Dan Wallace: Who is The Leader of This Wild Group?

I would say Staal is acting leader like. He's really been the only vet besides Stewart that's elevated his game during this putrid stretch. One could almost argue that perhaps the team has too many cooks in the kitchen. Look at all the vets on the team that have held leadership positions on this team or others. Perhaps they dont have that one guy they know who to look to because there are too many guys that want to be the 'one' in the locker room? But probably, the main problem is Dubnyk is in a funk, out of position and not moving well laterally. That and the defense has tanked.

Defence and goaltending has been putrid during this funk, plain and simple. They can still score just fine, as evidenced by the 4 goal burst last night.

All teams are due for a losing streak, it just happened at a bad time for the wild. 10 games to right the ship for playoffs, they are too good a team for this to last much longer.

what happened to the guy that a few days ago said to R-E-L-A-X. The Wild will be fine. Still 11 games left before the real games start.

Staal is the leader. He is the straw stirring the drink and biggest difference this year.

what happened to the guy that a few days ago said to R-E-L-A-X. The Wild will be fine. Still 11 games left before the real games start.
- MNHawksfan

I am not saying they should panic, but in the same context, yes the playoff games matter more but you do NOT want to go into the playoffs playing bad hockey/on a slide.

You especially dont want to head into the playoffs with your goalie in a funk

Dubnyk has an .862 sv pct and 4.05 GAA in his last 5 games

I am not saying they should panic, but in the same context, yes the playoff games matter more but you do NOT want to go into the playoffs playing bad hockey/on a slide.

You especially dont want to head into the playoffs with your goalie in a funk

Dubnyk has an .862 sv pct and 4.05 GAA in his last 5 games
- Stan_Bowman

That coincides with Boudreau giving Dubnyk the quick hook, and then throwing him under the bus to Pierre McGuire during the Hawks game. I wonder if that's had any effect ....

Gave him the quick hook then left him in last night. What message is the coach trying to send?

what happened to the guy that a few days ago said to R-E-L-A-X. The Wild will be fine. Still 11 games left before the real games start.
- MNHawksfan

What's your point? Are they not still "fine"? It's a losing streak, what's about it? Every team goes through it. Hawks just happened to go through theirs while the Wild were on fire. Now the roles have been reversed.

The 2nd and 3rd periods of yesterdays games could be the ship being righted, who knows. Regardless, there is no need to panic at this point.

Gave him the quick hook then left him in last night. What message is the coach trying to send?
- MNHawksfan

Well I think the message is that the back up goal tender is not reliable. Kuemper was originally slated to start yesterday but Dubs was given the green light. I haven't heard the coaches reason for sitting Kuemps but I'm assuming it's because the Wild needed a win badly and coach does not have confidence that he could help that happen.

What's your point? Are they not still "fine"? It's a losing streak, what's about it? Every team goes through it. Hawks just happened to go through theirs while the Wild were on fire. Now the roles have been reversed.

The 2nd and 3rd periods of yesterdays games could be the ship being righted, who knows. Regardless, there is no need to panic at this point.
- MnGump

Just like I said, they will be fine. I'm assuming you have read the previous blogs?

Well I think the message is that the back up goal tender is not reliable. Kuemper was originally slated to start yesterday but Dubs was given the green light. I haven't heard the coaches reason for sitting Kuemps but I'm assuming it's because the Wild needed a win badly and coach does not have confidence that he could help that happen.
- MnGump

If your backup is not reliable still tough to leave your starter in for a tough stretch.

Well I think the message is that the back up goal tender is not reliable. Kuemper was originally slated to start yesterday but Dubs was given the green light. I haven't heard the coaches reason for sitting Kuemps but I'm assuming it's because the Wild needed a win badly and coach does not have confidence that he could help that happen.
- MnGump

Dubnyk seems to be an example of reversion to the mean, Gump. Funny (strange) how within weeks of Vezina talk surfacing, he starts throwing out that putrid save %.

This streak shall pass, time will tell how/if it will affect the team in the postseason.

Dubnyk needs a rest ... Minnesota may have blew there wad in the beginning of the season and the whole team is just tired ... No real need to lambast the team or its leaders ... There solidly in the playoffs I would say and just need to reset somehow and and win a few games while conserving there energy for the post season ... If they enter the playoffs playing like they have been though , it may not be pretty for them or there fans ... I hope to see Minny in the playoffs playing strong so that when we meet them , we can pummel them into dust and watch that porky pig coach of theirs get all red faced and blow a gasket .... No offense Minny Fans ... Cannot stand that blubbering idiot ....

If your backup is not reliable still tough to leave your starter in for a tough stretch.
- MNHawksfan

Well up until a little less than 2 weeks ago Boudreau could do no wrong... now all of a sudden he's being questioned about pretty much every single thing he's doing... Amazing how quickly that can happen.

I think this team made a mistake by going after Hanzal instead of a more competent/reliable back up goalie. Wild fans among others have been saying it ALL season and now it's starting to come to fruition.

Can't expect Dubnyk to keep up those gawdy numbers. Especially as this team transitions to more of a run and gun offensive style of play. So slowly as team defense has dwindled Dubnyk is expected to stand on his head and steal games which is something he's never done. He's a great goal tender on a defensive minded squad... He's only slightly above average tender on an offensive minded one.....

that being said, I think Boudreau has been trying too hard to shake things up... the Koivu, Granlund, Zucker line has been one of the most productive in the league this year and he thought it would be a good idea to split them up. Dumb move IMO. He pulls Dubnyk after 2 goals (which weren't his fault) in one game and then leaves him to the wolves in another game where he lets in 3 in one period. Doesn't make sense.

As Martini stated, this streak to shall end. The only worry now is will it end in time to make a decent playoff run? We shall see..

hawk fans
funny you guys would show up when we're losing with your dumb opinions and faulty reasoning.

Well up until a little less than 2 weeks ago Boudreau could do no wrong... now all of a sudden he's being questioned about pretty much every single thing he's doing... Amazing how quickly that can happen.

I think this team made a mistake by going after Hanzal instead of a more competent/reliable back up goalie. Wild fans among others have been saying it ALL season and now it's starting to come to fruition.

Can't expect Dubnyk to keep up those gawdy numbers. Especially as this team transitions to more of a run and gun offensive style of play. So slowly as team defense has dwindled Dubnyk is expected to stand on his head and steal games which is something he's never done. He's a great goal tender on a defensive minded squad... He's only slightly above average tender on an offensive minded one.....

that being said, I think Boudreau has been trying too hard to shake things up... the Koivu, Granlund, Zucker line has been one of the most productive in the league this year and he thought it would be a good idea to split them up. Dumb move IMO. He pulls Dubnyk after 2 goals (which weren't his fault) in one game and then leaves him to the wolves in another game where he lets in 3 in one period. Doesn't make sense.

As Martini stated, this streak to shall end. The only worry now is will it end in time to make a decent playoff run? We shall see..
- MnGump

i believe the addition of 2 new forwards and the constant lineup chages have hurt us in overall team defense, guys ending up out of position not playing as a unit. i think defense is much easier if you play LW every night vs LW one night and RW the next.. prosser hasn't help either he's been horrible

What's your point? Are they not still "fine"? It's a losing streak, what's about it? Every team goes through it. Hawks just happened to go through theirs while the Wild were on fire. Now the roles have been reversed.

The 2nd and 3rd periods of yesterdays games could be the ship being righted, who knows. Regardless, there is no need to panic at this point.
- MnGump

Does Bruce Boudreau just happen to win his division nearly every year then just happen to bow out early time after time? Yeah, all teams go through tough stretches, but usually it's meerly a chapter to a, by and large, crochendoing season, not because they sprinted out of the blocks of a marathon. It's a long season and an even longer post season and I don't know that Boudreau knows how to manage a regular season to put his team in the best position to win come April, let alone June. Maybe the Wild pop out of this funk and show up for a round or two, but I wouldn't bet they're going deep this year.

Does Bruce Boudreau just happen to win his division nearly every year then just happen to bow out early time after time? Yeah, all teams go through tough stretches, but usually it's meerly a chapter to a, by and large, crochendoing season, not because they sprinted out of the blocks of a marathon. It's a long season and an even longer post season and I don't know that Boudreau knows how to manage a regular season to put his team in the best position to win come April, let alone June. Maybe the Wild pop out of this funk and show up for a round or two, but I wouldn't bet they're going deep this year.
- PuckAndSticks

Well it's certainly easy to speculate now with the shape things are currently in... but like it or not this team was arguably the best team in the league for the first 80+% of the season.

Other than one little speed bump in the first few weeks of the season this team has not had to deal with any real pressure or adversity. Even when they were playing bad they were getting the bounces/puck luck and still coming out on top every game.

The combination of playing bad and having good luck came to an end about 2 weeks ago. With the addition of 2 forwards who have only been here a little over 3 weeks and what? maybe a dozen games, this team is still trying to re-establish their identity. Players like Parise, Pomiville, Coyle,, Zucker and Nino have dropped way off while Staal, Granlund and Koivu have picked up a bit. If those players start getting back onto the score sheet regularly like they had been I'm not concerned about getting to round 2.

As far as Boudreau is concerned, I don't know if he's just been unlucky enough to coach good teams and have one of the highest regular season winning percentages in league history only to lose in the playoffs every year or if he truly doesn't know how to manage a team past the regular season.

I have no doubt that the Wild are one of if not the deepest teams in the league. That is a large part of their success this season. Just look at the Jets game, the scoring came from their 3rd and 4th lines. Not a lot of teams get that type of contribution.
The regular season record for Coach B is undeniable and well earned. What is in question is his post season history as it has happened in Washington and Anaheim. Maybe that changes this year otherwise for a regular season coach, there are none better.

You guys think Staal is showing leadership now?

Just wait until the playoffs.

He was the best forward in that 2003 draft. Period.

I have no doubt that the Wild are one of if not the deepest teams in the league. That is a large part of their success this season. Just look at the Jets game, the scoring came from their 3rd and 4th lines. Not a lot of teams get that type of contribution.
The regular season record for Coach B is undeniable and well earned. What is in question is his post season history as it has happened in Washington and Anaheim. Maybe that changes this year otherwise for a regular season coach, there are none better.
- MNHawksfan

We all know that the Presidents' Trophy is for losers. Regular season is about making the post season while giving your team the best possible chance of being the last team standing when all is said and done. Nothing more. If you win the Presidents' Trophy on the way to hoisting the cup, great! But they don't throw parades for winning the Presidents' Trophy and they don't keep coaches because they have the best regular season winning percentage (Just ask Washington and Anaheim).

Dudes, the Mild are looking Busch league right now and I can't imagine a three-year history that would better ripen my own mind for mania than that of Devyn "get a properly spelled name for the sake of my autocorrect" Dubnyk. Is he a vezina candidate, or a journeyman stopgap for teams that can't home grow a solid tender? I'd be scared about New Foppa and the Mustard Tigers if I were a Mild supporter right now b/c as it stands they're primed to thunder (frank) you lot and deprive us our annual by-round.

If it is true that getting Hanzal and White has completely disrupted this team, BB should be able to recognize that those 2 should just be playing 4th line roles, along with Stewart. 2 goals by Stewie last game showed where he belongs....4th line energy. To keep your top 9 together and to start scoring again, 19 and 21 should play with 7. Here is what the lineup should be from here on out and throughout the playoffs.

22 - 12 - 3
16 - 9 - 64
11 - 56 - 29
7 - 19 - 21

And you can flip-flop 22 and 11 if need be.

And I forgot, I still believe that Stalock is going to called up very soon.

If it is true that getting Hanzal and White has completely disrupted this team, BB should be able to recognize that those 2 should just be playing 4th line roles, along with Stewart. 2 goals by Stewie last game showed where he belongs....4th line energy. To keep your top 9 together and to start scoring again, 19 and 21 should play with 7. Here is what the lineup should be from here on out and throughout the playoffs.

22 - 12 - 3
16 - 9 - 64
11 - 56 - 29
7 - 19 - 21

And you can flip-flop 22 and 11 if need be.

And I forgot, I still believe that Stalock is going to called up very soon.
- Gusrichards

completely agree.. hanzal and white should stay on the 4th line and use hanzal for FO situations.