Brad Ratgen: Game Day Previes: Red Hot Flames Skate into St. Paul A look at today's Wild game against the Flames.

Brad Ratgen: Game Day Previes: Red Hot Flames Skate into St. Paul
A look at today's Wild game against the Flames.
- Brad Ratgen

Pick your poison; Anaheim or Chicago?

Pick your poison; Anaheim or Chicago?
- bloatedmosquito

Chicago. Earlier road game start times.

Chicago. Earlier road game start times.
- Chinaski

Chicago. We beat them 1st and we'll beat them last this season. To be the best you have to beat the best. BRING ON THE HAWKS

I like our chances much more against Anaheim, even better against Vancouver. Asking for Chicago is pretty much like asking for a 1st round sweep, maybe a 4-1 series. You're blind to reality if you think this team has a shot against Chicago.
Yes, anything can happen in the playoffs... but beating Chicago in a best of 7 will be impossible

I like our chances much more against Anaheim, even better against Vancouver. Asking for Chicago is pretty much like asking for a 1st round sweep, maybe a 4-1 series. You're blind to reality if you think this team has a shot against Chicago.
Yes, anything can happen in the playoffs... but beating Chicago in a best of 7 will be impossible
- SotaPopinski

Anaheim looked like they were loosing their ish in Calgary's last game.

I like our chances much more against Anaheim, even better against Vancouver. Asking for Chicago is pretty much like asking for a 1st round sweep, maybe a 4-1 series. You're blind to reality if you think this team has a shot against Chicago.
Yes, anything can happen in the playoffs... but beating Chicago in a best of 7 will be impossible
- SotaPopinski

Gotta get in the playoffs first....

Pick your poison; Anaheim or Chicago?
- bloatedmosquito

Honestly I think the Wild match up well against Anaheim. THey played very solid against the Anaheimers this season, just couldn't seem to put the puck in the net, much like tonites game where they clearly dominated play but couldn't bury at least a dozen or more point blank high percentage scoring chances.

Honestly I think the Wild match up well against Anaheim. THey played very solid against the Anaheimers this season, just couldn't seem to put the puck in the net, much like tonites game where they clearly dominated play but couldn't bury at least a dozen or more point blank high percentage scoring chances.
- MnGump

Can say the same thing about how the Wild match up against the Hawks.

Gotta get in the playoffs first....
- hertzman

No truer words typed tonight. Go Sharks, Go Kings, Go Phoenix (tomorrow night vs Detroit)

Can say the same thing about how the Wild match up against the Hawks.
- Brad Ratgen

Not really. Wild match up much better against Ducks, than Chicago... watching the regular season match ups between both teams made that pretty obvious. Having 2 All-Star caliber lines wear teams down pretty quickly, especially when your 2nd/3rd pairing D is pretty incompetent.

No truer words typed tonight. Go Sharks, Go Kings, Go Phoenix (tomorrow night vs Detroit)
- Brad Ratgen

At this point, if we're cheering for other teams to lose in order for the Wild to get in, I'd rather them not make it at all. This team/coaching staff need a serious wake up call.

Not really. Wild match up much better against Ducks, than Chicago... watching the regular season match ups between both teams made that pretty obvious. Having 2 All-Star caliber lines wear teams down pretty quickly, especially when your 2nd/3rd pairing D is pretty incompetent.
- SotaPopinski

The Ducks have been horrible lately. I think they are ripe for the picking.

At this point, if we're cheering for other teams to lose in order for the Wild to get in, I'd rather them not make it at all. This team/coaching staff need a serious wake up call.
- SotaPopinski

I hear what you're saying, but I don't know if I'd go as far as to say I didn't want them in the post season. Win or lose, I want to watch some playoff hockey this year(rooting for my hometown team that is). After the past few weeks(especially the last 2 games), I don't think they have a chance in hell to make it out of the first round no matter who they play, but I still want to see them get in.

Honestly I don't think Yeo's job is in danger even if they don't make it. At least not this season. But either way, even if they do happen to back in to the playoffs, I think Fletch better be planning a quick exit strategy for Yeo come next season if this team starts out as bad as they're finishing...

Tonight's game and all subsequent games left should have been (and still should be)the equivalent to a finals game 7 for this team and there is no way on earth they can let a team of AHL'ers come in their house and play spoiler. No freaking way! Especially by a 3 goal margin. That to me is the writing on the wall that Yeo is not a true leader and this team is not buying into him or his system.

Anahiem was riding the percentages till about 10 games ago. They are sliding. I think minny can take em.

Chicago. We beat them 1st and we'll beat them last this season. To be the best you have to beat the best. BRING ON THE HAWKS
- Brad Ratgen

I agree. Throw this team the toughest challenge right out of the gate. Let's see how they respond. That's not to say Anaheim or any other team would not be a tough series.

Tonight's game and all subsequent games left should have been (and still should be)the equivalent to a finals game 7 for this team and there is no way on earth they can let a team of AHL'ers come in their house and play spoiler. No freaking way! Especially by a 3 goal margin. That to me is the writing on the wall that Yeo is not a true leader and this team is not buying into him or his system.
- MnGump

I'm wondering if one of the problems on this team is that the play of their top-level players (e.g., Suter, Parise, Koivu) affects the degree of urgency with which the others play. When you're a second or third line liner watching all the chances the top line gets, maybe you go out on the ice and just try not to make a mistake. And that's usually when mistakes happen.

I don't know if this is the case or not, but if it is, then I could see giving Yeo part of the blame. He needs to get through to the supporting guys that they need to play with urgency and not assume the top guys will be the ones to get it done every game.

I can understand that the fans and the organization and the players themselves have placed high expectations on the team. But that hasn't been done as a result of any on-ice accomplishments. This team has never shown long stretches of consistently, high-caliber play that are worthy of high expectations. This team looks to me like one that is playing with so much to lose and has been all season. And I just think they have nothing to lose. I really think it is the expectations that may be holding them back.

They are right where we basically all expected them to be - fighting for a playoff spot. This team still has a lot of growing to do. It's OK to lose and not make the playoffs as long as you've left it all out on the ice. I don't think they have and if they miss because of it, that's what is unacceptable.

The Ducks have been horrible lately. I think they are ripe for the picking.
- hertzman

Maybe, but the Quakers seem to have some power over the Wild. "Got their number" so to speak.

I hear what you're saying, but I don't know if I'd go as far as to say I didn't want them in the post season. Win or lose, I want to watch some playoff hockey this year(rooting for my hometown team that is). After the past few weeks(especially the last 2 games), I don't think they have a chance in hell to make it out of the first round no matter who they play, but I still want to see them get in.

Honestly I don't think Yeo's job is in danger even if they don't make it. At least not this season. But either way, even if they do happen to back in to the playoffs, I think Fletch better be planning a quick exit strategy for Yeo come next season if this team starts out as bad as they're finishing...

Tonight's game and all subsequent games left should have been (and still should be)the equivalent to a finals game 7 for this team and there is no way on earth they can let a team of AHL'ers come in their house and play spoiler. No freaking way! Especially by a 3 goal margin. That to me is the writing on the wall that Yeo is not a true leader and this team is not buying into him or his system.
- MnGump

I shouldn't be allowed to post after a loss. Of course I want to watch the Wild make the playoffs and do well in them, it just sucks that a team with so much talent has struggled to beat the better teams in the West, and now cannot even beat the teams that are out of the playoff picture. I appreciated the effort in the first 2 periods, but once again this team fails to show up for all 3 periods and seemed all but defeated coming out for the final period.
Also, I am so sick and tired of hearing about how the effort is there, goals just aren't going in. What a load of crap that is. Lob 50 shots a game at the net and they won't go in, but if you have guys attacking the net and capitalizing on those second chances, the goals will go in and that has not been happening.

I'm wondering if one of the problems on this team is that the play of their top-level players (e.g., Suter, Parise, Koivu) affects the degree of urgency with which the others play. When you're a second or third line liner watching all the chances the top line gets, maybe you go out on the ice and just try not to make a mistake. And that's usually when mistakes happen.

I don't know if this is the case or not, but if it is, then I could see giving Yeo part of the blame. He needs to get through to the supporting guys that they need to play with urgency and not assume the top guys will be the ones to get it done every game.

I can understand that the fans and the organization and the players themselves have placed high expectations on the team. But that hasn't been done as a result of any on-ice accomplishments. This team has never shown long stretches of consistently, high-caliber play that are worthy of high expectations. This team looks to me like one that is playing with so much to lose and has been all season. And I just think they have nothing to lose. I really think it is the expectations that may be holding them back.

They are right where we basically all expected them to be - fighting for a playoff spot. This team still has a lot of growing to do. It's OK to lose and not make the playoffs as long as you've left it all out on the ice. I don't think they have and if they miss because of it, that's what is unacceptable.
- Chinaski

If that's the case, then the onus IS on Yeo. Leadership breeds smart and confident play. Too many players on this team that are contributing nothing offensively on a consistant basis; ie. Seto, Clutter, Brodziak, PMB, Zucker(since his return) etc...

Sure the players should be held accountable, but utlimately it's coaching that needs to be on the hot seat for not motivating and translating their leadership and vision on to the ice.

I mean look at Todd Richards! He was handed a seemingly one way ticket to automatic failure in a team that has been at the bottom of the league for years and just gotten rid of their key players. Look at what he's done with a team that was picked to finish dead last. That's leadership, that's imposing will on your players. Last time I checked, Columbus didn't go out and spend $200 million on free agents and they didn't acquire over the past few years arguably the best crop of young prospects in the league. Nope, they made some small moves bringing in average to below average talent and Richards has that team challenging your Wild for possibly the final playoff spot. He's got them playing like there's no tomorrow... that's what good coaching brings. Never say die attitudes. Yeo may have the x's and o's all down to a science, but I just don't think he has the ability to motivate players and/or translate his vision into a satisfactory on-ice product.

Zucker and Granlund sent down for Dowell and Veilleux. Sacrificing skill for energy/physicality. I like these moves, hopefully it lights a fire under their asses

I shouldn't be allowed to post after a loss. Of course I want to watch the Wild make the playoffs and do well in them, it just sucks that a team with so much talent has struggled to beat the better teams in the West, and now cannot even beat the teams that are out of the playoff picture. I appreciated the effort in the first 2 periods, but once again this team fails to show up for all 3 periods and seemed all but defeated coming out for the final period.
Also, I am so sick and tired of hearing about how the effort is there, goals just aren't going in. What a load of crap that is. Lob 50 shots a game at the net and they won't go in, but if you have guys attacking the net and capitalizing on those second chances, the goals will go in and that has not been happening.
- SotaPopinski

I feel ya man. Parise said it best when asked about the multitude of scoring chances they missed on. "We’ve got to put them in. That’s all there is to it. We’ve got to put them in.”