Leaderboard

The first month may be a bit difficult with 4 rookies (Yurov, Ohgren, Buium and Jiricek). But if we give them the minutes to learn it should pay long term dividends. Play them. We don't make it in the playoffs without them getting better.

An article that warms the heart of Minnfaninnc.

To be fair, Buium has never played a regular season NHL game and doesn't turn 20 until December. Nobody should be expecting Makar, but if he can be somewhat average on defense and deliver above average minutes coordinating the power play, that could go a long way. Not overly important, but Buium is also pretty young for having played 2 college seasons already. Makar, for example, was a full year older when he finished his 2nd college season and debuted in the playoffs for the Avalanche(averaging 17:22 TOI in that first playoffs fresh out of college). Makar has played 6 NHL regular seasons(7 playoff seasons) and turns 27 in October. Buium will have his first NHL training camp and have time to acclimate to the system this time around. I have high expectations for Buium, but I don't expect him to meet all of them in the upcoming season. He'll almost certainly make numerous mistakes in 2025-2026, but his overall play will hopefully be at a level that the Wild can live with them as long as he's learning and growing from them, developing knowledge and habits that will reduce future mistakes. I mean, you generally don't become the most trusted defenseman in your age group, garnering the most ice time from multiple coaches while vying for NCAA titles and world junior championships if you keep making the same mistakes over and over again.

Hopefully Sturm is the floor. As a 1st round pick, I would hope for another JEEK or Anton Lundell as a ceiling.

I can report some quotes from Marco Rossi he gave in an interview to the biggest Austrian newspaper 1 week ago. After holiday he resumed conditioning training with his personal coach at his home in Austria. "It's really challenging, exactly what I need. I can see the progress. The goal is to train even harder then before. I want to score at least 60 points again and prove myself. I don't even want to know too much about the talks my agent has. I just focus on strengthening".

So, what top 6 center, or real scoring winger was available? No legitimate top 6 centers were available, Boeser was offered his contract before free agency opened, and Ehlers wants to play in a warmer climate. Also, even if Rossi were to sign a one-year deal, he would still be a RFA next year with us still controlling his rights.

It's fine to temper expectations. No one should be saying he will be the next Makar or Hughes, but it's fine to say he has the potential to be since he does seem to play that style of game. Even Buium himself admitted that he needed to add more strength before next season so he could be a more effective player in the NHL. He at least recognizes that he was a bit overmatched in the few games he played against Vegas. Accepting that you need to adapt is a good first step. Now, we'll have to see if he follows through. To me, if more offense comes out of our defense than last year, it's a win. If he and Jiricek play well enough so that Faber isn't gassed by the end of the season and we aren't driving Spurgeon and Brodin into early retirement, great. Buium doesn't have to be Makar. He just has to be better than Merrill and give our defense an offensive aspect it's been missing. Start there, and we'll see how far he goes.

The Athletic's Scott Wheeler did a re-ranking of the 2022 draft class and has the Wild with 3 first round players, listing Jiricek at #14, Yurov at #15, and Ohgren at #26(one spot behind Conor Geekie, who had been originally selected at #11). The Wild players initially went #6, #24, and #19(Ohgren). The Wild attained them by using picks #19 and #24 from the 2022 draft, and pick #20 from the 2025 draft(along with a few other picks, but just the 1 first round pick in the Jiricek trade). All 3 are likely to see significant playing time for the 25-26 Wild. Along with those guys, I suspect we'll see a lot of Buium(#12 from 2024 draft), and Jesper Wallstedt(pick #20 from the 2021 draft). It's been a long time coming, but the youth movement, and their development, should be a huge story for the upcoming season. They have great veterans to help these guys along the way. If they can stay healthy, they could make the playoffs fairly easily. Riley Heidt should get some seasoning in the AHL to see if he might be able to help the NHL team down the road. Lambos has been there and should be getting close to the NHL. Stramel will play his final season at Michigan State and might be ready for a bottom 6 role in a couple of years. Ryder Ritchie will ply his craft in the NCAA this year, which should be good experience for him against an older age group of talented players. Should be an exciting year, once Kaprizov and Rossi sign new deals.

I wouldn't mind seeing Lambos get a shot as well.

The free agency class was weak, most of who we dreamt of getting were off the market before the opening bell. Where are people getting the idea we were promised a top 6 winger and a scoring center? I think those were the lies we told ourselves but I could be wrong. Going into the season with cap flexibility will be a big change for them this year, opens up the chances to make trades in season for someone worth while. As far as no deal for Kap or Rossi yet, its summer, these things take time, plus Vlad has said Kap was the one who convinced him to waive his NTC to come here, that should mean something. When it comes to Rossi, who knows what he is asking, maybe its a 7 year 8+ mil contract which would give me pause. If it is known that he is available and they aren't getting decent offers then for sure hold onto him and see if anyone changes their mind, or he earns a larger new contract from the wild. I get its already July 3rd and no Kap or Rossi moves which is wild, I mean its been 2 whole days. Do we know where Kap is today? I am guessing that kind of signing would want to be done in person. Starting next year, contracts start to fall off opening a lot more money, yes new contracts for Kap and others. Lets say Kap gets 15/year, thats only 6mil more a year, that is offset by losing Zucc, Vlad, NoJo and Bogo, which opens up 11+ mil. 2 years, Hartman, Spurge, and Sturm for another 13.5 mil opened. The hope is a couple young guys step up on cheep contracts to take spots then fill in with big spending on high end guys. Maybe get a few good new contracts like Boldy for 7/yr or Ek for 5.25/year. Craig had poor marketing calling this Christmas, because that wasn't possible, BUT, it does open up the window to shake the team up and make real changes. Pie in the sky, a lot of prospects hit and we have massive trade ammo to go get a Brady Tkachuk or Rantanen style player. Perhaps its a slow burn Christmas.

Rather than Christmas season, it felt more like tax return season. Suddenly Guerin has some money to play with and I'm fine with him waiting for a great deal rather than blowing it all right away on a shiny new toy at full price.

I'll try to keep you guys updated as soon I get more or good information over there. 🤞

Good point on Brodin being out to start the season. Doesn't help they traded Chisholm. Does make me curious whether the plan is to just kick Bogosian over the LD, like they were allegedly toying with doing last year, or if one of the AHL finally gets a chance in the NHL. Middsy-Fabes Buium-Spurgy Bogo-Jiricek isn't a terrible lineup to ice. A little inexperienced at some points, but that's balanced out by a veteran presence on the other side.

I would say in a team sport like hockey, many players are needed to help win it, and Rossi will probably not be the main reason they would, but that doesn’t mean he would not be a valuable piece to the puzzle.

Not even close. McTavish has shown decent offensive ability and nearly zero defensive ability. Look at Zegras. He looked great until they asked him to play the OTHER half of the game (defense). His stats tanked once he was asked to be a complete hockey player. Maybe McTavish can play both ends and maybe he cant. At this point by all OBJECTIVE analyses Rossi is the better hockey player. I'm not saying it will stay that way but its definitely true right now.

This isn't meant to be an argument but rather looking at last season from a different perspective. Would Rossi have been higher than a 60 point player last season if Kaprizov and Ek wouldn't have been out at the same time for an extended period? IMO absolutely. Guerin is quick to say that Ek needs depth help. Guerin was tight-lipped when Rossi stepped in to Ek's role while he was injured, without having Kaprizov's help as well. Rossi has been and continues to be held to a higher standard than others on the team and around the league. I wish the Wild management and coaches, along with the Rossi hating fans, would just come out and say they don't like him rather than trying to make lame excuses for not wanting him around. Grow some balls, people, because statistically moving on from Rossi just doesn't make sense.

With the absolute bottom of the barrel options available in FA, Im glad Guerin chose to sit on his hands. Overpaying for a guy like Boeser would have been a huge disappointment. Especially since he doesnt really put up much more points than rossi, and is worse in the defensive end. Im usually critical of Billy, but its not his fault that there were no good players going into FA this year.

Leopold wanted and promised "Christmas in July", but I would rather Guerin make no deal than a bad one. Keep the cap space available, and wait for the right opportunity to come.

If memory serves it took Boldy until his 3rd playoffs to perform. I don't get the Rossi can't play in the playoffs premature especulation.

People keep expecting (hoping and wanting even?) Zuccarello and Spurgeon to fail so they can stop "blocking" younger guys". Fact is it took a puck to the nuts to stop Zucc last year. They still ended up top 5-7 producers for the team that can't buy offense.

I don't. From Luke Simms' article on 7/10 that proposed a Rossi - McTavish swap, Rossi's Offense / Defense projections for 25-26 were 86% / 75% . McTavish matched Rossi on the Offensive side, but his Defense rating was 11%. As I keep saying, Rossi was in the top 1/4 of the league for BOTH offense and defense last year, at age 23. Trade him, and the Wild will regret it for a long time.

Brad Marchand is 5'8"/180. This a good pick in the 4th round. These players from the 4th round down have low chances of ever playing in the NHL. So, take a high skill, smaller player and see what happens is a decent 'risk'. Chances are he's 3-5 years away and you just don't know what's going to happen. Time will tell

Just stop over-relying on him, and I bet his "slump" will be a thing of the past.

Russo has literally said that Rossi is "loved" in the locker room. Stick to calling the guy who skates more miles than all but like 10 guys in the NHL fat.

That's your source? It sounds like you sit on the toilet, do your business, wipe, and then read what's on that paper and quote it as fact.

A refreshing article not focused on Rossi. Thanks!

It seems easy to me being a math guy. One side offered 5x5, the other asked for 7x7, middle ground would say 6x6. Use that as a new starting point and it shouldn’t take long. If I am Rossi, I would want a 4 year deal to bring me to UFA status. 4x6-7 seems fair

With ODC slightly edging towards the rational middle, Dean looking to keep the super pessimist train rolling....

As a recent former ticket holder, I would rather miss the playoffs entirely, give those young guys some time and see if they improve and are the real deal than watch another one-and-out with NoJosey, and Treninsy, or Reavesy, or some other collections of arthritic Stiffsies they want to fool me into thinking we have a shot with. If Yurov, Ohgren, and Buium are flying around making mistakes, at least they are flying around.

Nobody is offering Rossi $7M or more PLUS 7 years. If they do that, the compensation goes up since the compensation is based off of 5 years. A 7x7 contract would be 49/5 for compensation purposes, or $9.8M a year. That would bump teams up to two firsts, a second and a third

I remember when Boldy got this contract, there were many that thought it was too much. It was a gamble that looks like it will pay off huge dividends. I know I might be in the minority here, but that is why I feel locking up Rossi on a long-term deal is worth the risk. If they were able to get Rossi on at 7 years and $6.5M AAV, this could be a bargain contract also in a year or two. I also do not feel it would be an untradable contract if we did decide to move on from Rossi in a couple of years if we need the money for Yurov, Ohgren, Buium and Wallstedt, unless he completely regresses. We have the space for this year and next at that term. I think it is worth the gamble. If we sign a bridge deal of 2-3 years and he keeps improving his game, then we will be stuck paying a lot more.

They draft best available with every pick, if for nothing else than trade assets. They are still drafting small players every draft. The size argument has gotten completely blown out of proportion. Kirill and Zuccarello are the same size as Rossi and nobody says they are too small. Granted, you want your centers to be bigger than smaller, but there have been several successful centers in the NHL that are Rossi's size. You could argue that weight and strength are more important than height. A lower center of gravity is a benefit. These are not quarterbacks that can't see over their linemen!

Holy shit Dean. I thought I was depressing when it came to talking about the Wild 😝

I'm certainly hoping to see an article about Jiricek having spent several weeks with the Wild's skating coach this summer and coming into the year with better technique that will allow him to get consistent NHL minutes. He was fairly solid last season when the Wild had him in the NHL.

If Stramel turns into a Sturm type player, I wouldn't be disappointed.

I think Wallstedt himself has admitted that he has struggled with confidence/the mental side of the game the last couple seasons, but he have to remember the goalies tend to take longer to develop and he is only 22. I would like to see Sam Hlavaj get a game or 2 with the big club. He has been playing as good or better than Jesper in the AHL and his play in international games for Slovakia is pretty damn impressive. The org may not need to put as much pressure on Jesper when there are other options.

I think Buium will look okay in the first ten games, then in games 11 through 30ish things will start slowing down for him as he gets used to the speed and pace of the NHL. Getting pulled in the playoffs wasn't a big deal if you ask me. Buium's forte has been his offense, while he's been adequate on the defensive side. Both Faber and Ek were billed as defensively sound players, if not elite, and their game aligns with playoff hockey. Buium has what it takes to excel in the NHL. We just have to be a bit patient. I'm hoping by mid season, but I have been wrong before.

Hello ODC! I read your posts now since months, years, and I appreciate your commitment, engagement and love for hockey MIN. But you obviously have a problem in your life. Thats why nobody takes you serious here. Please just acknowledge one thing: Everybody has the right to have his own opinion. But nobody has the right to have his own facts. It's that easy. Have a break, find a job, read some good books. Learn thinking. Cheers from Austria

You just love pulling things out of your keister in order to try and make a point..

Obviously: 1. Kaprizov’s next GM moves 2. The latest locker room gossip on who is in and who is out. 3. Non-stop fantasy trades, it doesn’t hurt to call and ask, right? This post was meant to be funny, but seriously, it is so enjoyable reading the threads with the crazy posts blocked.

I lost one one time when I was really drunk...Couldn't find it for the life of me...Sigh...

Continue with negotiations for a fair contract with team/player. Probably 3-5 years at around $6.5M. Express to Rossi what his role with the team will be. Let him know everyone wins when he’s successful. Make it clear that the team isn’t caving in to all of his agent’s demands.

No. Tarasenko called Kirill while deciding to waive his no trade clause to go to Minnesota, which means the trade was already in motion. What you're describing would be tampering.

I think McTavish has the potential without a doubt, but his defensive game lacks and even though he is big, he doesn't throw his body around. He had 8 more hits than Rossi last year. Rossi a first and a top prospect is something I would give up for a proven top line two-way player but seems a bit steep to me for McTavish.

I agree.

I thought he proved himself pretty clearly this past season. If he doesn’t belong in the top 6 then who do you suggest? Hartman? Or some unproven player with little experience like Ohgren or Yurov?

Instead, they must build a foundation of developmental success stories like Faber to elevate the team. This just sort of jumped out at me. We did not develop this guy, he just sort of was ready to go when we got him. Our farm system has supposedly had talent but I am not sure that Iowa has been much more than a holding pen where we just hope players will improve through the aging process. "Skate around guys. Go faster. Try harder." You know, solid coaching like that.

2 Years ago, Tarasenko had 55 points and was +13 for the season, then won the cup while tallying 9 points in 24 playoff games. At that time, if you would have told me the Wild would add him for less than $5M and giving up no assets, it might have sounded too good to be true. I'm not saying that they are delivering on Christmas, but I know it's been a long wait to see some of the youth in prominent roles, so there are reasons to be excited about the upcoming season. Getting Yurov, Ohgren, Buium, and Jiricek into lineups for the Minnesota Wild on a nightly basis might be more exciting than future disappointment from 7 years of the defensively limited and below average speed of Brock Boeser. I recall some initial excitement in adding Thomas Vanek, but that didn't last and I wonder if Boeser will age with similar fall off in his game.

It's different than the media narrative up to this point, but Wild prepared to match offer sheets is expected for those really considering all factors in the situation. Guerin has been consistent in saying he likes Rossi, they are just looking at different contract values right now. The only chance the Wild would consider letting Rossi go for no players being returned is if the price gets well above the $7M mark and is delivering more than 2 picks in return, but if other teams valued Rossi at that price point, then I imagine the Wild would have received genuinely strong trade offers from interested teams prior to July 1st. Chances aren't bad that Rossi will eventually return to center some skilled forwards for the Wild in the top 6. Hard to say which combinations Hynes will like best with him between Zuccarello, Tarasenko, Boldy or Kaprizov. I could see Yurov between Foligno and Hartman with Sturm centering Ohgren and Trenin. Johansson in the ProssBox. Looks like they also added Tyler Pitlick to play in Iowa and help with depth.