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  • It’s Okay to Pretend the Wild Are Going To Make Playoffs

    Image courtesy of Matt Blewett-USA TODAY Sports
    Mikki Tuohy

    By Mikki Tuohy -

     

    Look, we all know that the Minnesota Wild aren’t going to make the playoffs. Sure, there is still a chance mathematically. They haven’t technically been eliminated, but it would take a legitimate miracle or a terrible tragedy to befall another team for the Wild to make the cut.

    As a fan of a team that has been to the playoffs for the past four years and for 10 out of the last 11, it feels strange. Do you mean hockey ends this early? Sure, Wild fans can pick another team to root for in the playoffs, but there is one other way to deal with the end of the NHL season.

    By pretending that the Wild will make the playoffs!

    Now, don’t let me lose you. Hear me out! It’s okay to trick yourself into a small amount of delusional thinking. Personally, this is the only way for me to watch the rest of this season’s games. We’ve been blessed by a team that consistently makes the playoffs, even if they can’t get past the first round. It feels strange to watch another six games, knowing full well that there’s nothing for them to compete for. 

    But plenty of teams out there haven’t been to the playoffs for years or make the playoffs inconsistently. Teams that are in full burn-it-to-the-ground rebuilds still have die-hard fans because that is what being a fan is all about. The Anaheim Ducks, the Chicago Blackhawks, and the San Jose Sharks still all have fan bases despite everyone knowing that they will finish this season at the bottom of the league.

    To be a true fan, you’ve got to believe in your team and stick with them through good times and bad. It’s like being married but in a less personal, very specific way. You have to trust in your team like you have trust in your spouse. It doesn’t mean ignoring the bad parts. It means acknowledging them and understanding that it takes time to make changes.

    Some of you are probably thinking, I can’t just force myself to pretend that the Wild are a playoff team?! I don’t want to be delulu! Fair enough. Not everyone remembers how to use their imagination once they’re a full-blown adult. You can do a few other things if you just can’t bring yourself to pretend or even watch the Wild.

    First of all, keep your eye on the Iowa Wild. They’re battling for a playoff spot and have many of Minnesota’s important prospects for fans to watch. Besides Jesper Wallstedt, Liam Ohgren recently joined the team from Sweden. Carson Lambos is there along with Daemon Hunt, who we watched with the Wild for a short stint. Minnesota’s other favorite son, Sammy Walker, is still playing in Des Moines, along with St. Cloud State's Jack Peart, who joined Iowa after his college season was over. 

    If Iowa doesn’t interest you, there are other interesting Wild hockey storylines to follow. After a disappointing season at the University of Wisconsin, Charlie Stramel entered the transfer portal. Where will he be going?

    Danila Yurov’s KHL team is in the playoffs. He just scored a goal in the last game. Riley Heidt’s WHL team, the Prince George Cougars, has moved on to the second round of the WHL playoffs. Heidt has been positively electric this year, setting franchise records for all-time points and assists leaders. Part of being a future playoff team is ensuring that you pick and develop prospects well. If you’re fed up with the veterans, turn your face to the sun and do some research on the future!

    If there is one thing that I beg of everyone, it is to keep in mind that this season sucked, but not just the way the Wild played. With injury upon injury of Very Important Players, new coaches, and lingering issues that players tried to play through, this season was cursed from the start. That doesn’t mean anything for next season and doesn’t discount how good they were in the past. File the 2023-24 season away as one to not think about and move on to planning your summer vacation. The impossibly positive faction of the fanbase will manage things until a fresh, new season starts in the fall.

     

    By Mikki Tuohy  

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    Fezig

    Our world is full of delusional thinking, I'm not about to continue that trend. I will, however look forward to see what BG is going to do with extending marginal players for two or three years so that prospects can wallow away in the minors.

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    mnfaninnc

    After watching yesterday's afternoon game, I've concluded that next year's goalie tandem should be Goose + The Wall. The Wild absolutely had to have this game. We needed vintage Fleury, Vezina Fleury and we didn't get that. 

    Protec likes to say, you'd rather get rid of a player a year too early than a year too late. I think it's about right. I'd love to have Fleury around for both goalies, though. But, it's over.

    Now, granted 3/4 goals were scored on a Goligoski-Merrill pairing. Could someone explain to me why, exactly, Hunt is not up here? It's one thing to play with diminishing skill, it's quite another to play with an "I don't care" attitude like Goligoski's got. You guys pick on Johansson like he doesn't care, but Goligoski makes him look like Shaw. 

    I have not been impressed with the way Goligoski has chosen to end his career. I know he and Guerin are friends, but as a friend, part of the deal should have been that Guerin could tell his friend when it's time. Goligoski spent 2 years too many here. His talent fell off a cliff, and as usual, he was the last to know.

    Why harp on Goligoski so hard? Because this is where Fleury is without the attitude. We cannot count on Fleury to win big games anymore, he's just not that goalie. Re-signing him would be a mistake. Running with Goose and The Wall is the better option, but that might be a mistake too. Here's what we do know, Fleury, McIntyre and the Jones brothers are not NHL quality. Goose and The Wall probably are but it could go south. We need to be thinking of an experienced 3rd goalie starting the year in Iowa. I'd prefer a left hander as they seem to give shooters trouble. Hutchinson or Demingue would be fine. 

    Conclusion: It is time to pass the torch. 

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    Burnt Toast
    22 minutes ago, mnfaninnc said:

    His talent fell off a cliff,

    There’s no place to hide regression in the modern NHL. Just like a subpar cover corner, they will be exposed and exploited. You can’t count on the player to make good decisions about when it’s time to leave the game, that’s on management. The Wild better figure this out quickly because they have the potential with an aging roster for a regression tsunami. 

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    Sam
    4 hours ago, Fezig said:

    Our world is full of delusional thinking, I'm not about to continue that trend.

    ROFLcopter…

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    Protec

    I looked at tip-in goals and the way WPG plays and don't blame Fleury. MN has weak defense overall who can't move or clear big guys. The Wild get worked in their zone with the puck going low to high as guys chase. That leads to goals if you stick to your game plan and execute. 

    That's not Fleury IMO and the Wild can't play that way against big strong teams with depth. 

    I'm just saying, you could have the best goalie in the NHL and it wouldn't turn the Wild into a Cup favorite. The same themes are illustrated in all MN losses to good teams. Not good enough on defense and can't generate enough to play with possession and pressure top teams. Why? Size, talent, compete, and depth to execute an effective attack and contain game against strong teams. The tendy is always the guy who is easiest to blame. I think Fleury makes a lot of big saves that don't get a lot of credit. With tip in goals and crummy defense, and Kirill the only guy scoring, I tend to equalize blame for the whole squad more than excuse #97 or point the finger at MAF even if he's getting older.

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    Protec

    Short answer, goaltending isn't the Wild's problem. Fleury let in zero bad goals yesterday and stopped a SH breakaway but Boldy missed a wide open net from 5 feet. Goligoski gave away the opening goal like he's been out most of the season. 

    MN was 0-4 against WPG. Terrible against Central teams overall. 

    They got issues but an off season and regroup will help Minnesota. 

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    Dean

    IMO injuries have nothing to do with this season’s outcome. Adding 5’9 160lbs Spurg to roster wasn’t going to fix this season. If he was healthy they wouldn’t be in playoffs or winning a round. 
       No accountability, no identity an a bad roster construct is the reason this season went south. , that’s on bill and the players. He extended these guys that have been together under Dean for years..These so called core players decided not to show up for half of the season or show they had any intention of working this year.  The Coaching change is due to bad roster decisions .  Even if these guys had showed up for the season they still aren’t talented enough to be a playoff team. It’s shown all year long that they can’t win against good teams. So why would next year be better with Billy’s handcuffed team? The wild can’t take a step forward with boat anchors on these lines  like Jo Jo , Fred , goose Merrill etc.  yes a couple are off books next year but not Jo Jo and Fred. 
        It’s obvious the wilds idea of developing talent is making them carry Fred or Jo Jo’s water . They were talking about how k -nat hasn’t scored yet. It’s because he’s got Fred doing nothing. Like Fred did for Rossi , Boldy , fiala  Beckman an all other wild players. Kinda like Jo Jo makes a 2nd line scoring line impotent.  So how do you navigate next season with no cap space and boat anchors throughout the lineup? I know why the wild will do. . They will Pr the sh-t out of hopes and dreams of prospects years away . 
       It’s criminal for kappy to not be in the playoffs. Players like him in the playoffs is what fans around the league want . Billy’s just pissing those years away to sell jerseys for Craig.  Ya know this was a bad season for the wild when they stopped asking for money from taxpayers for a billionaire handout. 

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    Imyourhuckleberry

    Wallstedt's 2nd start was a lot better!

    Major difference in competition, but it will be nice to see him get another start or 2 down the stretch to see how he can do with more work.

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