Pre/Post Game Minnesota Wild Banter

[scsavre]

You guys are right about what we need to do in the post season. No more sqeeking in. We need to advance and have a chance.

I think you are off about us making it to playoffs with last years coaching and management.

We wouldnt have Latendresse, and we would be seeing way too much Shepard, and Backstrom hasnt looked strong enough to hold teams to 1 or 2 goals. And we dont need to have our prospects sitting in the press box vs playing in the AHL.

[PierBridge]

Looks like us Direct TV subscribers have Versus back, guess I'll have to record Gabby and the Rangers tonight!

[Bear55]

Wild sign NCAA free agent Casey Wellman from UMass. Sounds like a good pickup to me, most everyone in the NHL was hot after this guy. Nice to see our GM pull a decent prospect out of thin air.

"Wellman, a 6-foot-1, 185-pounder led UMass with 23 goals as a sophomore this season, which put him in a tie for sixth in the nation. His 45 points ranked second among the Minutemen. Wellman also ranked second on the team in scoring during his freshman season in 2008-2009, tallying 11 goals and 22 assists to lead all Hockey East freshmen, and earning All-Rookie Team honors."

[walleyes12]

I really like the wild taking a shot with Wellman, We are in need of center and I think he has all the potential!!

Nice to see the Wild pull 3 straight wins out, Its along shot to make the playoffs but atleast they are still fun to watch.

[10,000 Casts]

Props to the Wild for picking him up!!! 6'1" 180 is a huge stretch... I saw somewhere he was listed at 6'0" 160. But he looks like a pure goal scorer and I am happy to see the Wild sign him.

Anyone see the Boogy fight Sun night? Wow... awesome fight, Boogy came out of it with 4 stitches above his nose and 2 black eyes. And I think he won!

[walleyes12]

Ya that was a good fight, its been awhile since I have seen Boogy bloody. I really like seing big John Scott on the ice lately, he really kept Edmonton straight lastnight.

Whats everyones thoughts on Jamie Sifers? My opinion hes playing outstanding, smart heads up hockey, a real solid D-man! no points yet, but +2. I wouldnt mind seing him play out the rest of the season.

[OnAFly]

We drop two in a row, now with 11 games to go and 6 points out with three times in front of us. Can we call it a season?

I like that Fletcher is getting into the college free agent pool. Granted it's not a high chance of getting a quality player, but hey, we need to stock the pantry in a bad way. This Wellman kid has had a lot of talk going on about him. I missed tonight's game, but hopefully he plays the next one. I'd like to see what he's got.

[scsavre]

Man the wild sure have blown it. THe press sure has been wrong about how many points were needed and how many games would need to be won.

We have dropped some games to some bad teams. We coulda made it. Oh wait we are a bad team. Im calling it a season. It is all practice now.

[knoppers]

turn out the lights, the party is over. seems as we can't beat some of the worst teams in the NHL. they need to put shots on goal, thats how you score.

[OnAFly]

Anyone see the hit Latendress put on Mayers? I think he broke something in the door he hit him so hard. That was a hard, clean, shoulder to shoulder hit.

[walleyes12]

Its over! let the young guys play and see what they got. I like a few of our young defenseman, maybe we can trade a few of our veteran defenseman for some picks. I really think its time to let Burns go, maybe get some picks from him

[JimBuck]

Anyone see the hit Latendress put on Mayers? I think he broke something in the door he hit him so hard. That was a hard, clean, shoulder to shoulder hit.

We were sitting on that side yesterday afternoon. It took 10-15 minutes for them to replace the part between the pieces of Plexi. Did anyone hear the status on Langkow? They didn't show replay's or what really happened but he was down on the ice for quite some time. It's never good when a hockey player goes down and stays down.

[scsavre]

He took the shot to the back-side of the head and hit his face on the ice. SOunds like he was moving around at the hospital and will be ok. THats what I heard, not what I know, though.

We could have had Heatly for Burns, Harding, Shepard and a draft. That would have been nice, but everyone complained and wanted Burns.

[OnAFly]

Where did you hear that about Heatly?

That's a lot to give up for one guy. How long would his contract have been for if we did get him? If it were only a year, that's a big risk.

[scsavre]

This was during the off-season, prior to this year, or when the trade talk was happening for him. . Any team would be stupid to have taken that deal during the Trade deadlines, from us.

He wanted over $7mil and 5 years from us.

I tell you, we are going to trade the 2nd round pick we got for Belanger, Harding and hopefully Shepard, for a good player.

[walleyes12]

who would want sheppard? 55 games played 5 points!!!!

Casey Wellman 2 games 1 point

Clayton Stoner 8 games 2 points

Derek Boogard 48 games 4 points!!! LOL

Point is Sheppard is worthless, and to top it off he was our 1st round draft pick!

[scsavre]

Shepard is a Bum, he might even be worthless to trade now because teams no that there is no way we will resign him at $1.4

[OnAFly]

We'll probably see him traded after July. I'm sure Fletcher and Richards wanted to give him a chance under the new regime to see if he would blossom. He didn't now it's probably time to send him on his way. Hopefully we can pull off another Latendress/Pouliot trade, but I wouldn't get my hopes up.

Harding is another one who should be traded. He has value and maybe we could pick up a decent centerman for him. We need more centers!

[walleyes12]

Whats everyones thoughts on Bruno and Nolan, Two okay Players right now, but do we have room for 2 subpar veterans taking up space? I would really like to see a new winger play on the Koviu line. Its obvious Bruno has lost a step or two. I think hes slowing down that line. Nolan, I like him alot, not affraid to get into if needed, and brings that hard nose vetern thats needed

[scsavre]

Brunette is having his 3rd, maybe 2nd best year ever, 21 goals and 33 assists, and has another full year on contract. I am guessing he will be here next year, maybe move him to 3rd line, but that might not be a good spot either as he has no speed and doesnt hit.

I like Nolan, I like him better if he gets 20 goals though. I dont know where he will be next year. $2.7 is a lot of money, especially when we are going to have to dish out for LTD. At least Kobesew is back and scorring.

[10,000 Casts]

Nolan is the man, he may have single handedly kept us out of the playoffs but he still can play. I would like to see him back next year. Brunette has good numbers and is a great guy to have on the team but he is a step behind. If he isn't behind the net he is worthless. One of the things that I never could understand was wht they put on out on the 4 on 4 so much, that killed us.

You guys are right on the money with the Shep and Harding trade. And Burns hasn't had a good season in a while and with his size he needs to fight more, we need some nastyness back there, I am sick of all our D men (except Scott) getting tossed around.

[walleyes12]

I agree with you about our D-Man, they need to play with more of a chip on their shoulders, and not take any carp!

[OnAFly]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe we are mathematically out of the playoffs after tonight's game. It's time to be spoilers!

[scsavre]

5 and 7 for the month of march, that is the same as Edmonton did. . And these were the due or die games. 9 games back, better luck next year. Hopfully we can put a decent squad on the ice.

[OnAFly]

If we could win %40 of our games on the road we would be a really solid playoff team. Our home record is good, our away record is horrendous.

Home: 24-10-3

Away: 11-22-3

If we go 16-17-3 on the road, we're in the playoffs right now. We need to get that road record up if we want to do anything next year.

[silverbulletguy]

Anyone else hate watching the games on Versus? They always have one or two names that they seem to forget how to pronounce. Not to mention they are always wanting the WILD to lose. I hit mute and turn on the radio when I can.

[OnAFly]

Yeah, you can tell they are pushing for the bigger market teams to win when they are on. If you are talking about how they pronounced Zidlicky's name, Zid-Lits-Kee, that is actually how it's pronounced. I can't remember who it was, but some sports reporter did an article on the Wild players before the Olympics and talked about this. I had never heard it before that. I would have thought he would have corrected someone in the past 3 years instead of hearing his name pronounced wrong all the time.

It could be worse, TSN has been calling Wellman, 'Wellwood' in all of their articles.

[10,000 Casts]

Wild called up Cody Almond today. Young Center that has promise. (and 9 fights in Houston this year)

Boogs is back in the line up! Scott is dressed too! Should be a fun game against the Flyers tonight.

[solbes]

Can't figure this team out. Koivu is out, they are down 2 goals and come back in the third to push it to OT. Score right away in OT. Great come from behind win on the road against a competitive playoff team. Sometimes they give a lot of effort out there.

[OnAFly]

It seems like they play to the level of the competition sometimes. They play a tough team and play tough, they play a lousy team and coast around and play lousy.

Anyone see Wellman go after Carcillo for the hit from behind on Latendress? That kids has guts if he's doing stuff like that. He's all of 170lbs and he's going after one of the tougher guys in the NHL. I like his intensity.

Shep looked like a different player. Much better performance last night. For some reason he plays well in Philly. Unfortunately, nowhere else.