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MNWild: Will Wild Find Their Scoring Touch?

October 21, 2013, 5:32 PM ET [38 Comments]
Tony Dean
Minnesota Wild Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
MNWild: Will Wild Find Their Scoring Touch?

How many times can the Wild dominate puck possession and shots on goal while coming away with nothing to show for it? When does the window for explaining let down away close? I am not sure anyone can completely explain how the Wild’s 2013-14 season has been so impressive with regard to style of play and effort while being so disappointing in the standings. I am usually hyper-critical of hope sellers and explaining away shortcomings but in the case of this Wild team I am still very confident they can be competitive THIS season. The Wild will need to work on how to turn their dominate puck possession and aggressiveness into dynamic scoring chances.

Scoring droughts are not a new concept for the Wild, as the franchise is basically known and founded on ideal that scrappy stifling play will limit high powered opponents and give them a shot to win. Sure most of that identity was earned during the Reisbrough/Lemaire Era for the Wild but I don’t believe anyone was counting on this team to be a high power offensive juggernaut. The glaring issue for this current roster is empowering their young stars and finding the right roles for their established core. Maybe the most pressing need is to generate productivity from Dany Heatley because as he continues to float and be a focal point for criticism, the situation will get toxic.

I believe anyone paying attention to the Wild last season into the current season understands how important Charlie Coyle is to the success of this team now and in the future. In Coyle’s absence Mikael Granlund and Nino Niederreiter have provided very productive minutes in the Top6 so there has been a cushioning to the blow his loss has caused. Make no mistake though with each scuffling effort short on scoring and making good on their dominate play it becomes clearer that drastic reassignments are in order. I am skeptical that Mikko Koivu gets moved off the top line at all but many people smarter than me have hinted that it could benefit this squad. Koivu stays with Zach Parise on the Top Line no matter until Coyle returns from injury in my opinion.

I can only imagine the pressure this squad is feeling because of their lack of finish and how disappointing their road trip ended. Despite the losing and soul searching going on for the Wild right now, I think they need to look no further than Josh Harding for positivity. In Harding this team has received very strong performances already in the first month of the season. Harding was very strongly trending towards replacing Backstrom as the Wild’s #1 netminder for this season in particular previous to his diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis. With Harding’s illness being a nearly uncharted adversity, I think there had to be very serious doubts from everyone in the organization that he would fulfill his potential and stated goals. No question there can still be setbacks in Harding’s health and even in his play but so far he has been so good for this team.

With the departure of veterans that were so involved specifically in special teams growing pains on the power play and penalty kill were bound to result. The penalty kill specifically has come under scrutiny for this Wild team that has struggled to score. Two players that thrived in heavy penalty killing minutes in past seasons for the Wild were Matt Cullen and Cal Clutterbuck. Cullen’s savvy veteran centermen play is something missing in all situations for the Wild despite how much better Granlund has played in his second season. Cullen and Clutterbuck are both players that contributed far beyond their actual statistics.

My last thought is that I am so thankful to be a part of the Wild HockeyBuzz community and I love having the stuff I write either torn to shreds or expounded on should you agree. I hope to work on ways to draw more and more Wild loyalists here to keep conversations relevant!

Just My Take,
Tony Dean
@AWKD



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