Article: Can A Fully Healthy Wild Team Compete In the Playoffs?

[Thatoneguy]

If they were 100% healthy, they could make round 1 interesting, but I'd be incredibly shocked if they make it past game 5. 

[Imyourhuckleberry]

1 hour ago, MNCountryLife said:

Dallas played us to perfection.  They locked down the middle of the D-zone in their end forcing everything outside.  They easily cleared our players from net front to give Oet a clear viewing lane.  They won the special teams play.  That is the recipe to beat the Wild.  We need an answer.

The answers might be coming in April--Kaprizov and JEE. The Wild played them fairly well, but could certainly use 2 of their top goal scorers back on the ice.

[MNCountryLife]

14 minutes ago, Citizen Strife said:

Chisholm's had some serious brain farts in recent memory.  Last night's penalty and d-zone turnover could have led to bad things.  I will never forget doing that and giving up a goal a couple months back.  Yeesh.

Either way, I don't think he's brought back next season.

Chisholm has come a long ways since being with the Wild.  At only 25 years old his best years should be the next 8 years.  

My choice for D next year is Faber, Brodin, Spurge, Mid, Zeev and Jiricek with Chisholm in the press box rotating in for injuries and rest. 

Bogo and Merrill need to be gone.  Bogo is a savy/tough player but just doesn't have the speed to keep up anymore.  Merrill does well with the limited skill he has but we need more.

[mnfaninnc]

Did no one else catch this:

Quote

The Wild have seen Gus stand on his head in multiple playoff series.

To my knowledge, Goose has been in 1 playoff series to date. Was Luke merely becoming the Wild prophet?

Can the Wild compete, absolutely. Can they win a series? I see that as doubtful. It will take one of those runs like Montreal, Philly, LAKings have had in the recent past. But, if the goalie gets rolling and the pucks bounce in at the other end, who knows?

If I were Shooter during this timeframe, I would be saying to Heinzy "the '25-26 season starts now. Let's play the long game and see how these kids can play." Keep in mind, OCL's mandate is an invitation TO the playoffs, not an invitation to win in the playoffs.....this year. 

But we also have to look at reality. Fully healthy, this is a totally different team with Brodin, Ek, and Kaprizov in the lineup. We've also got a decently heavy bottom 6. If Heinzy can dictate style like Evason couldn't, perhaps we can win. For almost 2 periods last night, we frustrated Dallas' offense. Of course, we couldn't do the hard thing which was get to the middle of the ice, but Ek and Kaprizov may change that.

Edited Tuesday at 05:35 PM by mnfaninnc

[Enforceror]

Projected lineup showing Brodin in. Not sure how I feel about that.

[hydguy75]

I will remain cautiously optimistic about the playoffs, when I see our core guys return to the ice, together.  This will increase when they all sync back into the momentum the Wild had before Christmas.  Lastly, I'll be most optimistic when I see the Wild have solid strategic answers to how some teams play us / against us, on both ends, who gets hurt again or look solid thru physical and speed plays, and how the adjusted roster plays together.  Depending on who we have back when, I see the Wild having a 50/50 shot at successfully grinding thru Round 1.  Round 2 will require fully healthy core AND everyone playing their top game.  Brain farts and frustration penalties will cost them.  But it will be encouraging to watch the team regroup from these injuries, with the reset roster, and grow this year and next.  This year's playoffs will expose what pieces the Wild still need to contend the next few years.  

[Citizen Strife]

I did some rushed math in my head while looking at games lost by just Kap, Ek, and Brodin.  About 25-30 per guy.  At the paces they were scoring goals (23, 9, 4 respectively), I guess anywhere from 20-25 goals just by them was left on the board.  This isn't accounting for any effect they would have had on other players.

Current GF and Rank: 192 (T-25th)

Added 20-25 Goals: 212-217 (12th-T-17th)

While it isn't Stars, Avs, Vegas level, it isn't nearly the gulf that it's been.  I know we shouldn't say, "Injuries, bleh."  But it does make an impact.

Edited Tuesday at 06:24 PM by Citizen Strife

[SkolWild73]

From what we saw this year when this team was healthy, I see no reason why we could not compete if we get back to full strength.  I think some of it matters as to when Kap and Ek get back.  I hope it is more than a game or two, but that is starting to look less likely.  As we all know, anything can happen in playoff hockey.  Fully healthy, I would give us a slightly less than 50 percent chance of winning the first series, depending on who we play.  After that, it would depend on if Kap and Ek had found their groove.

As far as making the playoffs, I still think it is very likely.  If you go back to December 25th, we were 5 points up on Vancouver and 7 on Calgary and had played one more game.  On January 25th, we were 5 points up on Calgary and had played 2 more games, and 8 up on Vancouver and had played one more game.  On February 25th, we were up 8 points Calgary and 9 up on Vancouver and had played one more game than both of them.  Today we are still 7 up on Vancouver with same number of games played and 8 up on Calgary but have played 2 more games. 

I know many think our remaining schedule is not that easy, but after Vegas and Washington. it gets easier.  New Jersey is 13-17-4 since December 28th.  Besides Dallas, we only have fringe playoff teams left.

If we manage to get 11 points in our last 11 games, we will finish with 96 points.   St. Louis would need to go 8-2 to reach 97.  They have road games against Colorado, Edmonton and Winnipeg and also have one against Colorado at home.  Vancouver would need to finish 9-1-1.  They have road games against Winnipeg, Colorado, and Dallas, and Vegas twice at home.  Calgary would have to finish 10-3.  Of Calgary's 13 remaining games, they play the Stars once and Vegas twice at home, and have road games against Colorado, Edmonton and LA.

Hopefully we pick up 2 tonight against Vegas who is missing Hertl, and Montreal cools off the Blues.

 

[Pewterschmidt]

3 hours ago, Citizen Strife said:

Even Pewter does, in his weird nickname kind of way.

Rest assured CS, I will not take this the wrong way.

[Pewterschmidt]

2 hours ago, Citizen Strife said:

I don't think anyone here is a doom troll on purpose.  I would think that 99% of people would have better things to do.

I am in no way endorsing doom trolling (is that a thing?), but let's remember that this is a toy dept. fan site where some people come to get a break from the daily grind of their lives so they may come hear for a release and to be wise acre/contrariean negative nancy's.  Or so I've heard.

[OldDutchChip]

if Kaprizov is at 100% - then yes

if we play Oilers - then yes

if spurge somehow becomes serviceable in the PO - then yes

if gus is still on and not overplayed by R1 - then yes

if we limit the play of Braz to under 3 minutes - then yes

if Yurov's team looses, we agree to early contract termination with his team and he comes here and boots Braz - then yes

if Faber goes on a diet and stops messing up - then yes

 

[Pewterschmidt]

Can A Fully Healthy Wild Team Compete In the Playoffs?

After debating this very question all season with this group we're soon going to get our answer.  I'm in the 1st round exit again this year camp.  Why?  It's literally the same cast of characters that have one and done'd or missed the playoffs the last three years.  You know the definition of insanity right? 

When we do one-and-out the glass is half full Strife's of the world will say "Kap and Ek were hurt and didn't get enough time to work their way back in" yada yada.  But P-V Charging Station, why so negative.  Because this group is still two grown ass top 6'rs from competing against the big knockers (DAL, VGK, WPG and don't look now but STL.  objects in the mirror are closer than they appear).  And Ogz, Yurov and Zeev are not grown ass NHL'rs.  Best case these guys can munch some minutes next year without being a liability.

Edited Tuesday at 07:03 PM by Pewterschmidt

[RedLake]

Get a mean talented 1c for Kaprizov, Get Fiala or better to play with Boldy, Yurov hits, another top 6 mean forward, Buuim hits, a replacement for Spurgeon, more skilled forwards on the bottom 6 and I'd say they could make a run the next few years. 

     I guess Jricek got hurt in Iowa hence the Grotty callup.

[MNCountryLife]

Best thing about the playoffs this year will be that the wild will have the first round on the road... where they have been better.

[Patrick]

The team is approx .500 without Ek, Brodin, and Kaprisov.  If Detroit or Calgary had added those three players at the trade deadline they would instantly be considered "contenders"  Definitely not favorites but in the mix.  I think that's were the Wild will be if everyone is healthy.

Side note: I hate the idea of Trenin - Gaudreau - Brazeau.  Swap Braz and Foligno and have a true checking line.  I would actually sit Braz in favor of Ogre, more physical and significantly faster.

[Burnt Toast]

Well… National media and I mean respected NHL hockey pundits had the Wild as a bottom 10 team this year, a lost season, hoping for a nice draft position kinda thing. They remain enigmatic, unpredictable, a real WILDCARD. That leaves room for a wide range of speculation and potential outcomes. Personally I believe in the team as a group. I think the front office and coaching staff are informed and qualified. No matter who they play in the playoffs they will be the underdogs mostly because they lack some high end skill. They remind me of the Blues SC year in that they have a shot if their goal tending out preforms every other opposing team’s. I like this year’s group more than any other recent Wild team so I’m going with the WHY NOT US? 

[hydguy75]

1 hour ago, Burnt Toast said:

I like this year’s group more than any other recent Wild team so I’m going with the WHY NOT US? 

I will call your optimism, and if #14, #25, AND #97 fully back from IR, raise you a 5-game 1st round advance.  But, no more TRIA or other medical related team sponsors going forward- too much bad ju-ju.  #3M step up please. 

[Imyourhuckleberry]

Word is that Kaprizov and JEE will be skating again  in the next few days now.

Hopefully the Wild can keep everyone else healthy as they return.

[Citizen Strife]

I think the optimism stems from the Hynes scheme.  I do think this team takes to his pure buy-in defense scheme better because the team is defense-oriented going back forever.  It also helps that even the star players buy in.  Evason's system is great, but it really forced a weaker offensive team to have reckless abandon at times.  If they left the goalie to dry...bleh.

Edited Tuesday at 11:30 PM by Citizen Strife

[SkolWild73]

25 minutes ago, Imyourhuckleberry said:

Word is that Kaprizov and JEE will be skating again  in the next few days now.

Hopefully the Wild can keep everyone else healthy as they return.

So maybe back for the last 4 games, starting with San Jose?  That would be April 9th.

[RedLake]

Is Yurov skating yet?

[TCMooch]

Depends on when people come back. Usually we have to play like hell last month to get into the playoffs then we play without any gas. Hope it’s not like that this year but I’m also not hopeful that people coming back from injury will be in game shape

[Burnt Toast]

1 hour ago, RedLake said:

Is Yurov skating yet

He’s expected back for the KHL playoffs starting in early April. Whether or not that happens I have no idea. 

[1Brotherbill]

Rossi has played every game as well.  In fact he is the current Iron Man leader on the team followed by Boldy.  Something like 150 plus games in a row.  Nobody give this guy any love at all.  

[Citizen Strife]

2024-2025 Numbers Game (72 Games Played)

Record: 40-27-5; (85 pts, 4th in Central, 7th in Western Conference, 12th in NHL, 4-5-1 in L10)

 

Goals For: 2.68 Per Game (27th in NHL)

Goals Against: 2.81 Per Game (10th in NHL)

PP: 20.3% (21st in NHL)

PK: 71.4% (31st in NHL)

 

Gustavsson: 28-16-4, 2.47 GAA (17th in Goalies), .918 SV% (T-10th in Goalies)*

Fleury: 12-9-1, 2.78 GAA (T-45th in Goalies), .903 SV% (36th in Goalies)*

*Goalie Rankings could be skewed due to differences in games played. For instance, when weighed against goalies with 24 or more starts, Gus is ranked 7th in GAA and 4th in SV%.

 

Boldy: 23G, 37A, 60P (T-51st in NHL), +0

Rossi: 22G, 32A, 54P (T-74th in NHL), +8

Zuccarello: 17G, 28A, 45P (T-116th in NHL), +1

Gaudreau: 16G, 16A, 32P (T-213th in NHL), +4

Spurgeon: 7G, 21A, 28P (T-248th in NHL), +8

*Kaprizov and Ek removed until return from injury*

+/-

Highest: Middleton (+13), Brodin (+9), Spurgeon/Rossi (+8)

Lowest: Johansson/Ohgren (-6), Merrill/Shore (-7), Hartman (-9)

Edited Wednesday at 09:48 AM by Citizen Strife