Tony Dean: Brand New #WildWednesday on Jeff Dubay Show Brand New #WildWednesday on Jeff Dubay Show

Is that Heater in the Blog pic?


Should have kept Bryz Tony...

Is that Heater in the Blog pic?


Should have kept Bryz Tony...
- Byfuglien Ate Me

Should have kept Heater too. Imagine a Vanek-Koivu-Heater line

Should have kept Heater too. Imagine a Vanek-Koivu-Heater line
- SotaPopinski

OMG!

Coyle and a first for the heater.

#50in07#

anyone listen to the podcast?

Should have kept Heater too. Imagine a Vanek-Koivu-Heater line
- SotaPopinski

Only one could Vanish per game

Sorry T but I completely disagree with you on your Dubnyk take. I don't for a second think he's the answer to this teams dreams, but not one of those goals against Detroit can be called soft/bad or blamed on Dubnyk.

2 deflections, 1 screen and the only one he actually had a reasonable chance to save was Pulkkinens goal which was a complete defensive break down allowing a blistering one timer from a wide open shooting lane down the slot.

Sorry T but I completely disagree with you on your Dubnyk take. I don't for a second think he's the answer to this teams dreams, but not one of those goals against Detroit can be called soft/bad or blamed on Dubnyk.

2 deflections, 1 screen and the only one he actually had a reasonable chance to save was Pulkkinens goal which was a complete defensive break down allowing a blistering one timer from a wide open shooting lane down the slot.
- MnGump

I was talking about Teemu Pulkkinen and Jonathan Ericsson goals. I guess in hindsight the Pulkkinen shot was a blast and he had a lot of ground to cover and many threats so whatever. On the Ericsson goal he was getting screened but it was easy to see he was caught peeking out on the wrong side.

The deflections were bad luck I suppose. I wasnt impressed with the goals scored against him in that Columbus game either to be honest.

I was talking about Teemu Pulkkinen and Jonathan Ericsson goals. I guess in hindsight the Pulkkinen shot was a blast and he had a lot of ground to cover and many threats so whatever. On the Ericsson goal he was getting screened but it was easy to see he was caught peeking out on the wrong side.

The deflections were bad luck I suppose. I wasnt impressed with the goals scored against him in that Columbus game either to be honest.
- Tony Dean

Well for all intents and purposes he's pretty much the same caliber tender in which the Wild already employ. The prime reason for even bringing him in was to get a fresh face that could maybe give this team a jolt off of a couple gimme type games vs. Buff and Zona. (ala Bryz last season)

Obviously it didn't work. But let's not fool ourselves, Keumper and Backs have looked far inferior in several games this season in comparison to Dubbers 4 games so far.

Well for all intents and purposes he's pretty much the same caliber tender in which the Wild already employ. The prime reason for even bringing him in was to get a fresh face that could maybe give this team a jolt off of a couple gimme type games vs. Buff and Zona. (ala Bryz last season)

Obviously it didn't work. But let's not fool ourselves, Keumper and Backs have looked far inferior in several games this season in comparison to Dubbers 4 games so far.
- MnGump

Dubnyk reminds me of a 30 year old version of what Kuemper is now.

I've been looking but haven't seen anything. Has there been any explanation why the Wild wanted the Blackhawks for the outdoor game when the league wanted it to be the Stars? Even Wild fans I vociferously disagree with on almost everything (hi MnGump!) seemed to think Stars would have been the better opponent. Just seems strange.

I've been looking but haven't seen anything. Has there been any explanation why the Wild wanted the Blackhawks for the outdoor game when the league wanted it to be the Stars? Even Wild fans I vociferously disagree with on almost everything (hi MnGump!) seemed to think Stars would have been the better opponent. Just seems strange.
- Antilles

Well as much as it pains me to play nice and get along with you, I once again cannot disagree.

Obviously I can't speak for other Minny/Wild fans, but I will go as far as taking the liberty of assuming the majority of them would definitely prefer the Stars over pretty much any other team for a myriad of obvious reasons.

Oddly enough I really haven't heard much chatter about it yet either. But maybe you've been right this whole time and I'm just a complete idiot and have no idea what the hell I'm talking about!

I've been looking but haven't seen anything. Has there been any explanation why the Wild wanted the Blackhawks for the outdoor game when the league wanted it to be the Stars? Even Wild fans I vociferously disagree with on almost everything (hi MnGump!) seemed to think Stars would have been the better opponent. Just seems strange.
- Antilles

I haven't heard anything either so this is just speculation but I think the Wild, as an organization, sees a better, more intense rivalry (and subsequently more marketable) building with Chicago and this might help.

I've been looking but haven't seen anything. Has there been any explanation why the Wild wanted the Blackhawks for the outdoor game when the league wanted it to be the Stars? Even Wild fans I vociferously disagree with on almost everything (hi MnGump!) seemed to think Stars would have been the better opponent. Just seems strange.
- Antilles

Chicago brings way more viewers than Dallas. The Wild desperately want a Winter Classic, why I don't know, but Leipold has to think that a successful Stadium Series showing will help him secure a Classic in Minnesota sooner. After all, the NHL is more concerned about viewership for these outdoor events than they are about the on ice product.

Chicago brings way more viewers than Dallas. The Wild desperately want a Winter Classic, why I don't know, but Leipold has to think that a successful Stadium Series showing will help him secure a Classic in Minnesota sooner. After all, the NHL is more concerned about viewership for these outdoor events than they are about the on ice product.
- SotaPopinski

Been a while since I lived in MN, so obviously I could be wrong; but I feel like ratings are going to be minimally effected by opponent for MN's first NHL outdoor game.

I also think getting a Stadium Series game isn't a step towards getting a Classic, it's a consolation price instead of getting a Classic, at least in the near term.

Been a while since I lived in MN, so obviously I could be wrong; but I feel like ratings are going to be minimally effected by opponent for MN's first NHL outdoor game.
- Antilles

That's likely true, locally. Nationally it probably does make a difference who they play ratings-wise.

Been a while since I lived in MN, so obviously I could be wrong; but I feel like ratings are going to be minimally effected by opponent for MN's first NHL outdoor game.

I also think getting a Stadium Series game isn't a step towards getting a Classic, it's a consolation price instead of getting a Classic, at least in the near term.
- Antilles

You're right, local ratings should be strong regardless of the opponent. But for national ratings, the Wild need all the help they can get.
Leopold refused to take a stadium series game for the exact reason you mentioned. For him to completely reverse course makes me think that the NHL has given him some sort of assurances that a Winter Classic will come here within x number of years. Who knows?

should we claim Richards off waivers?

should we claim Richards off waivers?
- KxKodiak47

Why?

Why?
- SotaPopinski

just curious to see what others would say....that contract is just way too steep.

just curious to see what others would say....that contract is just way too steep.
- KxKodiak47

Sorry didn't mean to come across as a Richard. Maybe if the Wild were in the thick of it and his contract wasn't so bad, but they're not and it is so it wouldn't make any sense, imo. He is a center, though

should we claim Richards off waivers?
- KxKodiak47

No they shouldn't. I'll be surprised if anyone takes him off waivers. As you mentioned, his contract is the problem. Teams don't want aging, declining players on long-term, high-dollar contracts. And the team that claims him gets the whole problem. Any team that thinks he could be useful for them will be better off letting him pass through waivers to strengthen their bargaining position with LA for a trade. The Kings are going to have to keep some of his salary to move him.

From Russo's blog:
Mikko Koivu has 10 points in the past 12 games and 26 points in 46 games. Charlie Coyle has five in the past 11 games. Kyle Brodziak and Erik Haula have combined for 19 points this season.

Granlund has 15 points in 32 games.

That is not enough production up the middle, something Yeo has mentioned more and more lately.

So Yeo is hoping Granlund can add speed and scoring.

“Mikko has certainly been putting up some points lately, but you need more than one guy,” Yeo said. “And that’s not anything against Brodzy or Charlie or Erik. That’s not really their role. Their role is a little bit more of a checking role and so to get a scoring top-2 line centermen back that’s obviously a huge addition for us.”

This is my biggest problem with Yeo. Those three guys are all supposed to be checkers more than offensive centers? You can't put it all on Mikko, but that's exactly what he's doing when Granlund is out for a month and he has no expectation for those guys to help provide offense.

From Russo's blog:
Mikko Koivu has 10 points in the past 12 games and 26 points in 46 games. Charlie Coyle has five in the past 11 games. Kyle Brodziak and Erik Haula have combined for 19 points this season.

Granlund has 15 points in 32 games.

That is not enough production up the middle, something Yeo has mentioned more and more lately.

So Yeo is hoping Granlund can add speed and scoring.

“Mikko has certainly been putting up some points lately, but you need more than one guy,” Yeo said. “And that’s not anything against Brodzy or Charlie or Erik. That’s not really their role. Their role is a little bit more of a checking role and so to get a scoring top-2 line centermen back that’s obviously a huge addition for us.”

This is my biggest problem with Yeo. Those three guys are all supposed to be checkers more than offensive centers? You can't put it all on Mikko, but that's exactly what he's doing when Granlund is out for a month and he has no expectation for those guys to help provide offense.
- Chinaski

I don't have too much of a problem with that. What have any of those guys done to show that they are capable of being more than a checking center? At least he's being honest with how he views them. It'd be nice if it inspired a couple of them to up their game and be more of a contributor.

I don't have too much of a problem with that. What have any of those guys done to show that they are capable of being more than a checking center? At least he's being honest with how he views them. It'd be nice if it inspired a couple of them to up their game and be more of a contributor.
- SotaPopinski

They may not have shown much offensively but I wonder if that is because Yeo sends them out there without any offensive expectations. Part of taking the next step is to contribute at both ends of the ice. I think the Wild need to expect that from guys like Coyle and Haula and maybe put them in better positions to make offensive contributions. But this does shed some light on why we see the line combinations we've seen to date.