Tony Dean: WildHBcommunity: Minnesota Wild Gameday New Year's Eve Hosting Blues

I am of the opinion that general manager Chuck Fletcher and Wild owner Craig Leipold should be patient with Yeo because I don’t see much to gain from his dismissal during this season.
- Tony Dean

From the presser, it sounds like he is out of answers. I wouldn't be surprised to see him fired within a week. Laviolette is out there and I think Fletcher likes the style of play he coaches. Against a team like St. Louis you have to bring your big boy game and these guys just looked like they were going through the motions. There is no urgency to get to the net. They are playing like they just don't want it at all.

After the St. Louis loss this is his answer:

Heatley-Mikko Koivu-Pominville
Nino Niederreiter-Mikael Granlund-Zucker
Matt Cooke-Coyle-Justin Fontaine
Stephane Veilleux-Brodziak-Torrey Mitchell

Heatly to top line? WTF?

After the St. Louis loss this is his answer:

Heatley-Mikko Koivu-Pominville
Nino Niederreiter-Mikael Granlund-Zucker
Matt Cooke-Coyle-Justin Fontaine
Stephane Veilleux-Brodziak-Torrey Mitchell

Heatly to top line? WTF?
- Mersch

Maybe he's trying to confuse Ted Nolan?

Seriously, agreed. These lines look weaker to me than what they iced last night. Guys playing away from their strengths or not with the most complimentary players. And he's broken up their biggest offensive threat in Granlund-Pominville and replaced it with a line that could be a defensive liability. If they lose to Buffalo at home tomorrow, I'd say that's it, Yeo's cooked.

After the St. Louis loss this is his answer:

Heatley-Mikko Koivu-Pominville
Nino Niederreiter-Mikael Granlund-Zucker
Matt Cooke-Coyle-Justin Fontaine
Stephane Veilleux-Brodziak-Torrey Mitchell

Heatly to top line? WTF?
- Mersch

People tend to become extremely irrational in desperate times. Hopefully Craig has someone else making the next coaching hire, because Fletch has been burned badly both times now


Happy New Year

People tend to become extremely irrational in desperate times. Hopefully Craig has someone else making the next coaching hire, because Fletch has been burned badly both times now
- SotaPopinski

I think one defensible position for Fletcher with the Yeo hire is that when he was hired, they were looking for someone who could work well with their young prospects. Sometimes those old school coaches aren't necessarily the greatest for the younger teams that need time to develop. And the Wild was heavy on prospects and not on veterans.

It's more balanced now, but I wonder if the vets are backing up Yeo's message in the room. If not, they could now need a more respected, veteran coach to get the message through.

Some of what Yeo said in the presser last night and the lines he is coming up with make me wonder if he's just trying to get fired.

I think the young team idea was valid at the time. Yeo was coming off a good year in the AHL. Problem is, it was his only year as a head coach. We need someone with the balls to tell some of these guys to pull the head out their butts and get the job done. Captain Koivu included.

I think the young team idea was valid at the time. Yeo was coming off a good year in the AHL. Problem is, it was his only year as a head coach. We need someone with the balls to tell some of these guys to pull the head out their butts and get the job done. Captain Koivu included.
- Mersch

Honestly, I think they thought that's exactly what they needed and Yeo was more capable of that than Richards. I believe that's why Richards was replaced.

Honestly, I think they thought that's exactly what they needed and Yeo was more capable of that than Richards. I believe that's why Richards was replaced.
- Chinaski

At the time, I remember being ready to replace Richards too. Still hoping for a proven coach. All coaches learn fronmm their previous stops and do things a little differently.

On Heatley going to the top line, Yeo said, "He’s moving well, he’s battling hard, he’s involved in creating some scoring chances every game. In the last couple games, there’s been, I would say not a lot of guys, but some that have kind of stepped up and really brought what would seem to be another level, and he’s one of them.”
- Russo's Rants

Good grief. He's delusional.

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