Dan Wallace: Wild Not Out of The Woods By Any Stretch

When Parise is productive, this team is usually winning (consistently). The closer Zach gets to 100% (pre-back injury) the better chance this team has to make a serious run down the stretch and in the post season.

With the Granlund/Staal/Zucker line continuing to shine, secondary and depth scoring is a huge bonus because it creates match up headaches for opposing coaches. They cannot just focus on shutting down that top line.

I would really like to see Bruce push Cullen back up to center Parise and Nino.

The biggest problem right now is having Ennis to deal with. He doesn't really compliment anyone else on this roster and shoving him down to the 4th line only ensures little to no scoring threat from that line. I would have liked to have seen a Kunin, Koivu, Coyle line but that dream is obviously dead.

Yeah, it sucks with Kunin tearing his ACL. Just a bad season for him to start off his NHL career. But hopefully he heals up well and gets back after it for next season. I guess we just have to wait until BU loses to UCONN (hopefully) in the Hockey East tourney. Then hope that BU doesn't make the NCAA, which currently they probably won't. So I am guessing sometime after March 11th we will see Jordan Greenway.

I know that this is talk of bringing up Sam Anas for the stretch run, but I see that as just playing Ennis without the NHL experience. I would much rather prefer Mitchell or even Cal O'Reilly...just not sure if O'Reilly has NHL speed. And I agree with you Gump on having Cullen center Parise/Nino. I can see this lineup being very effective...

Zucker/Staal/Granlund
Parise/Cullen/Nino
Greenway(or Mitchell)/Koivu/Coyle
Foligno/JEE/Winnik

The hard question is whether Cullen can take 2nd/3rd line minutes from here on out. And you move Mitchell and Greenway in and out, until Greenway gets up to speed. That top line can just keep scoring, Parise/Cullen/Nino would best be served scoring on rushes, Koivu and Coyle can cycle until they see an opening to get Greenway the puck (I truly believe not many people will be able to move him from in front of the net) and that 4th line can run around and crush people into the boards.

I forgot to note, and I forgot where I read this, but Ennis might end up just being a problem for this year...along with Foligno. Wild might try to trade Ennis during off-season (retaining a portion of his salary and cap space of course) and buyout Foligno. I can't remember the numbers off the top of my head right now, but buying out Foligno's contract is actually pretty palatable. With Jee and Kunin (and hopefully Greenway) being on cheap contracts, that gives the Wild money to resign Zucker and Dumba, and maybe extend Staal. I honestly would like to see Winnik brought back for 4th line duties as well next year.

Also, because I always forget to say this....thanks for the blogs Dan. Keep up the great work. It nice to have a place where all of us superior hockey minds can fix our team...and not let BB or CF or Uncle Leo in on it at all. They should honestly learn from us.

Well I know one thing, when Cullen was moved up on the Parise line a month ago I thought it was the best he's played all season.

Who played better? Cullen or Parise? Hopefully, both.

The only problem that I am seeing with the lineup that I listed above would be those two 2nd/3rd lines. Is Nino enough of a big body to help our Cullen and Parise, or does Coyle need to play on that line. I guess that would work, as I would expect Koivu (who would probably go nuts) to cover for the defensive lapses of Greenway. Then the question is whether Nino is good enough defensively (I think generally he is, but his injury appears to be holding him back this year) then. I know Coyle generally is. But both Koivu and Nino would have to be that much more defensively, as you know Greenway would be bound to struggle some. Of course, this is all mute if Greenway doesn't sign and play for the Wild.

I do think you could Mitchell should be up and playing with Koivu and Coyle right now. I think he is better off for the playoffs then Ennis is.