Article: Sitting Nyquist Would Have Sent a Message to Future Wild Teams

[Justin Wiggins]

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[IllicitFive]

I mean, I get where the writer is coming from but there is a term used in hockey of "gripping the sticks too tight". Usually this is when they are forcing things too much or too in their head instead of just playing. I'd worry sitting someone for being offsides would send a message to the team of "any mistake you might sit". I bet you'd see some good, creative, free flowing hockey that way, yes this is sarcasm. Guys make mistakes, the timing of that one was just extremely unfortunate. One could argue don't let yourself get into a position where one call or missed call dictates a whole series. I'm more forgive and learn from mistakes instead of corporal punishment. To be fair, I'd have sat him for many other reasons, just not that one. 

Edited Saturday at 07:17 PM by IllicitFive

[Sam]

But Nyquist is a vet with nearly 15 years of experience. Surely Hynes and Billy Boy wouldn’t sit him.

Edited Saturday at 07:24 PM by Sam

[Patrick]

Yet another example of the maddening inconsistency from the Wild organization.

Young players are benched or demoted (Rossi, Buiem) for mental errors that they don't commit while veterans (Merrill, Nyquist) actually commit game losing errors and get defended.

Its no wonder we cant advance.

[Up North Guy]

I disagree with this article. Yes, Nyquist should have been benched. But the time for that was well before game six. He was a passenger the whole time he was back with the Wild this time. I would have benched him after game two when it was obvious that he wasn't going to provide any offense.

[Beast]

The real question is why the hell did we trade a second round pick to bring him in?

[greg]

What a terrible trade that was for the Wild.  Fact is we all know that if a rookie or a very young player had made that mistake he would have been benched.  It happened several times this year.  Total double standard.  Sure sends a wrong message to your young players.  And why does Hynes get a mulligan all the time.  He did a very poor job of coaching in the playoffs.  His career playoff record shows it as well.  We need a coach and GM that are seriously committed to providing a real Stanley cup contender.  Maybe the Stanley cup champions.  Honestly, don't the long suffering fans in "the state of hockey" deserve it?

[Citizen Strife]

Here's that time again (probably daily til new actually breaks around the draft): Marco Rossi Clickbait Bullshit time.  https://www.nhltraderumor.com/marco-rossi-penguins-trade-rumors/

Rossi for a Pittsburgh first, Rust, or Rakell.  It's probably the most decent option proposed yet.  I can't say I'd be thrilled with Rust or Rakell, but they have term for less AAV than Rossi would get.  They'd pretty much replace Zucc on the top 6 in terms of production (60-70 pt range).  Given Zuccarello, Nyquist, and others are options.  The question is whether or not either of those two are products of Crosby and Malkin, or suitable producers on their own.

Getting a first instead of those just screams "we never wanted Rossi in the first place, we're reloading darts."

[Amaddeo]

I agree with the sentiment of the article. Nyquist gave nothing since he returned to the Wild. Maybe he shouldn’t have even been in the starting lineup based on his play. At the very least, a few games into the series he should have been swapped out.  It is what it is. Depth needs to improve in order for this team to have a chance to contend with the big dogs

[WildWest Fan]

I'm going back to the first paragraph of the article about some losses more tough to move on from than others. Why?

Until the Wild got Kaprizov and Eriksson Ek back they didn't even look worthy of the playoffs. Their early season success was a surprise, to me at least. I expected them to squeak into the playoffs and exit early this season and would not have been as disappointed in them missing the playoffs as I usually am because they have a lot of young, learning talent and eyes have been on next season for years now, although getting more playoff experience is probably always a good thing. Entering the series, I was expecting no more than a pity win in game 4, so their fight up against LV was very heartening to me. Yes, I was hopeful that they would take the series, especially after the two wins, and yes I was disappointed that they lost. But I am still excited for next year.

[ArizonaWildFan]

22 hours ago, Beast said:

The real question is why the hell did we trade a second round pick to bring him in?

Guerin's problem is that he won't admit his mistakes either verbally or in not forcing his head coach to put his mistakes in the lineup. How bad does the Nyquist acquisition look if he's sitting in the press box? Same with Brazeau.

I think Hynes is a good coach but Guerin ties his hands behind his back with the players that he provides and forces Hynes to play. Both BG and JH may say Rossi deserved to be on the fourth line in the playoffs and Hynes spun the move by saying he wanted to inject scoring into that line. It rings hollow when you say you are trying to get fourth line scoring when you are not getting second and third line scoring. Don't pee on our legs and tell us it's raining... again!

[hydguy75]

WTH would send a message by sitting an aged TDL rental?  What game do you sit him, because he really move any needle to know?  If the Wild were the team they were supposed to be before TDL, or the team they are supposed to be come playoffs, Nyquil isn't even on the roster.   You cannot blame the Wild failure to dominate a series on $1.05M rental C. 

I blame this failure on the the management.  GMBG has some cups, and all of his picks, coaches, admin support, etc are supposedly to bring the cup here, to the State of Hockey.  The failure is on his GMBG.  Doesn't matter the bad luck injuries, winners find a way to win.  

[Pewterschmidt]

Disclaimer: I am not defending Nyquist or his ghost impression while he was here.

Replacing his spot in the lineup with, say, Liam Ohgren couldn’t have possibly been a step down in production, right? It’s hard to imagine any of the Wild’s reserve forwards providing less to the lineup than what Nyquist showed.

The reality is that Nyquist could be trusted defensively as an NHL veteran, while Ogz (cough Rossi cough) was a defensive liability.  The margin for error in playoffs is so razor thin that Hynzy would rather play an offensively invisible NHL veteran than throw Ogz into the fire.  And Ogz proved he wasn't ready for regular season NHL hockey.  It would have been talent mismanagement to put him into the playoff lineup.

[Pewterschmidt]

19 hours ago, ArizonaWildFan said:

How bad does the Nyquist acquisition look if he's sitting in the press box? Same with Brazeau.

It may be too soon but at some point we need to have a WTF? Brazzeau conversation.  Again, do our scouts watch game film before acquiring a player.  This guy is the gentlest giant in the league.  He did nothing to add to the lineup.  And he makes Reavo's speed look like Barzel. 

[Scalptrash]

Billy's ego, pure and simple, is why he wasn't benched or demoted. He was hoping and praying that Nyquist would get lucky and prove him right. Trading a 2nd for a washed up, under performing, old vet was maybe the worst move Billy has ever made (but very typical). Nyquist was worth maybe a 5th, based on his play this season. They got him for a 4th last time, when he was younger and actually contributed. Someone in the Preds org has dirt on Billy, it's the ONLY explanation. The Wild can't get rid of Nyquist fast enough in hopes of the fans and media forgetting all about what a complete disaster this was. The trade never should have been made, not only in hindsight, but financially. They didn't have enough cap space to breathe and then you trade a pick for a salary, further handcuffing their options for the rest of the season.

Compare Billy to any other semi-successful GM in the NHL, he is completely out of his league and pretty much a moron. Can't be gone soon enough. Hynes too, his proxy head coach.