Article: Buffalo Has What the Wild Need At the Deadline

[Citizen Strife]

Also, what this tells me as Captain Obvious is selling our 3rd best scorer is not exactly the best idea.

[OldDutchChip]

Hmm i think i'll let Rodney say it - 

Sending Boldy and Marat for Tuch and Quinn? What? Why? The only thing i agree on is this statement The Wild is Kaprizov’s team. Not Boldy's. But the team is more than Kap so i am not sure what point is? Do we get rid of all the players that are not Kaprizov? Close Kaprizov and that be his team? Alright let's dive in -

Boldy has shown he can't put up numbers like that. He has the talent but lacks consistency against better teams.  We know that he CAN put up the numbers because he has done that, but then why does he dry up? The theatrical aspect of his game takes over and he becomes a showman vs a beast. And for hockey he must be the later. Look at his solo effort a couple games back against two Defenders, pushing both to the puck. It was a "north/south" approach that would bring his game to a level of Tkachuk or Barkov. And i bet Tuch can unlock that if they pair up. You don't give up Boldy for Tuch. No way. 

Rossi and Quinn will be another version of Kaprizov and Zuccarello.  Who is Who in this comparison? Is Rossi a Kaprizov? Even the biggest Rossi lovers would pause here and question the statement. Are we expecting near 200 point production from Rossi/Quinn tandem? Or just saying that they will be playing together? There is a difference. Also - why are we so high on this Quinn guy? He will top out as 15 goal scorer, he is just as tiny as Rossi and is still developing....we need NOW players. No just No. We pursue Tuch but leave both Boldy and Marat out. We have plenty of prospects to entice Sabres. 

Quinn is a downgrade from Boldy due to production, but he has a better shot than Boldy and is the better shooter for their power play. Quinn is still developing his well-rounded game but has shown flashes of what he can do on a good night.  There is no surety to this statement....Quinn is projected to score less goals than what Boldy has RIGHT NOW. Quinn won't reach 20 but Boldy will reach 40. How are we even comparing the two?

Rossi’s emergence as a playmaker and scoring threat will help Quinn reach his ceiling. There's no doubt that Quinn can emulate Jason Pominville. Can he become the Wild’s version of Sam Reinhart?  No doubt....why no doubt? Because they both played in Buffalo? and what was so special about a passive Pommy? like really why do we need a second coming of Pomminville? And why are we then saying that Quinn is our 57 goal forward like Reinhart? Just because they may played in the same rink?

Once Yurov’s season concludes, the Wild should let him take the offseason to be prepared to come to training camp.  why wait? why not drag his ass after his season and if he is ready and as advertised we can use him. No one will be prepared for another stud like him. Why waste that? Unless there is a financial reason or we are clicking on all cylinders - then to say "take the time off our number 1 prospect" is a bit questionable. No you play him if at all possible. 

Ohgren projects to be a better version of former prospect Adam Beckman + Quinn as the right-shot version of Ohgren  So are we saying that Becky = Ohgren = Quinn? So again why are we sending off Boldy to get what is basically Becky 2.0? Another point is Ohgren is projected to have a two way game, whereas Becky never did. So how are the two comparable?

Khusnutdinov has a future, but it's more of being a shutdown contributor on a Stanley Cup-winning team due to his versatility and speed. The Wild have a variety of bottom-six players who can replace Khusnutdinov, especially with size.  This reads a bit contradictory....why would we make Marat replaceable if he offers a versatility and speed that is needed for SC team? You then state that we can replace him with one of Mikey Milne, Rieger Lorenz, Rasmus Kumpulainen, Caedan Bankier, and Charlie Stramel....who are these players? None of them have any indication of an immediate NHL success. Maybe one of them will sniff some NHL time in the next 5 years - but there is no certainty.

Minnesota should consider extending Jakub Lauko to be that player. Yurov’s the better prospect with top-six potential. Out with Khusnutdinov, in with Yurov.  so here we talk about Lauko who is a very nice complimentary player to Marat. why would we split Marat and Lauko? Then you say Yurov is a better prospect...then who? Lauko? or Marat? Both Lauko and Marat are a different type of prospects and Yurov skills don't necessary mean the need to subtract Lauko and Marat who occupy the bottom 6 (at a very good value) while Yurov is likely a top 6 shoe-in. 

Tuch gets to finish his career where it all started in Minnesota.  Tuch is not old, he is in his prime. This is not a retirement circuit. 

Ohgren will soon join Rossi and Quinn! Kaprizov, Tuch, Eriksson Ek, Rossi, Quinn, Yurov, Ohgren, Buium, Jiricek, and Stramel all look like 20-plus goal scorers at the worst.  Let's remove the knowns - Kaprizov, Tuch , Ek and Rossi. Are you suggesting that ALL of these players are 20 plus goal scorers at their worst???? There needs to be a bit of restrain on expectations....Ohgren, Quinn, Yurov, Buium, Jiricek and Stramel - if ONE of them gets close to 20 goals (Quinn is projected to be at 15) in the next 3 years then it's a win. To say ALL - that is just false hope. 

Quinn can hit 30 goals in a breakout season. Yurov can hit 30 goals in a breakout season. Ohgren’s capable of scoring 30 goals. Buium has 20-plus goal upside as a defenseman. Wowza there are a lot of hyped up expectations. I'll say NOT one of them is going to score as you predicted in the next 3 years. Yurov will likely be at 10-15 goal range next year. Ohgren may still be in Iowa. Buium will be at 10 as best case scenario

Stramel's the Wild’s version of David Backes with 20-goal potential. i think we have forgotten how nasty Backes was for the Blues. How can we say that our first round bust will transform into a version of feared Blues captain?

Once Zuccarello, Hartman, and Bogosian are off the books and they have more cap space, the Wild’s young core will hit their prime with Heidt, Stramel, Wallstedt, and Spacek breaking into the NHL. The Wild may have to move Brodin to make cap space for extensions. Lambos is ready to play a sustainable role.  Wait - so by end of next year Zuccy, Harty and Bogo will be off our books. Are you saying that not only will Heidt, Stramel, Wally, Spacek and Lambos be ready, they will actually be in their "prime"? And we have to move Brodin to make room? Ouch. 

Summary - no to the offer. Buffalo can pick our from our prospect line anyone not named Yurov and Zeev. If they want Wally, fine. Boldy stays. Work out financial compensation and get it done. Then move Ek to center Zuccy and Kap and Rossi to Boldy and Tuch. 

[FredJohnson]