Article: Is It OK If Matt Boldy Is Kevin Fiala 2.0?

[Thomas]

10 hours ago, Imyourhuckleberry said:

......I don't think that the Wild had anyone skilled and agile enough to play with Zuccarello in his 1st season with the Wild, other than Fiala(age 23), but the coaches didn't pair them up, likely due to defensive fears......

And yet, Zucc played PK1 for NYR the last two seasons at least....

[Thomas]

8 hours ago, Patrick said:

I'm not arguing Mojo and Zuccarello are the same. Was Zucc hurt? Maybe. Maybe not. I don't think you can just throw the largest sample size  away to make a point.  He is producing in his role but at 37 it's doubtful he can produce in any other role other than Robin to Kaprizovs Batman. 

He underwent abdomen/ groin surgery after the season IIRC.

[TheGoosesAreLooses]

Boldy is still really young and producing at a steady clip. I think Guerin's 50/50 comment was premature and setting expectations way too high but that is just me. I think the consistency will come with maturity, and he's not there yet. It is easy to get caught up in a lack of progression and forgot how young he actually is. He is no where near his peak years yet and we have him locked in on a great deal. This year when we lose Johansson and pick up some youth could be the key to Boldy taking a step forward. EEK is a great match for him, we just need a mean shot on that line to truly make it dangerous.

My biggest difference between Fiala and Boldy is the defensive responsibility and dedication that Boldy shows night in and night out. His point may fluctuate but at the very least he is responsible even when he has a night off the scoresheet. the same cannot be said about Fiala at all!

[mnfaninnc]

23 hours ago, M_Nels said:

If anyone would rather have Fiala instead of Boldy it goes against the whole creed and obsession of having size. Fiala is only an inch taller than Rossi and about the same weight. He would "get killed in the Western playoffs too."

Why not both? For Boldy to have a year like Fiala had to finish up here, he needs a young "Boldy" to be his wingman. I think that could be Yurov. I think that could be Tuch. A Boldy-Ek-Forsberg line looks lethal on paper. But, what can we afford? We had to LTIR Grapes just to get Jiricek here. This suggests that the coffers are empty.

[mnfaninnc]

16 hours ago, Patrick said:

I'm not arguing Mojo and Zuccarello are the same. Was Zucc hurt? Maybe. Maybe not.

Didn't Zuccarello have a core surgery following last season and gutted his way through the final 1/2 of the season just to be on the ice? 

[mnfaninnc]

14 hours ago, 1Brotherbill said:

That is why the Elias Petterson rumors are so appealing.  Kirill with Petterson and Boldy would be a very difficult line to keep off the score sheet. 

I like this matchup, but, where do we find the money? Really it's just monopoly money (cap money). I think Pettersson would thrive here. Unfortunately, our reality is money in, money out and I think Vancouver has its own cap problems.

[mnfaninnc]

48 minutes ago, TheGoosesAreLooses said:

I think Guerin's 50/50 comment was premature and setting expectations way too high but that is just me. I think the consistency will come with maturity, and he's not there yet. It is easy to get caught up in a lack of progression and forgot how young he actually is.

Is the 50/50 comment Guerin trying to unlock other potential he sees in Boldy that Boldy might not even see in himself? Perhaps the comment was for Boldy to concentrate on his career and get off the green? 

For him to hit that mark, he would need to be on Kaprizov's line, I think currently, or, have another wing that can hit the net and hit him with a perfect pass. He won't do it all by himself.

[Imyourhuckleberry]

24 minutes ago, mnfaninnc said:

he needs a young "Boldy" to be his wingman. I think that could be Yurov. I think that could be Tuch.

What about a BEEBer line with Boeser for next season?

Or BRB with Rossi and Boeser?

[mnfaninnc]

2 minutes ago, Imyourhuckleberry said:

What about a BEEBer line with Boeser for next season?

Or BRB with Rossi and Boeser?

I could be satisfied with that. I really feel like Yurov on an ELC is our best chance, but I like Tuch's physical presence a little better than Boeser. Plus, I always hated the way Tuch went to Vegas, and there's an emotional attachment to getting back the one who got away. I can't rehash the past, but what Fletcher did at the expansion draft was fire worthy.

[mnhockeyfan03]

No to signing Boeser.  Have watched their last 3 games and he doesn’t look good at all.  To much of a floater and doesn’t play physical.  A player like Tuch would be much better on this team

[FredJohnson]

23 minutes ago, mnhockeyfan03 said:

A player like Tuch would be much better on this team

Tuch-dancer on the 2nd line?

[M_Nels]

1 hour ago, mnfaninnc said:

Why not both? For Boldy to have a year like Fiala had to finish up here, he needs a young "Boldy" to be his wingman. I think that could be Yurov. I think that could be Tuch. A Boldy-Ek-Forsberg line looks lethal on paper. But, what can we afford? We had to LTIR Grapes just to get Jiricek here. This suggests that the coffers are empty.

Well I mean ideally it would be both. But if it was a 1-for-1 scenario and people wanted Fiala instead of Boldy it would go against the obsession of size over all on this forum.

[mnfaninnc]

3 minutes ago, M_Nels said:

Well I mean ideally it would be both. But if it was a 1-for-1 scenario and people wanted Fiala instead of Boldy it would go against the obsession of size over all on this forum.

They immediately had chemistry with each other. I don't know that Boldy has had that with Johansson outside of the 20 games cited above. He needs that other player! Yurov would add a similar game to Boldy's, Tuch would add significant grit and probably help Ek a little more. Even Boeser would help, I'm pretty sure he would play with more fire in front of his home crowd. 

I think it comes down to what can we afford, and Yurov is the ELC guy (with bonuses) on this list. Tuch could probably be swallowed too, and I'd definitely want to resign him. I think Boeser is north of where we can go financially. We simply couldn't pay Boeser for his body of work in Vancouver, it would have to be more of a home state reunion contract.

[M_Nels]

4 minutes ago, mnfaninnc said:

They immediately had chemistry with each other. I don't know that Boldy has had that with Johansson outside of the 20 games cited above. He needs that other player! Yurov would add a similar game to Boldy's, Tuch would add significant grit and probably help Ek a little more. Even Boeser would help, I'm pretty sure he would play with more fire in front of his home crowd. 

Right and I'm not disputing any of that.

All I'm saying is if you asked all posters on this forum and any of them said they would rather have Fiala over Boldy it would be extremely ironic for how much a players physical size is obsessed over on here. 

[mnhockeyfan03]

I have also watched buffalos last 2 games.  We really need to find a way to get Tuch.  He is a difference maker and would pair greatly with Boldy.  Marchenko would be another option but Tuch is the guy they need to go after hard.  Hard pass on Boeser.  To expensive and not physical enough. Also if Brock Nelson is reasonable get him as well but don’t overpay for a trade as he will probably sign here anyway in the summer as a free agent. 

[TheGoosesAreLooses]

55 minutes ago, mnfaninnc said:

I think it comes down to what can we afford, and Yurov is the ELC guy (with bonuses) on this list. Tuch could probably be swallowed too, and I'd definitely want to resign him. I think Boeser is north of where we can go financially. We simply couldn't pay Boeser for his body of work in Vancouver, it would have to be more of a home state reunion contract.

I like Tuch, but I see no way to shoulder that cap hit without subtraction. I don't see where we take the money from or who we give up. Heidt and any of the bottom six in Iowa are sellable but that doesn't come against the cap and we still would need to make room. If Sprug goes to LTIR we could make some moves but otherwise I think we are going to be pretty short on space to add anything on at the deadline.

[TheGoosesAreLooses]

In other news both Faber and Brodin are also out for the Av's game. Our D core is looking rough for facing a central division rival. 

If we can miraculously survive this game, I think it will add proof that this team can handle the playoffs as built.

[Imyourhuckleberry]

1 hour ago, mnfaninnc said:

Tuch's physical presence a little better than Boeser.

I like the idea of Tuch as well, but I'm not sure how the Wild ship out $4.5M in salary in order to fit him in this year and he's not a free agent in the summer, like Boesser.

The Wild are tight against the cap w/ most of their forwards on no-trade years, or with 15-team exclusion lists, so that makes it difficult to see a trade that's workable for Tuch, particularly now that the Wild are short on healthy defensemen and likely don't want to part with one.

[Imyourhuckleberry]

I guess the Wild could trade prospects/picks for Tuch in the summer when they actually have a bunch of cap space. Otherwise, I don't know how the Wild might get Tuch for these playoffs without packaging Rossi with Trenin in a deal.

[Enforceror]

AVs appear to be without Nichushkin and Landeskog among others. Not sure how much that will factor in considering they still have their top guys but who knows. Trent Miner was in the net vs. CHI last night so I'm sure we'll see Blackwood. Going to be a tough game, I'll be very impressed if we can grit this one out. 

[Enforceror]

Projected D-core tonight:

5 Jake Middleton - 24 Zach Bogosian

4 Jon Merrill - 47 Declan Chisholm

44 Travis Dermott - 55 David Jiricek

[mnfaninnc]

30 minutes ago, Imyourhuckleberry said:

I guess the Wild could trade prospects/picks for Tuch in the summer when they actually have a bunch of cap space. Otherwise, I don't know how the Wild might get Tuch for these playoffs without packaging Rossi with Trenin in a deal.

Here was my hope: We would send Johansson to Washington. He played well in the game against them and he's played well there. This is probably the only destination that he will waive for. However, we could put him on waivers too and hope someone picks him up. I think he's good enough that this would happen. -2m. Next we have to see what compensation Buffalo wants, but I'd suggest futures and they retain 50% which will make it more costly. Then we try to get Columbus to swallow another 25% and have to pay for that. All told, money wise, we'd come in a little lower than Johansson. It's a lot of moving parts, but this could work. 

Normally, I would think Tuch would cost a roster player + pick + prospect. Since his absence probably allows Buffalo to call up a highly touted player, I think enhanced pick or prospect (like we did with Faber) might be a better scenario. Whatever compensation we get from Washington will be spent in this deal. Heidt + 2nd 2025 might be a little light. Do they want another pick or prospect? 

Another consideration is how close is Lambos/Buium? Chissy might be a decent piece to send and I think they could use him, but if that's the case, Buium/Lambos take up as much room to backfill. It would have been nice to see Lambos for a game just to see how close he is. The Wild might regret not giving him a game, or, perhaps practice was enough and nobody else got to see his game and ask for him in a trade?