Wild 2013-14 season

[RK]

No buyout during the season, and Heately's a UFA after this season so buyout is a moot point. They couldn't buy him out this summer because he was hurt. So he's on the team. I think he'll score some, but I'd be happy to see 20 goals out of the guy honestly.

My pet peeve with Heately is "The Heately Forecheck" - skate into the middle of the zone then point your stick at the other team's d-man as he skates by you with the puck. You can almost hear him saying "There he is! Get 'im! Get 'im!" Watch sometime... Makes me crazy.

I think you could trade Prosser for a mid-round draft pick or two. Like the guy but it's almost to the point where giving him a shot in another organization would be doing him a favor. I don't think you're going to see him jumping ahead of guys like Dumba or Stoner on the depth chart. I think he needs waivers to get to Iowa, so you'd imagine they'd try to get SOMETHING for him before the floated him over the waiver wire. A team that needs an organizational depth defensemen may give up a 5th rounder for him.

[OnAFly]

Yeah Heater getting hurt at the end of the year last year was really bad timing.

I'd be cool with them getting a 5th or 6th for Prosser. Maybe they're waiting to see what they do with Dumba on game 9 of his.

I'll have to watch for the Heatley forecheck tomorrow

[Bear55]

Nice dominating win against Dallas, who is this Matt Cooke guy leading our team in points? I know that won't last but it sure is fun.

[Guest]

Very impressive, they all played intense hockey, hit on all cylinders and executing like they are capable.

Time to give Yeo an extension!

[OnAFly]

Haha! That was a great game to watch. If this puck posession style of Yeo's keeps up like this, it will be a fun season I still have doubts about our D, though.

[schmitty3]

Good to see the young guys put their first goals on the board. They really haven't been outplayed yet this year. I'm excited, only thing that really concerns me is the goaltending.

[Guest]

So happy to see Harding playing so well, hope they stay with him and move Backs in as the back-up now and then to give Harding a rest. Tough one tonight in Toronto, wonder who will play in the net tonight?

Yeo for Coach of the Year!

[10,000 Casts]

I hope they ride Harding for as long as they can too. That Cooke line sure is playing well and it was interesting how high that NBC Sports is on the Wild.

My takes so far,

Harding has about a 1.00 GAA

They are allowing the fewest shots in the league.

Their faceoff win % is #2 in the league.

Their power play is really clicking

All great things for an up and coming team that was pinned by the salary cap! I love watching them swarm in the nuetral zone, it sure can help a suspect D when the other team has trouble getting into your zone and it seems to lend itself towards our younger blue collar team. I've always like Yeo and I'd say he's doing the best with what he has right now.

[CaptainMusky]

Wasnt it just a week ago that people were calling for Yeo's head and how terribly underachieving the team was?

Its a long season boys. They are playing well now and are putting together a nice streak. A real test against Toronto. Buffalo has been struggling, but Dallas has been playing well of late too, so a couple good things there.

Agreed on Harding. It wouldnt hurt my feelings at all if they put Kuemper in to rest Harding instead of putting Backstrom back in. At some point they have to give these guys some experience.

I will admit. I wasnt too keen at first when I heard of the Cooke deal, but I did know he had changed him game from when I really saw him in Vancouver.

He is really playing well and a big boost to the team. We have guys playing well all over that just arent showing up on the stats sheet yet.

D is a bit of concern still. Stoner still sucks. Ballard has been inconsistent. A couple really good games, then a couple sloppy ones. Last night OK.

Overall very pleased with the play thus far. Love the tenacity and puck possession.

[RK]

About half way through the game I thought to myself "Man, this must have been what it was like watching your team play the Wild 3 or 4 years ago..." Not a ton of talent in Buffalo, and they spent a lot of the game sitting back in the neutral zone clogging things up and just trying to slow down the MN offense coming into the zone.

Not a great game by the Wild by any means but they play well enough in stretches to win against a bad team on the road. And I didn't think Buffalo was as bad as I thought they were going to be. Seemed like they'd get close to putting it together time after time then trip over their own feet somehow.

Couple random thoughts:

- Whoda thunk Cooke would be a fan favorite so fast? That third line is awfully, awfully good right now.

- Brodin: My God. What a talent that kid is. Already almost half his point total from last season, and no letdown in his defensive coverage. Amazing skater, and just a smart, smart player.

- Heately: My God. And not in a good way. I swear, his hands are gone. He can't connect with a pass, Grandlund puts a puck right on his stick at the goal mouth and he misses it wide on an empty net... Announcers tried to be generous and say he got clipped on his partial breakaway, but honest to God I think he just fell down. Right now the guy is a liability. At what point do you make him a healthy scratch? When Coyle comes back how on earth do you send Granlund down to the 4th line (or back to Iowa) and keep Heately on the 2nd?

- Granlund: What a difference a year makes eh?

- Harding: Looks very confident, which Backstrom frankly did not the first few games. Have to wonder if they ride him for a while. I sure would. If Harding locks down the #1, is Backstrom on the block at some point. That I suppose depends on if they think Kuemper is ready to be an NHL #2... But there are some teams that look to need a keeper. (*cough* Oilers *cough*)

- Koivu haters should watch the replay of Pomminville's goal 10 or 12 times. That was one heck of a sequence.

- Heck of a sales pitch to Vanek, eh?

Be interesting to see how tonight goes. Second night of a back to back, tough place to play, backup to the backup... I can see this one being a tough one.

[Bear55]

Like what I am seeing so far this season, if they can bring the effort and skill all season long we will be dangerous come playoff time. Like CM said, its a long long season I expect a roller coaster ride.

A 2nd line of Coyle Pommers and Granlund would be sweet, Heatley is just not working out there and I don't know where he fits on this team.

[OnAFly]

Russo brought up a good point about Vanek this morning on PAs show. If they want him it's likely going to have to be a ~6 year deal. That means we will be getting pretty old in our roster towards the end of that.

I don't know that we want 4 guys in their upper 30's on our team at once. That is unless their names are Teemu Selanne. It's just something to think about with the Vanek deal. It looks awesome now...but down the road...(Heatley)

[10,000 Casts]

Quote:

- Heately: My God. And not in a good way. I swear, his hands are gone. He can't connect with a pass, Grandlund puts a puck right on his stick at the goal mouth and he misses it wide on an empty net... Announcers tried to be generous and say he got clipped on his partial breakaway, but honest to God I think he just fell down. Right now the guy is a liability. At what point do you make him a healthy scratch? When Coyle comes back how on earth do you send Granlund down to the 4th line (or back to Iowa) and keep Heately on the 2nd?

completely agree, I've seen one decent play from him and that was that assist to Dumba on the PP a couple games ago, otherwise he has been a disaster. Can or would they put him on waivers and send him down? Or just make him a healthy scratch, there gotta be something.

[archerystud]

I thought the Wild looked AWESOME in the first. The only time that Buffalo got the puck was on the power play. Second and third periods were not as great but still the Wild controlled the play. I also thought it felt like watching Detroit play keep away with the puck from the Wild 3-4 years ago, only it was finally reversed.

I hate back to backs while traveling. Will be interesting to see how the Wild look tonight

Couple Random thoughts:

Heatley actually looked pretty fast last night, at least better than he did in the previous games. I think he may be feeling the push. He's gotta be thinking that once Coyle is back he's probably going down to 4th line. Brodin is just fun to watch. Granlund is MUCH stronger on the puck this year. Ballard has been okay which was more than I was expecting. Both power play lines are a threat to score on the PP, can't say I can ever remember the Wild having that luxury before. Pommer's goal was a BEAUTIEEEE!

I read an article after the Pommer signing that Vanek coming to MN is the worst kept secret in hockey. It's a long season but the Wild may want to pass on a talent like him to keep Cap space to resign the younger players in the future: Brodin, Granlund, Coyle, Dumba.....

[Bear55]

I don't know that we want 4 guys in their upper 30's on our team at once. That is unless their names are Teemu Selanne. It's just something to think about with the Vanek deal. It looks awesome now...but down the road...(Heatley)

Yep could cause big problems down the road, I think the big issues will come with cap issues resigning the kids. I kind of think we just have to go for it if we can get Vanek we will have a short 3-4 year window where the vets will still have some gas in the tank and the kids will be peaking but not earning the big paydays yet. Eventually we might have to trade away a key member of the team to make things work but those are sometimes the risks you take for a chance at a cup.

[CaptainMusky]

Trade Heatley, Koivu and Backstrom to Buffalo for Vanek and Stafford. Roll with Harding and Kuemper in net and watch the pucks get pumped in on the other end!!!

[OnAFly]

Yeah, you're right. That's what ya gotta do sometimes. I suppose Chicago did it the year after they won the cup. As long as we choose the right ones to stay...

CM - I don't think a rebuilding team with a good goalie is going to make the trade. Besides, what do you have against Koivu?

[CaptainMusky]

Yeah, i wouldnt think they would go for that trade either, but it was worth a shot.

"Against koivu"? well, trades dont always have to be against a player to be considered in a trade. Its all about making the team better and bundling something together that someone would take.

In this case, its a little of both. Koivu I think is overrated. He is a solid player, but his complete absence in the playoffs last year really rubbed me the wrong way. If he came out and said he was hurt, I would give him some slack, but he hasnt.

I dont hate the guy, I just dont buy into what some say about he's a first line center. IMO he is a second liner on most other teams.

I hope when Coyle is heathly it doesnt interrupt the progress the team has made since his absence. That guy is a beast and between he and Brodin I see huge improvements from both of them.

[Abndoc]

Get coyle back and trade heatley for anything you can. He's so slow!!

[schmitty3]

Well that game was annoying.

[Bear55]

Remember when the Wild use to get outshot 40-15 and still find a way to win? Well this is what the other team's fans felt like.

[CaptainMusky]

I still like the teams chances with continued play like this. Kuemper struggled, bummer I was glad to see him start. Still some positives. Stoner still sucks. El Nino continues to show up, Brodin continues to impress. Saved an open net goal among many other plays. Lots of pipes but they carried play for almost 50 minutes of that game. Kind of demoralizing with a loss but if they keep it up they will be on the other end of 75% of those games.

[archerystud]

Remember when the Wild use to get outshot 40-15 and still find a way to win? Well this is what the other team's fans felt like.

I'm with Bear on this one. I'd rather be on the losing end of those. At least the Wild are showing they can play with anybody. Keumper was left out to dry on the first one and I blame Stoner. When he goes back down he'll work on closing that 5 hole quicker.

I still think the future looks bright for this team.

[Guest]

IMO they should just scratch Heatley every night regardless what they are paying him and put some young legs in there. He is so ineffective and almost comical watching him just stand and spin in the same spot in the slot waiting for someone to get him the puck and then just stay on the fringes during the forecheck.

[BartmanMN]

I am still waiting to see that CHL goalie of the year come out of Keumper. Some day hopefully.

[10,000 Casts]

My guess is that no teams want anything to do with a Heatley trade. He is done.. I hope they do come to their senses and scratch him but they prolly don't want a cancer in the locker room either and maybe they're waiting for Coyle to come back.

I hope Granlund isn't a future Setoguchi when it comes to finishing. 2 great chances with total misses. The first one he tried to go with the easy 5 hole and it was weak and the second one he missed the backhand.

[Bear55]

We just need to give Heatley a little time, the way things are going he should play his way right out of the lineup or down to the 3rd or 4th line by the time Coyle is ready. Not sure if he is done in the NHL but he could almost use a year off to heal himself up and or get his azz back in serious shape.

[OnAFly]

He's been on a serious downward slide for several years now. Makes you wonder if he's just done.

When Coyle comes back, Veilleux goes down, Heatley stays. He might play 3rd/4th line minutes, but they won't send him down and they won't sit him for long periods of time. He just makes too much and I don't think we'll see a Sheldon Souray situation.

[hoppe56307]

When can they buy Heatly out? Or did we use our 2 buyouts already?

[OnAFly]

No in season buyouts. I thought about that too. If he wouldn't have been hurt all summer, he would have been bought out too. No buyouts for injured players either.

We kinda got hosed on that whole situation. At least this is his last year with us and likely with the NHL too at this rate.