I don't think any of those teams can make the "jump" as quick as the 'Hawks did from '08 to '10. Many, many things went right for the 'Hawks all at the same time. At the same time, all those teams have arrows pointing upwards. Each one now has to take the next steps. The Blues will continue to be good, as will LA, ANA and the 'Hawks. DAL, COL and MIN have a challenge and the one that makes the best moves will be right up there with the others. Playoffs are a crap-shoot. Great RS record doesn't often mean squat. Ask the 2011 Nux and 2014 B's.
- blackhawk24

Agree with this. DAL, COL, and MIN are all teams that are moving upwards but it all depends on when they are able to peak. None of them are an elite team yet but all have the potential. Unfortunately, potential doesn't really mean results as most teams peak just short of a cup (or even a cup run). Of the three teams, the Wild are in the best position but also have the smallest window of opportunity.

Minny deserved to beat COL in the first round - I knew that back when it was 2-2 in the first game. I thought things might change after COL stole that one, but the Avs defense was lost. I also agree that Minny would not have made it out of the 1st round if they had played the Blues (as SoundsOfTheIce already said). Nothing against Minny, it just would have been too much for a 1st round series as the confidence factor you saw against the Avs late in the series and against the Hawks would not be as easy to obtain. That's nothing to say against the Wild and actually more to say against the Avs at this point. The Avs would have lost to Chicago if they had matched up in the 1st or 2nd rounds as everyone knows they are not playoff ready.

I think what all Central Division teams and their fans realize now after the 2013-14 season and a couple rounds of the playoffs is the margin for error has decreased significantly. With the restructuring of not only the divisions but also the playoffs, the arms race to get better each and every year just got kick in the pants. Colorado had a tremendous turn around in just one year but I think major moves will happen there and are required. The Avalanche have a pile of cash and a bunch of positivity around them with Roy alone who was an easy choice in my mind for Coach of the Year. Who wouldnt want to play for a guy that lets you go out their balls to the wall to make a memory ala pulls goalie with 4 mins left 6 on 5 Magic!

In Dallas the got it right Nill and Ruff hires and in turn their franchise player Benn and their young players are all building into something very special. This summer is going to be insane because even the teams that made the playoffs and dominated the regular season just in the Central division will be looking to add and take step forward. Even though realignment was pushed at the behest of the Eastern Conference markets it has changed Midwest Hockey for the better and made the Central Division the toughest division in hockey right now!

I think what all Central Division teams and their fans realize now after the 2013-14 season and a couple rounds of the playoffs is the margin for error has decreased significantly. With the restructuring of not only the divisions but also the playoffs, the arms race to get better each and every year just got kick in the pants. Colorado had a tremendous turn around in just one year but I think major moves will happen there and are required. The Avalanche have a pile of cash and a bunch of positivity around them with Roy alone who was an easy choice in my mind for Coach of the Year. Who wouldnt want to play for a guy that lets you go out their balls to the wall to make a memory ala pulls goalie with 4 mins left 6 on 5 Magic!

In Dallas the got it right Nill and Ruff hires and in turn their franchise player Benn and their young players are all building into something very special. This summer is going to be insane because even the teams that made the playoffs and dominated the regular season just in the Central division will be looking to add and take step forward. Even though realignment was pushed at the behest of the Eastern Conference markets it has changed Midwest Hockey for the better and made the Central Division the toughest division in hockey right now!
- Tony Dean

Good points. OTOH hand we were hearing the same type of hype about Detroit last year, the Yotes in 12, and Vancouver 3 - 4 years ago. 1-2 wrong personnel decisions and things turn quickly.

You seem to be a solid writer but temper the homerism some. Reading this, one would assume that - since the Hawks didn't "outwork or outplay" the Wild they were fortunate the series was given to them.

Obviously, the Hawks did - at times - outwork and outplay the Wild. I think this may have been the Hawks worst playoff round since the Yotes. Obviously beaten up from the Blues series. Hope they can recover with some rest but not confident. Sharp and Keith look injured like Coyle.

Nieteriter and Haula were incredible finds. Wild should make a run at Niskannen and let Frolin, Dumba and Olofsson take the 6,7, and 8 spots.

You should also lose Cooke. Nieteritter and Coyle are already a little cheap with their sticks. Don't need to learn from that scumbag. Drop the trap and play to the speed you now have when you get some depth on D.

Also FYI - even with Rosival and Handzus - the age difference of the 2 teams was less than half a year. So the "Wild are the future" stuff is definitely not a given.

Be interesting how Fletcher moves forward. Unlike Mike Gillis he seems to really know his stuff. Hope he can determine the importance of veteran examples and lose the Heatleys and Cookes so we can watch good hockey in the next few years instead of Nucks/Blues style garbage.

All this talk about the future is bright for Minnesota is all a big bunch of BS. They are lucky they got matched up against Colorado in the first round. Yeah this team is hard working and won two games against the hawks. However if they would have met the Blues in the first round like it should have been Yeo would have been fired after another first round exit and all this optimism would be nothing but doubt and speculation whether the the Ryan Suter/Parise Tandem is really worth the 10mil each. For all the wild fans that female dog and moan about how colorado was lucky the whole series or how Chicago was lucky to win the series Minnesota was lucky they played a team they could beat in the first round thus justifying any questions that might have been had they met St Louis and lost like they would have. Cheers Minny
- SoundsOfTheIce

Wow, Speculate much!

Cool story though!

ps. Lamenting is only healthy to a certain extent.

You know, I really do enjoy interacting with Hawks fans, had a great time in the series but c'mon man. You're a fan of the Hawks. A FAN! I can appreciate the fact that you're probably a little arrogant because you're a fan of arguably one of the best teams in hockey, but please don't try to break down the future do' s and dont's of the Wild organization, coaching methods, personel decisions and overall team structure as if you're the guy behind the curtain of OZ over there in Chicago.

Dont' want to be rude but your level of pomposity is laughable. Makes it difficult to respect someones opinions when they're being presented in such an arrogant and all knowing manner.

And lastly, Blackhawks had just as many ambigiously cheap if not down right dirty plays as the Wild, so even though Cooke is an easy target, might want to re-point that high perception on your own squad before you start naming off Wild players that are "already a little cheap". How many Chicago players earned a suspension in the post season? Seems like more than one which is what the Wild had. What's good for the goose as they say... Besides, it's freaking playoff hockey, you of all people should be well aware of how the game is played in the post season.
- MnGump

Apologies if it came off pompous. Argumentative tone carried over from another discussion.... but no one on the Hawks stooped to the level of Cooke. He hit Oduya in that position and then trash talked him while he was down. The guy should not be in the league.

Also, aside from Bollig's hit on Ballard (and Bollig shouldn't even have been dressed) there was not even an equivalent cheap shot to Spurgeon's elbow on Krueger. Cooke is scum and objective Wild fans admit it.

I always was a fan of Cliff Fletcher and have followed Chuck since his days with Shero. Love the way he trades and drafts (Leddy/Barker aside). It has nothing to do with what organization I follow. Hardly confident with the way they are playing anyway.

Apologies if it came off pompous. Argumentative tone carried over from another discussion.... but no one on the Hawks stooped to the level of Cooke. He hit Oduya in that position and then trash talked him while he was down. The guy should not be in the league.

I always was a fan of Cliff Fletcher and have followed Chuck since his days with Shero. It has nothing to do with what organization I follow. Hardly confident with the way they are playing anyway.
- tredbrta

Well don't I feel like the bumhole! Guess I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions in reading your first post. Like I said, I've had narry a qualm with any Hawks fans through the entire series or post season, majority have all been fairly humble and gracious winners.

Sorry, I guess I'm still a little bitter about my team getting ousted. Suppose I'm still a bit edgy and heart broken.

Well don't I feel like the bumhole! Guess I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions in reading your first post. Like I said, I've had narry a qualm with any Hawks fans through the entire series or post season, majority have all been fairly humble and gracious winners.

Sorry, I guess I'm still a little bitter about my team getting ousted. Suppose I'm still a bit edgy and heart broken.
- MnGump

No offense taken. Upon rereading - that post did sound pompous. Apologies to you and the blogger.

BTW, what happened to Zucker? Is he hurt or in the dog house?

No offense taken. Upon rereading - that post did sound pompous. Apologies to you and the blogger.

BTW, what happened to Zucker? Is he hurt or in the dog house?
- tredbrta

Maybe, but I might have over reacted a skosh as well...

Well Zook was in the dog house for quite a bit of the season. I think Yeo sent him down and recalled him at least 3 or 4 times.

Then it was weird, he was scratched for a couple games(healthy) and then all of a sudden he had a knee injury... and after a few weeks to maybe even a month he was having season ending leg surgery?! So I don't know. I know it's rumored that he and Yeo aren't on the best terms.

Sure wish Zook can translate his college and pro game to the NHL! Guys speedy quick and has a huge wrister. Knock on him now is that he's not doing what they want on the defensive side of the puck and he's caught out of position a lot.

Haha are all Blackhawks fans incapable of having any kind of spirited debate?
- SoundsOfTheIce

Sota there is much about this post that makes me giggle. Care to comment?

Haha are all Blackhawks fans incapable of having any kind of spirited debate?
- SoundsOfTheIce

You're the kind of Hawks fan that gives other Hawks fans a bad name!

Haha are all Blackhawks fans incapable of having any kind of spirited debate?
- SoundsOfTheIce

Are you (frank)ing high right now? Your troll arse comes into another teams thread right after they have been eliminated and begin calling them lucky, saying it's bullpoop that their future looks bright, and then make up some dumbass scenario about losing to the Blues. You're all over the place, kid.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but since signing Parise and Suter, the Wild are 2 for 2 in making the playoffs, yeah? To completely dismiss the emergence of Granlund, Coyle, Haula (who skated stride for stride and shut MacK down) and Neiderrieter is silly and shows us all just how ill informed you are.
Maybe you get your kicks off of looking like an idiot, I don't know, but you have yet to contribute one iota of fact to this discussion. Do us all a favor and give those unfinished coloring books another chance... you're not needed here.

Sota there is much about this post that makes me giggle. Care to comment?


- CaptainBlackhawk

No offense taken. Upon rereading - that post did sound pompous. Apologies to you and the blogger.

BTW, what happened to Zucker? Is he hurt or in the dog house?
- tredbrta

Anyone that knows me here at Hockeybuzz can attest I can take criticism/trolling/hostility without getting bent out of shape. Defeinitely didnt take anything personally and I appreciated your participation/opinion in general.

I dont often get accused of homerism because I savaged the crap out of the MNWild on the regular haha. No doubt about the Blackhawks are fantastic in the playoffs and they have yet again closed our squad so however they accomplished it is of little relevance or consequence.

Blackhawks have created a blueprint for winning the cup and dealing with the salary cap ramifications that come from sustained success so being honest despite sharting their chones enough years to draft their core superstars they have continued to reinvent their roster and get players to sign onto their winning formula as established veterans.

I think the best part about what took place this year between the Wild and Blackhawks during the season and this series is an actual acknowledgement that this could again be a rivalry that matters to be teams and fanbases.

Leave the speculating and pondering of where the Wild makes changes to us! Dont try to steal my shine! haha Kidding sort of

despite sharting their chones
- Tony Dean

OK, Tony. What the (frank) is this? Either I am really old and am not hip to all the new cool phrases or you are typing with boxing gloves on.

OK, Tony. What the (frank) is this? Either I am really old and am not hip to all the new cool phrases or you are typing with boxing gloves on.
- Chinaski

Means pooping their pants just create way to present it haha in splanglish my bad!

Means pooping their pants just create way to present it haha in splanglish my bad!
- Tony Dean

I'm just kidding with you. Usually I can infer the point but that one had me at a loss.