Article: The Wild Are Still Unprepared For the Injury Bug

[Tony Abbott]

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[Citizen Strife]

Ek should use his face shield to ram face first into anyone trying to stop him.  He gets beaten up way too much.

[Dean]

I’m still dumbfounded by the this is year 2 of a 5 yr maybe 6 year plan. What makes this year two? What happened last year to make it year 1? Why isn’t it year 6 of a 9 or 10 year plan?  Make it make sense . My guess is they restarted the clock when Rossi and lambos didn’t develop as fast or at all yet. So they restarted the clock after drafting zeev. However the truth probably is they have no plan. Just making stuff up and selling fleury jerseys this year. 
    As far as spurg. He’s a liability now, not an elite defenseman anymore. He was on ice getting manhandled or out of position on every kraken goal. He’s going to be a liability all year with his health and lack of size.  He simply isn’t elite anymore. So how many more years of him in an out of lineup eating salary cap space?  Is that part of there plan?  It’s ridiculous to have injury prone spurg  and fleury eating up so much cap space because there nice guys. . Neither are elite anymore an neither would be starters for Stanley cup teams.  Billy and Craig aren’t serious about winning. Otherwise they would get guys who could play.. not give the fans 10 years of Fred and Jo Jo 

[Patrick]

To be fair, most teams are not well prepared for the loss of their top d man and their top center at the same time.

[hydguy75]

Going out on a limb here, and I realize dumb luck is part of the game (but every freaking year?), does the Wild's lack of overall team size have any correlation to the numerous injuries?  I realize they are not the smallest team in average height or weight, but it seems in many games the Wild tend to be out-muscled, out-maneuvered, out-skated, out-hit.  

They struggle to confidently enter the offensive zone and maintain puck possession a lot (at least it seems to me), just leads to wasting time, and not getting your offense set up and zeroed in.  

The frustration and desperation to make plays sometimes leads to risky, prone to injury moves, and turnovers.  

We are still playing with 1.5 arms (2-4 good players) behind our back, and now right out of the gate.  Including the C.  Someone please step-up and rip that C right off #46 and put it somewhere else.  

[Amaddeo]

It’s tough to lose two top guys like Ek and Spurge but I share the sentiment that many do. Spurge is a liability. He had a rough game against Seattle, and I chalked that up to the rust of not having NHL reps since January. BG needs to go out and get an insurance policy on RD2. Bogo cannot be elevated. Choose anyone else, but keep him at RD3 where he is most effective. I would have rather seen Chisholm be elevated. I think the urgent needs to salvage this season are definitely to add a capable RD2 and possibly a second line forward, wing or center. We’ll see what happens, hoping this team learns from last year!

[Sam]

22 minutes ago, hydguy75 said:

They struggle to confidently enter the offensive zone and maintain puck possession a lot (at least it seems to me), just leads to wasting time, and not getting your offense set up and zeroed in.

Last game against the Jets this was a big problem for us. The Jets seemed to easily transition the puck while we seemed to struggle. It must be more of a size issue because we sure have the speed. That and they seemed like they weren’t confident or something.

[1Brotherbill]

This was my fear going into the season.  Is Spurgeon healthy?  Seems like he isn't.  His contract is the one to worry about.  Everyone says he is so good at being a defenseman, does all the little thing right.  I don't see it.  Hynes like his defense to take shots from the point.  Spurgeon doesn't do that.  He isn't a physical defenseman.  He is an all right defenseman when healthy, but the question is will he ever be healthy again?

But lets be honest even with this guy healthy we were not going to win a Stanley Cup this year.  I would much rather see what we got in Hunt and Chisholm and possibly Lambos to figure out what we need next season.

Do we need a top defenseman in free agency?  Or do we go for a top center or wing?

[Enforceror]

15 minutes ago, 1Brotherbill said:

Do we need a top defenseman in free agency?  Or do we go for a top center or wing?

What we need is a fourth goalie. 

[Burnt Toast]

4 hours ago, Dean said:

However the truth probably is they have no plan. Just making stuff up

Kinda sounds like Vegas ownership 2.0 I’d rather they came up with something original. It’s kind of funny actually “ We have a plan!” …. Ok…Makes me laugh. Of course they have a plan. What’s happening is OCL is asking for fans to give him some rope. Probably related to his hopes to renovate the X. Or whatever it’s going to be called. That’s the bigger plan. It’s a business plan. He’s the owner I don’t have a problem with that. If this 5 year plan bombs I hope he sells the team. If it works I’ll be very happy. 

[Pewterschmidt]

1 hour ago, Enforceror said:

What we need is a fourth goalie. 

This is just the kind of outside the box thinking this org needs

 (don’t let Guerin see this 😕)

[Burnt Toast]

1 hour ago, 1Brotherbill said:

free agency

The Wild won’t have any money left for good free agency moves next year. Between Faber’s new contract and KK coming extension the cash is gone. Rossi’s getting a bridge deal coming in at 5.5$M AAV at a bare minimum. What they’re probably going to do is package him for, yes, an older player in the 9$M AAV range. An even worse idea is sending the Gus Bus down the road in a similar deal. Those FA moves don’t move the needle for me. That’s the real cost of the multiple 4$M AAV extensions. Those guys will have to be the difference makers you’re looking for. 

[Tony Abbott]

2 hours ago, 1Brotherbill said:

Hynes like his defense to take shots from the point.  Spurgeon doesn't do that.  He isn't a physical defenseman.

Spurgeon's too busy taking shots from areas where he can get goals. 

[Citizen Strife]

I wonder if people were bullshitting themselves into thinking the team would be some amazingly well oiled machine or something.  Games like Columbus and Winnipeg are probably going to be the norm, since this team was designed around risk averse/smarter play rather than higher end offensive pace.  What's pretty funny is they still have games where they can get 3-4 goals, or be a team that clings on for dear life for 2-1 losses and yet still get points out of it.

Last year, this team loses either kind of game because Gus (and or the defensive system) didn't show up at all.  If I were the Jets, I'd be pissed they threw everything at the tired Wild and only came away with 1 goal in regulation.  Until midgame, the Wild were always able to find open spots and pick up pucks if the Jets made mistakes.  Faber kept a lot of pucks from leaving the offensive zone.

You have a team trying to navigate without two of their historically best players at doing all the little things well, under the radar.  Guys like Ohgren have shown they aren't completely ready for that responsibility.  

Edited October 15 by Citizen Strife

[Protec]

8 hours ago, Pewterschmidt said:

This is just the kind of outside the box thinking this org needs

 (don’t let Guerin see this 😕)

GMBG has good moves overall batting average but NoJo for example is brutal. The loyalty deals to guys just weren't that great but fair. The issue has become cart & horses attachment. The combination of clauses and penalties hurts now as much as ever. 

The most frustrating thing is MN has the depth on the ice each night. Yet, just three guys can drive play and produce. Ek, Kaprizov, and Boldy. 

For playoffs, you need depth scoring AND defensive responsibility. MN plays NoJo 14mins a game and he does neither. Spurgeon is NOT Quinn Hughes or Josh Morrisey offensively and not Brock Faber defensively but his AAV is 1M higher than Morrisey who QBs a PP. 

11M on the 2nd pairing and you aren’t getting goals or shutdown defense. Either these veteran depth guys and rookies are gonna step up or not. You're looking at it. OCL still meddles. Guerin picked Hynes for USA too and he's just average, not a proven winner. Full-stop on any hype, MN has a shit-ton of work to do. 

[Protec]

In other words, I don't think Guerin's roster construction is too flawed. Rather, the players who showed it before have languished. 

Is that an excuse for Guerin or hope for fans? Maybe neither since what we see is troublesome now. 

A big MAF shutout or a Fred Foligno goal would be nice. Maybe Spurgeon just play hockey, otherwise what's Guerin's position???

You gotta move on as a GM from guys if they can't deliver. This leads to Sleepy-Eye Bill's biggest flaw which is that he buddies-up too much and possibly has a neck-beard fetish?

I dunno boys, MN sports are sometimes just totally inexplicable.

Frickin-eh, just do something good NoJo, Fred, Foligno. Real leadership shows. Being hurt or banging the end-boards doesn't help. 

[Burnt Toast]

29 minutes ago, Protec said:

OCL still meddles.

It’s taken me awhile but I have finally drawn the same conclusion. I have a bad feeling some kind of desperation move/ trade is coming. BG and his team have acquired a lot of draft capital and prospects, fantastic!! They’ve slowly added pieces one player at a time. Wonderful! I’d hate to see some kind of “big splash” move before the iron is hot enough to strike. 

[Protec]

This is what makes the #97 extension interesting. Rumors, the Wild's trajectory, playoffs or not, OCL chiming in. Depth guys not carrying the water. One too many elite Swedes.(#90)

Will GMBG get a boatload of returns in a Kaprizov trade which could actually help or will that pressure force mistakes? MN has the money for #97 and that's a lot of factors to consider. 

[mnfaninnc]

I've always said that for us to be a playoff contender (not SC contender) this year, we would need better than average luck on the injury front. I've also been pessimistic on the Spurgeon returning like before front. 

So, they're listing it as an LBI. The team keeps it's injury news in a vault and won't let it out. I guess we'll see where we are if Spurgeon has to go on LTIR. If they want to compete, they'll need to be aggressive using this tool. It's not that we're to poor to fill the spot, it's that our cap is too tall. We're actually spending around league minimum on salary expense (which I can't understand why the NHLPA would agree to this).

If it's bad, we can trade for a player who fills the need of RD2. Next man up would be Chisholm who played there last season. Keep Bogosian on the 3rd pairing and bring up Hunt for starters. My suggestion yesterday was to trade for Ivan Provorov. 

He's in his last year of a contract, is a little lighter than Spurgeon on the cap, but is still just 27. He was also in the same draft year as Kaprizov and Trenin, and probably has familiarity with them. He's larger than Spurgeon and I'd say would be an extension option. He's a lefty but I believe he prefers the right side. He could run a PP. 

From the Columbus angle, we could have a little trouble. Columbus with Gaudreau's trajedy is under the cap floor in cap. Losing a $6.5m contract would add to that problem, though they do have a temporary exemption for it. They might have to buy an LTIR'd guy who's retired now just to make the floor. Maybe they end up with the end of Weber's deal? Or Carey Price's deal?

[WheelSnipeCelly]

2 hours ago, Protec said:

Guerin picked Hynes for USA too and he's just average, not a proven winner.

100% this. I understand that Guerin has his "people." But find someone who has a winning record, or try pushing for someone that's willing to try something different.

It looks like Guerin is the GM for Team USA for both the upcoming 4 Nations Face Off (2025) and the Winter Olympics (2026). I hope he explores other coach options to: 1) Broaden his mindset 2) Push beyond his current network (aka ex-Penguins staff + players) and 3) Find potential better fits for the Wild's next coach.

[WheelSnipeCelly]

10 hours ago, Burnt Toast said:

The Wild won’t have any money left for good free agency moves next year. Between Faber’s new contract and KK coming extension the cash is gone. Rossi’s getting a bridge deal coming in at 5.5$M AAV at a bare minimum. What they’re probably going to do is package him for, yes, an older player in the 9$M AAV range. An even worse idea is sending the Gus Bus down the road in a similar deal. Those FA moves don’t move the needle for me. That’s the real cost of the multiple 4$M AAV extensions. Those guys will have to be the difference makers you’re looking for. 

Sadly I can see Guerin trading Rossi too — I hope that's not the case, but it feels like a Guerin move for sure. If he's able to find a perfect 1-for-1 trade, that's one thing, but I don't have faith that will be the case.

As for the next year's cap, it's reported that the salary cap should be $92 M. The Wild essentially have 16 players signed + buyout penalties for $75.16 M:

• $1.67 M for Buyout Penalties (Suter + Parise)
• $5.95 M for 2x Goalies (Gustavsson + Wallstedt)
• $27.68 M for 5x Defensemen (Faber, Spurg, Brodin, Middleton, Bogosian)
• $39.86 M for 9x Forwards (Kap, Boldy, Ek, Zuccs, Foligno, Hartman, Trenin, Gaudreau, and Öhgren)
• Total: $75.16M for the currently signed 16-players

That leaves around $16.84 M to sign 2x Defensemen and 4x Forwards. Hopefully the 2x defensemen spots can be signed for around league minimum — let's just say $1M / player to be safe (depending whether it's Hunt, Buium, and/or Chilsholm). 

That means there's around 14.84 M to sign the 4x Forwards. Making some assumptions here, but as of now that would be: Rossi (hopefully a bridge deal of around $5-6 M), Khusnutdinov for a cheaper deal ($1-2 M), Yurov for his rookie contract + bonuses (not sure what that adds up to, but maybe $1.5-2 M?), and then one more player potentially through free agency for anywhere between $4.85-$7.35M. It's not a lot, but it's not nothing as well.

Obviously that's a lot of assumptions that all 16 currently signed players are sticking around, and that they would re-sign the RFA's (Rossi, Khusnutdinov, Hunt, and Chisholm) and the rookies will make it on the roster (Yurov, Buium, and Öhgren).

[Imyourhuckleberry]

An outright regulation win tonight would go a long way towards reducing the negativity. That would put the Wild at 6 points through 4 games and it generally takes around 4.8 points out of every 4 games to secure a playoff spot.

4.8 points per 4 games is roughly a 98 point pace. 98 point teams have been the 8th seed, so it doesn't guarantee a safe spot, but I don't know if any have missed the playoffs.

[Citizen Strife]

Even if Rossi ends up commanding the higher end (The Boldy/Beniers/Guenther deals of 7m) rather than the Lundell ($6m), I don't think there's reason for concern about money left for someone.  The Wild during this mess has always banked on the internal competition and improvements.

I gave Rossi a little shit in the first game, but then ended up being one of the few point getters in the other two games.  I'm not expecting point per game here.  But the original 55-60 pts doesn't seem unreasonable.  Lauko is definitely making an early case to stick around as a fourth line option/13th forward.  That might only be feasible of Rossi does get let go for whatever reason.  I don't think a guy like Heidt would be ready.  Ohgren better show more than he did in the first few games if he wants to get out of that 4th line hole.  Yurov seems like the penciled in 2nd wing once Mojo leaves.  I just hope that song and dance doesn't keep happening.  Just get on the roster already.

Edited October 15 by Citizen Strife

[TheGoosesAreLooses]

15 hours ago, hydguy75 said:

Going out on a limb here, and I realize dumb luck is part of the game (but every freaking year?), does the Wild's lack of overall team size have any correlation to the numerous injuries?  I realize they are not the smallest team in average height or weight, but it seems in many games the Wild tend to be out-muscled, out-maneuvered, out-skated, out-hit.  

I think the issue is we don't play to our size. There are lots of smaller skilled teams in the league that do well but our mantra under Guerin is always "we need to be hard to play against". This stress on the physicality coupled with being a smaller team elevates the risks for injuries. 

Sometimes I feel like Guerin is constantly trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. Then again we have seen what happens when you draft for shear size (*cough* Stramel *cough*)

[Citizen Strife]

Looks like Mojo, Ek, and Spurgeon aren't available tonight.

Ohgren might get the first crack at 2nd wing, but I would prefer Lauko honestly.  He's got speed and grit for days.  Ohgren looked pretty rough in Winnipeg.

 

Edited October 15 by Citizen Strife