Tony Dean: MNWild 2014 Prospect Development Center Group Preview WildHBcommunity: MNWild 2014 Prospect Development Center Group Preview



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Third paragraph starts with an incomplete sentence. Allowing them to what?

Otherwise.....

First!!!

Tony is decent writer...too bad there are hardly any Minni fans on here to read his stuff.

Tony is decent writer...too bad there are hardly any Minni fans on here to read his stuff.
- Jeropotato

Very loyal community here trying to build up the population like that of other fanbases at Hockeybuzz.

Third paragraph starts with an incomplete sentence. Allowing them to what?
- ThatDarnCat

walk away

Almond will add grit and physical play to the Wild’s 4th line this year so his return could mean that he play the wing with Kyle Brodziak or he takes over as the 4th line center should the veteran be on the move via trade.
- Tony Dean

Agreed. This could mean that Fletcher is getting some action on Brodziak but it could also be a way to fill a 4th line wing role with someone more suited to it than say Zucker or Fontaine.

I don't think Fletcher wants to give Brodziak away though. He still has value on this team and basically giving him away for nothing just to clear a roster spot for a prospect may not be the best way to go.

Agreed. This could mean that Fletcher is getting some action on Brodziak but it could also be a way to fill a 4th line wing role with someone more suited to it than say Zucker or Fontaine.

I don't think Fletcher wants to give Brodziak away though. He still has value on this team and basically giving him away for nothing just to clear a roster spot for a prospect may not be the best way to go.
- Chinaski

Never been a big fan of Almond, might possibly be able to fill the role of bubble man on the 4th line, but will in my eyes always be a bit of an over achiever.

Honestly I think I'd rather see them play out the season with Brodz if they can't get enough in return. No sense in moving him for something that isn't NHL ready, he's easily one of the best 4th line centers in the league.

Very loyal community here trying to build up the population like that of other fanbases at Hockeybuzz.
- Tony Dean

Keep fighting the good fight...there plenty of writers on here and in the past that got a gazillion hits even though they were garbage, it's a shame is all.It's tough to compete with Oilers, Sabres,Canucks and Leafs bloggers interest wise, but I respect that you refrain from troll blogging to generate hits. That seems to be the formula. Start a war with fans of those clubs and you will generate the ' cheap heat.'

Agreed. This could mean that Fletcher is getting some action on Brodziak but it could also be a way to fill a 4th line wing role with someone more suited to it than say Zucker or Fontaine.

I don't think Fletcher wants to give Brodziak away though. He still has value on this team and basically giving him away for nothing just to clear a roster spot for a prospect may not be the best way to go.
- Chinaski

Oilers would love to have Brodziak back for a season or 2.

Brodziak is the most frustrating player ever. He has such a knack for creating (and giving up) turnovers, and just knowing where to be,that he put himself in a good position to score 50 goals last year. But the dude turns into fumble-fingers at the last second, every time. He looks like he's trying to shoot a wrist shot with a 4 iron. He is definitely not the worst guy to be your 4th line center though, especially with cooke on the wing, they create some havok on the opposition.

Tony is decent writer...too bad there are hardly any Minni fans on here to read his stuff.
- Jeropotato

Agreed. The State of Hockey doesn't like to talk about hockey all that much...

Never been a big fan of Almond, might possibly be able to fill the role of bubble man on the 4th line, but will in my eyes always be a bit of an over achiever.

Honestly I think I'd rather see them play out the season with Brodz if they can't get enough in return. No sense in moving him for something that isn't NHL ready, he's easily one of the best 4th line centers in the league.
- MnGump

I like Almonds game and think he will do fine on the 4th line, be it C or wing.
Funny how we ripped Brodziak more than anyone yet we would both rather have him on the 4th line as opposed to giving him away for nothing. The guy has value, but damn is he horrendous with the puck.

I like Almonds game and think he will do fine on the 4th line, be it C or wing.
Funny how we ripped Brodziak more than anyone yet we would both rather have him on the 4th line as opposed to giving him away for nothing. The guy has value, but damn is he horrendous with the puck.
- SotaPopinski

I think they only thing about Brodziak that makes me nervous about him staying on the roster is Yeo elevating him to 3rd line without merit or reason to at the expense of Haula and others!

Never been a big fan of Almond, might possibly be able to fill the role of bubble man on the 4th line, but will in my eyes always be a bit of an over achiever.
- MnGump

May be. I think they see a guy who has size, can play a versatile role, and is familiar with Yeo and his system. He provides depth and competitiveness for a position in camp. The Wild is a little shy on that type of player at the moment. Low risk.

Tony is decent writer...too bad there are hardly any Minni fans on here to read his stuff.
- Jeropotato

We read it, we just don't have to write "FIRST" because who cares?

That said, I would agree on Coyle. He's better on the half wall than he is creating shots for himself.

I think they only thing about Brodziak that makes me nervous about him staying on the roster is Yeo elevating him to 3rd line without merit or reason to at the expense of Haula and others!
- Tony Dean

Understandable. We all know that Yeo seems to have "his guys", kind of like Gardenhire and the Twins. But I also believe that Haula showed enough at the end of last season and especially in the playoffs, that the 3rd line center role is his to lose. Fletcher and Yeo have both come out and said that speed and scoring need to continue to improve... Haula provides both attributes. Brodziak, not so much

Understandable. We all know that Yeo seems to have "his guys", kind of like Gardenhire and the Twins. But I also believe that Haula showed enough at the end of last season and especially in the playoffs, that the 3rd line center role is his to lose. Fletcher and Yeo have both come out and said that speed and scoring need to continue to improve... Haula provides both attributes. Brodziak, not so much
- SotaPopinski

I'd like to see Brodzy and Cooke on the 4th line. I wouldn't hesitate to put those guys out against other team lines as it would create mega matchup issues depending on how the other team looks. If you can get a good trade for Brodziak, that's fine; I'd be for keeping him on the 4th line though.

Tony is decent writer...too bad there are hardly any Minni fans on here to read his stuff.
- Jeropotato

Always gotta be talking ish

I'd like to see Brodzy and Cooke on the 4th line. I wouldn't hesitate to put those guys out against other team lines as it would create mega matchup issues depending on how the other team looks. If you can get a good trade for Brodziak, that's fine; I'd be for keeping him on the 4th line though.
- arvinb316

Brian I completely agree.

Just because Brodziak and Cooke are on the 4th line it doesnt mean Yeo couldnt deploy them more than a usual 4th line. Honestly they would be an asset getting sent out there in a defensive role to counter balance what would then be a skilled 3rd of Zucker-Haula-Nino/Fontaine

Always gotta be talking ish
- Tweaterben

Not at all, I enjoy his blogs, respect the Wild because they always seem to go about business the right way and would like to talk hockey with more Wild fans than I do, I just find these threads dead more often than not.
Yet a POS like Garth writes some nonsense and he gets 800 comments from idiot Sabres fans.

It would be nice to talk hockey with someone other than Toronto, Buffalo, Islanders, Canucks ,Oilers and Flames fans.....wait a minute....did I just spot a common thread with those teams?

Not at all, I enjoy his blogs, respect the Wild because they always seem to go about business the right way and would like to talk hockey with more Wild fans than I do, I just find these threads dead more often than not.
Yet a POS like Garth writes some nonsense and he gets 800 comments from idiot Sabres fans.

It would be nice to talk hockey with someone other than Toronto, Buffalo, Islanders, Canucks ,Oilers and Flames fans.....wait a minute....did I just spot a common thread with those teams?
- Jeropotato

Jero the Minnesota Wild fanbase is a tricky one to engage because they honestly do NOT participate like that of other fanbases especially the original six teams and canadian teams.

Our group here is very smart group of Minnesota Wild fans that CHOOSE to participate at Hockeybuzz. That is where I come from Eric our site runner at HB featured a couple of my MyHockeybuzz fan blogs and offered me a gig after I submitted my other writing contributions elsewhere.

looking around the inter-webs though not many successful or stable Minnesota Wild content sites exist so it is really just Russo & Graf as beat writers and a smattering of randos. Still doing as much pushing as I do all over social media it is tough to get Minnesota Wild fans to latch on and engage although not to toot my own horn but for the month of JUNE 2014 I had 74K unique views for my content which is validating that my content is being seen at a kinda crazy rate!

There is a Fan Blog site out there that does all right for themselves too.

My friend Derek Felska who has his own site State of Hockey News does good work he is the gentlemen I colloborated with on the State of the Wild Podcast before the Draft & FA.

Believe you me, I try to strategize on how to build the community of hockey fans/opinions/takes and foster very intelligent hockey discussions here at the WildHBcommunity. I have even branched out to pushing Ek and others to include me in Webcasts to make sure we talk MNWild hockey!

Understandable. We all know that Yeo seems to have "his guys", kind of like Gardenhire and the Twins. But I also believe that Haula showed enough at the end of last season and especially in the playoffs, that the 3rd line center role is his to lose. Fletcher and Yeo have both come out and said that speed and scoring need to continue to improve... Haula provides both attributes. Brodziak, not so much
- SotaPopinski

That's why I'm hoping Haula is given more of an offensive role than a defensive one. I'm not too hung up on 1st, 2nd, 3rd line, I'd just rather see Haula center a line that can provide more scoring punch rather than pair him with guys whose primary responsibility is to check another team's best line. With Koivu and Brodziak on the team we should have two lines that can check probably more effectively.

Brian I completely agree.

Just because Brodziak and Cooke are on the 4th line it doesnt mean Yeo couldnt deploy them more than a usual 4th line. Honestly they would be an asset getting sent out there in a defensive role to counter balance what would then be a skilled 3rd of Zucker-Haula-Nino/Fontaine
- Tony Dean

Add a guy like Almond to Brodziak-Cooke and it could be a 4th line Yeo likes better from an "identity" perspective. Size, speed, can play a more physical game than the other lines.

Parise-Haula-Zucker. Give it a try Yeo.

That's why I'm hoping Haula is given more of an offensive role than a defensive one. I'm not too hung up on 1st, 2nd, 3rd line, I'd just rather see Haula center a line that can provide more scoring punch rather than pair him with guys whose primary responsibility is to check another team's best line. With Koivu and Brodziak on the team we should have two lines that can check probably more effectively.
- Chinaski

I think going into next season, Haula is already going to be on a hybrid matchup/scoring line. The signing of Vanek puts Nino on the 3rd line with Haula, I'm just not entirely sure Zucker will be slotted there. I'd love to see the 4th line of Brodziak, Cooke, Fontaine/Almond (or whoever) simply because with that depth, you'd be able to roll lines instead of dropping the 4th line in the 3rd period like many teams do.

With Haula and Nino proving they're defensively responsible, I would think that makes Zucker interesting. I am of the belief that they could be a top 3rd line, pending they all do what they're suppose to do because that line would be able to flat out fly. In the event Zucker isn't slotted there, I do believe the line could still be good with Cooke or Fontaine there, but I just don't see Fontaine starting on that 3rd line.

That's why I'm hoping Haula is given more of an offensive role than a defensive one. I'm not too hung up on 1st, 2nd, 3rd line, I'd just rather see Haula center a line that can provide more scoring punch rather than pair him with guys whose primary responsibility is to check another team's best line. With Koivu and Brodziak on the team we should have two lines that can check probably more effectively.
- Chinaski

We all seem to be hopeful of that. While the idea of Haula centering Zucker and Nino seems exciting, how realistic is it to think Yeo would actually go through with it? He can preach about improving the offense all he wants, but he is a defensive minded coach and I'm afraid that he may let that get in the way of trying out line possibilities such as the one I suggested. Maybe he's been on the bench long enough now, that he is comfortable enough to experiment with the lines and not be so adamant about having defensively sound players on each and every line to make up for a guy like Zucker, who hasn't developed that part of his game quite yet