Tyler Cameron: Central Preview: Minnesota Wild he Central Division preview continues and the next stop is Minnesota.

The biggest news as of late was the abrupt firing of Paul Fenton and the recent hiring of Bill Guerin.

The 1st time GM has a lot of work to do today and for the future.

Let's get right into it.

First, by chance!

Haula plays for the hurricanes. If ur gonna write hockey articles atleast try to be accurate.

Uh, Erik Haula huh... You sure about that?

Wallace has a good summary about the future positives of Minnesota, but it's still not enough to convince me they can ascend out of the Central cellar THIS season.

Haula plays for the hurricanes. If ur gonna write hockey articles atleast try to be accurate.
- Jaynay3131

He is accurate. Mistakes happen. Pitch the snarkiness.

I agree the wild will be weak this year and they still have 6 years left of Parise and Sutters contract left.

Haula plays for the hurricanes. If ur gonna write hockey articles atleast try to be accurate.
- Jaynay3131

Fixed.

Not always a great idea to write late night articles.

Thanks for stopping by though!

Uh, Erik Haula huh... You sure about that?
- NHL_101

Fixed.

Thanks for pointing that out.

He is accurate. Mistakes happen. Pitch the snarkiness.
- bogiedoc

Thanks Bogie.

Never hear from these characters until a mistake happens. Good times.

Hope all is well in your world!

Wallace has a good summary about the future positives of Minnesota, but it's still not enough to convince me they can ascend out of the Central cellar THIS season.
- DontKnowNutin

Agreed! I think they have a lot of work to do.

Thanks Bogie.

Never hear from these characters until a mistake happens. Good times.

Hope all is well in your world!
- Tyler Cameron

People only feel good about themselves by putting others down. Just the way of the Internet. Whatever.

Good read TC. I see Minny riding the bottom again. The additions they made might help goal scoring, but I don't think in goal prevention. It does my heart good to see them puddle around while the hawks are climbing upwards.

Good stuff Tyler. As for the rude idiot....I see he is a Habber, so I am not surprised. On second thought....nah, can't paint a whole fan-base for the idiocy of an individual, even if Hab fans can often be rough to listen too. Maybe just my lifetime of being a Canadian and having to listen to Hab drival for decades...anyway, I digress. Basically just saying. Dude is an idiot. Disregard his stupid comment and continue the great work!!!

As for Minny. It sure looks like the basement is theirs, and the other 6 teams will be in the playoff hunt. Not great for me, as i carry Dubnyk as a "Keeper" in my Fantasy keeper league. I think I will continue to hold him for now, and hope he gets 50-55 of their games. Goalies are hard to find. We keep 8 players...and I typically try to hold 3 goalies. So Dybnyk, Crawford and Lundqvist are the 3. Time to switch them out this year. As none of the 3 look viable long term. Hoping one more decent year from Dubnyk though, so hope Minny can at least play some defense.

C'mon Traverse Tourney. Need me some hockey!!!

Good stuff Tyler. As for the rude idiot....I see he is a Habber, so I am not surprised. On second thought....nah, can't paint a whole fan-base for the idiocy of an individual, even if Hab fans can often be rough to listen too. Maybe just my lifetime of being a Canadian and having to listen to Hab drival for decades...anyway, I digress. Basically just saying. Dude is an idiot. Disregard his stupid comment and continue the great work!!!

As for Minny. It sure looks like the basement is theirs, and the other 6 teams will be in the playoff hunt. Not great for me, as i carry Dubnyk as a "Keeper" in my Fantasy keeper league. I think I will continue to hold him for now, and hope he gets 50-55 of their games. Goalies are hard to find. We keep 8 players...and I typically try to hold 3 goalies. So Dybnyk, Crawford and Lundqvist are the 3. Time to switch them out this year. As none of the 3 look viable long term. Hoping one more decent year from Dubnyk though, so hope Minny can at least play some defense.

C'mon Traverse Tourney. Need me some hockey!!!
- hawk35

This Minny team represents a good measuring stick for how well we are performing. We should beat them, granted, yet they have a strong enough defense and a workable blend of younger and older talent capable of upending an opponent whose foot slides off the accelerator pedal..
.
Chicago has to work hard all season for each.point, hoping to slip into the last one or two playoff spots. Increased competition for job, better talent, healthy to start the season and the Dach effect put us in a sort of guardingly optimistic mode..The new defensive system should help us too..

Colliton will want thr players to play hard all the time
The old Blackhawk, Bob Pulfotd, has said players work hard maybe 54 times (from a shorter amoumt of games back in his playing/coachig career. That is a rule of thumb which still holds true

The Wild has one prospect whom looks like he might emerge as a point producer. Keep him bottled up less we
are scored upon. We do not want to be muttering: "What the " (Anderson) Eck just happened?"

Don't knock putting people down you can become President!

Another great article by TC - Great job!!!

The Blackhawks playoff hopes may be tied to the weak Paciifc division

and back steps in the Central.

Do the Jets overcome their defense renovation that doesn't seem quite finished?

Does Calgary handle a new maybe half time goalie Talbot and actually play well enough in the wake to Tkachuk contract stall?

Does / DID Nashville get it right?

Is Vegas's goalie gonna keep them in games all season and will the big salaried guys start feeling the heat if things start to sour in regular season?

Anybody think Arizona improved considerably?
Or the Blues may have some fatigue?

How is SJ's goaltending again??

All the things that shape the Hawks playoff hopes besides just playing really well all around.

“St. Louis re-signed Barbashev for 2 years at $1.475 million AAV.

I’m guess Perlini will sign this week, likely Wednesday, a 2 year deal with an AAV of $1.85 million.”

With Perlini’s step back last season I don’t see why he should be paid anymore than Barbashev!

https://www.nhl.com/hurri...reak-from-nhl/c-308820354

Curious what impact this type of thing has on their cap situation. Was he inspired by Colts' Luck?

“St. Louis re-signed Barbashev for 2 years at $1.475 million AAV.

I’m guess Perlini will sign this week, likely Wednesday, a 2 year deal with an AAV of $1.85 million.”

With Perlini’s step back last season I don’t see why he should be paid anymore than Barbashev!
- walleyeb1

If there was sufficient Cap space to sign Perlini to a $1.85M AAV contract - I would have no problem with it because that is the market cost of Perlini - but there isn't sufficient Cap space, at least not without another deal or two making it work. The calculus is not whether Perlini is worth $1.85M - the market says he is - it's whether its worth it for the Hawks to have Perlini minus whatever they move out to make the Cap work versus not having Perlini plus whatever they can get for him in a trade.

Just a few clarifying comments: The Wild were a pretty good team prior to Dumba and Koivu going down. Those key injuries were the main reason they stopped scoring. On your projected lineups, Rask is not expected to start the season on the main team. Kunin is projected out at the 2nd line center spot with Parise and hobbit. BB has said he'd like Fiala to play with Staal and Zucker on the top line. Dumba is now the top right D with Suter, Spurgeon is the 2nd pairing D with Brodin. I expect the team, if healthy, to be in the mix for the final wildcard spot just because the pacific is weak after the top 3 teams.

If there was sufficient Cap space to sign Perlini to a $1.85M AAV contract - I would have no problem with it because that is the market cost of Perlini - but there isn't sufficient Cap space, at least not without another deal or two making it work. The calculus is not whether Perlini is worth $1.85M - the market says he is - it's whether its worth it for the Hawks to have Perlini minus whatever they move out to make the Cap work versus not having Perlini plus whatever they can get for him in a trade.
- EbonyRaptor

The market shifts it’s not static, it shifts due to supply and demand amongst other factors. I’m sticking with Perlini not being worth more that Barbashev. Just looking at scoring and games played Perlini may appear to have slightly more value, but to me Barbashev is the more complete player. He definitely plays a better two way game!

Barbashev

2016/17 30 games 5G 7A 12Pts

2017/18 53 games 7G 8A 13Pts

2018/19 80 games 14G 12A 26Pts

Perlini

2016/17 57 games 14G 7A 21Pts

2017/18 74 games 17G 13A 30Pts

2018/19 68 games 14G 7A 21Pts

Hey Tyler, any rumors (or even rumours) about possible PTO invitees to Blackhawks' camp?

I agree the wild will be weak this year and they still have 6 years left of Parise and Sutters contract left.
- bogiedoc

Just think, the Hawks were hot for these two at one time..

Easy #7.