Wild!!!

[hoppe56307]

Harding Adjusting to New Meds

I hope they can get this figured out for him, but with they way the call up from Houston played in Vancouver we would still have a competent back up.

[Musky Buck]

I think that 2nd word "adjusting" sums up the wild so far, kinda sad to see us like 23rd was it in the power rankings, Parise's devils are looking good, Nashville is ahead of us, and you bet every team is fully ready for us with signing those 2 guys we'll get every teams best best effort proving the moves as wrong to the world as possible, you guys remember stepping up your game to prove the other team wrong or you're not just going to run away with things because you got that stud.

[10,000 Casts]

Kassian cleared waivers!!!!! I can't believe it so now he'll be reassigned to Houston and when Bordeleau treats Rupp like a punching bag tonight, maybe they'll think about calling him up... What a waste of a 2nd rd pick that would have been if we lost him.

[Guest]

Andrew Brunette hired as Hockey Operation Advisor.............hmmmmmmmm....I say he'll be coaching the Wild before too long, especially if they don't make the playoffs....maybe sooner.

[RK]

I think you could argue that as a second round pick it was wasted either way - one of the many Risebrough-era draft day head-scratchers.

I like Kassian, but taking a heavyweight who's definition of 'career year' was 18 points in 72 games in the WHL is a reach in the second considering who was taken later (Jonathan Quick, Ben Bishop, Keith Yandle, Kris Letang, Vlad Sobotka, Niklas Hjalmarrson). Granted no sure thing at any point in the draft (see: Shepard, James), but... have to admit though I'm not inclined to be charitable with the benefit of the doubt for Risebrough in general.

Really though, there's only 3 spots on the 4th line, and Kassian is a 4th line grinder. They already have Kenopka who can at least hold his own in a fight and is one of the best in the league in faceoffs, Rupp is a veteran big body, and Mitchell who has speed and can chase on the forecheck. Kenopka and Mitchell can both take PK shifts, and there's no way on God's green earth you'd see Kassian on a PK. He has the smaller tool box overall, and doesn't have the veteran credibility Rupp has. He's odd man out. Whether it was forced by roster constraints or not I was glad the Wild put him on waivers for his sake, so he can either play in Houston or get a fresh start somewhere else vs. eating popcorn in the pressbox every night.

Other interesting news - Coyle was reassigned to Houston. Kind of surprised me frankly. I thought he was pretty effective. Might just be a numbers game again where he doesn't require waivers to be sent down (similar to Scandella) and they'd rather send him down and have him playing than sitting in the pressbox if PMB is back in the lineup. Not like they can't call him back up the next day if they want to.

I still think we see a trade at some point - PMB or Seto. But who knows. Still not ready to hit the panic button yet. They play like the did the other night against the Canuks they'll win often as not. Luongo was very good at times, couple hit posts... It's hockey, and they just have no puck luck at all right now. That'll even out.

[Bear55]

I think you could argue that as a second round pick it was wasted either way - one of the many Risebrough-era draft day head-scratchers.

[10,000 Casts]

Is being effective on faceoffs and a PK guy enough to say Konopka is being effective? I thought I was going to love this guy and instead he just looks like he floats around jaw jacking with guys. I thought he would have some nice hits and play some good D and I haven't seen that yet.

I can't dissagree on your comments on Kassian and I totally see what your saying but is Rupp any better? Kassian played in 25 games last year and had 2 goals, Rupp played in 60 games and had 4 goals and 1 assist and he was on a much better team... I like to remember when Kassian owned Hordichuk twice last year and it put a huge lift into that team. Rupp won't be able to do that. I hope Rupp can produce but imo he is no better than Kassian.

Ya, that Coyle move surprised me too.

[10,000 Casts]

I think if we were in the East, Kassian would be playing almost every game.

[OnAFly]

The Coyle moved shocked me. I thought he was pretty good. Trade coming?

10K Casts - nice avatar

[RK]

I think between Rupp and Kassian even if it's a tossup (not sure I'd say it is), stick with the veteran, especially in a room where the team's struggling. Don't get me wrong - I like Kassian - but that choice didn't surprise me much.

[10,000 Casts]

tonight will show us what Rupps made of if Bordeleau starts taking liberties with our players and I bet he does.

You know, if I remember, we made the playoffs a couple times with Boogaard.

[Musky Buck]

A lot of Matt Kassians over the last bunch of years come playoff time are watching with that bag of popcorn, maybe Konopka McCleod can have round # 2 tonight ? Is it 7 goals in the last 6 games ? Maybe our 3rd and 4th lines should get more ice time. I remember one of the local sports guys calling the Wild "a near automatic playoff team for years to come". Talk about putting the MN jinx on em lol.

[OnAFly]

Could have been worse. Barry Melrose picked us for the Cup this year

[OnAFly]

Just read Russo's write up on Coyle. I guess it makes more sense thinking about it his way. PMB is gonna be back, they aren't gonna sit a one way contract and the Wild don't play until Sunday after this. They'll let Coyle go be a star in the AHL and come back a better, more confident player. That's the short version of Russo's article. He's so smart

Anyone see Karlsson's injury? 70% cut through his Achilles tendon . I darn near did that in high school. Luckily I missed the tendon and only got the artery and nerve

[fishing tech]

Luckily? Had a guy I played jrs with cut his Achilles tendon. Foot just flopping around. They cut the back of the leg from ankle to knee to fish the tendon out to reattach.

Coyle was playing well, but more icetime and confidence can go a long way in a month or so.

[OnAFly]

I had socks wrapped around my ankle to get to urgent care. The doc came out and asked to see it assuming it wasn't that bad and the bleeding would have stopped. He was very wrong. Had a nice pool going by the time they wrapped it back up and got my into a room.

[YiGGiN4SLoBS]

ANOTHER SCORELESS 1st????? really????? How long can this keep up? Seriously, what the wild are doing is very hard to do.... you almost have to try to not score. You would think they would occasionally get a puck to bounce off a skate and off the goalies back and in the net every once in while, wouldnt u? I dont know which team has more trouble scoring, the wild or the gophers basketball team...

[10,000 Casts]

Kobesew, Zanon and a team that has lost 3 straight just beat us. Rupp had a good game tho and it was good to see Yeo bench Konopka in the 3rd. I bet Konopka is a scratch on Sunday.

[hockeybc69]

Quote:

I dont know which team has more trouble scoring, the wild or the gophers basketball team...

The MN sports curse continues.....

[RK]

Hiya -

The Karlsson injury video about made me puke. What a gruesome injury. Apparently some of the Wild players wear kevlar socks to prevent just this kind of thing. Never thought I'd say this but I actually feel bad for Cook. It was clearly unintentional (look where his head is when it happens - he was just trying to pin the guy to the boards) but of all people to have this happen... had to be the guy least likely to get the benefit of the doubt from anyone.

Re: the Wild last night...this game did have "Trap Game" written all over it. Back from a western road trip, no practice time, 3rd in 4 nights... Recipe for a sluggish game. It was actually less of a debacle than I thought it might be. Still, hate to lose at home to a bad team. Was nice to see the top line get going again, but there were some ugly stretches. After Koivu's goal, when Colorado sailed into our zone I turned to my wife and said "goal coming up." Sure enough... Always thought right after you score is the most dangerous shift in hockey, and they really fell apart in their zone. Falk was a disaster on that shift - missed three or four chances to win battles and get it out of the zone.

Interesting that Ray Shero from the Pens was in town. Shopping trip? And not at the MOA? I'm at the point where I'd love to see them send PMB packing. Feel for the guy trying to jump into a short season after missing basically a year of hockey, but if he's supposed to be a top 6 forward...he ain't playing like it.

RK

[Guest]

They should be shopping everyone but Parise, Sutter, and Backstrom IMO to make the team bigger. Even Granlund looks way too weak regardless of his puck skills, we hardly ever win control coming out of a scrum along the boards. We have plenty of younger skilled players in Houston....make a blockbuster and turn it on! The "give it time for chemistry" excuse is way over blown IMO.

[Bear55]

It's sad that I am happy that we acutally scored more than 1 goal against one of the worst teams in the league.

[Bear55]

The "give it time for chemistry" excuse is way over blown IMO.

Call it an excuse if you want but something can be said for 40% roster turnover from last season. New guys in a new system, heck Suter looked terrible the first few games but has gotten much better once he was more comfortable with the team, system, new partner. If chemistry wasn't an issue Russia and Canada would dominate the olypics, they have by far the most talent.

Its probably better we started out terrible this year, expectations were way to high to begin with (myself included). I would rather start out bad and figure it out than start hot and have the season unravel like last year.

[Guest]

If chemistry wasn't an issue Russia and Canada would dominate the olypics, they have by far the most talent.

Its probably better we started out terrible this year, expectations were way to high to begin with (myself included). I would rather start out bad and figure it out than start hot and have the season unravel like last year.

[RK]

If you don't think chemistry matters go watch some old Youtube clips of Gretzky, Kurri and Tikkanen or the Trio Grande line from the Islanders (Mike Bossy, Bryan Trottier and Clark Gillies). They were all great individually, but the were all better together. Lines with good chemistry can make passes tape to tape with the lights out. You figure out where different guys like to get the puck, where they'll go in a given situation, how far you can lead them on a stretch pass, when they'll cut... Chemistry isn't everything, and the lack of it doesn't excuse bad play, but I'd rather they have it than not.

Actually the Wild last year are a good example of what not having time to develop chemistry does to a team. Besides having their better players out for extended time (Koivu, Seto, PMB, Latandresse) the Wild set a league record for most call-ups from the minors. Guys never had a chance to skate with the same lines for more than a few games at a time.

As for this year's squad - Granlund will be fine. He's played all of a dozen games in the league. Give the kid some time and he'll figure it out. The talent is definitely there. Already starting to see him figuring out how to separate guys from the puck, how to make space for himself on the ice. He'll be a good one in time, but high expectations and track record or not, still a rookie in the league.

Like I've said a few times already, I look at this season as a freakishly long training camp. Give guys like Coyle, Zucker, and Larsson a few cups of coffee with the Wild, give them some confidence they can play here, then send them back to the Aeros. Saw that already with Coyle. He's good enough to play here now, but long term he's better off shuttling back and forth a bit.

Do agree they need to get stronger on the puck though. Part of why I think a guy like PMB might be trade bait. If you're a skilled playmaker who isn't very good along the boards, and you're sitting at the quarter pole with one goal and one assist...ya ain't earning your paycheck. I'd like to see them clear a spot for a regular call-up from Houston and see Zucker, Coyle, Larsson and Fontaine up for a few games at a time. With their contracts, all it costs is a plane ride...

[Bear55]

You get your with RK, Zucker and Larsson just got called up. Should be fun to see what they can do.

[archerystud]

Well after one game Zucker is already tied for 8th on the team for goals.

[OnAFly]

Zucker, "I skate fast and try to get pucks on net."

That's exactly what we need.

[10,000 Casts]

I missed the game last night, who did they run on the 4th line? I see Konopka was a healthy scratch and Bouchard was an illness scratch. With Granlund, Brodziak and Cullen; Konopka is just dead weight IMO. I'd like to see them put him on waivers and open a spot for another prospect to come up.

[Bear55]

I missed the game last night, who did they run on the 4th line? I see Konopka was a healthy scratch and Bouchard was an illness scratch. With Granlund, Brodziak and Cullen; Konopka is just dead weight IMO. I'd like to see them put him on waivers and open a spot for another prospect to come up.

Granlund played on the 4th with Rupp and Mitchell, I think I heard somewhere he might have the flu so they limited his minutes.