Tony Dean: MNWild: All Eyes on Mathew Dumba’s Debut Tonight I will be the first to admit that my own selfish wants and needs for Mathew Dumba to be in the NHL this season have created sky high expectations for this 19 year old kid tonight and beyond. The unadulterated truth is if the Wild unleash this kid on the NHL this year, every night he will create highlight reel plays and have Wild fans in the Excel Energy Center on the edge of their seats. I don’t believe anyone will put up much effort disputing that point. I think where the concern and uncertainty exists is whether Dumba can stay healthy and effective playing his kamikaze brand of hockey in the NHL as a 19 year old. My answer is I think Dumba is a kid that kills himself to prove people wrong and tonight begins another opportunity to do the same. Beyond his physical capabilities which are significant, the Wild has been missing the type of energy and aggressiveness that Dumba uses to make an impact. I found it particularly telling when Dumba was called out by Wild Head Coach Mike Yeo this fall for playing too safe during camp and the preseason. For Dumba to control his own destiny, it begins tonight by making his impression felt in the with his speed, hitting, and offensive abilities. Buckle up folks because I think Dumba is going to be itching to line a member of the Ducks up at center ice and make a memory.

Follow me on Twitter: @AWKD

Tony Dean: MNWild: All Eyes on Mathew Dumba’s Debut Tonight
I will be the first to admit that my own selfish wants and needs for Mathew Dumba to be in the NHL this season have created sky high expectations for this 19 year old kid tonight and beyond. The unadulterated truth is if the Wild unleash this kid on the NHL this year, every night he will create highlight reel plays and have Wild fans in the Excel Energy Center on the edge of their seats. I don’t believe anyone will put up much effort disputing that point. I think where the concern and uncertainty exists is whether Dumba can stay healthy and effective playing his kamikaze brand of hockey in the NHL as a 19 year old. My answer is I think Dumba is a kid that kills himself to prove people wrong and tonight begins another opportunity to do the same. Beyond his physical capabilities which are significant, the Wild has been missing the type of energy and aggressiveness that Dumba uses to make an impact. I found it particularly telling when Dumba was called out by Wild Head Coach Mike Yeo this fall for playing too safe during camp and the preseason. For Dumba to control his own destiny, it begins tonight by making his impression felt in the with his speed, hitting, and offensive abilities. Buckle up folks because I think Dumba is going to be itching to line a member of the Ducks up at center ice and make a memory.

Follow me on Twitter: @AWKD
- Tony Dean

Your youtube links did not work.

Your youtube links did not work.
- tredbrta

I know I am trying to get it fixed.

Here is the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_NYJ2qaHQ0

and here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geJtmfoaQpk

Video Fixed!!!

Oh boy, they do not look ready to play tonight

Unlike the LA game, the Wild manage to have two very good final periods. Had the puck in ANA's end most of OT then give up a odd man rush with 3 seconds left!

Scandella had one of the worst games I've seen. Backstrom wasn't much better. Just from watching, he looks extremely old and slow out there. Hopefully Harding has a monster year

Unlike the LA game, the Wild manage to have two very good final periods. Had the puck in ANA's end most of OT then give up a odd man rush with 3 seconds left!

Scandella had one of the worst games I've seen. Backstrom wasn't much better. Just from watching, he looks extremely old and slow out there. Hopefully Harding has a monster year
- SotaPopinski

3 more years! 3 more years! 3 more years! 3 more years!

3 more years! 3 more years! 3 more years! 3 more years!
- Brad Ratgen

Buyout

Buyout
- SotaPopinski

3 MORE YEARS ? APROPOS

I don't blame Backstrom for the loss, but he didn't look all that swift out there. Once again he was on the positive end of some missed opportunities by the opposing team much like the LA game, out of position, missing yawning nets, clanks of the pipe etc etc... And once again the Wild can't bury the bisquit.

Dany Heatley has to be the most snake bitten Wild player in franchise history. Although he's looked good and even looks like he's resurrected a bit of speed this season, he once again clanks a pipe, one times into a spot where the goalie is defending, or misses a one time opportunity all together. This guys' luck has got to change at some point, hopefully sooner than later...

As far as Dumba, pretty much a non-factor although he was almost on the end of an outright give away for what looked to be an easy goal for the Ducks but Backstrom got lucky. I can't really take much away from this performance, aside from it was his first NHL game and he looked like the butterflies were giving him a tickle for the majority of his time on the ice. I look to see much improvement in his next performance if he wants any chance whatsoever to make the roster this season...

I don't blame Backstrom for the loss, but he didn't look all that swift out there. Once again he was on the positive end of some missed opportunities by the opposing team much like the LA game, out of position, missing yawning nets, clanks of the pipe etc etc... And once again the Wild can't bury the bisquit.

Dany Heatley has to be the most snake bitten Wild player in franchise history. Although he's looked good and even looks like he's resurrected a bit of speed this season, he once again clanks a pipe, one times into a spot where the goalie is defending, or misses a one time opportunity all together. This guys' luck has got to change at some point, hopefully sooner than later...

As far as Dumba, pretty much a non-factor although he was almost on the end of an outright give away for what looked to be an easy goal for the Ducks but Backstrom got lucky. I can't really take much away from this performance, aside from it was his first NHL game and he looked like the butterflies were giving him a tickle for the majority of his time on the ice. I look to see much improvement in his next performance if he wants any chance whatsoever to make the roster this season...
- MnGump

I have to disagree that Heatley has looked good, he hasnt skated well and turned puck over consistently in the last 2 games. Wild and Yeo were selling hope on him again to begin this season but he shouldnt be on the 2ndLine especially when Coyle, Nino, Granlund, and Zucker are in the lineup. i get it he is gone at the end of the year but this will be the first major hurdle Yeo will have to show some backbone on and take action.

The most snake bit was obviously Setogucci nobody rang more pipes than him last season and he is already putting up numbers in the Peg. Setogucci worked his ass off last year.

Dumba looked nervous the entire game but had a couple moments. He unleashed his bomb of a shot a couple times too. He will need to be more assertive if he is gonna stay.

Scandella had some brutal stretches last night he and Spurgeon were on the ice for atleast 3 of theDucks 4 goals. Not good they have to be better in the defensive end or it will be a long season.

I have to disagree that Heatley has looked good, he hasnt skated well and turned puck over consistently in the last 2 games. Wild and Yeo were selling hope on him again to begin this season but he shouldnt be on the 2ndLine especially when Coyle, Nino, Granlund, and Zucker are in the lineup. i get it he is gone at the end of the year but this will be the first major hurdle Yeo will have to show some backbone on and take action.
- Tony Dean

With Coyle's injury, it would seem likely that Granlund would take that 2nd line center spot. Maybe Yeo could play Heatley on the 4th line with Fontaine and Konopka. It would still give Heatley a chance to play with a playmaker in Fontaine and maybe playing against other teams' 4th lines, he would get some better scoring chances.

Mitchell could move to the 3rd line and they could go with the young guys on the 2nd line - Zucker-Granlund-Niederreiter.

I also wouldn't mind seeing Niederreiter swapped out for Fontaine on the 2nd line with Zucker and Granlund.

If none of that works, I think they still have some combinations they could try splitting up Parise and Pominville.

I have to disagree that Heatley has looked good, he hasnt skated well and turned puck over consistently in the last 2 games. Wild and Yeo were selling hope on him again to begin this season but he shouldnt be on the 2ndLine especially when Coyle, Nino, Granlund, and Zucker are in the lineup. i get it he is gone at the end of the year but this will be the first major hurdle Yeo will have to show some backbone on and take action.

The most snake bit was obviously Setogucci nobody rang more pipes than him last season and he is already putting up numbers in the Peg. Setogucci worked his ass off last year.

Dumba looked nervous the entire game but had a couple moments. He unleashed his bomb of a shot a couple times too. He will need to be more assertive if he is gonna stay.

Scandella had some brutal stretches last night he and Spurgeon were on the ice for atleast 3 of theDucks 4 goals. Not good they have to be better in the defensive end or it will be a long season.
- Tony Dean

Well I didn't necessarily state that Heater has played well, but that I thought he has looked good or better than most of last season,(granted only 2 games) but I guess we'll agree to disagree. I think his skating looks much better than all of last season so far and with all due respect to him, he's been the one player that has been jostled around the most making it difficult for him to build chemistry on any given line. Had that bomb of a slapper he took late in the 3rd period been about 2 inches lower, he would have most likely had his first game winning goal of the season.

Personally I think Seto's departure was a bit more than just a casualty of this years cap situation, had the Wild been able to buy Heatley out, I still think there was a better than average chance Seto was going to be somewhere else this season. That being said, hard work and maximum effort aside, Seto is a streaky player at best and I recall him having a similar quick start in the points category upon making his debut in a Wild sweater 3 seasons ago. It won't last in Winnipeg either. Seto is a nice player that can net somewhere north of 20 goals and 40 points per season in a good year, but he's by no means the love we lost. They were shopping him around last season before he finally awoke from his less than average play in the first half.

Mitchell has pretty much been a non-factor so far and compared to the way he played last season, he looks a bit less engaged. As far as the young guns go, haven't really seen a ton of positivity out of any of them either so far and that includes Coyle. Granlund seems to still have a hard time staying on his feet but looks like he's giving 110% on every shift.

Scandella is another one of those streaky players, and he looked overmatched all night long. When he's paired up with Spurgeon they pretty much live and die according to how Marco plays. Spurgeons style doesn't work unless Marco brings his "A" game. I suspect we'll be seeing more of Stoner in the coming weeks.