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  • Wilderness Walk: Will the Rookies Play?

    Image courtesy of © Matt Blewett-USA TODAY Sports
    Thomas Williams

    By Thomas Williams -

    Your daily dose of Wild news, along with other interesting stories from around the NHL.

    The Minnesota Wild did what a lot of Wild fans wanted all year long this weekend. They recalled center Marco Rossi after he just keeps on putting up points and continues to be a two-way performer in the AHL.

    It was for an unfortunate reason -- Joel Eriksson Ek going down with an injury that will keep him out week-to-week -- but we can still be happy to see one of the Wild's top prospects hopefully solidify his position in the NHL. That is only if he actually plays, though. Because with the game that Sam Steel played on Saturday and how he has looked generally in the last couple weeks, removing him from the lineup might be hard for head coach Dean Evason.

    We don't think that Rossi was brought in just to sit up in the press box, because it's not like they're going to be heading on a massive road trip where they need the extra bodies. There are three games left in the season. Monday in Chicago, Tuesday against the Jets, and then they go play their finale against the Predators in Nashville. Then it's the playoffs, so the lineup decisions only matter more.

    We would hope that Rossi gets to play right away on Monday, to then get in a regular NHL rhythm and be ready for Game 1 of the first round. Although, we have been let down when we want some young guys to play, before.

    And speaking of young guys, Brock Faber is now a part of the team and his role or availability to play is in question as well. He just played for the national championship and with Jared Spurgeon, Matt Dumba, and John Klingberg all healthy on the right side of the blue line, there is not an obvious hole that needs to be filled. It's much more tricky to see Faber get in on the action, but if the Wild believe he's a talent that can change the game more than a Jon Merrill or Alex Goligoski, then maybe they will work with some pairings and see who wants to go to the left.

    We just want to see the future of this team get some opportunities, but will they?

    That's Wild

    • One of the big questions with Kirill Kaprizov coming back is if Matt Boldy's production will now be slowing down. He's still red-hot but now the offensive load is going to be spread more evenly at the top of this lineup. [Hockey Wilderness]
    • Gustav Nyquist made his Wild debut on Saturday, over a month after he was acquired by Minnesota at the trade deadline. He earned two assists and looked generally impressive in a depth scoring role. [Pioneer Press]
    • The Wild reached 100 points with the 5-3 win over the St. Louis Blues on Saturday, but how does that shakedown in the standings? Well, the Colorado Avalanche won their game against the Anaheim Ducks last night and now all three of the Dallas Stars, Avs, and Wild have three games remaining. Colorado is up top with 104 points, Dallas has 102, and Minnesota has 100. So, the pressure is on for the Wild to win those three remaining games. The Stars currently have the tiebreaker over the other two teams, but the Wild could have the advantage over the Avalanche if they tied in points. Everything is still so open with three games left.

    Off the trail...

    • Alex Lyon is saving the Florida Panthers' season and sometimes it takes a guy coming out of nowhere to just win a bunch of games for you and lift you into the playoffs. [Yahoo Sports]
    • Wayne Simmonds has been able to play just 20 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs this season. He has been shuttled back and forth between the AHL and NHL, and used as some cap-clearing transaction for the Leafs to make some moves throughout the year. Is this signaling his final season in the NHL? Are we ready to say goodbye? [The Hockey News]
    • We love a little chaos, don't we? Former Vancouver Canucks captain Bo Horvat was asked about the hometown New York Islanders crowd as they push for the playoffs and the centerman just had to say it was "a lot better than Vancouver." [Sportsnet]
    By Thomas Williams  

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    mnfaninnc

    There are 3 games left.  I say there's no pressure.  I'd rather start on the road in a playoff series.  I think the main thing to figure out in the next 180 minutes of play is the correct pairings and the correct lines.  Getting everyone healthy is another factor, or, keeping everyone healthy.

    If anyone's got some dings, give them a night off.  I'd like to see Rossi in an elevated role.  I'd like to see Faber with Goligoski. And, of course, I'd really like to see Ek healed.  Tomorrow night, I'd really like to see a boys will be boys game, where Reaves starts everything out with a big hit on Logan Stanley.  No suspensions, but a nice heavy hitting game, perhaps with a few gloves missing 😉

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    mnfaninnc

    What is the thing about content being improved by a moderator each post?  Seems like a lot of work for the moderators.

    How does everyone like the new site?  It caught me by surprise this weekend.  Was the gamethread working well?

    I really like the chronological order of the comments instead of the default "newest" category.  Allows the conversations to flow the way they should.

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    Tony Abbott
    Just now, mnfaninnc said:

    What is the thing about content being improved by a moderator each post?  Seems like a lot of work for the moderators.

    Just explaining this quickly: For your first three posts, you will need to have those posts approved by a moderator. Once you get three, you go from "Provisional Member" to "Verified Member." You are now a Verified Member and will no longer require approval for posts.

    Get that it's a touch inconvenient, but so is Spam, and in your case, it's over.

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    mnfaninnc

    KHL Update- SKA is tied with CSKA 2-2, and their game today is 2-2 after 1.  Khus^&* has 1g 6a in 14 games.  

    CHL Update-

    • Sherbrooke swept its 1st series and Spacek had a pair of apples
    • Owen Sound was swept, Petrovsky was 1g 1a in 4 games
    • Saginaw is tied at 3, Haight has 3g 3a in the 6 games
    • Winnipeg swept its series, Lambos had a pair of apples
    • Kamloops destroyed their opponent, Bankier 4g 5a in 4 games, Masters a pair of apples

    Well, I'm taking a spin around the comments section.  Haven't gained the courage to try and enter the gifs yet, but I'm liking the bullet points.  

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    kapislife
    14 minutes ago, mnfaninnc said:

    There are 3 games left.  I say there's no pressure.  I'd rather start on the road in a playoff series.  I think the main thing to figure out in the next 180 minutes of play is the correct pairings and the correct lines.  Getting everyone healthy is another factor, or, keeping everyone healthy.

    If anyone's got some dings, give them a night off.  I'd like to see Rossi in an elevated role.  I'd like to see Faber with Goligoski. And, of course, I'd really like to see Ek healed.  Tomorrow night, I'd really like to see a boys will be boys game, where Reaves starts everything out with a big hit on Logan Stanley.  No suspensions, but a nice heavy hitting game, perhaps with a few gloves missing 😉

    Rossi with boldy and mojo please. Throw Faber with whoever, maybe brodin for a few shifts to see how he should be skating 🤣

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    mnfaninnc

    So, do the comments just go in chronological order, or can you reply to a particular post.  Perhaps that's how the quote thing works so you can follow the conversation?

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    Thomas Williams
    1 minute ago, mnfaninnc said:

    So, do the comments just go in chronological order, or can you reply to a particular post.  Perhaps that's how the quote thing works so you can follow the conversation?

    Yup! Just like the old-school forum style. These quotes will act as replies to earlier posts, but overall it will stay in chronological order.

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    mnfaninnc

    So, we won't have actual replies that sorts in outline form to follow the conversation.  

    Would there be a way to add that feature in sort of a sub thread type the way the old original vox system worked?  I would think we could probably keep track with quotes on most articles, but there are some that get huge traffic where the quotes might be a little hard to follow back and forth.  

    I guess I was mainly thinking of the some of the other sports like baseball and football that generate more comments.  I am, of course, assuming that this same comment section is going to be used throughout the Zone Coverage platform here.  

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    Cole_Train

    Hearing Rossi will center the third line with Petan and Hartman is a bit disappointing. Give the kid a solid chance with Boldy and Mojo! I want to see him with some offensive talent. Not that Hartman can’t be that at times but if you’re gonna play him than give him a real chance to build some chemistry. Petan and Hartman aren't it. 

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    Pewterschmidt
    6 minutes ago, Cole_Train said:

    Hearing Rossi will center the third line with Petan and Hartman is a bit disappointing. Give the kid a solid chance with Boldy and Mojo! I want to see him with some offensive talent. Not that Hartman can’t be that at times but if you’re gonna play him than give him a real chance to build some chemistry. Petan and Hartman aren't it. 

    I can agree with saddling Rossi with Petan who's an ahl journeyman, but if Hartman's good enough for 97, he's good enough for the rookie.  I'm looking forward to Rossi being noticeable against a weak CHI team and making it difficult for BG to send him back down.  If he's timid and invisible then right back to Iowa.  This is your time to prove you're ready young'n.

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    Tony Abbott

    It just bums me out to see them very deliberately not put him in the best spot to succeed. Rooting for him to bust out anyway, but I don't know why they have to put a rocket on Steel's back while giving Rossi a piano to drag in this race.

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    Cole_Train
    8 minutes ago, Pewterschmidt said:

    I can agree with saddling Rossi with Petan who's an ahl journeyman, but if Hartman's good enough for 97, he's good enough for the rookie.  I'm looking forward to Rossi being noticeable against a weak CHI team and making it difficult for BG to send him back down.  If he's timid and invisible then right back to Iowa.  This is your time to prove you're ready young'n.

    That wasn’t so much a knock on Hartman as I said he can be offensive. It’s just that Hartman is already a center on the first line typically so why have him with Rossi? It feels like a scrap line. I want to see him on a line with some identity to it and that line isn’t it. I want to see him play with people he might actually play with in the future and build a little chemistry if even for just a couple games. I agree Rossi needs to make it himself but that doesn’t feel like a recipe to succeed to me.

    Edited by Cole_Train
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    NC Beach Bum
    1 hour ago, kapislife said:

    Rossi with boldy and mojo please. Throw Faber with whoever, maybe brodin for a few shifts to see how he should be skating 🤣

    I like the idea of Faber with Brodin and Rossi with Boldy  and Johansson, when Ek comes back I'd like to see him on first line with Kap.....

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    jessail
    1 hour ago, Cole_Train said:

    Hearing Rossi will center the third line with Petan and Hartman is a bit disappointing. Give the kid a solid chance with Boldy and Mojo! I want to see him with some offensive talent. Not that Hartman can’t be that at times but if you’re gonna play him than give him a real chance to build some chemistry. Petan and Hartman aren't it. 

    I agree. Would like to see how he does with Boldy in case Ek out a while. Disappointed in the projected lineup. 

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    WheelSnipeCelly
    2 hours ago, mnfaninnc said:

    KHL Update- SKA is tied with CSKA 2-2, and their game today is 2-2 after 1.  Khus^&* has 1g 6a in 14 games.  

    CHL Update-

    • Sherbrooke swept its 1st series and Spacek had a pair of apples
    • Owen Sound was swept, Petrovsky was 1g 1a in 4 games
    • Saginaw is tied at 3, Haight has 3g 3a in the 6 games
    • Winnipeg swept its series, Lambos had a pair of apples
    • Kamloops destroyed their opponent, Bankier 4g 5a in 4 games, Masters a pair of apples

    Well, I'm taking a spin around the comments section.  Haven't gained the courage to try and enter the gifs yet, but I'm liking the bullet points.  

    Thanks for the recap — always appreciate these!

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    IllicitFive
    1 hour ago, NC Beach Bum said:

    I like the idea of Faber with Brodin and Rossi with Boldy  and Johansson, when Ek comes back I'd like to see him on first line with Kap.....

    With how Ek Mojo and Boldy had been going I would rather keep those 3 together. When playoffs start I don't think you should mess with chemistry too much. As much as, I believe, we all want to see Rossi succeed, that may be a next year dream when we inevitably lose guys in FA. Until Ek comes back Rossi should be given a chance on line 2 and have motivation to put in the off season work.

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    kapislife
    2 hours ago, NC Beach Bum said:

    I like the idea of Faber with Brodin and Rossi with Boldy  and Johansson, when Ek comes back I'd like to see him on first line with Kap.....

    Would sure be nice to have two legit top 6 centers. Geaudreau is a good third line center.

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