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Great Work as usual Tony.

Do you know if the Wild may look to Bryz if Kuemper continues to struggle?

Great Work as usual Tony.

Do you know if the Wild may look to Bryz if Kuemper continues to struggle?
- Byfuglien Ate Me

Kuemper didnt really struggle per se I mean he wasnt good but the entire was atrocious. No I dont think Bryz is relevant unless major long term injury occurs but even then they Harding in shadows.

Kuemper didnt really struggle per se I mean he wasnt good but the entire was atrocious. No I dont think Bryz is relevant unless major long term injury occurs but even then they Harding in shadows.
- Tony Dean

How is Harding doing?

Im hoping he can play again.

Kuemper didnt really struggle per se I mean he wasnt good but the entire was atrocious. No I dont think Bryz is relevant unless major long term injury occurs but even then they Harding in shadows.
- Tony Dean

I definitely do not see them looking towards Bryz unless games like that continue to happen. Kuemper and Backs have played just fine - nothing stellar, by any means - and ought to continue to do so and will both continue to get minutes.

I do disagree, though, in that I feel all four of those goals were on Kuemper. If they were sweet, odd-man rush tic-tac-toe back-door goals then no blame on Kuemper. However, you could see he was struggling even before they scored the first goal; it just wasn't Kuemper's night, and that's something that every goalie has faced. It's the goalie's ability to let it slide and come back clear and strong for the next game that dictates the future of a goalie.

How is Harding doing?

Im hoping he can play again.
- Byfuglien Ate Me

I believe he is slated to play his first game this weekend for the AHL Iowa Wild. I'd imagine he'll be there to get at least half a dozen games and fully comfortable before dressing for the Wild.

After that, I'm not sure what they'll do. Maybe they keep him down there practicing for insurance if Kuemps or Backs go down, or one begins to struggle mightily. At this point, I don't see how he can scratch either unless Harding plays out of his mind and is able to transition well back to the NHL - but at what cost? All three goalies have 1-way contracts. If that situation were to arise, I'd imagine they send Backstrom down on the hopes someone snatches his contract up, but then we're back at square one with only 2 goalies, one of which with a history of injuries and illness and the other still young and inexperienced.

I believe he is slated to play his first game this weekend for the AHL Iowa Wild. I'd imagine he'll be there to get at least half a dozen games and fully comfortable before dressing for the Wild.

After that, I'm not sure what they'll do. Maybe they keep him down there practicing for insurance if Kuemps or Backs go down, or one begins to struggle mightily. At this point, I don't see how he can scratch either unless Harding plays out of his mind and is able to transition well back to the NHL - but at what cost? All three goalies have 1-way contracts. If that situation were to arise, I'd imagine they send Backstrom down on the hopes someone snatches his contract up, but then we're back at square one with only 2 goalies, one of which with a history of injuries and illness and the other still young and inexperienced.
- deslni01

Thanks for the Update. There would be a few teams wanting to grab Backstrom Via the Wire if he came up IMO.

Thanks for the Update. There would be a few teams wanting to grab Backstrom Via the Wire if he came up IMO.
- Byfuglien Ate Me

Even at $3.4 for this year and next? That's a lot to spend on a back up goalie who isn't getting any better.

Well I guess a win is a win but this team still looking very erratic and unstable. Never once did they play like this last season and now they've had a least 3 or 4 games with this type of collapse so far this season. 3 goals in 3 minutes is pretty much inexcusable and obviously unacceptable.

Astounding how Kuemper can look so incredibly amazing and so incredibly mediocre all at the same time. Makes some really tough saves and then let's one in that my 4 year old would save.

I'll give him a break on the first goal because something called Ales Hemsky made our number one D-man look like a new born fawn.

But the rest of the 4 goals scored were ALL very savable and soft. I mean 3 goals in 3 minutes and then to add insult to injury giving up the go-ahead goal in the 3rd after being up 3 to zip.

I just don't understand how a defensively structured team can have a 3 goal in 3 minutes lapse in a game they're dominating up to that point. Same with the last game in Dallas as well as the loss in NY a month ago when they gave up 5 in the 3rd.

They're looking less and less like a playoff team as the season goes on. I'm not going to be surprised if they miss this season.

And can somebody please tell me where the (frank) Jason Pominville went?! 4 goals in 22 games so far after scoring 30 in 82 games last season. So he's on pace to score a whopping 15 goals this season while Vanek is on pace to score 7.

Seriously, is it Yeo's system? Why do we keep bringing in bonafide goal scorers and then watch them struggle to score goals once they get under Yeo's tutlege?

How is Harding doing?

Im hoping he can play again.
- Byfuglien Ate Me

You and the majority of Wild fans..

Fletcher on Hockey Central @ Noon - Sportsnet

Interesting take on how the lack of power play success is possibly affecting the veterans production overall.

There would be a few teams wanting to grab Backstrom Via the Wire if he came up IMO.
- Byfuglien Ate Me

Backstrom has a no move clause so he would have to consent to being waived.

The problem with having Harding as one of your goalies is that you basically have to somehow carry three capable NHL goalies in your organization. So even if Backstrom consented to being waived and someone claimed him, they would be putting themselves in a risky position.

This current situation is actually very good for the Wild. Getting Harding through waivers means they can have three NHL goalies in the organization without carrying them all on the NHL roster. I think we'll see Harding in Iowa until it's absolutely necessary that they bring him back.

I just don't understand how a defensively structured team can have a 3 goal in 3 minutes lapse in a game they're dominating up to that point. Same with the last game in Dallas as well as the loss in NY a month ago when they gave up 5 in the 3rd.
- MnGump

I think this has a little to do with their lack of physicality. They do what they need to do defensively in tight games, but when they get a cushion I think they relax too much and let the other team build momentum that then gets harder to contain or stop. They just don't have that killer instinct where they can really a bury a team that they jump on early.

Seriously, is it Yeo's system? Why do we keep bringing in bonafide goal scorers and then watch them struggle to score goals once they get under Yeo's tutlege?
- MnGump

Interesting question. It very well could be that fulfilling your responsibility in Yeo's system limits your offensive opportunities. Or Yeo isn't playing the right guys together. I know I harp on that a lot and I'm not saying I'm right and Yeo's wrong. But I think a lot of us see some of the potential with other line combinations and they are never tried. And this isn't the first season it's been that way. His line tinkering just doesn't make a lot of sense to me from a perspective of creating offense.

Backstrom has a no move clause so he would have to consent to being waived.

The problem with having Harding as one of your goalies is that you basically have to somehow carry three capable NHL goalies in your organization. So even if Backstrom consented to being waived and someone claimed him, they would be putting themselves in a risky position.

This current situation is actually very good for the Wild. Getting Harding through waivers means they can have three NHL goalies in the organization without carrying them all on the NHL roster. I think we'll see Harding in Iowa until it's absolutely necessary that they bring him back.
- Chinaski

If Kuemper keeps coughing up 3 and 4 goals a game, we just might see him a lot sooner than you think...

If Kuemper keeps coughing up 3 and 4 goals a game, we just might see him a lot sooner than you think...
- MnGump

The tough thing with Kuemper now is the Wild are all in on him whether they like it or not. They don't have the option to send him down to Iowa if he is playing poorly without losing him for nothing. But it's really not a good idea to have him on the roster and not playing. At his age, he needs to be playing games. And now those games have to be in the NHL.

The tough thing with Kuemper now is the Wild are all in on him whether they like it or not. They don't have the option to send him down to Iowa if he is playing poorly without losing him for nothing. But it's really not a good idea to have him on the roster and not playing. At his age, he needs to be playing games. And now those games have to be in the NHL.
- Chinaski

I have to believe that if it boils down to it, with the darling deal Backstrom was given, Fletch will ask him to waive his NM clause so they can put him on waivers.

Has Kuemper surpassed the games played threshold yet?

Even at $3.4 for this year and next? That's a lot to spend on a back up goalie who isn't getting any better.
- manchester33

Quiet down, you. Let us keep dreaming

Interesting question. It very well could be that fulfilling your responsibility in Yeo's system limits your offensive opportunities. Or Yeo isn't playing the right guys together. I know I harp on that a lot and I'm not saying I'm right and Yeo's wrong. But I think a lot of us see some of the potential with other line combinations and they are never tried. And this isn't the first season it's been that way. His line tinkering just doesn't make a lot of sense to me from a perspective of creating offense.
- Chinaski

Not to mention, the Wild have brought in 2 "goal scorers" at or on the downside of their careers. I would like to believe that it is not the system, as guys like Zucker and Nino are tearing it up to begin the season and guys like Parise and Pomminville haven't really regressed since joining the team.

I have to believe that if it boils down to it, with the darling deal Backstrom was given, Fletch will ask him to waive his NM clause so they can put him on waivers.

Has Kuemper surpassed the games played threshold yet?
- MnGump

Fletcher can certainly ask, but Backstrom controls what happens. In that audio link I posted above (starts around 9:10) Fletcher mentions that Harding playing in Iowa gives him a chance to possibly generate interest from other teams around the league. I think it is evident that they are planning to move on from Harding after this year at the latest. I'm not convinced they're looking to bring him back into the fold with this team. I don't know what really happened just before camp but listening to some comments from Russo it makes me believe whatever happened is something the organization isn't really willing to look past.

And yes, Kuemper did recently hit the waiver threshold (per CapGeek).

I really think it is going to be Kuemper and Backstrom for this year and next. And then they will need to decide on what they think of Kuemper for the long-term.

Fletcher can certainly ask, but Backstrom controls what happens. In that audio link I posted above (starts around 9:10) Fletcher mentions that Harding playing in Iowa gives him a chance to possibly generate interest from other teams around the league. I think it is evident that they are planning to move on from Harding after this year at the latest. I'm not convinced they're looking to bring him back into the fold with this team. I don't know what really happened just before camp but listening to some comments from Russo it makes me believe whatever happened is something the organization isn't really willing to look past.

And yes, Kuemper did recently hit the waiver threshold (per CapGeek).

I really think it is going to be Kuemper and Backstrom for this year and next. And then they will need to decide on what they think of Kuemper for the long-term.
- Chinaski

That's depressing. I don't think Kuemper is ready to be a no.1 goalie in the NHL. Love most of the moves Fletch has made, but the Backstrom deal is really starting to haunt this team...