Tony Dean: MNWild: Wild Observations & Rantings Just Giving my Take

Yet another night of Dany Heatley sucking balls.
Granlund has yet to show an ounce of scoring touch
Suter and Brodin are the only 2 defenders worth a damn. I love Spurgeons decision making- usually, and his effort but cannot get past his dwarfism. Players have their way against him in our zone.
PK continues to suck
Depth on this team is still lacking greatly. Losing Coyle hurts big time

Wild caught flat footed quite a few times letting stretch passes and pucks get behind our D including the Stamkos goal. They played well enough to win, but Tampa looked good. Harding played very well I thought. Not sure how the Wild managed only 2 shots in the 3rd, but at least we don't have to hear tomorrow how they dominated play and shots on goal!

They were on the losing end of pretty much every stat category in that game, shouldn't be too many excuses on this loss. They just got beat by a faster team.

Might need to figure out how to score some goals at some point...

Also, Dumba not ready for the NHL... IMO

PK continues to suck
- SotaPopinski

It looks to me like too many passes are allowed to get through the middle of the ice or into the slot. I thought the Wild always did a pretty good job of keeping teams to the outside on the PK, but not this year. At times, it looks like guys are trying to cut off the passing lane from the half-wall to the point and leaving the half-wall to the slot lane wide open.

It looks to me like too many passes are allowed to get through the middle of the ice or into the slot. I thought the Wild always did a pretty good job of keeping teams to the outside on the PK, but not this year. At times, it looks like guys are trying to cut off the passing lane from the half-wall to the point and leaving the half-wall to the slot lane wide open.
- Chinaski

Cullen was a huge cog in the Wild PK over the past 3 seasons.... Just sayin...

Ahhh! and the apathy rapidly sets in much like that warm rush of relaxation that comes over you when the anesthesiologist administers the sedative just before surgery!!!

Season is still young fellas! Still very very young...

I do think Dumba needs to go back to Red Deer though. He's still so very raw but full of potential and the Wild are no strangers to bringing guys in too early and stunting their development. Based on what I've seen so far, I think he needs to spend at least one season in Iowa before he is brought into the fold on a permanant basis. JMO

What if they strapped remote control rockets to Heatleys skates that he could utilize with some sort of control unit built into his stick?! Would that work?

What if they strapped remote control rockets to Heatleys skates that he could utilize with some sort of control unit built into his stick?! Would that work?
- MnGump

Unfortunately, no. His balance has deteriorated about as quickly as his speed, it seems.
And I really dislike this rule preventing the Wild from sending Dumba to Iowa. Yes, he's not quite ready, but he needs to face men not boys to improve.

This team doesnt score some goals and wins some games soon here its gonna get funky.

Cullen was a huge cog in the Wild PK over the past 3 seasons.... Just sayin...
- MnGump

I would have liked to see Cullen brought back, but I don't think it would have been wise to sign him beyond a two year deal. I'm not sure he would have gone for that. Would you have brought him back if it had to be a three year deal?

This team doesnt score some goals and wins some games soon here its gonna get funky.
- Tony Dean

The thing that drives me nuts with this team is they don't seem to be able to play a simple offensive game. Even when they're controlling the puck, they seem to have this need to cycle it around and come up with some pretty passing play before taking shots.

The other thing that strikes me about their cycling/possession game is that I think they draw very few penalties from it and that tells me that they are not possessing the puck in a dangerous area of the ice. There are many times during extended periods of time in the offensive zone where I'm thinking, they need to either get a scoring chance here or draw a penalty or all this work is doing nothing but tiring them out.

Back in the Lemaire days I used to never be nervous when other teams spent long stretches in the Wild zone on the outside cycling around and never really creating high quality scoring chances. I used to wonder if Lemaire simply coached them that way - "if they want to play pass the puck on the wall for the entire shift, let them do it. They will get tired and have to change and we will get the puck." Now, the Wild are starting to look like that sort of team to me.

I think they need more of a shoot first mentality. Come in the zone and if you have a lane, shoot it. When you're on the wall, look to come off the wall and shoot first and if it's not there, try to keep the cycle going, but your first priority should be going to the net and getting a shot.

Quick shots is another thing this team is abysmal at. Most of their guys don't shoot it quick enough off the pass and that's why they make the other goalies look great and get several shots blocked.

Per Russo tweet - Pominville back to 1st line, Niederreiter and Cooke to 2nd line, Heatley to 3rd line.

I'm not sure dismantling the checking line is the answer here. But maybe one of the top two lines can check if Heatley with Brodziak and Fontaine produces some results. I'm skeptical.

I would have liked to see Cullen brought back, but I don't think it would have been wise to sign him beyond a two year deal. I'm not sure he would have gone for that. Would you have brought him back if it had to be a three year deal?
- Chinaski

I think so. I think he has enough left in the tank to be a productive player over that course of time. Plus he's a pretty smart and savvy player, and I think that is part of what is missing on this team right now, plenty of skill, few crafty players, which Cullen most certainly is.

Per Russo tweet - Pominville back to 1st line, Niederreiter and Cooke to 2nd line, Heatley to 3rd line.

I'm not sure dismantling the checking line is the answer here. But maybe one of the top two lines can check if Heatley with Brodziak and Fontaine produces some results. I'm skeptical.
- Chinaski

Not like Cooke has been engaging in a lot of physical play, nor Fontaine for that matter... That seems to be one area this team is really lacking in so far this season, physical play. Getting out hit by Tampa bay is not a good sign.

Not like Cooke has been engaging in a lot of physical play, nor Fontaine for that matter... That seems to be one area this team is really lacking in so far this season, physical play. Getting out hit by Tampa bay is not a good sign.
- MnGump

I don't think they have the size to do it, at least not consistently. I saw a link earlier in the season that listed teams by average height/weight and the Wild were the second smallest team on the list. (Correction - maybe it's 3rd)

That's another aspect of the team that I'm interested to see Yeo handle. I'm just speculating, but to me, he comes across as the type of coach that believes the way to work out of a funk is to play a more physical game. And I don't think they have the kinds of players that do that effectively. It's why we might see Heatley stay in the lineup even as a liability. We may see Rupp play regularly as well when he is healthy. That will be interesting - Rupp and Heatley playing and someone sitting.

Any word on who's starting tonight in goal for the wild? Can't seem to find confirmation if Harding is starting

Any word on who's starting tonight in goal for the wild? Can't seem to find confirmation if Harding is starting
- digitalbath

Harding starts - Russo Blog

Harding starts - Russo Blog
- Chinaski

Thank you. I picked him up in fantasy. Sitting Schneider tonight