Marco Rossi Might Have Just Saved the Wild's Season

I’m at a point this season where I keep asking “what’s the point?” In no way could this current team get past round one of the playoffs. Everyone keeps saying “but Kirill and Ek will be back!” Yeah, that’s great, we’ll probably win a few more games than we normally would, but it’s unrealistic to expect those two to win the cup for us. Not with Billy’s bottom six busts plaguing the second line. Honestly, the season is done, let Kirill and Ek heal instead of pushing them back before they’re really ready.

It’s great that Rossi and Boldy decided to show up and actually win a home game yesterday, but two clutch goals aren’t enough to silence the deafening noise of blowing a top 8 standing in the league. 

The very definition of "Backing into the Playoffs".  Can Kirill and Ek be saviors ... will they even be ready to play?  

With Vancouver's regulation loss yesterday, it would appear as if they are hooked up to several machines on life support. Calgary now is the only team to worry about, and a win vs. San Jose on Wednesday should do it. 

Now it's about getting Ek and Kaprizov back healthy and I suppose there is no Midsy update? 

Yurov contract termination watch is now on. Will Metallurg keep him until May 30th?

Ryder Ritchie scores the series clincher for Medicine Hat.

Calgary had already clinched. Riley Heidt brings Prince George back from the dead to tie the series at 3. Heidt had 4 goals in the last 2 games with a hat trick last night. Game 7 is tonight.

Baby Wild on a 4 game winning streak, yet, The Wall does not seem to be playing. Vaj is almost at .500 now and has moved above the .900 sv% target. Haight's got 20 goals as a rookie, not bad. Milne has 15. 

While not mathematically eliminated yet, the Baby Wild are roommates with Vancouver at this time. 

54 minutes ago, Trade Deadline Hero said:

It’s great that Rossi and Boldy decided to show up and actually win a home game yesterday, but two clutch goals aren’t enough to silence the deafening noise of blowing a top 8 standing in the league. 

I think this is a misconception of this whole team. Coming into the year, the national consensus was a lottery pick team. My expectations were to be fighting for a WC spot. That's the very definition of competitive. 

Anyone who had visions of grandeur for this team this year was fooling themselves, and I warned a couple of months back not to be fooled by this team, it wasn't that good.

With a draft that is expected to be below average this season, Shooter traded out the 1st for a future player. Let's just say the 1st was our draft pick and he moved up several spots to take a player about ready for the NHL.  So, playoffs or not, we weren't getting draft compensation for missing the playoffs. 

This team is not deep. That's its main flaw. Injuries will derail this team far quicker than other teams in the league. And, that's exactly what has happened. Enjoy the playoffs, there's no pressure at all on the Wild, they are making it there. They will get the 2 demanded playoff games, and maybe a couple more. 

Now, if I'm Shooter, I'm looking closely at this team in the playoffs and seeing who is a plus and who is a minus with the eye test. The minuses need to be subtracted off the roster in the offseason. Even if they don't make it out of round 1 this year, notating the push back, the ability to score or lack of, the compete level, and ability to handle traffic will be scrutinized from the top. 

In the last 2 months, the Wild have put up several stinkers. They're just plain exhausted and gave it their all, being undermanned and to a forward having to elevate in the lineup above their role. This should be applauded. Going through the cap recapture and making the playoffs in 4/5 years is a tremendous feat. But, make no mistake, this playoff run is about season's to come, not this season. 

Players should rest up when they can and be ready to go come playoff time. My expectation is that they will lose in the 1st round and have no other gear to climb too, except for a few players. More will be needed, but the showing off of their usefulness going forward is what that 1st series is about. For Boldy, Rossi and Faber, tilting the ice in their favor is going to be really important. For guys like Trenin, Moose and Breezers, this is about showing they can be important clogs on a playoff team. This means getting secondary scoring and a bunch of hits. 

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if the Wild go on a losing streak and Calgary does the opposite, they could still find themselves out of the playoffs. But now it is much less likely and we can safely assume the Wild are going to be the West's second Wild Card team.

While it might feel impossible given the St. Louis flamin' hot streak, the Wild are still alive for the 1st wild card. 4 wins for the Wild and only 6 points for St. Louis in their last 4 games would put the Wild back into 7th in the conference.

36 minutes ago, mnfaninnc said:

The Wall does not seem to be playing.

Russo mentioned he will be back next week and hasn't played since March 15th. It's an undisclosed injury. 

He also mentioned that the Wild do not have the cap space to sign Yurov until next season. There is thought that he rushed back into the lineup after ankle surgery for his club and he's not really healed yet.