Brad Ratgen: Wild Learning A Thing or Two About Themselves, Irrespective of Record An early look at why the Minnesota Wild are playing as well as they are.

Sign me up as the first of those bi-polar Wild fans.

Sorry for the late post tonight and the lack of posts after the 2 wins. Between work and a wedding this weekend, not to mention carting kids around, whew! It's good to be back at work. Good thing I have a very understanding boss.

Lord Stanleys Cup will be toted around Minnesota next off season! Mark it down!

Lol! "Get me out of this ****hole"

Lord Stanleys Cup will be toted around Minnesota next off season! Mark it down!
- MnGump

Until we lose our next game you mean, right?

As an electrical engineer who works at the Power Vista hydro-electric dam here in WNY, I strongly resent that statement about WNY being a ****hole.

If you didn't grow up here, don't know the area, it's best not to look ignorant and arrogant.

As an electrical engineer who works at the Power Vista hydro-electric dam here in WNY, I strongly resent that statement about WNY being a ****hole.

If you didn't grow up here, don't know the area, it's best not to look ignorant and arrogant.
- TWGsabres

Relax dude, I think you may be reading into things a bit to far. It was a satirical anicdote. I think the comment was more in reference to the current state of the team, not the geographical area!

Count down from 10 backwards and feel the tension leaving your body! Ahhh, that's better!

Until we lose our next game you mean, right?
- Brad Ratgen

Oh they'll have no chance then!

Hey Brad...go frank yourself!!!

As an electrical engineer who works at the Power Vista hydro-electric dam here in WNY, I strongly resent that statement about WNY being a ****hole.

If you didn't grow up here, don't know the area, it's best not to look ignorant and arrogant.
- TWGsabres

State of the team, not quality of the area or their fans (except for the guy above telling me to do things anatomically impossible).

State of the team, not quality of the area or their fans (except for the guy above telling me to do things anatomically impossible).
- Brad Ratgen

Pretty easy for you to twist what you said...if you meant the organization or situation then you should have said so and I wouldn't have said what I said...I would have agreed.

We have a GM that put us in this mess and an owner who keeps him to clean up his own mess. He hires a coach who is in over his head without ever interviewing another candidate. Rolston is set up to fail and is a yes man...that's why guys like Roy and Eakins were never called because they are strong personalities. Pegula is clueless, just another rich guy who thinks money can buy him a Cup. If Ruff was to blame then Regier should have been as accountable and fired. A guy like Rick Dudley should be brought in as GM. You have Ted Black who has only one thing to say when asked why Regier is still here "the Pominville trade". He also brings up the Harbor Center project which is fantastic but has nothing to do with the success of the Sabres.

Definitely nothing shatty about Buffalo... aside from how the hockey team has been run for the better part of the last decade. But it's easy to see promise in a few of the youngsters out there. Hopefully a responsible coach, GM, and maybe even owner can get this franchise back on track.

Now to the Wild. So they stay aggressive when up on Dallas, but against Buffalo they resort back to YeoPuck; dump and chase, keep 2 forwards back, hope to God they can hold onto the 1 goal lead. But a win is a win I guess.
Coincidence that our first 3 wins have come with Harding in net? Take all the time you need Backstrom

Definitely nothing shatty about Buffalo... aside from how the hockey team has been run for the better part of the last decade. But it's easy to see promise in a few of the youngsters out there. Hopefully a responsible coach, GM, and maybe even owner can get this franchise back on track.

Now to the Wild. So they stay aggressive when up on Dallas, but against Buffalo they resort back to YeoPuck; dump and chase, keep 2 forwards back, hope to God they can hold onto the 1 goal lead. But a win is a win I guess.
Coincidence that our first 3 wins have come with Harding in net? Take all the time you need Backstrom
- SotaPopinski

I dunno, I think Buffalo brought a lot more pressure in the second half of the game. Seemed like the Wild had to adjust to that pressure and it took them off their game a bit. Call it what you want but I thought they played pretty solid for the most part against a very desperate team who I might add have not played as bad as their record would indicate, not unlike the Wild thru their first four.

Honestly I'm very intrigued by the new look system the Wild are playing in and for the first time in a long time they are looking more like a puck possession team than ever in their history and doing fairly well IMO! It's still early and I think things are just starting to come together for this club... Ala Ek, "stay tuned"...

Honestly I'm very intrigued by the new look system the Wild are playing in and for the first time in a long time they are looking more like a puck possession team than ever in their history and doing fairly well IMO! It's still early and I think things are just starting to come together for this club... Ala Ek, "stay tuned"...
- MnGump

They finally have the players up and down the lineup that can execute that style. I can definitely see why the advanced stats community would have projected the Wild to not be very good this year. But that analysis always has to come from historical data. Given the changes to the roster over the last two years, this team was poised to improve their possession play. As you say, it's early, so now it's a matter of seeing if they can sustain it.

I think the one thing working against them this year is their size. This is a fairly small team compared to most of the league. I wonder how much of a toll a long regular season will have on their ability to effectively play this style.

They finally have the players up and down the lineup that can execute that style. I can definitely see why the advanced stats community would have projected the Wild to not be very good this year. But that analysis always has to come from historical data. Given the changes to the roster over the last two years, this team was poised to improve their possession play. As you say, it's early, so now it's a matter of seeing if they can sustain it.

I think the one thing working against them this year is their size. This is a fairly small team compared to most of the league. I wonder how much of a toll a long regular season will have on their ability to effectively play this style.
- Chinaski

I like the team that Minnesota has put together...very crisp passing, especially on Pomer's goal. I'm sure a banger on the team wouldn't hurt, would Otter do?
Might as well you have Pominville and you will be getting Vanek sooner or later so why not Ott...all are character guys and could push your team to the top. Wish you best of luck this season.

Nice article....I was hoping my Hawks found the cap space to add Konopka in the offseason...we could really use his FO%....

Interesting side note with regards to last night's game...

Pominville has now scored against all 30 NHL teams.

Pretty impressive.

Why can't we get rid of Scandella and keep Prosser? I thought the Wild had a pretty decent record when Prosser plays. Scandella seems to make bad decisions and worse passes a lot of the time. Prosser always seems to be that 6th D-man. I'm confused, and I don't like Scandella, or Spurgeon for that matter but at least he adds a little offense.

Why can't we get rid of Scandella and keep Prosser? I thought the Wild had a pretty decent record when Prosser plays. Scandella seems to make bad decisions and worse passes a lot of the time. Prosser always seems to be that 6th D-man. I'm confused, and I don't like Scandella, or Spurgeon for that matter but at least he adds a little offense.
- Mersch

Scandella is a streaky player with some puck skill that has shown flashes of being an NHL caliber player. Unfortunately he has not developed into a consistent solid NHL player. Which is obviously why he has bounced back and forth form the NHL to the AHL for the past 4 years. But he's a servicable player with a cap friendly deal.

Prosser is a player that really has no outstanding attributes to his game. He's servicable. He's not real big, but he's plucky and can throw his body around. Other than that he's got no real major upside out side of his very cap friendly deal.

Stoner is a big body, but doesn't have terribly good puck moving skill and often times plays about as big as Spurgeon is. If he can play an effective physical game, he's worth having on the ice. Not the best skater either.

I would argue that of the 4 bottom d-men, Spurgeon by far has the most upside to his game. He's diminutive for a defenseman, but he can still throw and take a hit. But he's fairly skilled with the puck, he can skate and has a nose for the net. Biggest down side for Spurgeon is that he needs to be paired with a physical defense minded partner in order for his game to really flourish.

Why can't we get rid of Scandella and keep Prosser? I thought the Wild had a pretty decent record when Prosser plays. Scandella seems to make bad decisions and worse passes a lot of the time. Prosser always seems to be that 6th D-man. I'm confused, and I don't like Scandella, or Spurgeon for that matter but at least he adds a little offense.
- Mersch

Prosser is a steady, you know what you're gonna get d-man. Nothing special, nothing terrible about his game. Scandella has shown glimpses of being a top 3/4 d-man, and has also shown glimpses of pure crap as well. He has been one of the more frustrating prospects to watch... Cuma being the other, but for a whole different reason.

Stoner is a big body, but doesn't have terribly good puck moving skill and often times plays about as big as Spurgeon is. If he can play an effective physical game, he's worth having on the ice. Not the best skater either.

I would argue that of the 4 bottom d-men, Spurgeon by far has the most upside to his game. He's diminutive for a defenseman, but he can still throw and take a hit. But he's fairly skilled with the puck, he can skate and has a nose for the net. Biggest down side for Spurgeon is that he needs to be paired with a physical defense minded partner in order for his game to really flourish.
- MnGump

As I cringe with every SOG against Backstrom, I do the same every time Stoner has the puck deep in our zone with an opposing player near him. He makes some of the worst decisions/passes I have ever seen.
I like Spurgeon, just wish he was bigger. That 5-3 against Winnipeg, I believe, was tough to watch. Lil Spurg trying to clear a guy from the front of the net and he ends up pushing himself out of the play and the guy scores. But he is fun to watch with the puck and is an extremely smart player.

Prosser making his season debut tonight. For his sake, I hope he has a strong game and can garner some sort of trade value. The guy has what it takes to be an everyday d-man in this league.

So considering that:

Suter- Mr. Everything
Brodin- The next Big Deal
Ballard- Grizzled Vet

Spurgeon- Small with O upside
Stoner- Big with questionable skating and decision making skill
Prosser- Serviceable
Scandella- Flashes but nothing consistent (injury prone?)

Dumba- Young Gun in the Wings
Cuma- Another young gun that may never pan out.

Why is Prosser always the odd man out? Seems like he brings as much as the other four I listed in his group.

So considering that:

Suter- Mr. Everything
Brodin- The next Big Deal
Ballard- Grizzled Vet

Spurgeon- Small with O upside
Stoner- Big with questionable skating and decision making skill
Prosser- Serviceable
Scandella- Flashes but nothing consistent (injury prone?)

Dumba- Young Gun in the Wings
Cuma- Another young gun that may never pan out.

Why is Prosser always the odd man out? Seems like he brings as much as the other four I listed in his group.
- Mersch

Dunno. I can only assume that they see something in practices and what not that they feel falls short of being that number 6 guy on a regular basis. It's obvious they want to hang on to him and fear other teams may scoop him up if they try to pass him through waivers. Not sure he brings as much as Dumba or Spurgeon and certainly doesn't bring much size, but like I said, he's servicable. He's got pluck, he's not afraid to mix it up with brute size opponents. But does he really offer up anything but average play? He's got no real offensive upside yet doesn't offer up a ton defensively either. About the only thing you can truly say about him is that he doesn't appear to be a liability of any kind. At least at this point. But we really haven't seen enough of him to make any kind of sound judgement.
So honestly, I don't know.