Tony Dean: WildHBcommunity: Wild Rolls into Colorado to Battle an Avalanche

This might be the worst post I have ever seen on here. It isn't even legible.

This might be the worst post I have ever seen on here. It isn't even legible.
- AvsFanYeaa

No, I think its well stated. Avs have a slight edge here but the Wild have a better faceoff %

No, I think its well stated. Avs have a slight edge here but the Wild have a better faceoff %
- KxKodiak47

If that's your only advantage then good luck...

It should be a pretty good year. Worst case scenario the Avs are 3-1-1 this year vs the Wild and I can be okay with that.

This might be the worst post I have ever seen on here. It isn't even legible.
- AvsFanYeaa

Haha I pressed enter and it posted a draft. I appreciate you checking it out sorry it was not a finished product!

Haha I pressed enter and it posted a draft. I appreciate you checking it out sorry it was not a finished product!
- Tony Dean

Sorry for the comment but I was like wtf, this is their pre-game write up? Ha

I think you are spot on with the stuff about giving the young guns a chance to play. My position on the wild pre-season was they would take a small step backwards this year after Bouchard, Cullen, Setoguchi and company were moved to make room for younger less expensive cap hits. A step back that would help them for years to come with the experience your young group is getting.

This should be a good game. I know the Wild are coming off probably one of their best wins of the season thus far.

I doubt the wild will be able to move Backstrom with that contract unless he gets some games under his belt and shows signs of Backstrom from the past...

Sorry for the comment but I was like wtf, this is their pre-game write up? Ha

I think you are spot on with the stuff about giving the young guns a chance to play. My position on the wild pre-season was they would take a small step backwards this year after Bouchard, Cullen, Setoguchi and company were moved to make room for younger less expensive cap hits. A step back that would help them for years to come with the experience your young group is getting.

This should be a good game. I know the Wild are coming off probably one of their best wins of the season thus far.

I doubt the wild will be able to move Backstrom with that contract unless he gets some games under his belt and shows signs of Backstrom from the past...
- AvsFanYeaa

Haha I love me some internet savagery when it is deserved so no worries I knew exactly what you were talking about.

The Wild young players have stepped up in a big way this year. No reason to keep pluggin in these brutal veterans. Love that the Avs got a 21 year old kid as their captain and have trusted huge roles and ice time to Landeskog, Duchene, O'Reilly, Mackinnon, etc they have earned their spots and are so fun to watch. The sky is the limit for those kids. Wild needs to do the same with Coyle, Granlund, Niederreiter, Zucker, and Kuemper. Future is Now!

Haha I love me some internet savagery when it is deserved so no worries I knew exactly what you were talking about.

The Wild young players have stepped up in a big way this year. No reason to keep pluggin in these brutal veterans. Love that the Avs got a 21 year old kid as their captain and have trusted huge roles and ice time to Landeskog, Duchene, O'Reilly, Mackinnon, etc they have earned their spots and are so fun to watch. The sky is the limit for those kids. Wild needs to do the same with Coyle, Granlund, Niederreiter, Zucker, and Kuemper. Future is Now!
- Tony Dean

How scary is it that our 2 teams need to defeat each other and St. Louis or Chicago to get home ice advantage in the playoffs? We have a good start but those are 2 teams that are built to win a cup now or in Chicago's case another one.

How scary is it that our 2 teams need to defeat each other and St. Louis or Chicago to get home ice advantage in the playoffs? We have a good start but those are 2 teams that are built to win a cup now or in Chicago's case another one.
- AvsFanYeaa

I look at San Jose, Anaheim, and St. Louis as the teams to beat this year. Chicago hchant been impressive to me this year. Avalanche if they add which they have room to could be scary dangerous!

As far as Backstrom goes, I think his days as netminder for the Wild are numbered. Once Harding returns, I think Backstrom is gone either via trade or waivers process.

Kuemper has already all but solidified himself as the back up to Harding. Surely there are a few teams out there that could use a grizzled veteran like Backstrom to help solidify their goal tending needs. Islanders maybe? Edmonton? Carolina? Who knows?! His contract might be a bone of contention but regardless, I think he's gone by or before the end of this season.

As far as the "young guns" are concerned... I think your spot on in regards to Heatley and Rupp! Waivers or press box for both! If this little stint of having Koivu, Parise and Harding out for the past month doesn't give Yeo a bit of clairvoyance and carte blanche to re-design the top 3 lines, I don't know if anything ever will!

It's time to start coaching and set aside the worries of stepping on veterans toes and playing favorites. This team is budding into a respectable young line up with some key veteran presence. Time to move Koivu down to the second line and Granlund up to the first with Parise and Pominville.

Coyle, Koivu and Niederreitter on the second with Cooke, Haula, Fontaine/Zucker on the 3rd.

Hell, I wouldn't even mind seeing Cooke play up with Coyle and Koivu.

Hell, I wouldn't even mind seeing Cooke play up with Coyle and Koivu.
- MnGump

Ahh Cooke, the last man to fight Steve Moore before Bertuzzi decided to take matters into his own hands. Nice to see he has turned his play around somehow.

Ahh Cooke, the last man to fight Steve Moore before Bertuzzi decided to take matters into his own hands. Nice to see he has turned his play around somehow.
- AvsFanYeaa

Cooke and Wild fans are such strange bedfellows BUT he has just brilliant with his HOCKEY play. I hated him during his Canucks years and I also would never attempt to explain away any of the reasons other hockey fans hate him either.

Flat out he has been valuable and savvy for the Wild in both ends of the ice and has been a catalyst for the team all year. He was a steal by Fletcher in free agency worth every penny.

As far as Backstrom goes, I think his days as netminder for the Wild are numbered. Once Harding returns, I think Backstrom is gone either via trade or waivers process.

Kuemper has already all but solidified himself as the back up to Harding. Surely there are a few teams out there that could use a grizzled veteran like Backstrom to help solidify their goal tending needs. Islanders maybe? Edmonton? Carolina? Who knows?! His contract might be a bone of contention but regardless, I think he's gone by or before the end of this season.

As far as the "young guns" are concerned... I think your spot on in regards to Heatley and Rupp! Waivers or press box for both! If this little stint of having Koivu, Parise and Harding out for the past month doesn't give Yeo a bit of clairvoyance and carte blanche to re-design the top 3 lines, I don't know if anything ever will!

It's time to start coaching and set aside the worries of stepping on veterans toes and playing favorites. This team is budding into a respectable young line up with some key veteran presence. Time to move Koivu down to the second line and Granlund up to the first with Parise and Pominville.

Coyle, Koivu and Niederreitter on the second with Cooke, Haula, Fontaine/Zucker on the 3rd.

Hell, I wouldn't even mind seeing Cooke play up with Coyle and Koivu.
- MnGump

Backstrom contract isnt terrible considering cap is going back up to 72mil next year there could be a team that looks to solidify their goalie position for playoff push and reinforce young netminder. Backstrom has moments and still has value IMO.

Cooke and Wild fans are such strange bedfellows BUT he has just brilliant with his HOCKEY play. I hated him during his Canucks years and I also would never attempt to explain away any of the reasons other hockey fans hate him either.

Flat out he has been valuable and savvy for the Wild in both ends of the ice and has been a catalyst for the team all year. He was a steal by Fletcher in free agency worth every penny.
- Tony Dean

I've seen plenty of their games too and he really has been...any cheap stuff tonight though and I am hoping Bordeleau knocks his azz out. It would probably be McLeod and he hasn't won a fight umm ever.

I've seen plenty of their games too and he really has been...any cheap stuff tonight though and I am hoping Bordeleau knocks his azz out. It would probably be McLeod and he hasn't won a fight umm ever.
- AvsFanYeaa

I think McLeod is a cheap shot artist myself but Avs fans defend him at every turn. He has made a habit of running tiny Jared Spurgeon which is bush league IMO

Backstrom is the easiest to move here. Some team would take Rupp for a 6th or 7th round pick. Heatley is the tough one. Even as a rent a player. Paying a locker room cancer ridden, I will give you nothing but agita fruitbat $2 gives any gm the willies.

I've seen plenty of their games too and he really has been...any cheap stuff tonight though and I am hoping Bordeleau knocks his azz out. It would probably be McLeod and he hasn't won a fight umm ever.
- AvsFanYeaa

Cooke has been very laid back so far this season. Tends to keep himself out of anything too confrontational, which I'm assuming is one of his methods of staying out of trouble.

Although he has been mixing it up a bit more as of late, he's been on his best behavior as a member of the Wild. I made it no secret from the on set of his acquistion that I was completely disatisfied to say the least. But he's kept his nose clean and really has been a huge part of the Wild success this season.

As Tony alluded to, I make no excuses and have no beef with anyone who still hates this guys guts! But I will defend him as a member of the Wild to this point. I think every dog has his day and I dont' doubt that Cooke will at some point slip up, but until that day comes, he's by far one of the best acquisitions Fletcher has made.

I think McLeod is a cheap shot artist myself but Avs fans defend him at every turn. He has made a habit of running tiny Jared Spurgeon which is bush league IMO
- Tony Dean

Agreed! McLeod is just another Matt Cooke in disguise. Will play hockey when he needs to, but the ultimate opportunist when it comes to taking a swipe or cheap shot at someone. His priorities are that of a "Cooke" type player, always looking for the cheap shot first and playing hockey appears to always be secondary to his primary objective of being on the ice.

Granted he can be a productive player when he chooses to make playing hockey a priority.

I think McLeod is a cheap shot artist myself but Avs fans defend him at every turn. He has made a habit of running tiny Jared Spurgeon which is bush league IMO
- Tony Dean

He has had a few hits on both sides of that border but overall I don't think he is a cheap shot. I guess you could argue the same as most players like him and Cooke. Poor little Spurgeon...make sure Bordeleau doesn't get that little guy in his sights. The big boy hits hard but his balance is poor at best.

Kuemper has already all but solidified himself as the back up to Harding.
- MnGump

Hes' capable, but I'm not sure the Wild would do that this soon. He needs to be playing regularly for a few years.

Yeo is coming back with the same lineup tonight, meaning Jason Zucker sits and Mike Rupp stays.

Again, I didn't make the morning skate, but Yeo said it's a game-to-game decision and he feels with Rupp in the lineup, it allows guys like Stoner to worry about playing defense and not going toe to toe by being the lone tough guy.

"It’s like having your big brother with you," Yeo said of Rupp's insertion into the lineup the past two games. "You feel a little bit stronger."

- Russo's Rants

Oh boy. Your big brother? I'm speechless.

Oh boy. Your big brother? I'm speechless.
- Chinaski

Something smells rotten in Denmark that's for sure. I for one am really getting tired of the politics going on with Yeo and this roster!...

Something smells rotten in Denmark that's for sure. I for one am really getting tired of the politics going on with Yeo and this roster!...
- MnGump

Especially being down 4-1 after 2. Zucker's energy would be useful right about now.

Continue to wonder what Brodziak is still doing on this team?! Really enjoyed another couple of point blank scoring chances go for naught tonight although he had little trouble getting the puck past his own goal tender...

I can tell you one thing. If Yeo breaks up the Parise, Granlund, Pominville line when Koivu comes back I think I'll quit watching them until he's fired...