Article: The Wild Are In the Darkest Days Of Cap Hell

[Tony Abbott]

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[FredJohnson]

Quote

it's hard to believe it'll be for any other reason than them being in the Seventh Circle of Cap Hell.

I’ve read comments that it’s because our guys aren’t tall/heavy enough and that we need someone from the Tkachuk family on the roster then everything would be fine.

[Burnt Toast]

$15M is a big deal. My expectations have been adjusted to accommodate the reality of how it affects roster construction. I did expect better PK numbers though. Next year the cap situation will be much improved, hopefully the PK will be much better. With even a mid level PK the stats guys can replace some of those points you mentioned. 

[SkolWild73]

Love the article, Tony.  I think our hot start set some pretty high expectations for this team this year, even though few people had us making the playoffs before the season started.  If we are able to hold on and make the playoffs, I would be happy with that result.  The future does look bright to me though.

[OldDutchChip]

1 hour ago, FredJohnson said:

I’ve read comments that it’s because our guys aren’t tall/heavy enough and that we need someone from the Tkachuk family on the roster then everything would be fine.

i'm just happy you can read

[OldDutchChip]

Let's stop calling buy outs Cap Penalties and instead call them Signing Oopsies. Cause they are not blocking us from getting other players. They just removed Parise and Suter. Not 15 million in free money. To call it otherwise seems a bit misleading. And some here may think that we actually could have used the money. Freddy you probably thought we could go and get all the brocks we can? NO we couldn't. We paid out the money. You want them back - here is Parise and Suter. Oh but then narrative changes - it's not the money - it's the culture or whatever you want. How about we say - we overpaid for familiarity and mostly past deeds (although we did squeeze out of them a few good years). Did we learn from our mistakes or are we going to use this "oh but if not for cap hits" excuse again? or have we already started with MF, YT, RH, MJ, FG, ZB.....

regardless - you are correct - it's a mess. but this mess is systemic. billy needs to smarten up and start moving pieces that gets us result. cut this silliness of being a welcoming state (oh i can't wait for Brocks Boeser to finally make his way back or happy retirement tour Brock Nelson or No Brock Faber is my hero....anyone but him!), of always being second best (well honestly this is a stretch - we are consistently mediocre but everyone is happy enough to go along for another petiletka (old soviet goodie), and exercise process and patience. success is just around the hill, right?

 

[Willy the poor boy]

2 hours ago, FredJohnson said:

I’ve read comments that it’s because our guys aren’t tall/heavy enough and that we need someone from the Tkachuk family on the roster then everything would be fine.

Does Brock Lesnar know how to skate?

[MNCountryLife]

Great Article.   

But aren't we supposed to talk about Rossi when Tony writes an article?  😉

[Dean]

I don’t understand why others can’t look at the teams you need to get past and compare matchups. Or watch playoff hockey and see the style that needs to be played to win. Instead of believing the wild pr department selling you misfits and hopes and dreams of kids that’ll never play in the nhl . Sammy walker. He was are next savior but was sold for a bucket of pucks.  So and so will be here next year doing amazing things. Yeah right!  People crying about trading Addison. Or thinking an ohl , whl  mid to late rounder is magically making the team and producing like a cup contender needs. , All the ra ra nonsense this summer of these kids doing something this year. It’s pathetic and the wild love it. Suckers is written on the fans foreheads . 25 years of mediocre and the fans still believe these clowns.. 

   the wild have some nice youth but they don’t fit into the window of kappys prime. . He can’t take another 5 years of injuries to wait for these kids to grow up. We don’t have the money to do anything this summer but over pay some old Minnesota guy to come play at the country club. A good gm would go start trading some of these kids to get pieces you need.  Instead of continually overpaying bottom six . Ya want to win more. Get a fricking center to win faceoffs and drive play. Not rocket science! 
   What’s the path forward ? The Russian is going to change things?  If he even comes. Zeev is?  Just add them to this group and you get the same mediocre. Until the misfits get moved out after there ntcs nothing is going to change. Embarrassing season endings is the only given. And lots of excuses . just wait till next year so and so is coming.  . Rinse and repeat 

[RedLake]

Suter should of been kept. He's a 5 or 6 D-Man in the wild lineup.

[OldDutchChip]

10 minutes ago, Dean said:

I don’t understand why others can’t look at the teams you need to get past and compare matchups. Or watch playoff hockey and see the style that needs to be played to win. Instead of believing the wild pr department selling you misfits and hopes and dreams of kids that’ll never play in the nhl . Sammy walker. He was are next savior but was sold for a bucket of pucks.  So and so will be here next year doing amazing things. Yeah right!  People crying about trading Addison. Or thinking an ohl , whl  mid to late rounder is magically making the team and producing like a cup contender needs. , All the ra ra nonsense this summer of these kids doing something this year. It’s pathetic and the wild love it. Suckers is written on the fans foreheads . 25 years of mediocre and the fans still believe these clowns.. 

   the wild have some nice youth but they don’t fit into the window of kappys prime. . He can’t take another 5 years of injuries to wait for these kids to grow up. We don’t have the money to do anything this summer but over pay some old Minnesota guy to come play at the country club. A good gm would go start trading some of these kids to get pieces you need.  Instead of continually overpaying bottom six . Ya want to win more. Get a fricking center to win faceoffs and drive play. Not rocket science! 
   What’s the path forward ? The Russian is going to change things?  If he even comes. Zeev is?  Just add them to this group and you get the same mediocre. Until the misfits get moved out after there ntcs nothing is going to change. Embarrassing season endings is the only given. And lots of excuses . just wait till next year so and so is coming.  . Rinse and repeat 

i like your passion sir! that's a fan who's been thru a lot and is ready for a winner! 

 

[OldDutchChip]

2 minutes ago, RedLake said:

Suter should of been kept. He's a 5 or 6 D-Man in the wild lineup.

but then we wouldn't be able to say - we are mediocre because of 15 million of no money! it would be half that, which isn't the same. plus - i heard he was a meany. 

probably would have been better for kap's health too....

[AKwildkraken]

1 hour ago, Willy the poor boy said:

Does Brock Lesnar know how to skate?

I think Hartman has done enough wresting moves on opponents lately.

[Enforceror]

1 hour ago, Willy the poor boy said:

Does Brock Lesnar know how to skate?

I'll see your Brock and raise you an Andre.

[FredJohnson]

3 hours ago, OldDutchChip said:

i'm just happy you can read

Me too.

[1Brotherbill]

2 hours ago, RedLake said:

Suter should of been kept. He's a 5 or 6 D-Man in the wild lineup.

So, if that is true think about why they did it.  Then look at Dallas and say why did they do the exact same thing.  He is a cancer plan and simple.  He goes right to the owner whenever he has an issue.  There is no way the Faber would be on this team if Suter was here.  He would want to play 25 minutes a game and take top Power Play minutes.  

The other guy would be far worse of an option.  He could barely play when he was here. He forced the team to practice at Parade often because he didn't want to travel to St. Paul.  So basically a road game to practice for Parise.  

[1Brotherbill]

So the thing about Colorado missing more time due to injury stat.  Is that because of Landeskog not playing for over two years now?

[Citizen Strife]

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6103855/2025/02/07/wild-nhl-prospects-rankings-2025/

This guy REALLY has Buium on a pedestal.  Then again, nabbing Jiricek was really the Wild's other ace in the hole defenseman just in case.  It's kind of frightening "The only playoff team with this high a ranking" is one of the first things he mentions.  

The waiting game begins.

[Imyourhuckleberry]

1 hour ago, Citizen Strife said:

This guy REALLY has Buium on a pedestal.

Yeah, a lot of freshman are barely getting ice time. He's leading his team in ice time and out there 27 minutes for a national championship team, and huge minutes for 2 world championship teams. When I've watched the Wild face the Stars, I've generally been jealous of them having a guy like Heiskanen, but Buium could finally bring that type of game to the Wild.

"He has played some very high-level hockey for a while now...and projects as a first-pairing, play-driving, extremely involved defenseman with a real chance at stardom." -- Scott Wheeler

[mnfaninnc]

16 hours ago, OldDutchChip said:

I need one of these, how do you get an invitation?

[Pewterschmidt]

2 minutes ago, mnfaninnc said:

I need one of these, how do you get an invitation?

I work here and I wear an “ask me I can help” vest.  I’ll get you in

[mnfaninnc]

12 hours ago, 1Brotherbill said:

So the thing about Colorado missing more time due to injury stat.  Is that because of Landeskog not playing for over two years now?

Partially, but they've been hit pretty hard in other areas too. It's legit. Look at their record too, they should be leading the division with that talent. Other issue they had early on was goaltending.

[mnfaninnc]

Gutsy win last night thanks to Goose. 120 minutes against Carolina and only giving up 1 goal. That's pretty impressive. 

Why do I enjoy watching Rantanen slump?

[SkolWild73]

I remember watching the wild back in 2013-2015 when we played and lost to Chicago each year in the playoffs, once in the first round and twice in the second round. Chicago went on to win the cup in two of those years.  I remember saying to a friend that we had the better team, except for one thing, they had Patrick Kane, and we did not.  In other words, they had a superstar, and we didn't.  We now finally have that superstar in Kap.  To go along with that, we have the best young core that this team has ever had in Faber, Rossi and Boldy, all 23 and younger. with a good mix of veterans in Zucc, Ek, Brodin and Spurgeon.   On top of that we have a top ranked prospect pool.  The best thing about our prospect pool is that our 4 of our prospects, Yurov, Zeev, Ohgren, and the Wall, (hopefully this year's struggles get turned around for the Wall) will more than likely be on the team next year, and be solid contributors, with Zeev and Yurov the potential to be top 4 D and a top 6 forward respectively.  And I haven't even mentioned Khus, who has looked great lately.

My point is I think that, barring a ton of injuries again next season, the Wild have the potential to be the best team we have had in Wild history starting next year and into the future.  Keep the young pieces together and see how we do in the next couple of years and then maybe make a move to get us over the hump if we have not by then.  But please do not trade any of these young pieces until we see what they can do together.  Boldy and Faber and signed through 2030 and 2033 with contracts that can be very beneficial to the team.  We will see what Rossi gets this offseason.  In my 24 years of being a Wild fan, and the many years of being a North Star fan, this is as excited as I have been about this team...well, as long as Kap resigns.

[mnfaninnc]

3 minutes ago, SkolWild73 said:

My point is I think that, barring a ton of injuries again next season, the Wild have the potential to be the best team we have had in Wild history starting next year and into the future.

The funny thing about injuries is that the younger team you have, typically you have less injuries!