Article: The Wild Need Everything To Go Right To Contend Next Year

[Robert Brent]

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[Dango]

Well theres the possibility that a few teams messed up their chemistry a little bit at last years TDL  and other moves .  but then again does a team like the Preds refigure it out .   i think we will do better against some of the Goliaths and maybe struggle against some of the Sampsons   in the regular season .

[B1GKappa97]

For now, yes. 

By the TDL that might change. 

Fingers crossed! 

[Patrick]

For some reason MN Wild goalies consistently outperform the expectations of the advanced stats (except Dubnyk he was absolutely horrible but in the Suter, Parise, Russo buddy club so it was never mentioned).  For that reason I think we can expect Gus to repeat his performance.

IMO the Wild need another elite player to compliment KK.  Either by signing, trade or perhaps Boldy, Yurov, or Zeev step up.

Either way the team is close and its pretty exciting. 

[Imyourhuckleberry]

4 minutes ago, Patrick said:

For some reason MN Wild goalies consistently outperform the expectations of the advanced stats...  For that reason I think we can expect Gus to repeat his performance.

Except for in a season where Spurgeon missed a majority of the year and they had to rely on AHL callups rather than what Spurgeon delivered in all of those prior years where the goalies had better results.

I'm relatively confident the Wild will produce decent results when fully healthy, but if they have to replace more than Brodin for portions of the season due to injuries, the goalies could take a step back. And hopefully Brodin is good to go early in the year because he's also highly valuable.

[Dis-allowed display name]

The biggest thing for me is to avoid being devastated by injuries this season.  The last two have been brutal.

Throw in Buium, Yurov, and Taresenko giving more in contribution than the people they replace in the lineup and I could see us advancing one series at least.

Cup?  No way.

Edited July 15 by Dis-allowed display name

[hydguy75]

From my novice perspective, odds are that the Wild vets will be healthier and able to log more total games.  This not only relieves pressure on those expected to backfill top roles at high TOI marks, but also permits the greenhorns to gain traction and cover for their learning curves.  That developing core (Boldy, Fabes, Rossi?) would have potential to improve from last year for focusing on their role, and not playing out of so much desperation.  D should be relatively solid given this depth, G would expect similar results as last year.  

The Wild cards would be any of the team newcomers to put in solid time cutting their NHL/Wild teeth, and even if 1 becomes a quick breakout, or 2 of them perform above expectation, it will bolster some team confidence.  Missing Link would be a KK pairing, perhaps not found until mid-season or TDL. 

Overall, given what I'm seeing thus far, could see the Wild have a follow up year in the playoffs, maybe a deep run if the team gels and stays healthy.  But a cup would be another year or two out... need 2025-26 year to develop or attract those missing links.  Of course numerous variables, and still not factoring improved competition within the Central div. 

[mnfaninnc]

While we're talking far too early predictions, I see us vying for a WC spot. I think we'll be healthier with all the younger bodies munching some minutes. 

I think it will take time for this team to gel, and for the kids to take off their training wheels. After about 50 games, I see us making a real nice push. They might even steal a round in the playoffs. But-

We will need to win the close games. We will need to get to overtime and at least collect loser points. We will need trades to fall favorably for us with who's available. 

I do think we're going to have another season where Yurov and Buium contend for the Calder (like Faber and Rossi). I think The Wall will perform better than expected. I think we'll be both buyer and seller around the TDL, as we trade for a couple of guys we will want to extend. 

[1Brotherbill]

The team is built to win regular season games.  The depth is an issue and will be this season as well.  Once Ohgren, Wallstedt, Buium, and Yurov show up the prospects are not ready to join the NHL.  Lambos maybe but we don't know yet.  Hiedt we don't know.  So, as long as the team stays healthy the will win a lot of games.  Then when the playoffs start they will have the same issues.  When Hartman and Foglino become your best playoff players you have issues as an organization.  

[Scalptrash]

The young guys are the key. If they perform average or better, the Wild will make the playoffs. If they struggle and there is a lot of lineup changes all season, good luck. Every vet over 30 will probably miss some playing time and Kirill will too, it's just who he is now. They will still suffer a lot of injuries, but most teams do. If Rossi isn't on the team they will need a miracle to replace 60 points. Nobody gives him credit for helping the Wild make the playoffs last year. Take away 1-2 of his points, it's another loss and they don't make it.

[Pewterschmidt]

1 hour ago, Scalptrash said:

The young guys are the key. If they perform average or better, the Wild will make the playoffs. If they struggle and there is a lot of lineup changes all season, good luck. Every vet over 30 will probably miss some playing time and Kirill will too, it's just who he is now. They will still suffer a lot of injuries, but most teams do. If Rossi isn't on the team they will need a miracle to replace 60 points. Nobody gives him credit for helping the Wild make the playoffs last year. Take away 1-2 of his points, it's another loss and they don't make it.

The drop off from our old's (Foligno, Hartman, Zuc, Bogo, Spurge, Nojo) needs to be more than offset by production (not just passengers) from our young's (Yurov, Zeev, Jirizy, Ogz) + Tarasenko Re-birth for this team to be more than a sneak into playoffs for a first-round drubbing.  Anyone expecting more, based on this off-season (nothingburger) is a loyal Wild fanboy, but not a very astute hockey fan.

#hottakeWednesday

#PepperidgefarmremembersODC&Protec

Edited July 16 by Pewterschmidt

[Scalptrash]

15 hours ago, 1Brotherbill said:

When Hartman and Foglino become your best playoff players you have issues as an organization.  

But, but, but, Hartman is the Wilds' Sam Bennett. 🤣

[Pewterschmidt]

18 minutes ago, Scalptrash said:

But, but, but, Hartman is the Wilds' Sam Bennett. 🤣

I'm a Hartmann fan and i too thought this was a ridiculous statement

[Willy the poor boy]

2 hours ago, Scalptrash said:

The young guys are the key. If they perform average or better, the Wild will make the playoffs. If they struggle and there is a lot of lineup changes all season, good luck. Every vet over 30 will probably miss some playing time and Kirill will too, it's just who he is now. They will still suffer a lot of injuries, but most teams do. If Rossi isn't on the team they will need a miracle to replace 60 points. Nobody gives him credit for helping the Wild make the playoffs last year. Take away 1-2 of his points, it's another loss and they don't make it.

IMO, he's developed a reputation for coming through in the clutch. He had at least a few game winners and tie'er uppers last season alone. More trend then mirage. But we don't need that from short guys...

[SkolWild73]

The article makes some good points.  I want to start out by looking at injuries.  All teams have them, but last year it was who had them on our team.  Of our top 6 forwards, we had 100 missed games including half of the season to our best player and one of the best in the league, and of our top 4 D, we had 65 missed games.  Even if this number is cut in half, we should be in much better shape than last year.

Next, how will the new players perform?  On D, we need to replace what Merrill and Chisolm did, 4 goals and 14 assists as well as play better defense.  Yes, Buium and Jiricek are young, but I think if we do not see at least double the offensive production and at minimum the same defensive production, we would all be very disappointed, so that should be an upgrade.  On offense, Yurov, Ohgren, Sturm, Tarasenko and Nojo (assuming he will still play some) need to get us about 100 points to replace what we lost with Freddy, Nojo (not playing full time) and the other 4th liners.  That should not be too tall of a task.

I think the biggest question mark is the goaltending, but I am hopeful with a D that should be better, that Gus can have as good as a year this year as last, and that the Wall will have as good of a year as Fleury.  

Prediction, 105 points. 

[0 Stanley Cups]

With our roster, the Wild ALWAYS need everything to go right just to have a chance...😟 classic Minnesota

Edited July 16 by 0 Stanley Cups

[Fezig]

The Headline should read, "Every team needs everything to go right this year". That's generally how teams bring home the cup.