Article: The Minnesota Wild Are Still Riding the Clutch

[Tom Schreier]

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[0 Stanley Cups]

Hynes also prioritized Jon Merrill (still unsigned) over Buium during last years playoff series and Hunt earlier in the season prior to CBJ trade.

[Scalptrash]

Hard to believe Bogosian was a third overall pick.

[Imyourhuckleberry]

Quote

He created cap hell since buying out Zach Parise and Ryan Suter in 2021, but they have access to most of their cap space this season

While I don't disagree with much of the article, this gets miscommunicated far too frequently, so I have to disagree with Guerin creating cap hell.

Parise and Suter were signed through June of 2025 for $7,538,462 per season. Guerin was not around the Wild in 2012 when those contracts were signed.

Guerin could have handled the situation differently, but the cap difference he created was less than $1.7M for this season and the next 3 season. He created some cap space for the prior 4 years, part of which was used to replace Suter and Parise, but Guerin did not create cap hell in my eyes.

While there might be some folks who wanted Suter and Parise to play out their contracts with the Wild through last season and not have the cap hits for the next 3 years after this, I don't know if the $1.667M cap hit Guerin created meets the description of "cap hell".

[Patrick]

KK has been nearly invisible and playing with zero urgency the past three games...if he doesn't perform like a top 10 player (which he has done one year in his career) we are cooked.

[Burnt Toast]

Riding the clutch, and I’d like to add missing a few teeth on the flywheel. This team is Out of Sync. I hope it’s not an everybody got older real quick thing because the new players are going to need time to develop. Boldy looks fantastic, goal tending is excellent so there’s some positives. Hopefully the team looks better during this six game homestretch. 

[Pewterschmidt]

8 hours ago, Burnt Toast said:

goal tending is excellent so there’s some positive

This and getting to watch our prospects get nhl toi are the reasons to watch this season of “Wild Journeyman Core Goes Sideways, Proving Why They’re Journeyman”

Still need two legit top 6 players bill.   Rejected by: Laine, and the Brock’s?  You’re batting 0.0000% you stupid fuck   Time to berate an intern to try get your head in the game

 

[MNCountryLife]

54 minutes ago, Pewterschmidt said:

This and getting to watch our prospects get nhl toi are the reasons to watch this season of “Wild Journeyman Core Goes Sideways, Proving Why They’re Journeyman”

Still need two legit top 6 players bill.   Rejected by: Laine, and the Brock’s?  You’re batting 0.0000% you stupid fuck   Time to berate an intern to try get your head in the game

Yes, exactly what you said.  This team has a chance with the young guys... not the old or journeymen.  This is why Ogz should be up and Nojo should be down.  It's why Haight should be up and Vinnie should be sitting.   I thought Haight played well enough to hold the spot.

I also agree with you on the 2 top 6 players.  We have no second line.  Nojo and Senko will have a shift or two of acceptable 2nd line play... but they play with no heart and no grit. (just like you stated in an earlier post).  Complete opposite of Ek.  I felt bad for him playing with those guys.  BG wants a team with Grit.. then play the guys with grit... sit the ones without it.  You can't have it both ways.

Edited October 23 by MNCountryLife

[Burnt Toast]

51 minutes ago, MNCountryLife said:

This team has a chance with the young guys... not the old or journeymen.

New Jersey exposed and exploited the Wild’s weaknesses. They are a fast skilled team. The Wild will need to come up with a better game plan to compete with these better teams. Montreal has some excellent fast, skilled younger players, We need a game plan the players will buy into to have a chance. If the skilled teams are outworking the Wild it’s not going to look pretty. 

[MNCountryLife]

12 minutes ago, Burnt Toast said:

New Jersey exposed and exploited the Wild’s weaknesses. They are a fast skilled team. The Wild will need to come up with a better game plan to compete with these better teams. Montreal has some excellent fast, skilled younger players, We need a game plan the players will buy into to have a chance. If the skilled teams are outworking the Wild it’s not going to look pretty. 

I stated in my last comment that the team needs to move on from the old and/or journeymen.  That really isn't correct though.  Spurgeon is 37 and he is not the reason we are losing games.  Lumping all the players into a category based on age or journeyman isn't really accurate for me to say.  Yet you are correct... New Jersey took it to us.

We need to have 2 scoring lines.  If you don't the opposing teams can put their checking line on your one scoring line and shut you down.

*** Wild only have 1 scoring line.

Nojo and Senko are not acceptable 2nd line players.  Period.  To replace them we either need to sign 2 top 6 players (that is harder than it sounds... as Pewterschmidt stated ... we got ignored by the Brocks)  So the only other way is through the draft.  Which means you have to trust the young guys.  The best 2nd line I come up with is Ogz, Ek Yurov... Ogz and Yurov have a good history of scoring and Ek ... is Ek.  The line may not be a scoring line yet.  But it has the pedigree.. just needs the games.

[hydguy75]

1 hour ago, MNCountryLife said:

*** Wild only have 1 scoring line.

 

Only 8 games in, but the results thus far are not good.  We are pacing for -20GF / +40 GA versus last season. Even with a 2nd scoring line, it's playing par, and maybe gets us another 1 rounder.  Only 9 (just under half) of our goals are even strength.  This team needs some offense.  Now.  Before the core gasses out and the injuries and penalties pile up.  

[Willy the poor boy]

1 hour ago, hydguy75 said:

Only 8 games in, but the results thus far are not good.  We are pacing for -20GF / +40 GA versus last season. Even with a 2nd scoring line, it's playing par, and maybe gets us another 1 rounder.  Only 9 (just under half) of our goals are even strength.  This team needs some offense.  Now.  Before the core gasses out and the injuries and penalties pile up.  

It's crazy cause they started the season like scoring wasn't going to be a problem...

[Dis-allowed display name]

5 hours ago, MNCountryLife said:

  This is why Ogz should be up and Nojo should be down. 

I was pissed when we re-sign him.  I got clobbered for it.  "But, but, but, he is such a BARGAIN!"   

He will continue to give you next to nothing as long as you keep him.  Cut bait and move the f**k on.

[MNCountryLife]

1 minute ago, Dis-allowed display name said:

I was pissed when we re-sign him.  I got clobbered for it.  "But, but, but, he is such a BARGAIN!"   

He will continue to give you next to nothing as long as you keep him.  Cut bait and move the f**k on.

I have to admit.  I didn't mind the signing.  I figured he would be the 13th or 14th forward on the roster at that value.  I would never have guessed that he would play the first 8 games on the 2nd line and kicking others out of the lineup.  I was wrong.  

[Need4speed99]

On 10/22/2025 at 3:09 PM, Imyourhuckleberry said:

While I don't disagree with much of the article, this gets miscommunicated far too frequently, so I have to disagree with Guerin creating cap hell.

Parise and Suter were signed through June of 2025 for $7,538,462 per season. Guerin was not around the Wild in 2012 when those contracts were signed.

Guerin could have handled the situation differently, but the cap difference he created was less than $1.7M for this season and the next 3 season. He created some cap space for the prior 4 years, part of which was used to replace Suter and Parise, but Guerin did not create cap hell in my eyes.

While there might be some folks who wanted Suter and Parise to play out their contracts with the Wild through last season and not have the cap hits for the next 3 years after this, I don't know if the $1.667M cap hit Guerin created meets the description of "cap hell".

Except guerin has put them into one of his own by over paying and longer than necessary term for aging vets.

I suspect in year 5 of the kap deal that will start looking really bad as well. 

I just hope when this year wields the same result that Billy finds himself looking for a new job.

[Need4speed99]

8 hours ago, Pewterschmidt said:

 

Still need two legit top 6 players bill.   Rejected by: Laine, and the Brock’s?  You’re batting 0.0000% you stupid fuck   Time to berate an intern to try get your head in the game

 

Not gonna lie, I laughed way too hard at this. Thanks man!

[MNCountryLife]

43 minutes ago, Need4speed99 said:

Except guerin has put them into one of his own by over paying and longer than necessary term for aging vets.

I suspect in year 5 of the kap deal that will start looking really bad as well. 

I just hope when this year wields the same result that Billy finds himself looking for a new job.

If Kirill ages like Ovechkin the contract will look great.  If he ages like Senko it will be horrifying.... and it could be anywhere in that spectrum.

As much as Kirill seems to want to win I'm a bit surprised that he priced himself so high as to make it harder for the team to build around him.  We still have cap space... but it will get used quickly if we bring in talent or have to start paying the younger guys more.

[Burnt Toast]

1 hour ago, Need4speed99 said:

I just hope when this year wields the same result that Billy finds himself looking for a new job.

Actually if the Wild make the playoffs and get bounced in the first round he’s golden. Whether it’s Chuck “the arrow” Fletcher, Fenton Harbor or The New Kid Bee Gee OCL remains the only common thread holding the bag for whatever Wild Legacy he leaves behind. OCL has his yearly mandates. Just as a casual observer I’d say he’s into selling out the GCA and making the playoffs. Real change starts at the top. BG will be gone by 2027 if this 5 year plan thing bombs. They still have a shot but I’d say it’s not looking great. 

[Up North Guy]

Gotta admit, as an old guy, I had to laugh that you felt the need to explain how a clutch is used and abused. (and what a clutch is).

[mnfaninnc]

Tom's conclusion is solid

Quote

Hopefully, they have accumulated enough young talent that they can trust, because it’s time to look to the future. Eventually, they’ll have to prioritize young players like David Jiricek over Bogosian; Danila Yurov and Liam Ohgren over Johansson. To truly contend, they have to stop riding the clutch and step on the gas. They’ve got to transform from an F-150 to a Ferrari.

Bill Guerin has embraced the transition, however, coach Hynes has not. They need to talk, and Guerin needs to drop the hammer and demand Hynes plays the kids.

On 10/22/2025 at 11:21 PM, Burnt Toast said:

Riding the clutch, and I’d like to add missing a few teeth on the flywheel. This team is Out of Sync. I hope it’s not an everybody got older real quick thing because the new players are going to need time to develop. Boldy looks fantastic, goal tending is excellent so there’s some positives. Hopefully the team looks better during this six game homestretch. 

BT is also noticing some other problems. I think some of this comes with the newness. If some of the team isn't up to speed, the whole thing looks lousy. It's very true that some of the kids are not up to speed, but the only way they get there is to get TOI and excellent coaching when they make mistakes.

Hynes is trying to limit the mistakes, this is the wrong approach. Know that the mistakes will be made, coach it out of them, and believe they can overcome the mistakes. I would suggest that some of the kids, maybe OgZ in particular grew afraid to make a mistake and, therefore, pulled back on his freedom to play, which got him sent down. Loosen up Heinzy, teach them, they need it!

On 10/23/2025 at 10:01 AM, Burnt Toast said:

New Jersey exposed and exploited the Wild’s weaknesses. They are a fast skilled team. The Wild will need to come up with a better game plan to compete with these better teams. Montreal has some excellent fast, skilled younger players, We need a game plan the players will buy into to have a chance. If the skilled teams are outworking the Wild it’s not going to look pretty. 

And herein lies the conundrum. The way to beat the fast skilled team is with size and take the body hard. The Wild did not do this against NJ, instead constantly doing flybys, and saving the body for the playoffs. 

Note to the Wild- There will be no playoffs if you don't punish these teams and slow them down. You might as well make the 3rd jersey bright orange because you look like orange cones out there. 

On 10/23/2025 at 10:40 AM, MNCountryLife said:

The best 2nd line I come up with is Ogz, Ek Yurov... Ogz and Yurov have a good history of scoring and Ek ... is Ek.  The line may not be a scoring line yet.  But it has the pedigree.. just needs the games.

If you did this, you could then come back with a 3rd line of Foligno-Hartman-Trenin, which would be a real pain to play against. 4th line = spare parts.

21 hours ago, MNCountryLife said:

I have to admit.  I didn't mind the signing.  I figured he would be the 13th or 14th forward on the roster at that value.  I would never have guessed that he would play the first 8 games on the 2nd line and kicking others out of the lineup.  I was wrong.  

This may just be because Zuccy is hurt. Perhaps Johansson is the 13th forward pressed into service due to injury?

 

[Need4speed99]

On 10/23/2025 at 4:42 PM, MNCountryLife said:

If Kirill ages like Ovechkin the contract will look great.  If he ages like Senko it will be horrifying.... and it could be anywhere in that spectrum.

As much as Kirill seems to want to win I'm a bit surprised that he priced himself so high as to make it harder for the team to build around him.  We still have cap space... but it will get used quickly if we bring in talent or have to start paying the younger guys more.

Realistically, its more likely he ages like  Heatley, Vanek or any of the numerous others that fell off with age rather than ovechkin or jagr. Not at all being a dick but most athletes fall off a steep cliff after 32.

Honest question,can they restructure deals and cap hits in hockey like they do in football?

[Need4speed99]

On 10/23/2025 at 5:15 PM, Burnt Toast said:

Actually if the Wild make the playoffs and get bounced in the first round he’s golden. Whether it’s Chuck “the arrow” Fletcher, Fenton Harbor or The New Kid Bee Gee OCL remains the only common thread holding the bag for whatever Wild Legacy he leaves behind. OCL has his yearly mandates. Just as a casual observer I’d say he’s into selling out the GCA and making the playoffs. Real change starts at the top. BG will be gone by 2027 if this 5 year plan thing bombs. They still have a shot but I’d say it’s not looking great. 

Completely agree and been saying that for the last several years. Too bad there is no way to fire an owner, short of people not showing up to force them out but in the state of hockey that will never happen and Liepold knows as long as there is a chance(just making the playoffs) the fans will support.

[MNCountryLife]

6 hours ago, Need4speed99 said:

Honest question,can they restructure deals and cap hits in hockey like they do in football?

I am not sure how flexible it is?   May depend on the writing of the contract.   I honestly don't know