Article: Will Nico Sturm's Faceoffs Be A Game-Changer For the Wild?

[Tony Abbott]

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[MNCountryLife]

Every little positive helps.   I do like Sturm's speed and ability to contribute once in a while on the 4th line. 

[Outskated]

Look, Sturm is a 4th line player, he's not much to get excited about! But, he should provide some jam to that line, a guy you can throw out for a crucial face-off at critical times, and hopefully be good killing penalties.  Overall I think its an upgrade over what we've had in that spot the last 3 years.  

[1Brotherbill]

I don't think Nico Sturm is going to win a draw in game seven of the Stanley Cup to set up Kirill for an open shot to win the game.  

However, I do think that Nico can teach the rest of the Wild faceoff guys a few things that might improve the percentage a few points.  In a season ten to twenty more draw wins might be the difference of making the playoffs as a Wild Card and making the playoffs as a home team.  

[Scalptrash]

Quote

the Sharks were one of the worst teams in the NHL when Sturm was winning 60% of his draws

This. Teams weren't really getting up to play hard against the Sharks. We'll see how he fares against central teams competing for points. Hopefully he can stay above 50%, but if his penalty kill and playoff percentages are an indication, against better talent and when it matters, he may be much worse.

[Pewterschmidt]

Love me some Sturm-a-lurm-a-ding-dong but when a fringe NHL journeyman on his second tour with the Wild becomes the off-season addition who's FO% and PK skills are what will change the trajectory of this one-and-done bunch of old's, then you know it's another rinse repeat year for the bill Guerin Wild.

bill is all-in on Judd's pick's now.  Nothing else to see here.

Prediction: if this season goes sideways/trends down, Judd get's fired during the season as a distraction and to make fans feel like bill is paying attention and doing something.  Hey Zeev, Jiri, Wall-E and Yurov, no pressure.

[goenzoy]

Any improvement is a positive 

Faceoff are also a important part of the game when used correctly 

Sturm will be measured by his PK performance 

[mnfaninnc]

I think we should take a look at the Sturm addition comparatively. Let's compare Sturm, to, well Sturm and those who have been in his spot since. 

I do remember a statistic in Sturm's final year about how stingy a 4th line they were, not being scored against in 5 on 5 for a long part to start the season. At the time, we also had the 3rd line of Foligno-Ek-Greenway, and that was a beast of a line. 

This was followed by the Deweys and Shaw, and then followed by Grape Knuts and the wingman. Both of these 4th lines provided little in offensive help, though watching Duhaime was entertaining. We went with small and speed in the middle of these lines and it never had the defensive affect, or really the offensive effect that Sturm's lines had.

It's not just his faceoff wins that set him apart, we have missed him in the lineup ever since he left. It's his speed/size ratio. It's his ability to punish defenders in the offensive zone. It's his ability to defend well. We may not think much of his linemates in Trenin and Johansson, but they are tested NHLers, not AHL graduates on their first gig. 

So, yes I think there will be a difference. A good difference. It's not needle changing, but it will help. I think you'll get more of an offensive chip in with Sturm's line. Also, it should be mentioned that he was playing 3rd line minutes in San Jose. Sturm is a solid pickup for $1m. But that's just it, it's only $1m.

[Up North Guy]

6 minutes ago, mnfaninnc said:

I think we should take a look at the Sturm addition comparatively. Let's compare Sturm, to, well Sturm and those who have been in his spot since. 

I do remember a statistic in Sturm's final year about how stingy a 4th line they were, not being scored against in 5 on 5 for a long part to start the season. At the time, we also had the 3rd line of Foligno-Ek-Greenway, and that was a beast of a line. 

This was followed by the Deweys and Shaw, and then followed by Grape Knuts and the wingman. Both of these 4th lines provided little in offensive help, though watching Duhaime was entertaining. We went with small and speed in the middle of these lines and it never had the defensive affect, or really the offensive effect that Sturm's lines had.

It's not just his faceoff wins that set him apart, we have missed him in the lineup ever since he left. It's his speed/size ratio. It's his ability to punish defenders in the offensive zone. It's his ability to defend well. We may not think much of his linemates in Trenin and Johansson, but they are tested NHLers, not AHL graduates on their first gig. 

So, yes I think there will be a difference. A good difference. It's not needle changing, but it will help. I think you'll get more of an offensive chip in with Sturm's line. Also, it should be mentioned that he was playing 3rd line minutes in San Jose. Sturm is a solid pickup for $1m. But that's just it, it's only $1m.

I just can't see NoJo on the 4th line. He was bad in the top six. He would be a disaster on the 4th line. If he has to be in the lineup I would guess 3rd line.

[mnfaninnc]

10 minutes ago, Up North Guy said:

I just can't see NoJo on the 4th line. He was bad in the top six. He would be a disaster on the 4th line. If he has to be in the lineup I would guess 3rd line.

I'm not so sure, here. If they can get possession and shovel the puck to Johansson, he can dance around with his speed on the perimeter, giving the straight liners time to rumble down the middle of the ice to get open just as he's circling the net. 2 outcomes then happen, a nice pass to one of them in the middle, or he eats the puck into the corner. I'd like to think that outcome #1 happens most of the time, but I am ready to see a solid meal of eating the puck in the corner! But, both of those trucks coming into the scrum can move some bodies. 

Johansson isn't little, he's listed at over 200 lbs. making that line pretty beefy. 

[Pewterschmidt]

22 minutes ago, mnfaninnc said:

or really the offensive effect that Sturm's lines had.

Hope springs eternal and so does revisionist history.  Sturm Nasty is just a more German Freddy G.  Not better, not worse just more German.  Not hating on Sturm-turd, just can't get behind the hype.  Bro is a......fine 4th line C.  Much like Fred was.  He couldn't beat out Fred a couple years ago, and now he's a cheaper free agent option that allows us to unload Fred's $2.5M contract mistake.

[Pewterschmidt]

7 minutes ago, mnfaninnc said:

n just as he's circling the net.

More revisionist history.  We all know Nojo's zone entry involves him stopping at the top of the circle on the wall, and then throwing the puck back to the blue line so no one make contact with him.  If he brings it into the zone behind the net a single time this season I'll brush Nordy's pelt.

[Enforceror]

38 minutes ago, mnfaninnc said:

2 outcomes then happen, a nice pass to one of them in the middle, or he eats the puck into the corner

Fixed it for ya:

2 outcomes then happen, a turnover as the defense pinches, or a turnover as he passes to the opposing team to avoid contact.

 

[mnfaninnc]

17 hours ago, Pewterschmidt said:

More revisionist history.  We all know Nojo's zone entry involves him stopping at the top of the circle on the wall, and then throwing the puck back to the blue line so no one make contact with him.  If he brings it into the zone behind the net a single time this season I'll brush Nordy's pelt.

Get that brush ready. He made several trips behind the net last season, it's not revisionist history. And the result? More often than not he ate the puck in the corner, sometimes making it up to the side boards. He did stop some on the side boards and tried to button hook, but it didn't look like a button hook. It looked more like he'd stop and then decide to play soccer with the puck, or merely drop it back to the non-existent teammate at the point. But, Johansson's favorite move is to skate into the zone and circle around the perimeter hoping for a pass. 

And, according to last season, looks like Johansson has found some stickem to keep the stick in his hands. That dropped stick thing was greatly reduced.