Tony Dean: WildHBcommunity: March Madness Proving Ground for Playoffs (WildWednesday) WildHBcommunity: March Madness Proving Ground for Playoffs (WildWednesdayShow)

The Minnesota Wild finishes the month of March with 8 of 9 games against opponents currently positioned to be playoff teams. Tony Dean looks at what this stretch of games will mean for this State of Hockey squad.

The next couple of weeks will tell the tale. Was this crazy run by the Wild and Dubnyk all for not, or will this team finally step up into the role we've been waiting for and start beating the teams that they've generally had a tough time with? (St.Louis, Anaheim, Nashville)

It'll certainly be a shame if this season ends without a playoff birth, but it should be an interesting next couple of weeks nonetheless.

When Scandella is ready to go, it will mean a decision on who has to move and unfortunately I think it will come at the cost of Christian Folin being sent to the "Baby Wild in Des Moines.

Why would Folin (or anyone else) need to get sent down? Is it a cap thing (come back soon Capgeek.com)?

Why would Folin (or anyone else) need to get sent down? Is it a cap thing (come back soon Capgeek.com)?
- Antilles

Yeah, I'm not really sure why anyone would NEED to be sent down. I could see maybe just to keep Folin playing which makes sense, but with the deadline accuisitions, it could be a cap issue.

Why would Folin (or anyone else) need to get sent down? Is it a cap thing (come back soon Capgeek.com)?
- Antilles

23 man roster crunch.
Healthy Right Now
13 Forwards
Parise
Koivu
Pominville
Granlund
Niederreiter
Stewart
Coyle
Vanek
Brodziak
Fontaine
Haula
Bergenheim
Schroeder

Injured but Returning
Carter
Zucker
Cooke

Healthy Right Now
7 Defensemen
Suter
Brodin
Spurgeon
Dumba
Leopold
Folin
Prosser

Injured but Returning
Scandella

Healthy Right Now
3 Goalies
Dubnyk
Kuemper
Backstrom

23 man roster crunch.
Healthy Right Now
13 Forwards
Parise
Koivu
Pominville
Granlund
Niederreiter
Stewart
Coyle
Vanek
Brodziak
Fontaine
Haula
Bergenheim
Schroeder

Injured but Returning
Carter
Zucker
Cooke

Healthy Right Now
7 Defensemen
Suter
Brodin
Spurgeon
Dumba
Leopold
Folin
Prosser

Injured but Returning
Scandella

Healthy Right Now
3 Goalies
Dubnyk
Kuemper
Backstrom
- Tony Dean

23 man roster rule is from opening day until the trade deadline. No longer applicable, but there are some rules limiting the number of players you can add to the roster or call up.

23 man roster rule is from opening day until the trade deadline. No longer applicable, but there are some rules limiting the number of players you can add to the roster or call up.
- Antilles

Oh interesting I have to educate myself on that!

Oh I just found it thanks! I was mistaken.

Why would Folin (or anyone else) need to get sent down? Is it a cap thing (come back soon Capgeek.com)?
- Antilles

I believe Folin is actually the only Wild roster player that can be sent down at this point. They made the paper transaction on deadline day (or the day before) to make him eligible for Iowa. I think the only reason to do it would be to get him playing time and continue his development. Iowa's season is done soon and then he can be back here for the playoff run if the Wild make it.

Yeah, I'm not really sure why anyone would NEED to be sent down. I could see maybe just to keep Folin playing which makes sense, but with the deadline accuisitions, it could be a cap issue.
- MnGump

I don't think they have cap issues. I guess it's a possibility if the roster gets too many guys on it, but they had quite a bit of space to play with this year and many of these guys are minimal hits to the cap.

23 man roster rule is from opening day until the trade deadline. No longer applicable, but there are some rules limiting the number of players you can add to the roster or call up.
- Antilles

We added three guys in trades, so there could be a cap issue. Could be a case similar to Chicago, where Kane can only come back for the playoffs because teams have unlimited cap space for the playoffs.

Oh I just found it thanks! I was mistaken.
- Tony Dean

You could still easily be right because of cap issues, or like Gump and others said wanting to keep people playing. Hopefully not though, Minnesota has become one of the teams that has too many good players for some of their up & comers to dress regularly, but still wants them around the team during the playoffs so they are used to it when they have gotten a regular spot down the road.

The mere fact that the Wild actually have enough depth at this point to even have to worry about who might have to sit or be sent down is seemingly a nice problem to have for the first time in their existence.

The mere fact that the Wild actually have enough depth at this point to even have to worry about who might have to sit or be sent down is seemingly a nice problem to have for the first time in their existence.
- MnGump

NO doubt!

I love me some Folin too so I am definitely not advocating for him to be out of lineup or off the roster.

Wish Yeo would let Dumba and Folin play together to be honest!

Not good...
PP is ultimately going to be the Wild back breaker...

Not good...
PP is ultimately going to be the Wild back breaker...
- MnGump

Yes and it's basically been bad all year.

Yes and it's basically been bad all year.
- Chinaski

Although tonight is not a must win, it might as well be, a win would go a long way towards restoring confidence that the Wild can actually stack up against the West top teams. A loss will further reinforce the notion that the Wild although having overcome a mountain of adversity once again are still just not good enough to hang with the big boys.

...and the playoffs (if they make it) will be short lived.

Although tonight is not a must win, it might as well be, a win would go a long way towards restoring confidence that the Wild can actually stack up against the West top teams. A loss will further reinforce the notion that the Wild although having overcome a mountain of adversity once again are still just not good enough to hang with the big boys.

...and the playoffs (if they make it) will be short lived.
- MnGump

I think it depends on how they lose. The Blues are one of the top teams in the league and a loss shouldn't necessarily mean they aren't good enough. They do need to play with them and be right there with a chance to win. They need to generate scoring chances and they can't let St. Louis dominate possession. If they get run out of the building physically, generate little to no offense, and basically spend the night just clearing their own zone, then I would agree, it's a good indicator that they're not there yet.

I think it depends on how they lose. The Blues are one of the top teams in the league and a loss shouldn't necessarily mean they aren't good enough. They do need to play with them and be right there with a chance to win. They need to generate scoring chances and they can't let St. Louis dominate possession. If they get run out of the building physically, generate little to no offense, and basically spend the night just clearing their own zone, then I would agree, it's a good indicator that they're not there yet.
- Chinaski

Although I agree to some extent, Wild cannot just hang with teams like Anahiem and St.Louis... They need to finish. We can sit here and say they should have won last night but the bottom line at least for me is that they absolutely need to play well and win, not play good enough to win and come up short. They at some point need to get over that hump if they want to be mentioned along with those teams in west.

Confidence wise that can make all the difference in these one goal affairs.

Until then, the Wild are still that cute little team that could... after once again seemingly havinig saved their season with some amazing goalie antics.

Although I agree to some extent, Wild cannot just hang with teams like Anahiem and St.Louis... They need to finish. We can sit here and say they should have won last night but the bottom line at least for me is that they absolutely need to play well and win, not play good enough to win and come up short. They at some point need to get over that hump if they want to be mentioned along with those teams in west.

Confidence wise that can make all the difference in these one goal affairs.

Until then, the Wild are still that cute little team that could... after once again seemingly havinig saved their season with some amazing goalie antics.
- MnGump

Well, yes, they do need to win some of those games. I just don't think they should get too demoralized over one loss if it's a tossup game. On the other hand, I have seen the Wild absolutely dominated in a 1 goal game against St. Louis where they never had a chance. If that's the kind of thing we start to see it will be very concerning.

Solid and very huge victory tonight! Exactly what the Wild needed at exactly the right time. Beating a nemesis to help getting them over that hump we talked about earlier.
Dubnyk playing great once again!

Now they need another one at the Bridgestone on Tuesday! Preds need another losing streak started...

Kind of hard to believe there was no Buzz whatsoever after the Wild beat arguably their biggest and baddest nemisis. Will we get a new blog for tonights ever important match up(do we even need one) or at least get some Wild regulars jawing or is everyone still waiting for the other shoe to drop?

Or I guess we could just talk about the great weather we've been having... SOMETHING.. ANYTHING!!!! C'mon Wild fans, how can we have such a weak HB following?!!!!

Well happy St. Patties day! Go Wild! Need another big Win!

Kind of hard to believe there was no Buzz whatsoever after the Wild beat arguably their biggest and baddest nemisis. Will we get a new blog for tonights ever important match up(do we even need one) or at least get some Wild regulars jawing or is everyone still waiting for the other shoe to drop?

Or I guess we could just talk about the great weather we've been having... SOMETHING.. ANYTHING!!!! C'mon Wild fans, how can we have such a weak HB following?!!!!
- MnGump

I'm drunk.
It's st. Pattys.
It's also mybirthday. Haven't really been watching the game.

9 f-ing shots on goal at the beginning of the f-ing 3rd?
Seriously? Wtf?