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Forums :: Blog World :: Dan Wallace: Wild Looking to Repeat Game 3 From a Year Ago
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Dan Wallace
Joined: 09.15.2005

Oct 11 @ 11:38 AM ET
Dan Wallace: Wild Looking to Repeat Game 3 From a Year Ago
scottak
Location: I am serious. And don't call me Shirley!
Joined: 08.06.2010

Oct 11 @ 12:58 PM ET
If the Wild are to start scoring, it’ll be tonight. Anything on goal against Ward this season has a chance to go in.
Gusrichards
Season Ticket Holder
Minnesota Wild
Location: Duluth, MN
Joined: 02.22.2012

Oct 11 @ 1:22 PM ET
I've said it for almost 2 years now, Koivu needs to be playing 3rd line minutes. I also believe this would help keep Parise fresher for the entire season. As for the limiting of Suter's minutes, that is going to be a little harder if he continues to be paired up with Dumba, who should be getting the minutes.

As for infusing speed into the lineup, here are the changes that they can make right now.

Zucker - Staal - Kunin: Might as well bring Kunin up and let him learn on the fly. Not that he is a speed burner, but I am guessing he is slightly faster than JEE. Staal will probably be slower (ok, is) then the other 2 on this line, but that just bring him in to snipe. Zucker brings speed, Staal brings the sniper's shot (the closest the Wild have) and Kunin is known for doing all the little things to win.

Niederreiter - Greenway - Granlund: Granlund is the speed on this line, and he would be playing with 2 guys that are willing to crash the net. I don't know much about Greenway's shot, but I know Nino has a pretty good one. This line should ALWAYS have the puck on MG's stick when entering the zone, giving him the options to shot (with Greenway at the crease) or pass to Nino, who could score 30+ goals with the right linemates.

Parise - Koivu - Coyle: Ok, I admit, this is kind of a slower line. Parise can still skate, and I think Coyle has a little burst. But this would be 2 big bodies in Koivu and Coyle that SHOULD (haven't yet) keep control of the puck long enough to allow Parise to find a good path to the front of the net. But play this line limited minutes. That should help Koivu and Parise, and should make Coyle hungrier for more.

Foligno - Eriksson Ek - Brown: Enough with the experiment of JEE playing wing. He appears to be nothing more than a bottom 6 C. Let him concentrate on becoming the best faceoff guy on the team. Foligno is the big body on this line...and gives the other team a face they can punch. I am afraid for him in every fight he gets into now, just not good. Brown is going to be Brown, but he might be able to agitate. If not, bring up Matt Read. Sure he doesn't have all the speed he used to have, but he still has some. Hendricks and Fehr are not much more than locker room cheerleaders at this point, especially Hendricks.
MnGump
Minnesota Wild
Location: Columbus, MN
Joined: 06.21.2012

Oct 11 @ 2:57 PM ET
Yes Gus!!! For the love of god, BB needs to get on board with bumping Koivu down. Mikko is still a hell of a 2 way player and top face off man, but he is painfully slow. He would be far better served on the 3rd line.

Regardless of what Bruce does, I just don't see any real line combos that would stand out in making this a 4 line squad. 4th line is absolute garbage. 3rd line isn't much better. Greenway might have potential, but he's done very little in the way of offensive output. Coyle should be 4th line for the forseeable future and JEE should be centering 2nd line. Get the kid some offensive opportunities.

mnMild
Location: duluth is not a cool city, MN
Joined: 01.08.2018

Oct 12 @ 10:45 AM ET
I've said it for almost 2 years now, Koivu needs to be playing 3rd line minutes. I also believe this would help keep Parise fresher for the entire season. As for the limiting of Suter's minutes, that is going to be a little harder if he continues to be paired up with Dumba, who should be getting the minutes.

As for infusing speed into the lineup, here are the changes that they can make right now.

Zucker - Staal - Kunin: Might as well bring Kunin up and let him learn on the fly. Not that he is a speed burner, but I am guessing he is slightly faster than JEE. Staal will probably be slower (ok, is) then the other 2 on this line, but that just bring him in to snipe. Zucker brings speed, Staal brings the sniper's shot (the closest the Wild have) and Kunin is known for doing all the little things to win.

Niederreiter - Greenway - Granlund: Granlund is the speed on this line, and he would be playing with 2 guys that are willing to crash the net. I don't know much about Greenway's shot, but I know Nino has a pretty good one. This line should ALWAYS have the puck on MG's stick when entering the zone, giving him the options to shot (with Greenway at the crease) or pass to Nino, who could score 30+ goals with the right linemates.

Parise - Koivu - Coyle: Ok, I admit, this is kind of a slower line. Parise can still skate, and I think Coyle has a little burst. But this would be 2 big bodies in Koivu and Coyle that SHOULD (haven't yet) keep control of the puck long enough to allow Parise to find a good path to the front of the net. But play this line limited minutes. That should help Koivu and Parise, and should make Coyle hungrier for more.

Foligno - Eriksson Ek - Brown: Enough with the experiment of JEE playing wing. He appears to be nothing more than a bottom 6 C. Let him concentrate on becoming the best faceoff guy on the team. Foligno is the big body on this line...and gives the other team a face they can punch. I am afraid for him in every fight he gets into now, just not good. Brown is going to be Brown, but he might be able to agitate. If not, bring up Matt Read. Sure he doesn't have all the speed he used to have, but he still has some. Hendricks and Fehr are not much more than locker room cheerleaders at this point, especially Hendricks.

- Gusrichards