HockeyBuzz Hotstove: Hotstove Buy/Sell: Will Minnesota Return to the Playoffs?

I'm assuming phoenix or nashville could miss the playoffs so there could very well be a spot open. Now who is going to be better Dallas or minnesota or maybe Anaheim?

Yes. The Wild will make the playoffs. I don't think people outside of Minnesota realize the momentum this signing has created. We were already pumped because of the rookies coming in, but Parise/Suter took it to another level. It's palpable in the cities. They players feel it, the fans feel it, and it's real. As is demonstrated in the playoffs every year, the best team on paper doesn't win, the hottest team with the most confidence does. Right now, that's the Wild. Of course, at some point in the long season, this will diminish some. What's great though, is that this is where the rookies come in. Any time one of the new rookies gets called up, it injects new life into the club as the buzz starts again and it gets them back on track. Playoffs? No doubt.

Both of those players will have a cascade effect down the lineup in Minnesota. The minutes they play will allow lesser players more ice time against 2nd and 3rd liners and that will increase their production. If they keep Heatley, Parise's speed will give him just a little more time to do what he does best, shoot the puck. Minnesota will be a much better team next year. That being said, the complete collapse last year makes me wary of Mike Yeo behind the bench. As long as they stay on track, they will probably make the playoffs. But, I could easily see the team spin out of control with losses, Yeo getting fired, a veteran coach comes in and rights the ship, but the competitive west would keep them out of the playoffs. Minnesota has stated they are committed to Mike Yeo, but that was before they spent 196 million on a pair of players.

Also, I am interested to see how Parise does on another team. Devils forwards, the home grown guys at least, have not historically gotten better (statistically) when they leave NJ. Even if he takes a small step back, he is still the best winger on the Wild.

Yes. The Wild will make the playoffs. I don't think people outside of Minnesota realize the momentum this signing has created. We were already pumped because of the rookies coming in, but Parise/Suter took it to another level. It's palpable in the cities. They players feel it, the fans feel it, and it's real. As is demonstrated in the playoffs every year, the best team on paper doesn't win, the hottest team with the most confidence does. Right now, that's the Wild. Of course, at some point in the long season, this will diminish some. What's great though, is that this is where the rookies come in. Any time one of the new rookies gets called up, it injects new life into the club as the buzz starts again and it gets them back on track. Playoffs? No doubt.
- MNHockey

Right now is July 13th...

They will make the playoffs because the fans are excited? Guess games will just be decided by a guy with a noise meter, whoever cheers the loudest wins the cup! Seriously though, I seem to remember a low finishing team brining in a big ticket forward and defenseman and bombing the next year. This team hasn't even played yet. It will push them closer to a spot, but I want to see them on the ice before I can say they are for sure in. No guarentees in hockey.

Right now is July 13th...
- jxt216

That's exactly what I thought when I read that.

They will make the playoffs because the fans are excited? Guess games will just be decided by a guy with a noise meter, whoever cheers the loudest wins the cup! Seriously though, I seem to remember a low finishing team brining in a big ticket forward and defenseman and bombing the next year. This team hasn't even played yet. It will push them closer to a spot, but I want to see them on the ice before I can say they are for sure in. No guarentees in hockey.
- Avalanche4lyfe

The Wild will have the highest cap hit of the outside looking in teams... no playoffs

Tough to say. Honestly I could see Phoenix, Nashville, Chicago, and San Jose all possibles for missing the playoffs depending on what other moves get made this summer. But right now I am not too impressed with their decisions. However two players does not a playoff team make. Will be interested to see how Parise fits in with Wild hockey, how well he will mesh with players like Heatley, and how Suter does away from Weber. Nothing is set in stone yet.

Tough to say. Honestly I could see Phoenix, Nashville, Chicago, and San Jose all possibles for missing the playoffs depending on what other moves get made this summer. But right now I am not too impressed with their decisions. However two players does not a playoff team make. Will be interested to see how Parise fits in with Wild hockey, how well he will mesh with players like Heatley, and how Suter does away from Weber. Nothing is set in stone yet.
- freelancer

Suter made Weber look better. Weber will get the raw end on this deal. Sutes covered for Weber in a lot of ways, especially when he was aggressive and pressed the play farther in the offensive zone. Not taking anything away from Weber, he is still all star material...but like I said, Suter made him shine.

I don't think that the playoffs are a sure thing. The west is stacked, and two guys don't make a team.

Maybe, but it's no sure thing like they would have you believe. It's not like they have never had a good forward or a good d-man before. Parise and Suter won't do it alone, the rest of the team will have to improve.

Sell. But I think they'll be pretty close to the bubble, if not right on it.

I keep coming back to the following stats about Minnesota's most recent season: 166 goals scored last season, worst in the league by a full 22 goals. (They were as far out of 29th as 29th was from 18th.) Fewest shots taken. Fourth most shots allowed. Second worst goal differential at even strength. Ugly, ugly possession numbers.

To be honest, I think 81 points and 24th place was an overachievement for Minny last year. Their underlying numbers were right down there with the very worst teams in the NHL. Their great start to the season seemed to be more a product of randomness than any particularly strong play (the Wild were still getting badly outshot and outpossessed even when winning games early on).

Parise and Suter certainly will help, and if both (along with Koivu) can stay healthy, the Wild should be much better. Getting a good rookie season out of Granlund would also be swell, and I think the Schultz - Gilbert trade is another move that could really help the Wild.

But I guess I see the gap the Wild will have to cross as being even larger than it looks. It took 95 points to make the playoffs last year. The Wild finished with 81, but I think they were really a 75-point quality team that overachieved.

Do Suter, Parise, healthy Koivu, Granlund and whatever else the Wild end up adding, less the players who've left, add up to 20 standings points of expected contribution?

I think probably not.

Let's not forget Granlund who should have a decent rookie season.

As long as they stay healthier than last year, then yeah they can and probably will make the playoffs.

IMO Granlund has to be the real deal. He completes a second scoring line and could make the Wild more powerful offensively. If he fails or just doesn't adjust well, the Wild have one scoring line.

On defense, it'll come down to how good are Backstrom and Suter. I don't trust the rest of the Wild defense a whole lot.

To make matters worse, they are in a division with one perennial playoff team in Vancouver and two up-and-comers in Colorado and Edmonton. Maybe (read: hopefully) the Northwest isn't a runaway again this year.

Suter made Weber look better. Weber will get the raw end on this deal. Sutes covered for Weber in a lot of ways, especially when he was aggressive and pressed the play farther in the offensive zone. Not taking anything away from Weber, he is still all star material...but like I said, Suter made him shine.
- PredsFan95

So in your opinion do you think Nashville is gonna be in trouble this season?

The Wild will have the highest cap hit of the outside looking in teams... no playoffs
- PredsFan95

Not sure what highest cap hit has to do with them making the playoffs next season. They've added 2 top tier players to their roster along with some other small, but significant FA signings.

They shot out to the best record in the NHL last season 30 games in, and that was with far less talent then they'll have this season. Unfortunately they hit a wall when they lost PMB, Koivu, Setoguchi, Latendresse and Backstrom for significant stretches, and were without at least 3 of their top 6 for several weeks at a time. Zidlicky and Stoner were also out for several weeks. Tons of injuries hampered the Wild in the 2nd half last season. The fact that they suited a league high 47 players should be enough to prove they had constant changes in the line up. If they can actually stay healthy next season, I think they certainly have a good chance at a playoff berth. And that's not even mentioning some of the prospect talent thay may make the roster next season.

As far as Yeo goes, my guess is his future as the Wild skipper will live or die with next seasons level of success. In my estimation, with the FA signings this year, they can't go anywhere but up. I still have my reservations as to how far they can go in the playoffs with such a young inexperienced defensive corps, but only time will tell.

Wild fans should be disappointed if the they don't at least make the playoffs next season, but should be extremely disappointed if they don't make it and Yeo is not fired. Richards was not given more than 2 seasons to prove himself and he had much less talent on his watch with what really was not a bad overall W/L record. With the free fall the Wild were in 2nd half last year, winning something like 15 of 50 games, I was surprised Yeo is still the coach.

I like what they have done, but there is still 5 big question marks out there. Doan, Lou, Semin, Ryan and Nash.

Doubtful. Just looking at calendar 2012, Wild weren't just bad, they weren't even close. They only won 3 games comfortably (by 2+ goals), had 21 games that were decided by 1 goal (which they won 11 of, mostly in SO) and another 18 games they lost by 2+ goals.

Even looking at the first 30 games where Wild were winning... 14 of their 20 wins were behind their goalies posting a save percentage above .95. Injuries played a part in the Wild's plummet last season... but so did the simple fact their goalies started playing more like their career averages.

None of that sounds like a team that was 2 star players and some rookies from playoffs to me.

Doubtful. Just looking at calendar 2012, Wild weren't just bad, they weren't even close. They only won 3 games comfortably (by 2+ goals), had 21 games that were decided by 1 goal (which they won 11 of, mostly in SO) and another 18 games they lost by 2+ goals.

Even looking at the first 30 games where Wild were winning... 14 of their 20 wins were behind their goalies posting a save percentage above .95. Injuries played a part in the Wild's plummet last season... but so did the simple fact their goalies started playing more like their career averages.
None of that sounds like a team that was 2 star players and some rookies from playoffs to me.
- Antilles

In 327 games Backstrom is 160 - 109 - 42, has a career .918 SV%. Not sure how thats considered mediocre as your comment seems to insinuate. Hardings SV% is .916. How in any way is this an indicator of sub par goal tending?

As far as wins or quality of wins??? Well for obvious reasons I don't think teams are kept out of the playoffs becasue they didn't have enough "comfortable" wins, or for that matter having too many wins because of great goaltending. Maybe come up with something a little more substantial than frivolous notions about not being able to blow teams out or that awkward feeling of having great goal tending performances.... As far as I know, a W in the win column is still a W no matter how a team gets it. 30 - 7 - 4 that included a 7 game win streak against teams like LA, Phoenix, San Jose and NJ... Yeah, they were lucky!

The Wild plain and simple ran into the injury bug last season. Suited 47 players which was the most in the NHL. Theres no doubt they had depth issues as would any team playing without at least 3 of their top 6 on a regular basis, but the product on the ice when healthy last season was as good as any team in the West.

Theres really no validity to anything in your breakdown of why the Wild won't make the playoffs next season.

Not sure what highest cap hit has to do with them making the playoffs next season. They've added 2 top tier players to their roster along with some other small, but significant FA signings.
- MnGump

Think he just meant that they won't get the results they want for the money they spent. But I have to agree, Parise put up good numbers playing with much more talented players than the Mild have to offer, and Suter won't have the benefit of Weber with him this year. The cup-contention talk is coming way too often, way too early.

So in your opinion do you think Nashville is gonna be in trouble this season?
- freelancer

I think Poile will have to pull a rabbit out of his ass to get anywhere near the results we had this past season. I think we will be playoff contenders for sure but by the skin of out teeth...

Think he just meant that they won't get the results they want for the money they spent. But I have to agree, Parise put up good numbers playing with much more talented players than the Mild have to offer, and Suter won't have the benefit of Weber with him this year. The cup-contention talk is coming way too often, way too early.
- JasonPanov

Yep. This is what I meant.