cap hell they will enter after the Zach Parise and Ryan Suter buyouts come off the books.

Salary cap hell? Seems a little dramatic. 

If they had cap space, you'd love it if they were able to somehow land a guy like Brock Faber to give that cap space to. Right? Well that is exactly what they are doing. And somehow that's a slight because it isn't an extra $12M cap since Billy is building up the bottom-6? 

You need role players in the post-season. How many times have we had the better team on paper and lost a playoff series because the other team was just more physical and scored greasy goals at opportune times? Despite having a fairly loaded top-6.. its not like a Kevin Fiala kept us from getting knocked out of round 1.. or the Kings and their talented top-6...

 

Edited July 8 by B1GKappa97

[B1GKappa97]

2 hours ago, FredJohnson said:

Minnesota’s prospects are their most straightforward pathway out of perpetual mediocrity.

I don't know why we keep overpaying bottom 6 guys (Trenin most recently) after giving NoJo, Frauddie, Foligno, etc. too much last year.

Because none of our prospects are big enough, let alone better, than any of those guys. That is why. Eventually they will be replaced by cheaper prospects, but the roster is not at that point. 

Johansson is on the final year of his deal and I'm certain if they were to tell him he can either sit in the press box or be traded, he'd elect to waive that NTC. Assuming they find somebody who plays better than him in a contract year.. He looked good with Boldy when he was hunting a new deal last time.. 

Gaudreau is looking like a mistake, but let's be real. He is a cheap one. 

Foligno is the heart and soul of your locker room. He's an overpay, sure, but he does bring intangibles to the team that few other players available would. He's a beast of a defensive winger on the 3rd line and can be a huge boon as a mentor to the younger players as they come in. He can literally lead by example of how you play defense as a forward. 

I look forward to seeing a Trenin-Khusnutdinov (and eventually Rossi)- Foligno line. Two big dudes who can forecheck with a skilled, fast, undersized center that nobody will want to mess with because of his linemates. 

Edited July 8 by B1GKappa97

[Dean]

ODC is laying truth bonbs.  The problem with Billy’s role guys is they have no roles. They aren’t bottom 6 guys that stop anyone. It’s been proven year after year . Moose and Hartman can’t be counted on. They both lose there composure in key situations and both get lost for games on end. Zucc playes 20 min then screws around for 40. Jo Jo and Fred can’t play hockey . Middles gets owned by good teams and players. He’s better limited to 3 rd pair matchups.  These definitely aren’t the guys to invest in long term. Would be nice to see what a new gm would do with Billy’s collection of misfits. Oh I’d be so happy to hear Fred traded for a bag of pucks. 

[MacGyver]

He can also help welcome Danila Yurov, the Russian winger Minnesota took with the 24th pick in the 2022 draft,

 

After Kaprizov initially telling Yurov he is waiting to play here with him they for some reason suddenly stopped communicating according to Yurov. Did Kaprizov already make a decision about leaving here then? Why would you encourage someone to come to a team you are planning on leaving.

2 hours ago, OldDutchChip said:

billy could have just kept Kap's buddy Kuli for a mil and played him on 3rd line (that would have been much cheaper than Midds)

I think Kuli is much happier drinking from the Cup than skating for grumpy old man Guerin for a million bucks! And you're right it's not the Wild's job to find Kaprizov a Russian buddy. If he's lonely get a dog. 

[Tony Abbott]

2 hours ago, OldDutchChip said:

i think he would be much more excited if he had Brady Tkachuk on his line over some uknown russian teen that he again has to mentor.

Brady looked awesome in the Cup Final, watching his brother winning from the stands while wondering what it feels like to play a playoff game.

[Protec]

2 hours ago, B1GKappa97 said:

Salary cap hell? Seems a little dramatic. 

If they had cap space, you'd love it if they were able to somehow land a guy like Brock Faber to give that cap space to. Right? Well that is exactly what they are doing. And somehow that's a slight because it isn't an extra $12M cap since Billy is building up the bottom-6? 

You need role players in the post-season. How many times have we had the better team on paper and lost a playoff series because the other team was just more physical and scored greasy goals at opportune times? Despite having a fairly loaded top-6.. its not like a Kevin Fiala kept us from getting knocked out of round 1.. or the Kings and their talented top-6...

 

100%. 

My idea from a few days ago is identical. Whether you have internal or external solutions, it's about winning and balance so Kaprizov doesn't get jacked in the playoffs while Boldy or Hartman don't score enough or take any of the pressure.

Balance is the key. MN needs that and size/toughness or more speed and depth. More of all that would be even better.

[Citizen Strife]

They also need to "make" the playoffs again too.  You can't build a playoff team if you don't make it first.  Let's see if the adjustments Guerin made give the Wild that extra 5-6 wins necessary to not be a lame duck, but actually have a chance.  Getting into the dance at all is hard enough.  I wonder if people wrote off Winnipeg and Vancouver after meh seasons the year before.  Bet that looks weird in hindsight.  Edmonton rode a crazy ass losing skid into a Game 7 final.

Don't look at things super far ahead that you trip over your own feet trying to get anywhere.

[Protec]

1 hour ago, Tony Abbott said:

Brady looked awesome in the Cup Final, watching his brother winning from the stands while wondering what it feels like to play a playoff game.

There was pretty much no chance this was ever gonna happen anyway. 

Nobody wants to lose Kaprizov but yeah, we'd love to see MN grab another top six player. Last season Tofolli was playing for ~2M. Tarasenko too. The Wild just need to be patient and play better defense. Something will come along one way or the other. If Kaprizov bails on MN, I wouldn't fault him. MN will be able to get assets and have that money free if that happened. That in itself, wouldn't be the end of the world. Bummer, yeah but it happens all the time. Worse in a Gaborik or Johnny-Hockey, Big Buff scenario where the team loses but I don't think that happens to MN. For now, MN just needs to focus on being better this season and next. Perhaps MN can prove they're close enough to keep #97 around. If Guerin rewarded Hartman and Foligno, does anyone actually believe he'd hardball with Kirill? If #97 wants to go somewhere else, that's just how it goes. Guerin had a lot of items to fix or work out when he arrived. The Kaprizov deal for less than 8 years was kinda the best overall thing at that time. 

 

[B1GKappa97]

6 minutes ago, Protec said:

There was pretty much no chance this was ever gonna happen anyway. 

Nobody wants to lose Kaprizov but yeah, we'd love to see MN grab another top six player. Last season Tofolli was playing for ~2M. Tarasenko too. The Wild just need to be patient and play better defense. Something will come along one way or the other. If Kaprizov bails on MN, I wouldn't fault him. MN will be able to get assets and have that money free if that happened. That in itself, wouldn't be the end of the world. Bummer, yeah but it happens all the time. Worse in a Gaborik or Johnny-Hockey, Big Buff scenario where the team loses but I don't think that happens to MN. For now, MN just needs to focus on being better this season and next. Perhaps MN can prove they're close enough to keep #97 around. If Guerin rewarded Hartman and Foligno, does anyone actually believe he'd hardball with Kirill? If #97 wants to go somewhere else, that's just how it goes. Guerin had a lot of items to fix or work out when he arrived. The Kaprizov deal for less than 8 years was kinda the best overall thing at that time. 

 

My only fear of that situation is we'll try to go all-in with Kaprizov one last time and then watch him leave in UFA while we end up empty handed. Who knows what kind of offers we will get for him when he holds all the cards thanks to his NTC. 

Hopefully he gives us at least a few teams he's interested in and then we can play them off each other, otherwise if he's just got one in mind we're probably screwed. 

[OldDutchChip]

2 hours ago, MacGyver said:

He can also help welcome Danila Yurov, the Russian winger Minnesota took with the 24th pick in the 2022 draft,

 

After Kaprizov initially telling Yurov he is waiting to play here with him they for some reason suddenly stopped communicating according to Yurov. Did Kaprizov already make a decision about leaving here then? Why would you encourage someone to come to a team you are planning on leaving.

I think Kuli is much happier drinking from the Cup than skating for grumpy old man Guerin for a million bucks! And you're right it's not the Wild's job to find Kaprizov a Russian buddy. If he's lonely get a dog. 

Well regardless of what Kap can say and did say - Yurov still needs to go through Wild to get into NHL. So he is ours. But i do recall Yurov dropping a nuggett about him (Yurov) being excited to be with Wild, if Kaprizov is here or not. So i think that was also telling that Yurov doesn't feel like Kap is long for our team.....

Agree with last paragrash 🙂 

[OldDutchChip]

2 hours ago, Tony Abbott said:

Brady looked awesome in the Cup Final, watching his brother winning from the stands while wondering what it feels like to play a playoff game.

oh you got me. that was a zinger! 🍻 

i bet Kap would be just as annoyed at the thought of Brady Tkachuk partnering with him on a line. Oh yeah he would laugh at that too! 

[Imyourhuckleberry]

Wild developmental camp starts today!

The Wild's roster lists Hunter Haight at 6'2", which might be a typo, but he definitely doesn't look small holding the Memorial Cup trophy with his Saginaw teammates at the end of last season.

[FredJohnson]

23 hours ago, Imyourhuckleberry said:

Wild developmental camp starts today!

The Wild's roster lists Hunter Haight at 6'2", which might be a typo, but he definitely doesn't look small holding the Memorial Cup trophy with his Saginaw teammates at the end of last season.

Can we put that one in the empty trophy case? 😔