Talent. Anyone? Game Plan. Anyone?

I feel as though I have a responsibility to write a scathing post about how bad this team is playing right now. Problem is, I have a Bachelor's in Business Administration and 14 years of experience as a manager. In my education and experience, I have been taught not to bring up a problem unless I have a solution to suggest. I, for the life of me, do not know what it is they need to do.

The one thing that sticks in my head is that the only guy they have that is scoring is Mikko. Obvious, right? What that allows the other teams to do is defend Mikko, and thus the Wild cannot score. Obvious again, right?

The question that then pops in my head is this: If the opposition is defending Mikko with their checking line, why can the other guys not find the net a few times? What are they waiting for? Shep, Mittens, Butch, Bruno, Pouliot, hell even C-Buck should be able to pot a few when they don't have to face the top line every shift, no?

I am also struck by the idea that the Wild has set itself up in the image of an Eastern Conference team. Solid goalie, offensive minded defenseman, and forwards always looking for the pretty pass. Sounds east coast to me.

Where are the garbage goals? They put Boogey out there on the power play and blocked up the front of the net, and guess what? It worked. Why not try it again? Nah... that would be too obvious right?

Where are the shots, creating the rebounds, that allow Bruno to get the clean-up goal? Why else did you sign the guy? It's Mark Parrish all over again, Kim Johnsson all over again. Parrish is a defelction expert, but never allowed to camp out front and go for a deflection. Johnsson used to be an offensive minded defenseman, only to come over and whether it is him, or the system, his offensive skill disappeared. Now Bruno comes in with his beauty and grace behind and to the side of the net, but the Wild do not ever set up that kind of play.

Ugh. And they still haven't offered Backstrom a contract. Intangibles Backs... it's all about the intangibles. This is the place to be... (That was my best Risebrough impression, stick with me.)

Looks like a I had a few solutions suggestions, so I can say this now. This team sucks right now. I won;t go so far as to say they suck completely. There is way too much talent on this team. Miettenen needs to turn it back on. They need to set up some garbage goals, they need to crash the net, and they need to shoot the damn puck. Oh, and not every shot needs to come from the point. Crash the net and shoot from inside the hash marks a couple times, can you? Please?

Get MAB the heck off the blue line. At least any time other than on the power play. Neide is right, the guy is uselss everywhere except the power play. He should move down to the third pairing, play maybe 8 to ten minutes a game tops and see most of that on the power play.

Nevermind. Gaborik will be back on Wednesday. All is right in the world again. The savior has come. Right?