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  • Wilderness Walk: Boldy Stays Hot, Zuccarello Is Ageless

    Image courtesy of © Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports
    Thomas Williams

    By Thomas Williams -

    That's Wild

    • The Minnesota Wild have now won four in a row under John Hynes and it was a demolishing of the Calgary Flames. A 5-2 victory on the road that saw Matt Boldy score two goals and Mats Zuccarello drinking from the Fountain of Youth. [The Hockey News]
    • Despite recent Calder hype, here's why the Wild's rookie duo of Marco Rossi and Brock Faber won't truly contend with Connor Bedard for the best rookie of the year award. [Hockey Wilderness]
    • The Wild are fighting their way up from the bottom of some recent power rankings. Maybe a coaching change is just what they needed to shake off the bad start. [DailyFaceoff]

    Off the trail...

    • Filip Forsberg sat down with ESPN to talk about not being able to meet Lionel Messi, the NHL All-Star Draft returning, and Nashville hot chicken. [ESPN]
    • It didn't look great for the Carolina Hurricanes as star Andrei Svechnikov went down and required knee surgery, but now he is back and is "only going to get better." [NHL dot com]
    • It's official: The NHL is bringing the 2024 NHL Entry Draft to Las Vegas and their silly-looking The Sphere. [NBC Sports]
    • The New Jersey Devils and Vancouver Canucks faced off on Tuesday night and it made the Hughes brothers join an exclusive club of having three or more brothers play in the same NHL game. Only nine other families have had this happen before, and most recently the Staals with Eric, Jordan, and Marc. [DailyHive]
    By Thomas Williams  

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    Imyourhuckleberry

    Back on October 27th, Wallstedt got shelled for 6 goals on just 25 shots.

    Despite that rough outing, he is leading the AHL in save percentage at .939.

    If you were to remove his worst game, he exceeds a .950 save percentage in the other 12 games he's played with roughly a 1.60 goals against average(GAA) and 9-3 record in those games. He's at 1.95 GAA when including all games.

    The Iowa Wild are 0-5-2 when Zane McIntyre plays, with a 3.92 GAA.

    Certainly looking like Wallstedt will be ready when called upon at the NHL level.

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    kapislife
    1 hour ago, Imyourhuckleberry said:

    Back on October 27th, Wallstedt got shelled for 6 goals on just 25 shots.

    Despite that rough outing, he is leading the AHL in save percentage at .939.

    If you were to remove his worst game, he exceeds a .950 save percentage in the other 12 games he's played with roughly a 1.60 goals against average(GAA) and 9-3 record in those games. He's at 1.95 GAA when including all games.

    The Iowa Wild are 0-5-2 when Zane McIntyre plays, with a 3.92 GAA.

    Certainly looking like Wallstedt will be ready when called upon at the NHL level.

    Awesome! We could have one heck of a goalie duo next year if Gus recovers (looks like he might be pulling out of the slump now). Now we just need to get Knudy and Yurov over here!

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    Citizen Strife

    Zuccarello is just insane.  He's near the Top 20 in scoring, despite all the Wild's early struggles.  I think I calculated his numbers (adjusted for games played) for a 90-100 pt pace, or something absurd like that.  For all the grumbling about Guerin's extensions, Zuccarello is showing he's not looking to be one of those problems.  

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    Pewterschmidt
    18 minutes ago, MrCheatachu said:

    I don't know if it's been reported here, but Charlie Stramel did not get an invite to the WJC

    https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/minnesota-wild/news/wilds-charlie-stramel-not-invited-to-2024-u-s-national-world-juniors-team

     

    Ugh.  Let's hope that this is injury related, not performance related.

    Not a great endorsement considering he was on the team last year.

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    M_Nels
    41 minutes ago, Pewterschmidt said:

    Ugh.  Let's hope that this is injury related, not performance related.

    Not a great endorsement considering he was on the team last year.

    Heidt didn't get an invite for Canada even though he's torching the WHL and I think is 2nd? in points. Not concerned with Heidt, Stramel's performance this year has been a little concerning but kid just turned 19 and he's been hurt. Not calling the kid a bust and writing him off already like some are.  

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    Disco Strangler
    7 minutes ago, M_Nels said:

    Heidt didn't get an invite for Canada even though he's torching the WHL and I think is 2nd? in points. Not concerned with Heidt, Stramel's performance this year has been a little concerning but kid just turned 19 and he's been hurt. Not calling the kid a bust and writing him off already like some are.  

    Playing on the Badgers 4'th line. He's done nothing to show he was worth a 1'st round pick to this point. Hopefully he can turn it around. 

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    MrCheatachu
    30 minutes ago, M_Nels said:

    Heidt didn't get an invite for Canada even though he's torching the WHL and I think is 2nd? in points. Not concerned with Heidt, Stramel's performance this year has been a little concerning but kid just turned 19 and he's been hurt. Not calling the kid a bust and writing him off already like some are.  

    I've brought up Stramel a couple of times, and I'm definitely not calling him a bust.  His stat line at UW this year isnt great, even though it looks like the Badgers hockey program have turned a corner.

    I havent been able to watch any Badger hockey this year, so I'm more curious what's going on with the team/him.

    I'm more concerned that it appears the Badgers have moved him to wing the past 2 series rather than center...

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    Burnt Toast

    Watch Stramel play. He’s big, strong, fast and aggressive. I think there’s an important role for him in the NHL. Every team needs those types of players especially in the playoffs. 

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    Pewterschmidt
    1 hour ago, Burnt Toast said:

    Watch Stramel play. He’s big, strong, fast and aggressive. I think there’s an important role for him in the NHL.

    Foligno and Maroon are our current team's version of this type of player 

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    Imyourhuckleberry
    6 hours ago, MrCheatachu said:

    Charlie Stramel did not get an invite to the WJC

    He has 1 point, a single goal, in 10 games this season, and is tied for the worst +/- on the Wisconsin team. It would be much more shocking if they had invited him than if they didn't invite him.

    Wild probably should have drafted David Edstrom if they wanted a 1st round C with some size and skill.

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    mnfaninnc
    On 12/6/2023 at 8:44 AM, Imyourhuckleberry said:

    Back on October 27th, Wallstedt got shelled for 6 goals on just 25 shots.

    Despite that rough outing, he is leading the AHL in save percentage at .939.

    If you were to remove his worst game, he exceeds a .950 save percentage in the other 12 games he's played with roughly a 1.60 goals against average(GAA) and 9-3 record in those games. He's at 1.95 GAA when including all games.

    The Iowa Wild are 0-5-2 when Zane McIntyre plays, with a 3.92 GAA.

    Certainly looking like Wallstedt will be ready when called upon at the NHL level.

    Something that is lost in this is that The Wall is doing this with an extremely young and leaky defense in front of him. Take a closer look at McIntyre's stats. He didn't just forget to pack his game this season. This defense, while improving, is at best below average for the A. That's not to say they won't get better as the season goes on, but what would you expect with all but Mermis being within 2 years of jrs.? 

    Also, as I suspected would happen, Spacek was sent to the Heartlanders. I don't see this as a tragic demotion, it's more like "let's say I've got 6 defensive slots, and 8 defenders who need TOI." I don't think Spacek will be the only defensive prospect to experience this. 

    Note to the defensive prospects: Want to get up to the N? Don't miss out in the gym....bulk up!

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    TheGoosesAreLooses
    21 hours ago, M_Nels said:

    Heidt didn't get an invite for Canada even though he's torching the WHL and I think is 2nd? in points. Not concerned with Heidt, Stramel's performance this year has been a little concerning but kid just turned 19 and he's been hurt. Not calling the kid a bust and writing him off already like some are.  

    Heidt is first in the entirety of the CHL, including the WHL, OHL and QJHL. Literally has the most points out of any league at that level in Canada. The article I saw said he was too much of a powerplay specialist to be invited. Another shocking think is Hockey Canada didn't invite anyone from PG who is the top team in the WHL @ 21-7-0. They also lead the league in goal differential at a whopping 57 goals positive. Their PK is 86.3% and their powerplay is !33%! which are both at the top of the league. This Cougars team is an absolute wagon. Something smells fishy on this one but it is undercut by the multitude of dumpsters of rotting fish that are Hockey Canada's history.

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    mnfaninnc
    21 hours ago, M_Nels said:

    Heidt didn't get an invite for Canada even though he's torching the WHL and I think is 2nd? in points. Not concerned with Heidt, Stramel's performance this year has been a little concerning but kid just turned 19 and he's been hurt. Not calling the kid a bust and writing him off already like some are.  

    Let's also remember that Stramel did lose his dad which is still recent. People process things differently, and I believe they were close. I'm not trying to make excuses for the kid, but if he's still playing with a heavy heart and worrying about home, this could be a reason for underperforming. I realize WI isn't that far away, but a change of scenery might be in order.

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    mnfaninnc
    16 hours ago, Imyourhuckleberry said:

    He has 1 point, a single goal, in 10 games this season, and is tied for the worst +/- on the Wisconsin team. It would be much more shocking if they had invited him than if they didn't invite him.

    Wild probably should have drafted David Edstrom if they wanted a 1st round C with some size and skill.

    How about we stop with the bust talk on Stramel until he's at least 21? At some point the lights will click back on.

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    Protec

    Stramel could be like Wheeler or Thompson who missed a cut, or took time to develop. Thompson for example, got traded while being kinda uncertain in the years after being picked. Plus Rossi is good now after lots of weird stuff and a few years. 

    NA-MN bias says give Stramel at least as long as Rossi or Addison. 

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    Imyourhuckleberry
    1 hour ago, mnfaninnc said:

    How about we stop with the bust talk on Stramel until he's at least 21? At some point the lights will click back on.

    I'm not calling him a bust, but he was an underperforming freshman. People suggested a better coach and better supporting cast would help, and it has helped the team, but Stramel hasn't moved the needle so far with production.

    I'm not saying he cannot be a useful player some day, but I don't think anyone should believe he'll be a top 6 forward based upon what he has shown to date. His size/skating ability could play at higher levels and he does have years to develop.

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    Disco Strangler
    1 hour ago, Protec said:

    Stramel could be like Wheeler or Thompson who missed a cut, or took time to develop. Thompson for example, got traded while being kinda uncertain in the years after being picked. Plus Rossi is good now after lots of weird stuff and a few years. 

    NA-MN bias says give Stramel at least as long as Rossi or Addison. 

    I believe Tage Thompson took quite a while also. I don't know that TT ever looked quite as bad though or had the demotions.

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    M_Nels
    2 hours ago, mnfaninnc said:

    Also, as I suspected would happen, Spacek was sent to the Heartlanders. I don't see this as a tragic demotion, it's more like "let's say I've got 6 defensive slots, and 8 defenders who need TOI." I don't think Spacek will be the only defensive prospect to experience this. 

    I believe they brought him back up and sent Masters down this week. Last 2 games I went to his skating ability stood out.

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