Article: Marcus Foligno Is On Top Of the World On the Top Line

[Tony Abbott]

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[Citizen Strife]

Foligno and Spurgeon being on the ice have been major factors in turning the Wild from a team chasing ghosts to having ghosts chasing them.  They were eliminated already by now, because Gus had no help and didn't help himself.  They are in the driver's seat to make the playoffs still.  It's crazy how thin margins for success seem sometimes.

[FredJohnson]

Foli-Rossi-Boldy might be a good #2 line for the playoffs. 

[mnfaninnc]

I like this article. Out of the 3 re-signed guys from last season, this was the one I thought we should keep (though in the $3.xxM category). I haven't been able to articulate Foligno's full value, but Tony did it for me. 

I like him on this line, and this looks like a good #2 line once reinforcements return. Foligno also protects liberties taken to Rossi. Keep it together. I think Boldy also plays much more physical with Foligno around. 

[mnfaninnc]

5 minutes ago, FredJohnson said:

Foli-Rossi-Boldy might be a good #2 line for the playoffs. 

I wrote mine before yours showed up. I guess we see the same thing.

[FredJohnson]

1 minute ago, mnfaninnc said:

Out of the 3 re-signed guys from last season, this was the one I thought we should keep

I thought the Hartmann deal was best…then he turned into Charles Manson. 😔

[mnfaninnc]

2 minutes ago, FredJohnson said:

I thought the Hartmann deal was best…then he turned into Charles Manson. 😔

Hartman is the type of player I like to watch. He's sneaky and plays on the edge. I just felt like he had priced himself out of his value. However, if there was a promise, I believe it was in the best interest of everyone that Guerin fulfill his side. We probably will never truly know on this, but I suspect there was.

[Imyourhuckleberry]

15 minutes ago, mnfaninnc said:

Hartman is the type of player I like to watch. He's sneaky and plays on the edge. I just felt like he had priced himself out of his value. However, if there was a promise, I believe it was in the best interest of everyone that Guerin fulfill his side. We probably will never truly know on this, but I suspect there was.

Honestly don't think that any of the deals are terrible value. Even if people believe the contracts were 10% overpays, Guerin would have needed to overpay to bring in free agents. He's saved some money with great long-term contracts for the top players. Overall, the Wild have a team that's tough to play against when they are fully healthy--hopefully we see that again soon.

[FredJohnson]

45 minutes ago, Imyourhuckleberry said:

Honestly don't think that any of the deals are terrible value. Even if people believe the contracts were 10% overpays, Guerin would have needed to overpay to bring in free agents. He's saved some money with great long-term contracts for the top players. Overall, the Wild have a team that's tough to play against when they are fully healthy--hopefully we see that again soon.

I’m pretty sure the complainers were just wanting change for change sake. Then they’d complain about the change. And complain when the new guys weren’t better. #olddutchdich

[M_Nels]

1 hour ago, FredJohnson said:

Foli-Rossi-Boldy might be a good #2 line for the playoffs. 

Agreed!

Assuming full health here's my lineup:

Kap-Ek-Zucc

Foli-Rossi-Boldy

Jojo-Freddy-Nyquist

Trenin-Hartman-Hinny

[MNCountryLife]

Hard not to like a guy that plays like Foligno.  He never takes a game off.  He plays physical and gets off the checks quickly to stay in the play.  He has a better stick than people often give him credit for and a high hockey IQ.  

I like the idea of keeping them together.  Let the other line be Kirill, Ek and Zuc.  The 3rd line be Hartman, Vinnie and Nyquist.  4th line is Braz, Freddy and Trenin.  

[LCoy]

Damn, excellent article! I realised FRB has been rolling and I’ve always liked Foligno… but I didn’t realize just how effective his defense has been! I’d love to see what the lines are going to be with Kap and Ek back—do they keep this line together as a hopefully excellent second line? If so, do they try Ek and Kap together on the first line again? Reunite Kap/Hart/Zucc and have Ek as a (once-again) vastly overqualified 3rd line center? 

[LCoy]

I see other people beat me to the line discussion, fair enough!

[FredJohnson]

8 minutes ago, M_Nels said:

Agreed!

Assuming full health here's my lineup:

Kap-Ek-Zucc

Foli-Rossi-Boldy

Jojo-Freddy-Nyquist

Trenin-Hartman-Hinny

Can’t we find a nice chair in the press box for NoJo?

[M_Nels]

14 minutes ago, FredJohnson said:

Can’t we find a nice chair in the press box for NoJo?

As much as I can't wait to see him gone he does bring a lot more value than Shore or Braz. Unless Braz goes on a tear these last 4 games I see him in the press box.

[Imyourhuckleberry]

Russo update via BlueSky:

Kaprizov and Eriksson Ek did take contact at the end of practice. As of this moment, they're not sure if one, both, or neither return tomorrow. We should know more tomorrow morning.

Hopefully they wake up feeling great.🤞

[raithis]

2 hours ago, mnfaninnc said:

I like him on this line, and this looks like a good #2 line once reinforcements return. Foligno also protects liberties taken to Rossi. Keep it together. I think Boldy also plays much more physical with Foligno around. 

I fully agree, especially that last sentence.  Boldy has the hands to play in traffic.  I think he's far more dangerous there being a power forward than trying to snipe shots at the corners of the net and frequently missing the goal entirely.

The other thing I liked about the OT winner yesterday is that Boldy was already moving to toward Rossi when Zuccarello made the pass.  If Rossi misses, he was the only player really in motion, allowing him to more easily pounce on a rebound or regain possession on the back wall.

He's just a far more effective player when he's playing aggressive and moving.

[FredJohnson]

1 hour ago, M_Nels said:

As much as I can't wait to see him gone he does bring a lot more value than Shore or Braz. Unless Braz goes on a tear these last 4 games I see him in the press box.

I’m not at all confident that NoJo would be better than or even as good as Shoresie or Braz on the 3rd line. The 3rd line on this team requires effort, physicality and defensive responsibility all the while NOT depending on your linemates to set you up for shot attempts. He does do a GREAT dump of the puck…he just dumps it to the other team.

[RedLake]

2 hours ago, M_Nels said:

Agreed!

Assuming full health here's my lineup:

Kap-Ek-Zucc

Foli-Rossi-Boldy

Jojo-Freddy-Nyquist

Trenin-Hartman-Hinny

Hartman will have to play 2c against the Jets. Rossi will get snowplowed around Winnipeg.

[OldDutchChip]

His physicality in top 6 would be a great boost to the elite guys, especially in PO.  So hoping he keeps at it, and yes - id keep him on that L2 w Boldy and Rossi. Ek, Kap and Zuccy to round out the top 6.

[OldDutchChip]

3 hours ago, FredJohnson said:

I’m pretty sure the complainers were just wanting change for change sake. Then they’d complain about the change. And complain when the new guys weren’t better. #olddutchdich

Nice to see you are still an idiot 

[FredJohnson]

55 minutes ago, OldDutchChip said:

Nice to see you are still an idiot 

Bless your heart.

[hydguy75]

Reading and participating in these articles and comments section all season has opened up my eyes to the technical side of the game, the lines and pairings, style of game, etc.  I thank each of you writers and commenters for sharing wisdom and insights, and having such discourse.   

Summarizing my thoughts on the past few articles and games, a team needs a net crasher, a spark plug, a game changer.  Without such a player (lets say your top line is removed from a team for most of an entire season for some very strange reason), the Wild tend to run a passive, perimeter offense.  That difference, that player maker, that delta should have been Kap.  Or perhaps Kap paired with Ek.  

With that top line empty, SOMETIMES Boldy steps up.  SOMETIMES Rossi finds a new level of success.  SOMETIMES even the goalie scores.  We've been waiting for Boldy, Rossi, Zucc to step up consistently.  When they didn't, we look to the next layer in aging vets, callups, and trade-ins.  And we check stats, and see dry spells.  From this outsider looking in, the answer is simple- get after the net.  Be a change-agent and avoid those boring games that dump, chase, waste time, energy.  

Rossi has shown grit in getting after it.  If Nyquist is Superman, the goal is kryptonite.  Braz needs to get busy.  Trenin, just try.  

I also consider how our season, and/or slotting in the PO bracket would be had Kap not been injured until a month later, or at all.  Or back a month ago.  with this current "hang-on-for-the-bumpy-ride" roster right now, we are teetering on barely limping into a WC2.  So my only question for the Wild the rest of this season, PO or not, is....  Who is going to be our difference maker to finish this season?

 

[Trade Deadline Hero]

Moose is a really solid grinder. It’s great to see him on the top six, his play deserves it. I hope one day he gets the big C. Very clearly his presence adds a lot of energy to the bench, he’s a great leader and always shows up when needed. 

[Enforceror]

I think for once we're all mostly in agreement. 

Imagine that.