Article: The Wild Should Go Big Game Hunting This Summer

[OldDutchChip]

28 minutes ago, SkolWild73 said:

Would not mind it either if we could make it work, and he is available.  My question is, what would we do if neither him nor Marner are available.  Save the money and try and make a trade?  Sign someone like Giroux for one year?  

i'd go w trades routes - potentially TOR, OTT, CAR, VAN - will likely flame out and disappoint, there'll be some tension and maybe we can swoop in offer a solution to their problem 🙂 

dream scenario - boston - goes out and gets swept - but they do love the boston natives ..... so Boldy and future 1st for Pasta? HAHA 

 

 

[SkolWild73]

3 minutes ago, OldDutchChip said:

i'd go w trades routes

I feel like next year's trade deadline might be the time too if not this offseason.  Next year's trade deadline gives us more time to see how this team does when hopefully everyone is healthy, and our younger players are a year older.  Can see where the team is in the standings and if they are closer to being that one move away from contending.  

[PiranhasOnIce]

15 hours ago, SkolWild73 said:

If you offer sheet for 8 and it isn’t matched, you lose a first, second and third.  Anything over 6.87 is the same.

Not to mention, you actually have to have the picks in your possession.   Currently, Minnesota does not.   Offer sheets will not be an option - at least in this range of contract $$.   No first rounder for Minny in 2025. 

[SkolWild73]

2 minutes ago, PiranhasOnIce said:

Not to mention, you actually have to have the picks in your possession.   Currently, Minnesota does not.   Offer sheets will not be an option - at least in this range of contract $$.   No first rounder for Minny in 2025. 

I think the picks are for the following year, so for 2026.

[OldDutchChip]

1 minute ago, SkolWild73 said:

I feel like next year's trade deadline might be the time too if not this offseason.  Next year's trade deadline gives us more time to see how this team does when hopefully everyone is healthy, and our younger players are a year older.  Can see where the team is in the standings and if they are closer to being that one move away from contending.  

got to entice / impress Kap sooner rather than later. if he signs off in July - then worries are gone. But i think if we wait and don't impress him now (either a PO round victory or big signing), he does the same - and plays the waiting game with us. That'll be a dangerous time for us. Do we play it out and risk loosing him for nothing (memories.....)? or trade him?

argh - i think you have to go all in this year and this off season. you just don't have any choice. if Kap leaves and is replaced by.....Boeser and Nelson.....wild are done.

[SkolWild73]

Just now, OldDutchChip said:

if he signs off in July - then worries are gone

I am always going under the assumption that he will sign.  I don't like to think of the alternative and just do not see what we could do before this year's trade deadline that will change much.

[OldDutchChip]

6 minutes ago, SkolWild73 said:

I am always going under the assumption that he will sign.  I don't like to think of the alternative and just do not see what we could do before this year's trade deadline that will change much.

ship out spurge and make kap captain

"consult" him - i think that comes with territory of being captain

realize that none of the other players really compare to his value and make the team reflect HIS timing. not someone 5 years from now. his timing is now. 

i am a bit more concerned with him signing. i think he is out. it is up to us to do something, can't just hope for the best.

[M_Nels]

For the folks that think Kap is out, where is a realistic destination where he can be afforded that is any closer to a cup than the Wild.

I personally don't think he's going anywhere. Superstars don't always jump ship and chase the next (seemingly) best destination.  

[hydguy75]

18 hours ago, RedLake said:

Yurov blew his knee out again. Injury prone trade him now.

Toss the baby out with the bathwater.  May as well dump Spurgeon, EEK, KK, Brodin, etc. for injuries this season too. 

[OldDutchChip]

3 minutes ago, M_Nels said:

For the folks that think Kap is out, where is a realistic destination where he can be afforded that is any closer to a cup than the Wild.

I personally don't think he's going anywhere. Superstars don't always jump ship and chase the next (seemingly) best destination.  

we talked about that before 🙂

plenty of teams have space or can make space (i don't think it's about $ with him so he can be flexible with the team - if that is his preferred destination)

i think any east coast teams would be in, as would a number of other teams (but i'd give edge to PHI, NY area or FL)

[M_Nels]

8 minutes ago, OldDutchChip said:

we talked about that before 🙂

plenty of teams have space or can make space (i don't think it's about $ with him so he can be flexible with the team - if that is his preferred destination)

i think any east coast teams would be in, as would a number of other teams (but i'd give edge to PHI, NY area or FL)

Well I know we’ve talked about it before just like we’ve talked about the same trade targets ad nauseam. 
 

My point is being realistic about targets and not overshooting the moon and being realistic about destinations for Kap. 

[Citizen Strife]

 

Someone's been posting these for each team for the last few weeks.  As expected, there is some holes in the lineup (Johansson and Hartman, the 6-8 defensemen).  Lauko is good defensively, but his injury history may preclude him from more next year.

[OldDutchChip]

3 minutes ago, M_Nels said:

Well I know we’ve talked about it before just like we’ve talked about the same trade targets ad nauseam. 
 

My point is being realistic about targets and not overshooting the moon and being realistic about destinations for Kap. 

alright - well here are my destinations: 

i think any east coast teams would be in, as would a number of other teams (but i'd give edge to PHI, NY area or FL)

[Citizen Strife]

I forgot to mention that Brodin and Spurgeon STILL add so much value to the team.  Getting rid of them would be a silly idea.  Faber can't carry the load just yet.

[SkolWild73]

43 minutes ago, OldDutchChip said:

ship out spurge and make kap captain

"consult" him - i think that comes with territory of being captain

realize that none of the other players really compare to his value and make the team reflect HIS timing. not someone 5 years from now. his timing is now. 

i am a bit more concerned with him signing. i think he is out. it is up to us to do something, can't just hope for the best.

Different viewpoints, but we do not know anything as far as what has been talked about with him, or what his feelings for the team we have now are.  All speculation.  It is possible that he want's other players on the team.  It is also possible that if we traded away Boldy, Rossi, Faber, etc., that he would get pissed and want to leave.  Locker room comrade is a special thing in sports, especially in hockey.

Only thing I know for sure is he can sign for a longer term here than anywhere else and probably get as much money per year here than anywhere else.  

I also believe that this team is set up to be very successful during his timeline with the young players we have about to hit that age where players really improve.  My hope is he will see that also and the positives of staying outweigh the negatives.  Absolutely nothing I can do to change his decision, so for me, I don't worry about it.  If he walks, I will be depressed for a day and then will be rooting for the Wild the next day.

[Up North Guy]

30 minutes ago, Citizen Strife said:

 

Someone's been posting these for each team for the last few weeks.  As expected, there is some holes in the lineup (Johansson and Hartman, the 6-8 defensemen).  Lauko is good defensively, but his injury history may preclude him from more next year.

Some pretty sobering numbers for some of these guys. Not sure how the numbers compare to other teams.

[OldDutchChip]

9 minutes ago, SkolWild73 said:

Different viewpoints, but we do not know anything as far as what has been talked about with him, or what his feelings for the team we have now are.  All speculation.  It is possible that he want's other players on the team.  It is also possible that if we traded away Boldy, Rossi, Faber, etc., that he would get pissed and want to leave.  Locker room comrade is a special thing in sports, especially in hockey.

Only thing I know for sure is he can sign for a longer term here than anywhere else and probably get as much money per year here than anywhere else.  

I also believe that this team is set up to be very successful during his timeline with the young players we have about to hit that age where players really improve.  My hope is he will see that also and the positives of staying outweigh the negatives.  Absolutely nothing I can do to change his decision, so for me, I don't worry about it.  If he walks, I will be depressed for a day and then will be rooting for the Wild the next day.

Different viewpoints, but we do not know anything as far as what has been talked about with him, or what his feelings for the team we have now are.  All speculation.  It is possible that he want's other players on the team.  It is also possible that if we traded away Boldy, Rossi, Faber, etc., that he would get pissed and want to leave.  Locker room comrade is a special thing in sports, especially in hockey.  Completely true statement - the only thing we can do is speculate and predict what comes to be.

Only thing I know for sure is he can sign for a longer term here than anywhere else and probably get as much money per year here than anywhere else.   it would be a big surprise to me that Kap goes to the highest bidder. but that is a possibility (then Yes, we have nothing to worry about)

I also believe that this team is set up to be very successful during his timeline with the young players we have about to hit that age where players really improve.  and he knows the value of each player better than any one. i think that's where Billy needs to have a very precise understanding of what Kap is feeling. by making him a captain he may get "inside" Kap's head and then make the right  decision. Spurge day's are over as far as team leader - give that C to kap. Bug Kap's phone, plant a secret agent in the russian store, find out what you can! stakeout!

 

 

[M_Nels]

1 hour ago, OldDutchChip said:

alright - well here are my destinations: 

i think any east coast teams would be in, as would a number of other teams (but i'd give edge to PHI, NY area or FL)

Thank you, it just bugs me when people throw unrealistic targets out there and say "ope he's going to walk" without saying where/why.

After glancing at them Philly is one that I think is potentially the most realistic if he walks. They are going to have big holes to fill in their top 6 LW have $26m opening up at the end of this year. Michkov is an attractive allure for anyone and he's still on his ELC plus a young Luchanko waiting in the weeds. But that also begs the question if they're any closer to a cup than the Wild and how much term they could give him with Michkov's next contract that is probably going to be astronomical.

Edited Tuesday at 07:11 PM by M_Nels
Wording

[OldDutchChip]

7 minutes ago, M_Nels said:

Thank you, it just bugs me when people throw unrealistic targets out there and say "ope he's going to walk" without saying where/why.

After glancing at them Philly is one that I think is potentially the most realistic if he walks. They are going to have big holes to fill in their top 6 LW have $26m opening up at the end of this year. Michkov is an attractive allure for anyone and he's still on his ELC plus a young Luchanko waiting in the weeds. But that also begs the question if they're any closer to a cup than the Wild and how much term they could give him with Michkov's next contract that is probably going to be astronomical.

i think another few points in favor of philly is that market and cultural ties and there is also the old coach of kaprizov that was "snuck" into philly's org. one would think they are up to something. if Phi get out of couturier contract that will give them another 7MM to work with. potentially allowing them to bring in two high priced FAs. and i bet they are looking at kap as the one that could be lured over. 

[Enforceror]

There's a quote out there somewhere where Guerin asked KK the first year if he wanted to bring in other Russian hockey players and his answer was something a long the lines of "Will they help us win?" 

His dedication to helping THIS team win is obvious. Unless something drastic happens, the signs point to him resigning. Just my 2cents....

[Citizen Strife]

Guerin knows Kaprizov is priority number 1.  The fact that the team is winning in spite of all the injuries AND to him specifically is a sign of their talent floor is rising faster than expected/

[OldDutchChip]

34 minutes ago, Enforceror said:

There's a quote out there somewhere where Guerin asked KK the first year if he wanted to bring in other Russian hockey players and his answer was something a long the lines of "Will they help us win?" 

His dedication to helping THIS team win is obvious. Unless something drastic happens, the signs point to him resigning. Just my 2cents....

kaprizov had no choice and wanted to win and still does. him saying NO was really not a surprise and something i'd expect every professional player to say. 

but it's different now that he has a choice and team has produced exactly zero first round wins in his tenure. 

Edited Tuesday at 08:16 PM by OldDutchChip

[FredJohnson]

On 2/17/2025 at 1:38 PM, AKwildkraken said:

Sorry, couldn't resist.  

We got a moose for 4 million a year already.

Do NOT apologize for that one!! 😂

[FredJohnson]

4 hours ago, Willy the poor boy said:

I'm pretty sure you can only have 3 buyouts on the books at a time. That would leave 1 buyout until ZP and RS are off the books in what? 3 years?

Correct. Looks like 2028-29 is the last season they affect:
https://www.nbcsports.com/nhl/news/wild-buying-out-final-four-years-of-massive-parise-suter-contracts

[FredJohnson]