Dan Wallace: It's Heating Up

RNH over Staal in a heartbeat. Fletcher, you have the assets and PC is looking for a right handed D to play on the pp. Dumba, cough* cough*. Staal at this point isnt any better than Koivu as a top pivot.

RNH over Staal in a heartbeat. Fletcher, you have the assets and PC is looking for a right handed D to play on the pp. Dumba, cough* cough*. Staal at this point isnt any better than Koivu as a top pivot.
- mnhockeyguy

Plus Chiarelli's head isn't screwed tight enough and he'll probably throw in Eberle too

Plus Chiarelli's head isn't screwed tight enough and he'll probably throw in Eberle too
- DeflatedPucks

Id be happy if it was Yak at this point... we just need guys that can put the puck into the net.

Eric Staal was mostly used on the Wing in Carolina too because he wasn't fast enough to play C anymore.

Hoping Nugent-Hopkins doesn't come to the state of hockey. Eric Stall though ... go get him. Just seems like another aging ex-allstar. I have to imagine Fletcher has learned his lesson a bit with them and will avoid giving him too much term or money, so it could still be a good addition.

Hoping Nugent-Hopkins doesn't come to the state of hockey. Eric Stall though ... go get him. Just seems like another aging ex-allstar. I have to imagine Fletcher has learned his lesson a bit with them and will avoid giving him too much term or money, so it could still be a good addition.
- avsfaninmn

Ha one would think but Fletcher has been a very slow learner... He's right up there with some of the worst GM's in the league right now.

This from Friedman:

The Hall trade finally brought some truth to a boatload of Edmonton rumours. There was definitely discussion with Minnesota on a Ryan Nugent-Hopkins/Matt Dumba deal, but the Oilers made it very clear that wasn’t enough to pry loose Nugent-Hopkins and asked for more. That’s where it fell apart. One of the things Edmonton is looking for is a another second-round pick, because they owe one to Boston for Chiarelli’s hiring.

if fletch spends $ on anyone that doesn't score goals it a waste of $. we already have 11 guys that score 10G why not put the $ and assets into an actual finisher?? not a washed up guy who used to score!! i'm hoping for someone in their twenties still.. please don't ruin my summer fletch

This from Friedman:

The Hall trade finally brought some truth to a boatload of Edmonton rumours. There was definitely discussion with Minnesota on a Ryan Nugent-Hopkins/Matt Dumba deal, but the Oilers made it very clear that wasn’t enough to pry loose Nugent-Hopkins and asked for more. That’s where it fell apart. One of the things Edmonton is looking for is a another second-round pick, because they owe one to Boston for Chiarelli’s hiring.
- mnhockeyguy

Good Call if that's the case, I like Dumba more than RNH.

Good Call if that's the case, I like Dumba more than RNH.
- Scabeh

Dumba hasn't really proven anything and didn't progress last season. RNH is young and is a 20 goal scorer, at ther center position! Something the Wild hasn't had in a long, long time.

Id be happy if it was Yak at this point... we just need guys that can put the puck into the net.
- mnhockeyguy

Well then why would we want Yak? 50 goals in 250+ games isn't exactly a goal scorer.

Dumba hasn't really proven anything and didn't progress last season. RNH is young and is a 20 goal scorer, at ther center position! Something the Wild hasn't had in a long, long time.
- mnhockeyguy

Dumba still young and mostly undeveloped with a lot of potential. I don't think you take two seasons of work and decide to just get rid of him because he still hasn't "proven" anything.

I wouldn't give up more than Dumba for RNH.

Well then why would we want Yak? 50 goals in 250+ games isn't exactly a goal scorer.
- MnGump

Because he's shown, when used correctly, that he can score. Sort of like Zucker. And he can probably be had at a reasonable price.

Dumba still young and mostly undeveloped with a lot of potential. I don't think you take two seasons of work and decide to just get rid of him because he still hasn't "proven" anything.

I wouldn't give up more than Dumba for RNH.
- MnGump

And that's the problem. He might never! This team still has a slight opening in their window, but by the time Dumba is seasoned that window will be closed. If they are serious about making a run while Parise and Suter are productive, then he's the most viable chip they have. And he's not bypassing anyone on the top 4 any time soon so why hang on to him?

Because he's shown, when used correctly, that he can score. Sort of like Zucker. And he can probably be had at a reasonable price.
- mnhockeyguy

Meh, first of all Zucker downright sucked last season. Second, Wild have wasted enough time on potential. So far it hasn't worked very well. They need a proven goal scorer, not another project player. Unless they can get him for next to nothing, I wouldn't want him.

Meh, first of all Zucker downright sucked last season. Second, Wild have wasted enough time on potential. So far it hasn't worked very well. They need a proven goal scorer, not another project player. Unless they can get him for next to nothing, I wouldn't want him.
- MnGump

If it was a Dumba and Granlund for RNH and Yak I would do it!

And that's the problem. He might never! This team still has a slight opening in their window, but by the time Dumba is seasoned that window will be closed. If they are serious about making a run while Parise and Suter are productive, then he's the most viable chip they have. And he's not bypassing anyone on the top 4 any time soon so why hang on to him?
- mnhockeyguy

whose window?? 13 of the roster are 26 and under, parise, suter haven't shown any signs of slowing and koivu had a good year.. pommer?? his window is closing

whose window?? 13 of the roster are 26 and under, parise, suter haven't shown any signs of slowing and koivu had a good year.. pommer?? his window is closing
- gopherwildfan

It's naive to think that Parise, Suter and Koivu will all continue to be productive into their mid thirties. Heck look at the injuries that have been starting to plague Parise the last couple of years. He takes a lot of abuse down low. And who's to say any of their prospects will pan out? Remember when Granlund, Phillips, Bulmer and so forth were being heralded as the next superstars of the NHL? This team has maybe at best two more seasons of good hockey out of their big three. Now's the time to pull a trade for a good center and see if they can get over the hump.

It's naive to think that Parise, Suter and Koivu will all continue to be productive into their mid thirties. Heck look at the injuries that have been starting to plague Parise the last couple of years. He takes a lot of abuse down low. And who's to say any of their prospects will pan out? Remember when Granlund, Phillips, Bulmer and so forth were being heralded as the next superstars of the NHL? This team has maybe at best two more seasons of good hockey out of their big three. Now's the time to pull a trade for a good center and see if they can get over the hump.
- mnhockeyguy

i'll give you parise's back injury is worrying but he's still producing and if he continues to injure his back he can go on LTIR for the rest of his contract ie horton.. remember when every year every team totes their draft picks?? saying suter will be worthless in two seasons is ridiculous

i'll give you parise's back injury is worrying but he's still producing and if he continues to injure his back he can go on LTIR for the rest of his contract ie horton.. remember when every year every team totes their draft picks?? saying suter will be worthless in two seasons is ridiculous
- gopherwildfan

If Parise goes on LTIR that doesn't help the team from a scoring standpoint. Also look at all of the statistics. It's very rare for NHL players to remain productive at 35 years of age. Thinking all of Parise, Suter and Koivu will be the same players even next season that they were last season or the season before is at minimum a bit of a stretch and at the worst completely blind to the aging trajectory of most NHL players. Koivu was terrible for two years before having a turn around this season. Is it reasonable to think he can sustain that sort of play at 34 years of age after he was bad for the previous two years? I'd be inclined to think last season was an anomaly and this season he will regress back to 10 goals again. Suter, while having a good offensive year was a lot worse on the defensive side and looked like he lost some foot speed. How many seasons can he keep logging 28-30 minutes a night before his tank is just empty? And at 31 years of age already...

If Parise goes on LTIR that doesn't help the team from a scoring standpoint. Also look at all of the statistics. It's very rare for NHL players to remain productive at 35 years of age. Thinking all of Parise, Suter and Koivu will be the same players even next season that they were last season or the season before is at minimum a bit of a stretch and at the worst completely blind to the aging trajectory of most NHL players. Koivu was terrible for two years before having a turn around this season. Is it reasonable to think he can sustain that sort of play at 34 years of age after he was bad for the previous two years? I'd be inclined to think last season was an anomaly and this season he will regress back to 10 goals again. Suter, while having a good offensive year was a lot worse on the defensive side and looked like he lost some foot speed. How many seasons can he keep logging 28-30 minutes a night before his tank is just empty? And at 31 years of age already...
- mnhockeyguy

Seriously man, your speculation is not only completely slanted to favor your own point of view, it's also completely unrealistic that 3 of 3 top tier players are apparently all going to be worthless in 3 or less years.

Worse case scenario the wild have most likely at least 2 and possibly 3 pretty solid veteran pieces that are key to any cup contending team.

Not sure how you can see all the nuances of how Suters game has allegedly regressed, but I've heard nobody in any NHL media circles saying anything even remotely Close to that. Pretty sure he's still viewed league wide as a top 20 defenseman.

Seriously man, your speculation is not only completely slanted to favor your own point of view, it's also completely unrealistic that 3 of 3 top tier players are apparently all going to be worthless in 3 or less years.

Worse case scenario the wild have most likely at least 2 and possibly 3 pretty solid veteran pieces that are key to any cup contending team.

Not sure how you can see all the nuances of how Suters game has allegedly regressed, but I've heard nobody in any NHL media circles saying anything even remotely Close to that. Pretty sure he's still viewed league wide as a top 20 defenseman.
- MnGump

Dude all you have to do is look at the statistics for mid thirties NHL players to see the regression. And how quickly you have forgotten how reviled Suter was last season in Minne. All I am saying is the Wild have probably a 2 year window left with their big 3 to try and make a run. Parise isn't scoring 30 goals at 35 years of age. Koivu can barely skate now as it is, and Suter is logging minutes that arent sustainable over the long hall.