Article: Bill Guerin Is the Closest Thing the NHL Has To Jerry Jones

[Tom Schreier]

View full article

[mnfaninnc]

Come on, Tom, this isn't anything like the circus that is the Cowboys. It's not even remotely close.

 

[Imyourhuckleberry]

The comparison to an ancient NFL owner is ridiculous. Guerin didn't create all the cap issues the Wild have faced. Other than having Kaprizov & Boldy as drafted prospects, the Wild were in pretty terrible position to compete for several years when Guerin took the job with huge contracts to aging/declining Suter & Parise. Many GMs may have wanted to tank, but the owner did not see that as acceptible.

I questioned a lot of how Guerin managed those early situations, but the results have been some of the most productive in the Wild's history despite working with less cap space than virtually every other team in the league.

The owner giving Guerin time to get beyond the cap constraints makes a ton of sense. Guerin has been planning for 2025 for most of the last 5 years, adding draft picks, then drafting prospects, and trading for Jiricek, so that they can put a competitive product on the ice from 2025-2030.

He will not see 2030 if they aren't making the playoffs, but if he can get Kaprizov signed to an extension, bring in Yurov, Buium, and Jiricek for 2025, along with an impact free agent, the Wild could take a major step towards turning into contenders. I appreciate the fact that he isn't going all and wasting assets now when the team isn't ready to truly contend.

Guerin deserves some time to see the team he's been building towards finally take the ice the next couple of seasons.

[MNCountryLife]

I think it is fair to say that the BG continues to try to improve by adding/subtracting the bottom of the roster.  Which just doesn't move the needle and he doesn't have the money to do anything else.  The players we have with legit top 6 skills are Kirill, Boldy, Zuc, Ek (Just 4).... and 2 are injured.  Nobody else is a legitimate top 6 player...and Zuc is questionable at this point.  Freeing up the buyout money next year should allow us to bring in at least 2 more top 6 players that can make an impact.  We should have sold more at the deadline this year to prepare for the off season and next years TDL.  We will never be cup contenders until we can put 6 top 6 players on the ice.

[Dean]

How many years of BG and were still in year two? So why didn’t he sell assets the first few years before his so called plan started?  Why did  he waste assets year after year to be embarrassed in playoffs instead of collecting assets?  He says he knew we were never contenders so why was he wasting assets? 
   Why did he waste assets to bring Jo Jo back when everyone knows he doesn’t compete. Why didn’t he waste a 2 nd to go get nyquist when he could have signed him over Jo Jo ? Why did he waste a  2 nd round prospect Marat to bring in a guy who can’t skate and is already getting benched? It makes even  less sense if you look at the center depth. You trade away a center when you have none before you go into the playoffs for another Fred g 28 yr old ahler on the fringe of playing in nhl. What was the point of wasting two 2 nd round assets this year for bad wingers that don’t do anything to move needle. If he did anything at the deadline it should have been for future. Like get a fricking center already. Hartman isn’t one. Fred isn’t one. Rossi is flirting with being a 3rd line center more than a 1 st. He’s got the wilds top wingers an is doing nothing 

   The wild had a bad penalty kill last year so Billy went to fix it in free agency. Instead of getting a flipping center to win draws he goes and wastes more money and term on a pylon that has done absolutely nothing for this team except eat salary cap. Then billy cries at deadline he has no money for moves. Well Hartman and Trenin get you almost 8 mill and they don’t do anything for the team. Why didn’t he move one or both? I know because they have zero value with the stupid contracts Billy gave them. Billy runing around with a pocket full of money in free agency is dangerous for the wilds future . 
    Watching the game Sunday I found it interesting the fans were cheering for pit. The fan base isn’t excited going into a playoff run . All the other fan bases seem excited yet we all know what’s coming. That’s pathetic. It’s pathetic because it’s basically the same team as when Billy got here doing the same things. Play good enough to make playoffs but not good enough to beat anyone in a playoff round. Same guys like Jo Jo Fred Hartman Merrill moose doing same half ass stuff year after year.  Why hasn’t Billy been trying to improve the supporting cast with better guys under better contracts instead of trotting out the same old lineup fans are sick of. Get more for your money Billy! 
   Future doesn’t seem bright with him running the ship. 

[Thatoneguy]

12 minutes ago, Dean said:

How many years of BG and were still in year two? So why didn’t he sell assets the first few years before his so called plan started?  Why did  he waste assets year after year to be embarrassed in playoffs instead of collecting assets?  He says he knew we were never contenders so why was he wasting assets? 
   Why did he waste assets to bring Jo Jo back when everyone knows he doesn’t compete. Why didn’t he waste a 2 nd to go get nyquist when he could have signed him over Jo Jo ? Why did he waste a  2 nd round prospect Marat to bring in a guy who can’t skate and is already getting benched? It makes even  less sense if you look at the center depth. You trade away a center when you have none before you go into the playoffs for another Fred g 28 yr old ahler on the fringe of playing in nhl. What was the point of wasting two 2 nd round assets this year for bad wingers that don’t do anything to move needle. If he did anything at the deadline it should have been for future. Like get a fricking center already. Hartman isn’t one. Fred isn’t one. Rossi is flirting with being a 3rd line center more than a 1 st. He’s got the wilds top wingers an is doing nothing 

   The wild had a bad penalty kill last year so Billy went to fix it in free agency. Instead of getting a flipping center to win draws he goes and wastes more money and term on a pylon that has done absolutely nothing for this team except eat salary cap. Then billy cries at deadline he has no money for moves. Well Hartman and Trenin get you almost 8 mill and they don’t do anything for the team. Why didn’t he move one or both? I know because they have zero value with the stupid contracts Billy gave them. Billy runing around with a pocket full of money in free agency is dangerous for the wilds future . 
    Watching the game Sunday I found it interesting the fans were cheering for pit. The fan base isn’t excited going into a playoff run . All the other fan bases seem excited yet we all know what’s coming. That’s pathetic. It’s pathetic because it’s basically the same team as when Billy got here doing the same things. Play good enough to make playoffs but not good enough to beat anyone in a playoff round. Same guys like Jo Jo Fred Hartman Merrill moose doing same half ass stuff year after year.  Why hasn’t Billy been trying to improve the supporting cast with better guys under better contracts instead of trotting out the same old lineup fans are sick of. Get more for your money Billy! 
   Future doesn’t seem bright with him running the ship. 

I have to agree. When Blunder Billy showed up I was excited, and he seemed like he had a vision for this team, 5 years later, and the team is no better than when Fletcher ran the show. At least he put a team together that made it past the 1st round. 

If he is in year 2 of his "5 year plan" then we are screwed. Trenin, Hartman, and Foligno are all going to be stuck on this team through the duration of this. That tells me we won't make it out of the 1st round then either. Hopefully 97 sees the writing on the wall and goes someplace to win a cup. No GM with a brain loads up 12 million into a 4th line. 

He can cry about having 1 hand tied behind his back due to cap penalties, but then to turn around and create a cap issue the moment these penalties fall of is absolutely stupid. 

[Scalptrash]

The destroyer of everything good and holy?

[punch_cut]

52 minutes ago, Dean said:

How many years of BG and were still in year two? So why didn’t he sell assets the first few years before his so called plan started?  Why did  he waste assets year after year to be embarrassed in playoffs instead of collecting assets?  He says he knew we were never contenders so why was he wasting assets? 
   Why did he waste assets to bring Jo Jo back when everyone knows he doesn’t compete. Why didn’t he waste a 2 nd to go get nyquist when he could have signed him over Jo Jo ? Why did he waste a  2 nd round prospect Marat to bring in a guy who can’t skate and is already getting benched? It makes even  less sense if you look at the center depth. You trade away a center when you have none before you go into the playoffs for another Fred g 28 yr old ahler on the fringe of playing in nhl. What was the point of wasting two 2 nd round assets this year for bad wingers that don’t do anything to move needle. If he did anything at the deadline it should have been for future. Like get a fricking center already. Hartman isn’t one. Fred isn’t one. Rossi is flirting with being a 3rd line center more than a 1 st. He’s got the wilds top wingers an is doing nothing 

   The wild had a bad penalty kill last year so Billy went to fix it in free agency. Instead of getting a flipping center to win draws he goes and wastes more money and term on a pylon that has done absolutely nothing for this team except eat salary cap. Then billy cries at deadline he has no money for moves. Well Hartman and Trenin get you almost 8 mill and they don’t do anything for the team. Why didn’t he move one or both? I know because they have zero value with the stupid contracts Billy gave them. Billy runing around with a pocket full of money in free agency is dangerous for the wilds future . 
    Watching the game Sunday I found it interesting the fans were cheering for pit. The fan base isn’t excited going into a playoff run . All the other fan bases seem excited yet we all know what’s coming. That’s pathetic. It’s pathetic because it’s basically the same team as when Billy got here doing the same things. Play good enough to make playoffs but not good enough to beat anyone in a playoff round. Same guys like Jo Jo Fred Hartman Merrill moose doing same half ass stuff year after year.  Why hasn’t Billy been trying to improve the supporting cast with better guys under better contracts instead of trotting out the same old lineup fans are sick of. Get more for your money Billy! 
   Future doesn’t seem bright with him running the ship. 

Have you dried your tears yet little baby?

I thought Evason couldn't coach and everyone in the NHL knew it? Your opinions are trash, so you should open your email to send it to yourself.

[Citizen Strife]

I wonder if Lou in New York would be a better comp for this.  He even has the staring gif meme to prove it.

[FredJohnson]

A strong prospect pool is only helpful if the coaches and front office develop the players correctly.

The stench in Dezzy Moinez isn’t just the meat packing smell wafting in from Sioux City (a.k.a. Sewer City). Our AHL club is lacking the ability to, ya know, develop players.

[Burnt Toast]

I’ve just finished BG’s new book. “ How to keep your owner happy while building a contender.” I can’t recommend it enough! Strangely no mention of Jerry J. as a mentor/ influencer. It’s pretty clear that the five year plan is in place because they’ve been getting their best players through the draft. Next year isn’t going to be “The Breakout Year.” It’s when they add top six/four players from the prospect pool and give them time to adjust.