Article: Gamethread: Wild at Penguins (6:00 p.m.)

[Up North Guy]

2 hours ago, Imyourhuckleberry said:

MoJo's assists were fairly simple drop passes anyone else on the team could execute. JEE and Boldy each played more impactful roles on both those goals, though the drop pass to JEE was solid. The other one was just cycling around a power play and the goal was completely created by Boldy and JEE.

I'll give him more credit for the goal, but Gaudreau and Foligno both have just as many points and more goals now playing 3rd and 4th line all season--any extra minutes they have over Johansson has been spent on the PK.

Ohgren is playing hard too. If he played with Boldy and Eriksson Ek for 15 minutes each night for 8 games, I imagine Ohgren would be around 3+ points as well.

Ohgren has more blocked shots and delivered more hits along with more takeaways in just over half the time MoJo has played. Johansson doesn't truly deserve 15 minutes per night with 2 of the top 5 forwards on the team, but cannot play 3rd or 4th line, which is why I'd consider moving Hartman up to line 1(once fully healthy), going to the BEER line, and giving Johansson a nice view from the press box.

If Ohgren is with the NHL team, he needs shifts to develp his game. Johansson will not be on the team next year, so I'd favor developing Ohgren for the future over having giving Johansson those shifts.

I don't expect Hynes to do this, but consideration is warranted. Ohgren doesn't have a point yet this season, but he's only 1 point behind Johansson in the last 10 games each has played and he doesn't get time with Boldy and JEE.

I like your thoughts on this. However, it is mandatory that the Wild build some cap equity. If they waive NoJo and send him down (or gone) they gain some. Otherwise they have to send Ohgren down.

[Imyourhuckleberry]

37 minutes ago, Up North Guy said:

it is mandatory that the Wild build some cap equity. If they waive NoJo and send him down (or gone) they gain some. Otherwise they have to send Ohgren down.

I'm not sure it's mandatory, but I'm not fully opposed to Ohgren playing at the AHL level for a few games if the Wild have a full complement of healthy forwards for the NHL games.

I had thought the Wild should start Wallstedt in Iowa and have him taking early games there to help out on the cap situation, but they didn't do that, so that's the main reason I'd question the mandatory part.

As much as I want the Wild to have a good season this year, I'm still more concerned about next season, so I think they need to be developing Ohgren and Wallstedt with playing them as much as possible, and if that can help their cap situation, that's a bonus as well.

If they send Ohgren down, it should be with the expectation that he's going to play at a high level down at the AHL level and be coming back as soon as the Wild are in a little better cap position or as the 1st injury callup.

I'd feel better about sending him to the AHL if I felt the coaching was highly capable down with the Iowa Wild, but given their level of competitiveness, it's hard to feel good about that being the case.

[FredJohnson]

Who was the guy dressed up like Frauddy last night? 2 goals?? Trade him now while he has value!

[Pewterschmidt]

Just now, FredJohnson said:

Who was the guy dressed up like Frauddy last night? 2 goals?? Trade him now while he has value!

HANG #89 IN THE RAFTERS!!!

I liked Fred with the cement heads.  The Big Bath line.  (all your losses in one line)

Seriously, Fred's squirrely curls and spins seemed to work with the meat heads straight lines.  Fred is capable of jumping on loose pucks.