Someone's gotta pay for that Bruins' loss. That no good Bergeron should be run out of town. We'll take him off their hands.

Actually, this is kind of funny - I just tried to run a comparables search on CapGeek for Koivu for 2014-15 and this is what I got back: Your request generated an error. It's possible the player does not have a contract in the specified season. Please try again.
- Chinaski

So he's one of a kind, eh? That has to make him more valuable

They've turned on Bergeron? Or is this your dream scenario? Wild missed out on Seguin, but Bergeron would be a fine consolation prize

So he's one of a kind, eh? That has to make him more valuable

They've turned on Bergeron? Or is this your dream scenario? Wild missed out on Seguin, but Bergeron would be a fine consolation prize
- SotaPopinski

No way they would turn on Bergeron. I'm just fooling around. Bergeron and Toews are probably the two guys I would view as the best two-way centers in the game.

No way they would turn on Bergeron. I'm just fooling around. Bergeron and Toews are probably the two guys I would view as the best two-way centers in the game.
- Chinaski

Hard to argue with that

How about Stastny?

I promise to help keep this momentum, great discussion very promising to see a couple new faces in the crowd. Welcome back Brian heard your name a round RCCF several years ago when I first started.

I promise to help keep this momentum, great discussion very promising to see a couple new faces in the crowd. Welcome back Brian heard your name a round RCCF several years ago when I first started.
- Tony Dean

You've done a great job T! Even in spite of my natural propensity to scare people off!

You've done a great job T! Even in spite of my natural propensity to scare people off!
- MnGump

Haha Gump your the least of my problems haha the HockeyWilderness staff has been internet bullying me. haha Turns out unless you comform to their content or if you have an idea/take/opinion that doesn't match up to POSSESSION stats then your and idiot and all we do here at Hockeybuzz is make up rumors that never come to be true.

In my year here don't think I have posted rumor I have broken or created or any sort of thing like that? Has left me trying to be a gentlemen but mostly confused by their attacks and underwhelmed by their content and manners.

Haha Gump your the least of my problems haha the HockeyWilderness staff has been internet bullying me. haha Turns out unless you comform to their content or if you have an idea/take/opinion that doesn't match up to POSSESSION stats then your and idiot and all we do here at Hockeybuzz is make up rumors that never come to be true.

In my year here don't think I have posted rumor I have broken or created or any sort of thing like that? Has left me trying to be a gentlemen but mostly confused by their attacks and underwhelmed by their content and manners.
- Tony Dean

Agreed! Was just summing up that very point in JJ's blog to a Hawks fan! Most other blogs , hockey wilderness especially, are a bunch of fan boys that refuse to listen to anything but blown sunshine directly into the anus.

Sorry but crap like, " did the better team lose the series" or "lucky bounce" is so (frank)ing arrogant! Right?! Love the Wild but let's not act like we didn't just play the best team in hockey! Minny fans sooooo like to talk themselves into a good mood. It's embarrassing!

Agreed! Was just summing up that very point in JJ's blog to a Hawks fan! Most other blogs , hockey wilderness especially, are a bunch of fan boys that refuse to listen to anything but blown sunshine directly into the anus.

Sorry but crap like, " did the better team lose the series" or "lucky bounce" is so (frank)ing arrogant! Right?! Love the Wild but let's not act like we didn't just play the best team in hockey! Minny fans sooooo like to talk themselves into a good mood. It's embarrassing!
- MnGump

I could not agree more!

I have a good sense that I can be off base or flat out wrong and I own my bad takes. The internet gangster of Hockey Wilderness chirp and chirp and chirp which is fine with me. I just don't understand why people frequent their site to get talked down to and disrespected by the writers there and on social media.

I mentioned as much was then accused of being a sexist somehow as if that was connected or relevant and then I am the flashpoint for their cool kid twitter flash mob of chirpery. Silly.

I promise neither myself nor Brad will come through here and attempt to make anyone feel like Sh8t for sharing their ideas or opinion here. I have esteem of self no need to treat others that way. My grandmother's taught me better than that.

How about Stastny?
- MnGump

You mean to sign as a free agent or in the discussion of top two-way centers?

I wouldn't put him in the elite category of top two-way guys like Toews, Bergeron, Kopitar. Honestly, I haven't watched him close enough to speak to how solid his defensive game is. But overall, he's up there in terms of being a productive center.

As for signing him? Let me put it this way, as of today, the top four centers on the team, in no particular order, are Koivu, Granlund, Haula, and Brodziak. Provided no trades or buyouts are made, they don't really have a need at center.

I think Koivu, Granlund, and Haula are legitimate two-way guys, meaning you can play all those guys in checking and scoring roles. So, do you really need to give out a big dollar, long-term deal to a guy like Stastny? I don't think so. It would likely push a guy like Granlund or Haula to the wing and I don't think that's the best fit for those players. They seem to operate better with the space the center position gives them.

I'd like to see them move forward with Granlund and Haula playing more significant minutes as they continue to grow. I think Koivu is still a top two center on this team, but they are starting to develop the depth where they could spread the minutes around a little more. In a year or two, I could see Granlund as the top center and Koivu and Haula as 2A/2B - both with the ability to check and provide additional scoring.

With where the Wild seem to be right now, I'm really wary of them being heavy buyers in the free agent market. There are some guys internally that I'd like to see make the jump. I'm not sure they are ready, but guys like Zucker and Bulmer seem to have some of the things this team needs without having to dole out a huge contract.

I'm really hoping Zucker can be a player for this team. His speed could be a weapon for the Wild. And I would love to see him be able to play with Haula.

all we do here at Hockeybuzz is make up rumors that never come to be true.
- Tony Dean

I think that's a stigma that will always be associated with this site. But it's largely unfounded. From what I can see, most people come here to just talk hockey or make fun of Ek's rumors.

Edit 2:

I feel our fan-base is one of the only ones in the league that doesn't recognize how important Koivu is. Anytime the Wild play on national television, the broadcasters discuss how good and important he is for the Wild; any time I have discussions with fans of opposing teams, they discuss how hard he is to play against; there always plenty of opposing player comments throughout the season indicating the respect the other team has for him. But he doesn't score goals so he needs the boot, in the eyes of Wild fans (and some media - KFAN/Souhan).

It's not that we don't see his importance, but rather we see that fat contract for a defensive specialist. I'm as big of a fan of Koivu as anybody, but that doesn't mean he doesn't piss me off! He's got skill, but the issue is he's reluctant to shoot and he tries excessively to force a pass to our shooters; thus, making him too predictable offensively. I wouldn't be opposed to putting him on the 3rd line with Cooke and another defensive stalwart designed to shut the big lines down, but when your 3rd line exceeds $10 mil, that's probably an issue and I'm not ready to assume Granlund and Haula are ready to take the rigors of 1st line center for the entire season just yet, but I do believe that it's possible.

Offensively, Koivu put up career highs with Brunette and Miettinen as his wings in '09-10. Adding offensive players to his wing hasn't warranted the type of production I would expect, which is why at the very least, I feel his role should change. You score in this league by shooting and quite frankly, he doesn't do enough of it to be a top line center or top line PP guy. I wouldn't say dump him for the sake of dumping him because he's clearly valuable to the team from a defensive perspective, but the Wild aren't losing too many games because their defense is bad, they're losing because they don't have enough finishers and fair or not, that starts with Koivu.

I promise to help keep this momentum, great discussion very promising to see a couple new faces in the crowd. Welcome back Brian heard your name a round RCCF several years ago when I first started.
- Tony Dean

That's funny. I did grace those walls for a while until stats got in the way. The retire by 55 and be dead by 60 stood out enough to make some changes.

Depending on who you heard the name from, I'll take that as either a compliment or an insult. Haha!

I could not agree more!

I have a good sense that I can be off base or flat out wrong and I own my bad takes. The internet gangster of Hockey Wilderness chirp and chirp and chirp which is fine with me. I just don't understand why people frequent their site to get talked down to and disrespected by the writers there and on social media.

I mentioned as much was then accused of being a sexist somehow as if that was connected or relevant and then I am the flashpoint for their cool kid twitter flash mob of chirpery. Silly.

I promise neither myself nor Brad will come through here and attempt to make anyone feel like Sh8t for sharing their ideas or opinion here. I have esteem of self no need to treat others that way. My grandmother's taught me better than that.
- Tony Dean

Stupidest post ever!

That's approaching Garth Snow/Mike Millbury status if they decide to trade away Pavelski.
Like you said, there's trade history between the 2 teams. Pavelski is another Wisconsin kid, Team USA member... make it happen Fletch!
- SotaPopinski

I guess my issue is why the Sharks organization continues to place blame on not succeeding in the playoffs on everybody other than Thornton and Marleau. I remember when it was Nabokov's fault and then this guys fault, etc, etc, etc. At what point is it the top players fault? The Sharks can try and rebuild, but when you start dumping guys entering their prime for a 2-3 window is what gets people fired. If they're serious about trading him, that phone will be ringing off the hook.

Stupidest post ever!
- Brad Ratgen

Comments like those are why you won a Super America bag filled with doughnuts instead of Wild apparel!

It's not that we don't see his importance, but rather we see that fat contract for a defensive specialist.
- arvinb316

I think we can all agree that Koivu will never put up the numbers that will make us feel his cap hit is a value contract. But what is everyone's expectation in terms of points for Koivu? Do people feel that he needs to be a point per game player? I don't think he was ever that productive offensively.

This is just a snippet from NHL.com:
Career - 601 GP, 130 G, 322 A, 452 P - 0.75 PPG
2013-14 - 65 GP, 11 G, 43 A, 54 P - 0.83 PPG
2012-13 - 48 GP, 11 G, 26 A, 37 P - 0.77 PPG
2011-12 - 55 GP, 12 G, 32 A, 44 P - 0.80 PPG
2010-11 - 71 GP, 17 G, 45 A, 62 P - 0.87 PPG

Quite frankly, this surprises me a little - I would have expected his PPG numbers to be a little lower. I'm not sure how this compares with other centers in the league either. Just curious what people's expectations are for Koivu offensively. If he is putting up 0.70 - 0.80 PPG for a couple more years but still a defensive stalwart, is that bad?

Also, I just noticed there are shot numbers in those stats. 15 less games played this year than in 2009-10 when he had his highest goal total of 22, about 100 less shots this year than that year. He definitely needs to shoot more. It's not like he doesn't get the opportunities.

I think we can all agree that Koivu will never put up the numbers that will make us feel his cap hit is a value contract. But what is everyone's expectation in terms of points for Koivu? Do people feel that he needs to be a point per game player? I don't think he was ever that productive offensively.

This is just a snippet from NHL.com:
Career - 601 GP, 130 G, 322 A, 452 P - 0.75 PPG
2013-14 - 65 GP, 11 G, 43 A, 54 P - 0.83 PPG
2012-13 - 48 GP, 11 G, 26 A, 37 P - 0.77 PPG
2011-12 - 55 GP, 12 G, 32 A, 44 P - 0.80 PPG
2010-11 - 71 GP, 17 G, 45 A, 62 P - 0.87 PPG

Quite frankly, this surprises me a little - I would have expected his PPG numbers to be a little lower. I'm not sure how this compares with other centers in the league either. Just curious what people's expectations are for Koivu offensively. If he is putting up 0.70 - 0.80 PPG for a couple more years but still a defensive stalwart, is that bad?

Also, I just noticed there are shot numbers in those stats. 15 less games played this year than in 2009-10 when he had his highest goal total of 22, about 100 less shots this year than that year. He definitely needs to shoot more. It's not like he doesn't get the opportunities.
- Chinaski

I did look at his numbers as well, but what it doesn't show is that since his career highs, the expectation has increased because of the added offensive threats that he has alongside him, but the numbers haven't improved. I think that's what people look at.

Russo - HNIC Radio

I think the combination of our young core and simple reality that Koivu has disappeared twice versus the Blackhawks in the playoffs 2 years in a row has to press the issue on making a command decision on his future with the franchise. Koivu goes through highly productive point getting stretches most specifically on the power play.

Whenever I see someone defend Koivu the story goes well he was hurt but isnt he hurt every season? Or they train of thought and argument becomes about possessuin numbers but he generates so few shots and scores a majority of his points on the man advantage in the form of assists. The strength of competition debate and possession numbers dont take into account that Granlund and Haula most certainly will both be playing Top9 minutes from day one of next season and almost certain should have been playing Top9 to Top6 minutes heavily during the stretch run Before the playoffs this season and during both round.

I think advanced stats tell an important stroy but they also can skew reality of what has truly taken place because for example Moulson became a hot topic during the 1st round because his possession numbers were among the top 5 best yet his actual production was 1 goal in 7 games.
He basically became a healthy scratch during Blackhawks series because of his skating. Koivu's skating decline makes his offense clearly inferior against the Blackhawks but his role and minutes have not changed which has hurt the Wild when it mattered the most. Even his PP minutes were atrocious with PP going something like 2-11 against Blackhawks. Yuck
I think it is time to move on right now because he is such a problematic player to move in general with NMC in his contract and how they tip toe around him never calling him out and catoring to Captain Finn. Koivu USED to be the identity of this franchise and his most productive years offensively came during the stretch when this team was not contending for anything.

Even in the playoffs Haula was dispatched to use his speed tenacious work ethic to shut down Kane and Mackinnon so I kinda think to get anything in return and move that contract ahead of the curve the time is right.

I did look at his numbers as well, but what it doesn't show is that since his career highs, the expectation has increased because of the added offensive threats that he has alongside him, but the numbers haven't improved. I think that's what people look at.
- arvinb316

OK, not an unfair point, but is that all on Koivu? I don't think anyone is expecting him to be a 30-40 goal guy, at least I'm not. I'd definitely like to see him closer to 20 each year. But if he is still setting up guys and they're not shooting or finishing either, it's not just a problem with Koivu.

I think part of the Wild's scoring problem is confidence. Many of their guys, except Parise, just seem to get jittery when a good chance comes up. It's almost like it hasn't happened for so long they don't know what to do with it. Or they work so hard for their chances, when they get them they put too much pressure on themselves to convert. I'm hoping with some of the strides they've made this season, they get more of a calmer demeanor on the offensive side.

Comments like those are why you won a Super America bag filled with doughnuts instead of Wild apparel!
- arvinb316

Awesome Haha!

I am not long for RCCF hopefully SPPD this fall.

Awesome Haha!

I am not long for RCCF hopefully SPPD this fall.
- Tony Dean

Use that place for what you can get out of it and move on. Otherwise you'll be sucked into a bad attitude working with people who simply don't appreciate what they have.

With Shero and Bylsma canned this morning, Trader Chuck should ship Koivu and package to Pens for Malkin! ****DreamScenario***

OK, not an unfair point, but is that all on Koivu? I don't think anyone is expecting him to be a 30-40 goal guy, at least I'm not. I'd definitely like to see him closer to 20 each year. But if he is still setting up guys and they're not shooting or finishing either, it's not just a problem with Koivu.

I think part of the Wild's scoring problem is confidence. Many of their guys, except Parise, just seem to get jittery when a good chance comes up. It's almost like it hasn't happened for so long they don't know what to do with it. Or they work so hard for their chances, when they get them they put too much pressure on themselves to convert. I'm hoping with some of the strides they've made this season, they get more of a calmer demeanor on the offensive side.
- Chinaski

For the record, I'm not suggesting they simply dump Koivu, but I think the conversation needs to be had among the management team. Also, I'm not suggesting that he's worthless. I just like having the conversation of what if.

Here's the issue that I see with Koivu. He brings an absolute ton to the table and there's no denying that. I see his downfall as being so unwilling to shoot the puck. You can start seeing teams cheat a little bit because they know he isn't going to do it. We had a 3 on 4 PP in game 6 against Chicago because he and Suter would not shoot the puck. I'm not the guy yelling in the stands for them to shoot every time the puck is on their sticks, but when you simply don't shoot, you are killing the special teams. Another flaw I see is he's a dump, but not chase guy. He'll do it on occasion, but when is the last time you've seen him hustle into the back boards as the first forechecker? It rarely happens. He's excellent at reading plays defensively and picking off passes. You actually saw a bit more aggressiveness out of him in the OT of game 6 vs Chicago, but that's really the only time I remember seeing that aggressiveness in his offensive game. As a guy that put up quality points with Bruno and Mittens, my thought was that it would continue to increase with better offensive players, but if he's not willing to shoot, of course that makes it more difficult.

If the right deal doesn't come along this offseason, I'm not willing to buy him out because I don't think he's a throwaway player. However, if he doesn't produce, the window to trade him may have closed and I think that's what Wild fans fear the most.