NHL.com's 30 in 30: Minnesota Wild

Before I go any further, I just want to say something to NHL.com. I say this with all due respect to the site, and to the people that run it. I have talked to a few of you, and interact with even more of you on Twitter. Most of you are excellent at what you do. Beyond reproach. Even if I disagree with your opinion, it is difficult to go after your writing and ability to put forth an argument. With that said, the gentleman who wrote this piece is a hack. Completely unworthy of a place on the flagship site of the league, certainly not is what is likely a popular series.

Keep in mind, those of you with clout at NHL.com... I am available, and I work cheap.

Make the jump and let's take a look at this preview, shall we?

A warning: this is one of those posts where I quote the post and then chime in with my two cents. A couple of readers have suggested they do not enjoy such posts. For those two people... stop reading now. I'll give you something else to read later. Or... go read the Aeros posts at T3I. Here we go.

First off, you can find the original post by Sergei J. Feldman over on NHL.com.

We start with this:

Three out of five is 60%. On a basic grading scale, it is a D-. It is 1% away from an F. It is unacceptable to pull 60% in anything worth measuring. When is 3 out of five not so bad? Perhaps in a five game playoff series, but the NHL uses 7 games series, so no one really cares about a five game series.

He then goes on about how the Wild are in the middle of changing from Jacques Lemaire's defensive system to Todd Richards' more offensive system. Good points, if not a bit boring in it's presentation. That's a matter of style, not substance, so I'll let it go. However, we then find this gem:

If you would, please re-read that final part of the sentence. Put it in your pocket, if you would. You'll need it a bit later.

Under the "Departures" heading, he writes this:

A matter of style, perhaps. Nit-picking for sure. Sorry about that.

Under "Arrivals" we start with this:

Agreed that Cullen was the big move. However, when we get to the last sentence, we run into a wall. Cullen played for three teams in the last five years. Correct. However, how does that make him acquainting himself with Minnesota any easier? He played on Long Island, in Carolina, and for 21 games in Ottawa. None of these places are much like Minnesota.

Throwing in the fact that Cullen is from Minnesota in this context is mind boggling. While he is, indeed, from Minnesota, he is from the Iron Range. There is a big difference between Virginia, Minnesota and Saint Paul. Not that Cullen is going to be overwhelmed by the big lights, big city, but he is not from Saint Paul. There will be an adjustment. Also, is the fact that he is from Minnesota being used here to tell me he will make the adjustment easier or that he will not make it easier?

Hmm... I disagree. I do not believe for a second that Nystrom was brought in for his offense in any way. While I do believe the Wild are hopeful he can put a handful in, I do not believe they are counting on him being a regular contributor on the offensive side of the puck. Energy and grit, that's what they want from him. Maybe a goal or two every now and again.

We finish up the "Arrivals" topic with this:

So, Granlund is an arrival, but people like Palmer and Zucker aren't? How about Casey Wellman? Does he count as an arrival? Using a first round pick as an arrival would be all well and good... if he was going to play for the team this coming season. He isn't, so don't include him.

The "Outlook" area is where the train derailment gets really bad. Remember the bit about Koivu that I asked you to remember from up above? Pull it out and re-read it. Could be interpreted that he understood Koivu was the captain last season, too, right? Wrong:

"The upcoming season..." Upcoming? Really? I believe he was the captain last season as well, but I could be wrong. Let me check with the "Book of Things Anyone Who Has Watched  a Wild Game Would Already Know." Nope, looks like I'm not wrong on this one.It's painful to even read that after the thousands of articles written and comments made by both home announcers and away last season. Painful that someone who represents the NHL could blow such a simple piece of information about the team he was assigned to write about.

If Havlat puts in 30 goals, the entire roster looks more dangerous? Would only he look more dangerous? Perhaps we could stretch that to be the second line looks more dangerous, but the entire roster? Nah. And, does the second paragraph here suggest that Anti Miettinen helps solidify the Wild attack? Miettinen does? Perhaps if the NHL used soccer nets, but right now, he is a third line right wing playing on the top line for reasons that are as yet unexplained.

Hmmm... nope.

On the goaltender front, we get this:

Why does the combination of Backstrom and Harding suddenly compare to the play of Backstrom and Fernandez in 2006-07? They were on the roster together last season, weren't they? Let me again check the "Book of Things Anyone Who Has Watched  a Wild Game Would Already Know." Yep, they sure were on the roster last season. Wasn't a great season for either one of them, so what makes you think it suddenly becomes Jennings trophy worthy?

I think the goaltending certainly rebounds, but would you care to offer something to back-up your argument on this?

We close with this:

A more positive streak of playoff success? Such as... making the playoffs?

To sum up:

Everyone got all that?

Good.