The Wild Were Smart To Grab John Hynes When They Did

It feels really weird comparing Evason to Hynes, but the differences are crystal clear.  Evason didn't really seem to care about goals and giving up goals.  Effort, heart, willingness to get to the net and get greasy goals.  The drawback was the team wasn't really the big nasty, angry team that seemed to fit that strategy.  There seemed to be a shelf life.  It also manifested in so...so many penalties.

The aim from this season was a simple one: if games like Winnipeg and Buffalo happen, they happen for a reason.  The team still feels too, "cute" for its own good.  A good goaltender from an opposing team can shut the team down.  The difference seems to be in most cases, the Wild in front of and at the net can be counted on to stop a team in its tracks just as much.

Hynes seems to ascribe to the theory that limiting dangerous play at the cost of offensive flourish is more sustainable.  The Wild won last night because the Sabres pinched in and they got a 4-1.  There are more 1-0, 2-1, 3-2 games than 5-4, 6-5 games when the Wild play.  It doesn't always go their way.  The penalties are ratcheting up, but they still take the third least.  That sort of discipline would have been unheard of under Evason.  

I was hoping they would take care of their defense first this season.  I was pleasantly surprised they got off to a good start.  I would have never dreamed they'd be a top 5 team in the league, and the best defensive team a quarter in.  There's holes to fix, but they fixed the biggest one they needed to.

I’m thankful for Hynzy this year. 
 

He’s got this group (same cast of characters as last year) playing with more structure and discipline and heart than last year.  I give Hynzy the bulk of the credit for that.  

8 minutes ago, Pewterschmidt said:

I’m thankful for Hynzy this year. 

Thats the spirit.

I cannot agree with this premise that Bekki suggested:

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Hynes didn’t make sweeping off-season changes. Instead, he made small, focused tweaks. The Wild had previously struggled with their penalty kill, so he brought on Trenin.

Sweeping changes don't just include player changes, though, in that department, Shooter has more to say about such things. I think he did make sweeping changes. Heinzy took Evason's system, crumpled it up and threw it into file 13. He made this team commit to a very solid structure, while the Evason plan was getting looser every year. 

The way the Wild are playing is very much like the coach. This is probably Heinzy's most talented team, and that talent has thrived in the structured system. 

Take last night, we were without Brodin, played a full AHL 4th line, and often got bottled up in the defensive zone. Was there panic? No. The Wild allowed the Sabres to have plenty of cardio shifts around the perimeter that even Johansson could be proud of. Structure is theory until it is tested under stress. This season, we've had plenty of opportunities to test this structure. 

Heinzy's reputation that I remember someone writing here was that his system is where good offenses go to die. Heinzy is still letting Boldy and Kaprizov be creative. He's also stressing strong passes and not a bunch of east-west passing to get picked off and sent back the other way. There are still a lot of elements of 3rd guy high in the offensive zone, and position switching, but even the forwards are playing within the structure when having to play defense. 

Heinzy has his Oster behind the bench and does a much better job of blending from the gut when things aren't going well. 

Now, I think some of the real proof is how Freddy is bouncing back when Heinzy tried Dino at 3rd line center, and then gave Freddy the opportunity. His insertion there has made a big difference in the line and in him. He's also got Wild villain Marcus Johansson playing better, more engaged, and far more physical. This is more than just a contract year bounce for Johansson, he's playing Heinzy hockey. (Interestingly, he's also not dropping his stick as often too)

Training camp was said to be the hardest camp that the vets had participated in (except for the Russians who said it was nothing). These are not mere tweaks, these are wholesale changes both in system and in culture. 

Now I'd like to take on the title of the article:

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The Wild Were Smart To Grab John Hynes When They Did

Heinzy and Shooter have a strong relationship from the distant past. Much of the GM/Coaching hires and fires have to do with relationships. Heinzy was unemployed at the time. Evason was grandfathered in when Shooter took over, wasn't really his guy, and I don't really think Heinzy is either. When Evason proved that he could be more than an interim, he earned an extension. When Shooter gave Evason a vote of confidence, he turned around and had Heinzy evaluate the team a couple of weeks before he got the call. Heinzy was available and nobody had picked him up after being let go the previous May. I don't think this was really good timing, I think he just happened to be available. 

IMO, Sully is Shooter's target coach. But here's the thing, regardless of when this happens, I believe Shooter also has a place for Heinzy in the organization. This may be one of those rare moments where Sully becomes employed from the Wild and somehow all 3 guys can work together.  With Sully's Stanley Cup pedigree, I think eventually he will be the Wild's contender coach, while Heinzy may get bumped upstairs. Heinzy's got the personality that can go toe to toe with Guerin, and Guerin needs a guy who can do that. We've all got blindspots, having a guy who's not afraid of showing Guerin his can be invaluable. 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!!!!