Dan Wallace: Koivu Signed For 2 More Years

who were his most common linemates last year?

Way too much money for an aging player

The actual contract in a vacuum is a good deal. 58 point player over the past two years. Marleau's averaged 47 pts over the past two years and at age 38 got 3 years at 6.25 mil. That's a horrible contract but the leafs believe they can afford to do it. Everyone pat them on the back

I do understand why its a head scratcher with Eric Staal in the fold and the centers in the system, but if E. Staal has a year anything like he did last year that is an easily tradable deal this summer.

Nobody should be surprised or upset over Koivu's extension. They certainly weren't going to replace him with anyone even remotely able and like it or not, he's still a very relavant cog in the machine

Meh, looks to me like Wild management view the playoffs last year as an aberration, and think the team can perform in the post-season like it did up until February 1. Realistically, they only have a couple years before the Parise & Suter contracts start holding them back more, which probably isn't long enough to retool everyone else. So just keeping these guys together for a couple more chances makes sense from that perspective. Still will have enough to sign Zucker and Dumba despite the Koivu contract.

Meh, looks to me like Wild management view the playoffs last year as an aberration, and think the team can perform in the post-season like it did up until February 1. Realistically, they only have a couple years before the Parise & Suter contracts start holding them back more, which probably isn't long enough to retool everyone else. So just keeping these guys together for a couple more chances makes sense from that perspective. Still will have enough to sign Zucker and Dumba despite the Koivu contract.
- Antilles

What else can be done at this point??? Moving Koivu makes no sense nor does letting him reach UFA and letting him walk. He's still a high grade player that fills a much needed role.

It's not like Chuck can start retooling now, he's stuck with the hand he himself dealt, it's win with the core of guys he has or fail trying.

Parise will go on ltir for his back and suter can play his style for years.not worried about those contracts at all

Parise will go on ltir for his back and suter can play his style for years.not worried about those contracts at all
- gopherwildfan

The LTIR loophole is almost guaranteed to be closed in the next CBA. Situations like Hossa's look bad. If players opt out as expected in 2019, just putting Parise on LTIR is unlikely to be an option. My guess is they'll change it so your LTIR cap relief is equal to a player's salary instead of cap hit. But if the next CBA allows compliance buyouts, and if teams are allowed to use them on contracts already subjected to compliance buyouts, Wild should be able to doge the anchor years that way.

What else can be done at this point??? Moving Koivu makes no sense nor does letting him reach UFA and letting him walk. He's still a high grade player that fills a much needed role.

It's not like Chuck can start retooling now, he's stuck with the hand he himself dealt, it's win with the core of guys he has or fail trying.
- MnGump

If Wild wanted to retain 1.5m of Parise or Suter's contracts, they could easily bring back a sizable return. Could get back good value for Staal as well. Wild are capable of doing a mini-rebuild/retool, it's just a big gamble if doing so would ever make them any better than they are right now. I'm not saying that's the way to go, I think Fletcher is making the right call giving the team another chance or two at playoff success. I was just pointing out he was making a choice.

If Wild wanted to retain 1.5m of Parise or Suter's contracts, they could easily bring back a sizable return. Could get back good value for Staal as well. Wild are capable of doing a mini-rebuild/retool, it's just a big gamble if doing so would ever make them any better than they are right now. I'm not saying that's the way to go, I think Fletcher is making the right call giving the team another chance or two at playoff success. I was just pointing out he was making a choice.
- Antilles

Maybe, and I mean maybe that the wild could get something, anything for suter, but parise is immovable. There's no way he finishes his contract and that cap recapture penalty is gonna kill whatever team he retires with. But hey, Hawks got off the hook with Hossa, maybe the wild can just say he has terminal jock itch

So the Wild are probably my second favorite team. I love watching you guys play, but this is not a good signing. Is it terrible? No, but it's not good. Too old down the middle.

If it were me, Duchene would be my #1 target more-so than most teams.

So the Wild are probably my second favorite team. I love watching you guys play, but this is not a good signing. Is it terrible? No, but it's not good. Too old down the middle.

If it were me, Duchene would be my #1 target more-so than most teams.
- Rinosaur

Couldn't disagree more. How is it bad for the team in any way? At age 34 he's coming off a career season. He was tied with McDavid for 6th in the league in plus/minus @+27 , he was one of the best face off men in the league(again) @55.2%. with 58 points.

Not to mention he's the team Captain. Duchene would be a nice get for sure, but nothing about his play or stats over the last 2 seasons makes him a more viable option than what the Wild already have in Koivu. and I'm guessing Duchene will be looking for something around 7 million per.

and if worse comes to worse it's not like Koivu isn't a movable asset with that price and term.

Couldn't disagree more. How is it bad for the team in any way? At age 34 he's coming off a career season. He was tied with McDavid for 6th in the league in plus/minus @+27 , he was one of the best face off men in the league(again) @55.2%. with 58 points.

Not to mention he's the team Captain. Duchene would be a nice get for sure, but nothing about his play or stats over the last 2 seasons makes him a more viable option than what the Wild already have in Koivu. and I'm guessing Duchene will be looking for something around 7 million per.

and if worse comes to worse it's not like Koivu isn't a movable asset with that price and term.
- MnGump

I guess I'm just thinking more long-term. You have such a great young core that while you need veteran presence, IMO your #1 should be younger so as not to have to keep changing every few years down the middle.

Don't get me wrong, Koivu is awesome, bur again, I'm just thinking more long-term.

I guess I'm just thinking more long-term. You have such a great young core that while you need veteran presence, IMO your #1 should be younger so as not to have to keep changing every few years down the middle.

Don't get me wrong, Koivu is awesome, bur again, I'm just thinking more long-term.
- Rinosaur

Well I can't disagree with this take. I would love to have a younger #1 more geared towards scoring. I'm just not sold on Duchene being a true #1. On this roster? Probably, but if Staal can play even close to the level he played the majority of last season, I'm fine with one more year of him @the #1 pivot. Long term I agree, Wild need to get a piece in place at some point sooner rather than later. But of course that's been the story for the past several seasons.

Well I can't disagree with this take. I would love to have a younger #1 more geared towards scoring. I'm just not sold on Duchene being a true #1. On this roster? Probably, but if Staal can play even close to the level he played the majority of last season, I'm fine with one more year of him @the #1 pivot. Long term I agree, Wild need to get a piece in place at some point sooner rather than later. But of course that's been the story for the past several seasons.

I think this will be Staal's last year at the #1 C spot. I honestly see him moving to the wing in his final year. I am expecting Eriksson Ek to take the reins as the #1 C next year, with Koivu as the #2 (first year of his extension), with Kunin being the #3 C next year. Then the K's flip flop for Koivu's final year. By then we should hopefully have Greenway up, Kaprizov in the US, maybe even Sokolov and Lucia. And hopefully a diamond in the rough mixed in as well.