Dan Wallace: No Nino, Wild Head to Chicago

Excellent blog Dan, thank you for stating the facts as they are. I think the biggest problem with this team and teams of the past are the dreadful injuries this team seem to get year after year. A healthy Niederreiter with Granlund can be lethal but both of them have missed a lot of games this year. I remember when the Wild had M. Gaborik and he was a superstar that missed significant time every year. Why can't they all be built like Suter or Staal, lol. Hope we kick some butt in Chicago tonite.

Excellent road game tonight, solid team effort. Home for the next three and time to gain some ground. Please stick with Dubnyk BB and you will be rewarded. He needs to play lots to get in his shutout type mode. Suter playing really well lately, Granlund is superb and love the D pairings, top four anyway.

Looks like we got this blog all to ourselves Dan. What is wrong with the Minnesota fan base?? Even McGump has disappeared.

As much as I would like to say the Wild played well last night, I think the reality of it is that simply put the Hawks are no longer the power house in the central and didn't play like one last night either. But, a win is a win and the Wild needed those 2 points.

One thing I have to gripe about and I know there is nothing that will be done about it but OMG I cannot stand another second of Foligno on the ice for this team. Yes, he's a heavy hitter and essentially the only checking forward this roster has but holy poope can he eff up an offensive zone break out.

Twice last night in the first period alone not only did he completely hose up what looked to be odd man chances developing in the offensive zone with errant passes straight up the slot to nobody but both times created odd man rushes the other way for Chicago.

Riley is another player I can hardly tolerate. I like his speed and offensive ability, but he's a pile of horse bleep of a defenseman. I mean I dont' care who the other team is sending at him, if he's got the puck along the boards, the other team is getting it.

Looks like we got this blog all to ourselves Dan. What is wrong with the Minnesota fan base?? Even McGump has disappeared.
- joegreif17

Nope, still here. Myself and Gus pretty much the only regulars left. Couple of the old regs still pop in from time to time but very seldom.

Looks like we got this blog all to ourselves Dan. What is wrong with the Minnesota fan base?? Even McGump has disappeared.
- joegreif17

Yep, there still is a couple of us. And Gump, I agree with you on Reilly. But neither Reilly or Olofsson have shown any reason for the Wild to worry if they get grabbed when being sent down to Iowa. Time to get rid of both. Bring up Soucy, Seeler and Mennell. Need to see if they will be worthy if/when the Wild make the playoffs.

I still kind of like Foligno, but for very short periods of time. He is strictly a 4th liner. If Uncle Leo wants a SC, I think he is just gonna have to bite the bullet and pay the taxes that come with being over the cap. Drop Ennis in the minors, bring up Kunin. Once Nino get back, run these lines....

Kunin - Staal - Granlund
Parise - JEE - Nino
Zucker - Koivu - Coyle
Winnik - Cullen - Stewart/Foligno

Suter - Dumba
Spurgeon - Brodin
Soucy/Seeler - Prosser/Murphy

The old guys (Parise, Koivu, Suter) need to start allowing the young guys the chance to prove their mettle. Since this is obviously not a SC season for the Wild, might as well find out what they have. This is by no means tanking, but giving the team the best chance at winning....now and in the future.

On a side note, and I probably shouldn't be saying anything...I think I might be a lucky charm for the Wild. I have not watched a loss in quite a few weeks now. Every game I get to watch, they win....every game I don't have a chance to watch, they lose. Just throwing that out there.

Yep, there still is a couple of us. And Gump, I agree with you on Reilly. But neither Reilly or Olofsson have shown any reason for the Wild to worry if they get grabbed when being sent down to Iowa. Time to get rid of both. Bring up Soucy, Seeler and Mennell. Need to see if they will be worthy if/when the Wild make the playoffs.

I still kind of like Foligno, but for very short periods of time. He is strictly a 4th liner. If Uncle Leo wants a SC, I think he is just gonna have to bite the bullet and pay the taxes that come with being over the cap. Drop Ennis in the minors, bring up Kunin. Once Nino get back, run these lines....

Kunin - Staal - Granlund
Parise - JEE - Nino
Zucker - Koivu - Coyle
Winnik - Cullen - Stewart/Foligno

Suter - Dumba
Spurgeon - Brodin
Soucy/Seeler - Prosser/Murphy

The old guys (Parise, Koivu, Suter) need to start allowing the young guys the chance to prove their mettle. Since this is obviously not a SC season for the Wild, might as well find out what they have. This is by no means tanking, but giving the team the best chance at winning....now and in the future.
- Gusrichards

Hi guys, I hope to be a regular and have some good communication. I am in a keeper league that we started in 1979 (38 years and going strong) and I have many of the Wild players. My roster consists mainly of Wild, Bruins, Blues and Malkin and Kessel. I do not miss a Wild game. I will say injuries have really undermined this team for years. The team really needs a healthy Niederreiter and Granlund all year. Niederreiter and Staal need to be on the pp with Granlund if they want to get some goals. I agree that Foligno should be in the press box most nights, dumb penalties and brings zeroe to the offense. The top four D are very good imo, Suter and Spurgeon, Dumba and Brodin. Never been a BB fan and do not like his bashing players publicly but he is colorful with his high BP, lol Also Stalock has played well but DD needs to play way more than he has. He needs to get in the groove and play 9 outta 10 to maximize him.

Nope, still here. Myself and Gus pretty much the only regulars left. Couple of the old regs still pop in from time to time but very seldom.
- MnGump

Nice, talk to you soon. Great to have Dan blogging for us, he does a great job.

Nice, talk to you soon. Great to have Dan blogging for us, he does a great job.
- joegreif17