Article: A New Year's Resolution For the Wild

[Luke Sims]

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[Citizen Strife]

Just don't take any penalties.  Easy solution.

[Sam]

With Boldy taking all these soft penalties they really need to have a good pk. Last night looked good btw.

[RedLake]

Let's replace Jricek in Merrill's spot. Perfect!!!

[Fezig]

On 12/28/2024 at 6:34 PM, RedLake said:

Let's replace Jricek in Merrill's spot. Perfect!!!

I'd be fine with a bag of sunflower seeds in Merrill's spot.

[Protec]

Losing to Ottawa and giving up PP goals proves the PK still sucks and the Wild's PP has been lousy lately too.

Two things, PP needs quick passing and shots to get going. Get rebounds and chances that catch PKs out of position. MN has a too much cuteness problem that arises on the PP.

100% agree on not taking soft/lazy penalties. Same time, Ottawa and other teams lately hold the Wild off the board with the man-advantage. 0-4 or 0-2 is not uncommon lately. Therefore, MN has a differential trend developing.

They have lost steam and are regressing towards the mean. Let's hope they can get it figured out. They didn't give up a lot last night, but can't win a lot only scoring one goal and consistently poor special teams.

[Protec]

In the Ottawa game they had some pipes and it could have been the other way, so not freaking out. If other teams are shutting down the Wild's PP, then doesn't that mean better penalty killing is possible? It has been the one thing Guerin hasn't been able to fix. I liked Trenin coming in, albeit a high price for a bottom six role. Now, I'm seeing the misses and struggles offensively and it's adding up shamefully. I hope he can find some mojo along with a bunch of the veteran guys. The Wild simply need more from guys like Hartman, Fred, Trenin, NoJo obviously.

I like that Guerin gives guys opportunity and honors the contracts he signs with players. That's fine, but "it's about eff'n winning" Bill. You said it yourself.

The PK and depth moves are just okay or not too good. The Boldy and Zuccarello success from the start of the year has leveled-off. The team needs some kind of a spark or addition. Some nights veteran guys or the 4th line needs to step up somehow and for the last couple years it hasn't happened.

Tumultuous times for the Minnesota Wild right now. Confidence and momentum waning.

Edited 7 hours ago by Protec

[Protec]

Against Ottawa, how good will he be against Washington or Florida?

 

Do Cup Contenders need a neck-beard guy?

[mnfaninnc]

Johansson wasn't the problem and hasn't been the problem. The problem has been Matt Boldy can't carry the load. He looked awful in Dallas (coming off a break) and looked awful against Ottawa. It's like he's on a line with 3 passers and nobody wants to take a shot. He dangles, loses the puck. Passes through people and loses the puck. Gets a shot blocked and loses the puck. He makes 3.5 times what Johansson makes but has a similar stat line (lately).

Next is a guy who's making twice Johansson money, Hartman. He looks terrible too, whiffing, losing pucks, shanking, dubbing, everything you don't want. It worked before, Hartman needs a clean shave to start over. Might as well shave the head while at it, a nice clean fresh start!

Nobody believed Johansson was going to be a star. He's fulfilling his $2m obligation by playing like a $2m player. There are other guys who have just gone completely quiet when we need them the most. 

The Boldy-Rossi-Zuccarello trio looks lost and has no chemistry. Time for a line blend. So, I'm suggesting new lines

Boldy-Ek-Kaprizov

Zuccarello-Rossi-Hartman

Trenin-Gaudreau-Foligno

Lauko-Khus-Johansson

For you doubters, Brady Tkachuk was responsible for the Ottawa win yesterday without showing up on the scoring sheet. He owned the 3rd period. Drew the penalty on Bogosian, planted himself in front of the net tying up Chisholm on the PP goal, giving his teammate a clear shot. Throwing down Rossi and his teammate from in front of his net at the end. He worked hard all night. We are missing that ingredient. Plus, he has good offensive statistics too that weren't really used last night. He's on par with other elite players offensively, but the above are the intangibles he brings that make him a menace to play against, and a team favorite to play for. He's a hybrid of Foligno and Boldy, he's a Boligno. We could use a Boligno.

[Up North Guy]

29 minutes ago, mnfaninnc said:

Johansson wasn't the problem and hasn't been the problem. The problem has been Matt Boldy can't carry the load. He looked awful in Dallas (coming off a break) and looked awful against Ottawa. It's like he's on a line with 3 passers and nobody wants to take a shot. He dangles, loses the puck. Passes through people and loses the puck. Gets a shot blocked and loses the puck. He makes 3.5 times what Johansson makes but has a similar stat line (lately).

Next is a guy who's making twice Johansson money, Hartman. He looks terrible too, whiffing, losing pucks, shanking, dubbing, everything you don't want. It worked before, Hartman needs a clean shave to start over. Might as well shave the head while at it, a nice clean fresh start!

Nobody believed Johansson was going to be a star. He's fulfilling his $2m obligation by playing like a $2m player. There are other guys who have just gone completely quiet when we need them the most. 

The Boldy-Rossi-Zuccarello trio looks lost and has no chemistry. Time for a line blend. So, I'm suggesting new lines

Boldy-Ek-Kaprizov

Zuccarello-Rossi-Hartman

Trenin-Gaudreau-Foligno

Lauko-Khus-Johansson

For you doubters, Brady Tkachuk was responsible for the Ottawa win yesterday without showing up on the scoring sheet. He owned the 3rd period. Drew the penalty on Bogosian, planted himself in front of the net tying up Chisholm on the PP goal, giving his teammate a clear shot. Throwing down Rossi and his teammate from in front of his net at the end. He worked hard all night. We are missing that ingredient. Plus, he has good offensive statistics too that weren't really used last night. He's on par with other elite players offensively, but the above are the intangibles he brings that make him a menace to play against, and a team favorite to play for. He's a hybrid of Foligno and Boldy, he's a Boligno. We could use a Boligno.

Unfortunately with Ottawa playing much better lately the chances of Brady getting traded have gone from slim to way past none.

[mnhockeyfan03]

B Tkchuck was a beast out there last night and controlled the play whenever out there.  Another bad game for Rossi against a big physical team.  Boldy well enough has been said about how bad he has been playing.  I would trade Boldy, Rossi, pics and prospects for a B Tkchuck or similar player.  We need that

[Dean]

I can’t stand watching the wild anymore so I don’t. Only listen. Lapanta and walz are terrible propagandists . Tom Reid isn’t much better. Before the game starts they’ve given you every excuse for why the wild wont win an it’s never the players or managements fault.  Injuries, back to backs , blah blah blah. There new excuse is scheduling losses ! What a joke. What’s interesting about watching another year of moose, Freddy g , Hartman , Jo Jo , Merrill and the Iowa wild bunch. Not much in my opinion. Terrible hockey. Why waste 3 hours to see if the clowns  are going to skate tonight or use there go to excuses.  The nhl isn’t must watch anymore . Just hyped up laziness with no physicality anymore..  Ballerinas dancing.. 
    The roster construction of this team makes viewing worse. Little guys who can’t play the big boy game. Rossi would be fine with 3 other big centers. Not two more little centers. We are so weak down the middle. Can’t get to net or defend. Watching Freddy in front of net is a joke. He can’t get his stick lose or tie up a stick. Just gets manhandled then plays practice dummy as they skate around him.  Boldy isn’t elite. He’s done nothing in his career  or against quality opponents. He stole a spot on 4 nations . Rossi can’t handle size. So basically if kirill doesn’t do it nothing happens . One free agent in the summer isn’t go to fix the undersized weak roster. 
    The  terrible broadcasting along with a weak roster construction makes it another wasted year of kirill . They will get pounded an embarrassed in playoffs once again.  Thanks Billy. 

[RedLake]

Boldy and Rossi traded to Buffalo for Thompson and cozens.

[Enforceror]

I'm not phased by last nights game. If you take away the empty netter, we only lost by one. We had several off the post...mere inches would have made this game completely different. Zero expectation of making a cup run this year but I distinctly remember most of us having zero expectation of even making the playoffs this year. We got spoiled by an inspiring start but no reason to throw in the towel yet.

Not looking forward to the doom and gloom that January is going to bring. Lots of tough matchups. Feb/March start looking a little better but by then I'm sure flaming pitchforks will be hoisted en masse.

[Jamesgang]

Boldy will stop the “cute” spinarama plays and shoot the damn puck at the net. It’s 24 sqft so you think he could actually hit it. 

Rossi will hit the weight room so he does not need to cower away from any physical contact. 

Somebody other than Krill will actually score. Anyone. Buheler? 

We will learn to win a face off at greater than 30% efficiency. Try the Hartman cross check to the face trick

[mnhockeyfan03]

48 minutes ago, RedLake said:

Boldy and Rossi traded to Buffalo for Thompson and cozens.

Boldy, Rossi, Ohgren and a pick or another prospect for Thompson and Tuch.  Don’t want cozens.

Then go get Brock Nelson at the deadline.

Also need to find a way to get Spurgeon off the books to use his contract for a couple bigger DMen

 

this is the shakeup this team needs and what Billy should be trying to do.  This team sucks the way it’s constructed.  Take a big swing at it.

[MacGyver]

50 minutes ago, RedLake said:

Boldy and Rossi traded to Buffalo for Thompson and cozens.

According to Russo Billy says Rossi is going nowhere and he has every intention of resigning him. The ink is barely dry on Boldy's 7 year deal and no way Billy is going to move him now. Also Boldy has the ten team not trade clause so he would't be exactly easy to move. 

[mnhockeyfan03]

9 minutes ago, MacGyver said:

According to Russo Billy says Rossi is going nowhere and he has every intention of resigning him. The ink is barely dry on Boldy's 7 year deal and no way Billy is going to move him now. Also Boldy has the ten team not trade clause so he would't be exactly easy to move. 

I think Billy is saying those Rossi comments to try to boost his trade value saying they really like him.  He will be great in the East but not what we need in the Big and Physical west and Billy knows this.

On Boldy who cares if his contract is only a year or 2 old.  If you have chance to make the team better and shake things up you do it.  Only number 97 should be off limits.