Pre/Post Game Minnesota Wild Banter

[OnAFly]

See, don't you feel much better now?

I agree about the improvement this year. The beginning of the year and preseason, I didn't think too highly of Richards. It seems he's dialed in the system better now and his players are playing the way he wants them to. We are winning (at least enough to make things interesting) and our future is looking a little better all the time.

Without some key injuries this year, I think we make the playoffs easily. Now, it's a 50/50 chance. Unfortunately, it seems like every other western team in the league is playing a 3 point game, making things even harder on us. Sounds like Koivu could be back soon, which would help immensely.

[spearchucker]

We will see how things are in the next couple years when Fletcher has had his chance to recruit and get rid of some of Doug Rs bad decisions.

[10,000 Casts]

Quote:

Sounds like Koivu could be back soon, which would help immensely.

On the radio they interviewed Koivu and he said that he still couldn't handle a puck and still couldn't take a faceoff but he definetly felt better than the day before. Lets pray he wakes up one day soon and wants to play with some pain.. We need him asap..

[spearchucker]

Lets pray he wakes up one day soon and wants to play with some pain.. We need him asap..

Agree, but I think it is more than pain, he has to be able to have enough strength and feel in the finger to grip the stick.

[OnAFly]

That game was UGLY.

Now we play in Dallas. I don't remember the last time we won there. We are down two key guys and LTD is slowwwwww. The ugly could get uglier. This roadtrip has the makings of a bad slide.

[schmitty3]

They havn't been playing too good there last 4 or 5 games. Even agaisnst the Avs they looked really flat at times, and the Avs are pretty bad this year. I hope they can some how turn it around, but this road trip has the looks of disaster.

[scsavre]

I dont get the whole broken finger thing. Unless its the thumb, what difference does it make? Is it too painful to grip the stick. I coule see if it is the bottom hand and you are ripping slapshots. But really go grab a stick. It doesnt seem like there is a finger besides the thumb that controls that much of your stick. Maybe your pointer on the top hand. Who knows. We need him there soon.

[OnAFly]

It is the bottom hand...the one he uses for leverage on face-offs.

[scsavre]

I could see there being some jarring. Either way the bone couldnt be healed by now could it. Dont fingers take awhile

[OnAFly]

They can. I broke one and it was a month before I was comfortable with it again, so for a NHLer probably a couple weeks. It probably depends on the break.

BTW, mine was my trigger finger the day before my first deer opener. Bad luck!

[scsavre]

ONaFly, I think I would have gone lefty if that happened to me.

[JimBuck]

The finger injury is a tough deal...I was trying to think of ways to play through it but those appendages are pretty important for puck handling and everything else. I was thinking they could tape it up but that'd be pretty tough to do with a hockey glove on. I suppose they could modify a glove to have 4 fingers, I've never had a problem with wearing choppers when I play rink hockey outdoors.

Last night was BAD. I'm not going to go into details because they flat out sucked. I hope ol' Toddy brought out the belt last night and whipped em' into shape because we need these wins.

[OnAFly]

I taped it up and used my middle. It was awkward, but I wound up with a little dear, so I forgot all about it.

Every game from now on has to be their best game. They can't sit back and go 50-50 to the end. That's not going to cut it. We need 19 points to make 96 (what it's looking like to get in).

That means we need to go a least 9-4-1 to have a chance. Honestly, I don't see it happening.

[Bear55]

Honestly, I don't see it happening.

That feeling we all kind of had earlier (this year is differnt) has kind of faded because of injuries and poor play, my honest opinion is telling me we are in trouble too.

[10,000 Casts]

it won't be easy but it's possible! they have a 4 game home stand coming up and they need to take 1 out of 2 on the road.. we also have 2 against the Oilers and 2 or 3 against the east.. you never know what to expect with this team!!!

as far as LTD goes, can they send him down to Houston to rehab? And one more question, when was the last time the wild out shot a team??? it's been a while... well it's time to start!!!

[OnAFly]

We've only played 4 or 5 games this year which we've outshot the opponent.

The problem is that we can only lose three more times this year. That's going to be very tough for a team missing two of it's top players. Though, it sounds like Koivu is going to give it a go in Vancouver. Clutterbuck is still having headaches.

[walleyes12]

Not a good time to start a skid. A very must win against the Vancouver.

[hanronson]

Bad 1st period last night...almost came back. At least we got Koivu, Clutterbuck and Stoner back. Can't afford many more losses though.

[OnAFly]

How much better are we with Koivu? Stoner's two penalties wound up to be goals. Did he take them out of not wanting to push his injury? He's been very reliable before, so maybe it was a contributing factor.

We can afford ~2 more losses and then we're all but done with the season. So we would need to go 10-2. Not likely. Oh well, I guess we can look forward to next year. At least we are trending upwards now after 3 years of downward spiral.

[knoppers]

I think you can stick a fork in them now, turn out the lights, the partys over. now I have to eat crow since I said they were making the playoffs this year for sure.

[OnAFly]

7 games in a row winless...we can only hope to lose out the rest for a high draft pick. We sit with the 11th pick overall right now. Lets see how high we can draft!

[RonT]

The game last night against Toronto was awful. If they continue to play that way, they will move up in the draft. I'm sure another James Sheppard like player is out there waiting to be drafted in the first round.

[10,000 Casts]

7 straight loses... enough said... But on the bright side, we have another home and home with the Blues this weekend!!! Remember the last home and home with them? 2 best games of the year imo.. Time to call up Kassian and let him and Staubitz run wild and set the standard for next year.

[solbes]

Watching the Wild lately just makes me really, really tired. Guess they might as well climb that draft board.

[knoppers]

hockey is hockey, so I will be watching the game, becuase I like hockey, thats all. I need to start cutting my wild players off my fantasy hockey team ASAP.

[knoppers]

another A effort by the wild again tonight. geez they can't even win at home. half way through the game they had 4 shots on goal.

[OnAFly]

Me too, I just love watching hockey, but I want to watch hockey being played the right way. Right now, few players are playing it this way. Instead they are slacking and not playing with each other, but as individuals. Not three weeks ago, this was the exact opposite.

[OnAFly]

So, the moment we think we might be in for a good draft pick, we start winning again.

They need bad before they can be good, but the STH will leave if they are that bad. Hopefully management/ownership will realize that getting mediocre draft pick year after year isn't a sure fire way to a contending team. Yes it's painful, but it's necessary.

Like Russo stated on the radio the other day, "look at where we would be if we dropped 6 points last year and wound up with the #7 pick...Jeff Skinner." Look him up. He's exactly what everyone who has watched the Wild for the last 4 years has demanded.

6 lousy points.

[scsavre]

pffff, we still would have drafted somebody who would never make the league. It is nice to think that we would have taken Skinner though.

[OnAFly]

Reports say they loved the guy. But, lots of teams loved the guy. I'm sure if he didn't go 7th, he would have gone 8th. If he didn't go 8th, he would be wearing green and red right now.

It just goes to show how critical it is to either get lucky picks later or get good ones earlier. This team doesn't usually get lucky very often in the draft.