Article: Macklin Celebrini Embarrasses Wild in 2-1 Loss

[Thomas Williams]

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[Pewterschmidt]

2nd game in a row with a 0-0-0 stat line for Rossi playing 1C with 97.  This game ended in a one goal loss where it's fair to expect Rossi to step up and make a play.  There were stretches last night I wasn't sure he was in the lineup.  While Rossi is not the problem with this group, these 0's playing 1C are what the non-rossi-apologist's see when this team is sliding sideways and looking for a player to step up.

Hunt is a silver lining in this cloudy season.  Jiri can now be labelled a "project".  Nice work Guerin.

Are we still complaining about Ogz getting an 'opportunity', why is Ben Jones playing? Or are we ready to come to grips with how dire this lineup really is and what the rest of the season is going to look like?

[OldDutchChip]

9 minutes ago, Pewterschmidt said:

2nd game in a row with a 0-0-0 stat line for Rossi playing 1C with 97.  This game ended in a one goal loss where it's fair to expect Rossi to step up and make a play.  There were stretches last night I wasn't sure he was in the lineup.  While Rossi is not the problem with this group, these 0's playing 1C are what the non-rossi-apologist's see when this team is sliding sideways and looking for a player to step up.

Hunt is a silver lining in this cloudy season.  Jiri can now be labelled a "project".  Nice work Guerin.

Are we still complaining about Ogz getting an 'opportunity', why is Ben Jones playing? Or are we ready to come to grips with how dire this lineup really is and what the rest of the season is going to look like?

time to send Jiri to IA, his play is horrendous. skoula was better. barker was better. kuba was better. argh

maybe rotate Harty in for Rossi? One line needs grit and the other playmaking. it could help both lines. someone besides Johy and Boldy needs to score....

 

[Citizen Strife]

If the team gets 2-4 points from Anaheim or Vegas, no one's going to remember this.  I'm encouraged by the team not letting in the 3, 4, 5 goals like they seemingly did EVERY game.  That gets points more often than not, because this team is not going to run and gun.  Keep other teams to 2-3, they can win those.

Edited 6 hours ago by Citizen Strife

[Imyourhuckleberry]

6 minutes ago, Citizen Strife said:

I'm encouraged by the team not letting in the 3, 4, 5 goals like they seemingly did EVERY game.  That gets points more often than not, because this team is not going to run and gun.  Keep other teams to 2-3, they can win those.

It will certainly help if the Wild can score more than 1 goal. I could only watch the NHL.com highlights. It looked there like the Wild were very close to adding at least 1 more, but that Askarov was on top of his game.

Buium hit the pipe. Kaprizov had a shot from the middle between the dots and Askaroz was able to get a pad on it. Kaprizov often gets that elevated more to hit the top half of the goal, but not quite high enough on that one.

The Wild only allowing 1 goal in regulation is certainly a much better result than the 5 allowed on 10/26 in regulation, along with the OT goal against.

[Will D. Ness]

55 minutes ago, OldDutchChip said:

skoula was better

Ouch.  

I think it's clear that our prospect pool isn't what it has been hyped up to be.  Jiricek has a long way to go.  He isn't a lost cause... same with Ogz... but neither are going to become NHL game changers soon if ever.  Zeev has massive upside but he needs a season or two as well.

Silver lining for me is Yurov.  He might be better than Rossi by the end of the season.  Wally looking good too. 

[Pewterschmidt]

24 minutes ago, Will D. Ness said:

Silver lining for me is Yurov.  He might be better than Rossi by the end of the season.

Great point. while yurov has been pedestrian he’s not looking out of place either.  He’s proven in khl time that he got the offense in him.  This season could look very different in rear view mirror if yurov is consistently scoring in second half.  

[Imyourhuckleberry]

Quote

Zeev Buium moved back to the top power play unit during this game, replacing captain Jared Spurgeon. However, Buium has yet to see reps during three-on-three overtime. It’ll be interesting to see whether that changes. -- The Athletic

I feel like this is going to change before 2026 arrives. Buium's skating and offensive skills with that much open ice is bound to deliver some success down the road. He seems like he could be ideal for that environment.

The Wild are currently 1-4 in games decided during the OT session.

Wallstedt got a shootout win in the only game that went beyond OT so far.

[FredJohnson]

2 hours ago, Pewterschmidt said:

Are we still complaining about Ogz getting an 'opportunity', why is Ben Jones playing? Or are we ready to come to grips with how dire this lineup really is and what the rest of the season is going to look like?

May as well give the young-ins a shot. But OCL wants home playoff game revenue.

[hydguy75]

1 hour ago, Imyourhuckleberry said:

Askarov was on top of his game.

I was at the game, and this statement is most accurate.  If the horseshoe fell out of his ass anytime during the game, the Wild would have stacked up 3 or 4 goals at least.  

Boldy and the Russians everywhere last night.  I swear Boldy looked like he would have ratcheted 15 SOG. 

The main issue I noticed with the Wild is even on the PP, they get trapped in their own zone by 2 guys on the blue line.  More than a few times.  It was embarrassing to witness.  Their passing game was atrocious, zero flow, and seemed like they were always in reaction mode, rarely setting up a play. 

Wild are playing flat, only a few players looked like they had intensity.  Spurgy might be a locker room guy, but the Wild need a C on the ice, not someone invisible.  

[SkolWild73]

2 hours ago, Pewterschmidt said:

2nd game in a row with a 0-0-0 stat line for Rossi playing 1C with 97.  This game ended in a one goal loss where it's fair to expect Rossi to step up and make a play.  There were stretches last night I wasn't sure he was in the lineup.  While Rossi is not the problem with this group, these 0's playing 1C are what the non-rossi-apologist's see when this team is sliding sideways and looking for a player to step up

I am assuming by 0-0-0 and you are talking about goals, assist and points? 

What I think the problem that a lot of us have, is that many people that are "non-Rossi-apologists" are quick to point out when Rossi doesn't score.  But where were the posts when Boldy had the same stat line in back-to-back games in losses to Utah and San Jose back in October?  Or how about when Kap did the same thing in back-to-back losses to Washington and Philadelphia back in October?

 

 

 

[Pewterschmidt]

9 minutes ago, SkolWild73 said:

I am assuming by 0-0-0 and you are talking about goals, assist and points? 

What I think the problem that a lot of us have, is that many people that are "non-Rossi-apologists" are quick to point out when Rossi doesn't score.  But where were the posts when Boldy had the same stat line in back-to-back games in losses to Utah and San Jose back in October?  Or how about when Kap did the same thing in back-to-back losses to Washington and Philadelphia back in October?

 

 

 

I’m not sure I follow

 and comparing Rossi to Boldy and 97 are apples and oranges.  97 & 12 have nothing to prove re their ability to drive offense.  Rossi still has to prove that he can drive offense. That’s what I want to track going forward

Edited 4 hours ago by Pewterschmidt

[hockey_fan_87]

It looked to me that the entire first line (Rossi line) took the night off.  It was a home game, and we had the ability to get the matches that the coaching staff desired, and yet they never took advantage of that to create a mismatch with the highest paid player in the NHL.  Our 4th line was much more noticeable in a "good" way than the 1st line was.  If Kaprizov is not fighting illness or injury, than he was just dis-engaged.

[Scalptrash]

Quote

Spurgy might be a locker room guy, but the Wild need a C on the ice, not someone invisible.  

Worst choice in the history of the NHL. A small, quiet, shy, defenseman should not be the leader of men. He's a great player, but not a leader.

[SkolWild73]

2 hours ago, Pewterschmidt said:

I’m not sure I follow

 and comparing Rossi to Boldy and 97 are apples and oranges.  97 & 12 have nothing to prove re their ability to drive offense.  Rossi still has to prove that he can drive offense. That’s what I want to track going forward

So, Rossi goes back-to-back games with a 0-0-0 stat line, and we get three points, and it is worth mentioning, but Boldy and Kap do the same thing in back-to-back games, and we get one point, and it is not worth mentioning because they have proven themselves?    If it was 5 or 6 games, sure, but two games?  Come on.  Looks more like just needing to find something else to complain about Rossi about.

Also, since Boldy and Kap are better players than Rossi, and it happens to them, shouldn't it then be expected that it would happen to Rossi too?  

 

[Pewterschmidt]

35 minutes ago, SkolWild73 said:

If it was 5 or 6 games, sure, but two games?  Come on.  Looks more like just needing to find something else to complain about Rossi about.

Also, since Boldy and Kap are better players than Rossi, and it happens to them, shouldn't it then be expected that it would happen to Rossi too?  

I'm not attacking Rossi.  No one should take it personal that Rossi is being critiqued.  I do want to begin tracking his performance and quantifying w/game stats (not just vibes) what Rossi's performance is night to night. If he goes on another 25 game skid like he did last season we can begin discussing it at the 10 game mark of the skid (if it happens again).  I know he was hurt, even though he said he was not hurt.

Again, comparing him to 97 or Boldy is an apple's to oranges comparison.  Rossi is not that caliber of player and it's not reasonable to hold him to their standard.  By quantifying/tracking his box score's night to night I hope to shed light on whether or not he's becoming the same caliber player as those two.

Disclosure: the eye test for me is that while Rossi is a 60 pt player when playing with the right linemates, he's closer to Nojo when not consistently playing w/o 97.

[Pewterschmidt]

20 minutes ago, Pewterschmidt said:

I'm not attacking Rossi.  No one should take it personal that Rossi is being critiqued.  I do want to begin tracking his performance and quantifying w/game stats (not just vibes) what Rossi's performance is night to night. If he goes on another 25 game skid like he did last season we can begin discussing it at the 10 game mark of the skid (if it happens again).  I know he was hurt, even though he said he was not hurt.

Again, comparing him to 97 or Boldy is an apple's to oranges comparison.  Rossi is not that caliber of player and it's not reasonable to hold him to their standard.  By quantifying/tracking his box score's night to night I hope to shed light on whether or not he's becoming the same caliber player as those two.

Disclosure: the eye test for me is that while Rossi is a 60 pt player when playing with the right linemates, he's closer to Nojo when not consistently playing w/o 97.

If Rossi belongs on that short list of players who crash back to earth w/o 97 (Zuc, Hartman, NoJo) then we can stop feeling sorry for him and realize he’s a beneficiary.  If he proves he doesn’t belong on that list and proves it to the league his market value skyrockets

Edited 1 hour ago by Pewterschmidt

[Imyourhuckleberry]

Macklin Celebrini will be a top 5 player making over $20M per season at some point in his career. He and Will Smith are going to be phenomenal together.

Also kind of wish the Wild would have traded out some talent and lost for a couple of seasons before putting things back together because talent like the Sharks have now often creates contenders.

Not saying they are contenders now, but they could be heading in that direction, especially a few years down the road.