Article: How Long Can the Centers Hold For the Wild?

[Tony Abbott]

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[Dis-allowed display name]

I don't care if Yurov earned his chance to play with the top line or not because of injuries to other players, but I hope he gets a decent enough run to prove that he should not be on the fourth line.  I would like him to get a fair shot to prove he should be top six.  Let Ek be on the checking line.  The top six needs a little youth and speed.  He will still have some bumps in the road, but let him play some real minutes with skilled players instead of having to be a grinder.

[AKwildkraken]

I think it's important to mention we are also missing Sturm.  This team might actually be solid up the middle in depth as we are missing two or three of our starting centers.  We very well could have four centers who are capable of playing the 1C spot (Yurov still has more to prove, but looked capable last night).  With depth comes options for Hynes.  

If Trenin and BJ can hold strong at 3C and 4C, I think we can survive until the calvary returns.  

Oh yeah, solid goaltending is a must.

[FredJohnson]

We’re 10-11…I am skeptical.

[Willy the poor boy]

5 minutes ago, FredJohnson said:

We’re 10-11…I am skeptical.

Let me fill ya up. Yer glass is half empty...

[TCMooch]

I think we keep running with Yurov on the top line and see what he can do with the opportunity.

[mnfaninnc]

Running with Trenin at center scares me a bit. But, perhaps this is just until Sturm is ready? Hartman I've always thought is a wing who can play center. Shifting him out to wing isn't a big deal to me. But, if Yurov can be successful in a top line role, that makes our center depth look real. 

The perplexing thing to me is Jones up and not Haight or Bankier. To me, bringing in these guys for at least a cup of coffee and a donut would make sense. I realize that Hynes doesn't think we can spare any games, but Jones isn't all that experienced either. At the very least, even if it is 3 game stints, I would think that carrot before Haight's and Bankier's eyes would be huge and have them playing better when returned to the A. 

I thought Haight was solid during his 1st call up. Let's see if he's grown! The point is that Jonesy is not the future, but Haight and Bankier can be.

[0 Stanley Cups]

Via Russo w/PA on KFAN, Rossi has a broken foot

[MNCountryLife]

Eventually I would like to see Hartman and Trenin go back to wing.  Our centers should be Ek, Rossi, Yurov and Sturm when they all get healthy.  

Ben Jones has filled in admirably but just doesn't carry the skill to be more than a fill in upon injuries. (Similar to Pitlick).  

Kirill, Yurov, Zuc

Boldy, Rossi, Hartman

Foligno, Ek, Trenin

Vinnie, Sturm, Ohgren

[MNCountryLife]

Kirill, Yurov, Zuc

Boldy, Rossi, Hartman

Foligno, Ek, Trenin

Vinnie, Sturm, Ohgren

I sure like this lineup.  It gives you two strong lines that can check.  Ek and Sturm will add some skill to the bruisers and yet they are both still big guys that can be bruisers themselves.  Dependable 3rd and 4th lines that can roll out against anyone.

The top 2 lines are as creative as we get with this roster.  

[Up North Guy]

2 hours ago, mnfaninnc said:

Running with Trenin at center scares me a bit. But, perhaps this is just until Sturm is ready? Hartman I've always thought is a wing who can play center. Shifting him out to wing isn't a big deal to me. But, if Yurov can be successful in a top line role, that makes our center depth look real. 

The perplexing thing to me is Jones up and not Haight or Bankier. To me, bringing in these guys for at least a cup of coffee and a donut would make sense. I realize that Hynes doesn't think we can spare any games, but Jones isn't all that experienced either. At the very least, even if it is 3 game stints, I would think that carrot before Haight's and Bankier's eyes would be huge and have them playing better when returned to the A. 

I thought Haight was solid during his 1st call up. Let's see if he's grown! The point is that Jonesy is not the future, but Haight and Bankier can be.

per the Iowa Wild website Haight was recalled yesterday. Didn't play last night but is back with the big club at least.

[mnfaninnc]

1 hour ago, MNCountryLife said:

Kirill, Yurov, Zuc

Boldy, Rossi, Hartman

Foligno, Ek, Trenin

Vinnie, Sturm, Ohgren

I sure like this lineup.  It gives you two strong lines that can check.  Ek and Sturm will add some skill to the bruisers and yet they are both still big guys that can be bruisers themselves.  Dependable 3rd and 4th lines that can roll out against anyone.

The top 2 lines are as creative as we get with this roster.

I see Johansson and Tarasenko missing in this lineup. Was that on purpose? Are they eating pizza in the Prossbox? And, that would mean we are carrying 23 with 1 extra defender.

[MNCountryLife]

1 hour ago, mnfaninnc said:

I see Johansson and Tarasenko missing in this lineup. Was that on purpose? Are they eating pizza in the Prossbox? And, that would mean we are carrying 23 with 1 extra defender.

Yes, that was on purpose.  I hear the pizza in the Prossbox is pretty good.  Maybe they can get an IPA.  🍻

[MNCountryLife]

2 hours ago, mnfaninnc said:

we are carrying 23 with 1 extra defender

Wow.  We have 27 playes right now when you include IR.  We have 5 on IR right now.  If everyone was healthy... who would I drop?

I think Haight, Pitlick and Ben Jones go down.  I would leave Bogo on IR for now.  Hunt has played well.. although he had a much tougher time against the Canes.

As much as I dislike this next comment... .I keep Nojo in the Prossbox with a sign that says  Break Glass in case of Emergency Only.  He is cheap.  But he doesn't belong in the regular lineup.  Tarasenko needs to be traded away or sent down.  Someone would likely snag him off waivers.  I'm okay losing him for nothing.

3 down and 1 waived/lost and Bogo staying on IR.  That gets us to 22.  If Bogo gets reactivated we have room.  

[MNCountryLife]

2 hours ago, mnfaninnc said:

I see Johansson and Tarasenko missing in this lineup. Was that on purpose?

So I'm curious.  What would your lineup be?  If everyone was healthy who is/isn't on your roster?

[FredJohnson]

5 hours ago, mnfaninnc said:

Running with Trenin at center scares me a bit

Agreed. He really really keeps messing up on defense.

[mnfaninnc]

16 hours ago, MNCountryLife said:

So I'm curious.  What would your lineup be?  If everyone was healthy who is/isn't on your roster?

I think I like the lineup. Hinostroza and Johansson both have good speed, but I think Hinostroza works better on the 4th line. He looks like he's working hard, and I think that's what we want there. 

Tarasenko is hard. He waived his M-NTC to come here from a recommendation from Kaprizov. To waive him for any team to take seems like a breach of trust, to me. I don't think Guerin wants that type of reputation. There are 8 teams he can go to according to his clause. I would think that Guerin would call each of those 8 teams if he's going to move him. 

So, here's the dilemma, if all 8 teams say no, and you may only be looking for future considerations, then you've got to have a very frank conversation with Tarasenko that says, your 8 teams don't want you, and you're not fitting in here. What do you want to do? I don't know if he has family here or still in Russia, but a mutual severing of a contract might be the direction he'd like to go. Are we on the hook then for his cap number? I don't know. But he may opt to head to the K. 

If we are on the hook, I think we can bury enough for a young kid to take his roster spot. Or we run with 22. I think it'll be pretty hard to take Hunt out of the lineup based on the calming effect he's had. To me, Bogosian may need another opportunity elsewhere. 

If Yurov continues to be hot on the top line, do you leave him there? I think those top 3 centers get blended around. I do like Hartman out on the wing, though. 

Conclusion: I'm not suggesting a better lineup than you've got. It does keep the kids in the lineup. It might be Ohgren who is the odd man out, however, as he can go down to Iowa for free. I would want to be very careful with both Bogosian and Tarasenko and keep the reputation of if you're not a fit here, I will work hard to find you a good fit. I don't think those are impossible moves, as long as we're working with the player. That goodwill gets around the league, and can help take us off some NTC lists.

[Aimlessone]

16 hours ago, MNCountryLife said:

 

As much as I dislike this next comment... .I keep Nojo in the Prossbox with a sign that says  Break Glass in case of Emergency Only.  He is cheap.  But he doesn't belong in the regular lineup.  Tarasenko needs to be traded away or sent down.  Someone would likely snag him off waivers.  I'm okay losing him for nothing.

 

Really confused with this statement. Due to the below screenshot.

I know the history with Johansson has been...let's say, less than desirable. But he's hot now, third in points and +6. Sitting him would be a mistake.

Edited Friday at 03:53 PM by Aimlessone

[MNCountryLife]

1 hour ago, mnfaninnc said:

Conclusion: I'm not suggesting a better lineup than you've got. It does keep the kids in the lineup. It might be Ohgren who is the odd man out, however, as he can go down to Iowa for free. I would want to be very careful with both Bogosian and Tarasenko and keep the reputation of if you're not a fit here, I will work hard to find you a good fit. I don't think those are impossible moves, as long as we're working with the player. That goodwill gets around the league, and can help take us off some NTC lists.

Well Said.

[MNCountryLife]

32 minutes ago, Aimlessone said:

I know the history with Johansson has been...let's say, less than desirable. But he's hot now, third in points and +6. Sitting him would be a mistake.

No doubt...Johansson can play.  The guy has skill, speed and all the tools to be a top 6 player when he engages in play.  Sadly there is also another version of Johansson that skates around, hesitates, doesn't engage in battles, circles away from plays and constantly turns the puck over.  This Jekyll/Hyde play is brutal.

If you could guarantee me that we got Jekyll... Put him out there.  But even this year it has been about a 50/50 split of Jekyll and Hyde.  Last year we saw a majority Hyde.  I wish I knew why he is Jekyll/Hyde.  

I want consistency.  For this reason I would put him in the Pressbox and have him fill in for 3 to 5 games a month.  I think that is a good role for him.  I would hope he shows Jekyll more often when he is playing more limited minutes.

Hmmm.  I typically refer to him as Nojo.  Maybe I should change my nickname for him to Jekyll/Hyde or JH.  

[Aimlessone]

45 minutes ago, MNCountryLife said:

No doubt...Johansson can play.  The guy has skill, speed and all the tools to be a top 6 player when he engages in play.  Sadly there is also another version of Johansson that skates around, hesitates, doesn't engage in battles, circles away from plays and constantly turns the puck over.  This Jekyll/Hyde play is brutal.

If you could guarantee me that we got Jekyll... Put him out there.  But even this year it has been about a 50/50 split of Jekyll and Hyde.  Last year we saw a majority Hyde.  I wish I knew why he is Jekyll/Hyde.  

I want consistency.  For this reason I would put him in the Pressbox and have him fill in for 3 to 5 games a month.  I think that is a good role for him.  I would hope he shows Jekyll more often when he is playing more limited minutes.

Hmmm.  I typically refer to him as Nojo.  Maybe I should change my nickname for him to Jekyll/Hyde or JH.  

 

Sure, I've definitely been frustrated with the lack of physical play on the puck, the spin away from defenders when he should just drive the net with his speed. Etc Etc. 

However, from a mental and emotional standpoint, I don't think you can take our third place in points and the guy that has the best +/- on the team by a long shot, and put him in the press box. 

You do that, and when you break that glass for an emergency, you can count on getting Hyde. 

[raithis]

1 hour ago, Aimlessone said:

Sure, I've definitely been frustrated with the lack of physical play on the puck, the spin away from defenders when he should just drive the net with his speed. Etc Etc. 

However, from a mental and emotional standpoint, I don't think you can take our third place in points and the guy that has the best +/- on the team by a long shot, and put him in the press box. 

You do that, and when you break that glass for an emergency, you can count on getting Hyde. 

I agree with Aimlessone here.  Sitting him just because he's Johanssen doesn't make sense. 

If he seems to be going more Hyde (to use that analogy as well), I'd be fine making him a healthy scratch for a game or two to try to condition him into getting the kind of play we need out of him, but I think it's detrimental to the team to do it without reason.

 

[MNCountryLife]

1 hour ago, Aimlessone said:

Sure, I've definitely been frustrated with the lack of physical play on the puck, the spin away from defenders when he should just drive the net with his speed. Etc Etc. 

However, from a mental and emotional standpoint, I don't think you can take our third place in points and the guy that has the best +/- on the team by a long shot, and put him in the press box. 

You do that, and when you break that glass for an emergency, you can count on getting Hyde. 

Hartman looked great when centering Kirill and Zuc.  Some players have had their best numbers when playing beside Ek.  So how much of JH's +/- points are because he has been playing with Ek?  Are his points standing on their own or is he benefiting from superior players around him?  I am also basing my opinion on his play this year and last.  The JH personality is more even this year but Hyde still shows himself on a regular basis.  

 

Always good to get a different outlook on things.  I fully get what you are saying.  It is tough to sit a guy that statistically is putting up what you want.  When you watch the game tonight see how often he gives up the puck or gives a poor effort and causes us to sit in our own D-zone for much of the shift.  It happens often.

I would also note that some players play really well when fully healthy, while others avoid contact when they are a bit banged up.  I have no idea if that is JHs situation... but it may be.. so sitting him more often and ensuring he is fully healthy may produce Jekyll more often rather than less.  Obviously I am guessing here with no way to back up what I am saying.  But that is the fun of these types of conversations.  

[MNCountryLife]

19 minutes ago, raithis said:

I agree with Aimlessone here.  Sitting him just because he's Johanssen doesn't make sense. 

If he seems to be going more Hyde (to use that analogy as well), I'd be fine making him a healthy scratch for a game or two to try to condition him into getting the kind of play we need out of him, but I think it's detrimental to the team to do it without reason.

I would sit Johansson because I believe we have a better chance of winning when he is not on the ice.  There are plenty of reasons to sit him.

[Aimlessone]

On 11/21/2025 at 1:43 PM, MNCountryLife said:

I would sit Johansson because I believe we have a better chance of winning when he is not on the ice.  There are plenty of reasons to sit him.

Curious what your thoughts are here after the weekend. Johansson continues to produce on the ice.