Dan Wallace: Wild Limp Home to Face the Ducks

Can't argue with any of this blog, I think that the trade deadline can be a huge win for the Wild and there future, Winning at the deadline for Minnesota will be bigger than making the playoffs.

despite the blowouts over the weekend, i gotta say i watched a good bit of minny hockey before that and you guys definitely have the makings of a perennial contender — maybe not yet this season, but it’s getting close.

this may be the first time i’ve ever personally found minnesota hockey exciting (again, the two bad losses to avs aside). gaborik was killer, but kaprisov brings a level of explosion and exciting play not even marian did back in his heyday. you’ve solidified the future at the goalie position, the D has always been good to great, and now finally the right pieces are there to make you guys explosive offensively.

with the right complementary pieces added in the offseason (and/or deadline?) the wild should be a powerhouse sooner than later. i’d even go so far as to say the beatings the avs made the last couple of games were a good thing. minny came into those with the mindset of “how do we stack up against an undisputed contender” and the answer is....when avs firing on all cylinders, not that well yet. now minny knows what they need to address and work on (i’ll also absolutely agree the weekend was a mix of the avs finally being near 100% healthy and also on a roll, combined with minny not responding well at all — 5-1 and 6-0 aren’t scores with you guys playing at the top of your game).

anyway, just my two cents.

i’d also add, it’d be in your best interest to NOT re-sign Cole. yes, he has rings and experience out the wazoo, but he has been a defensive liability for the avs even as a third pairing guy.

you can do better than him after the expansion draft for sure.

Did kaprizov even play these last two games ? Yes he is young a good talent but you’d think he would show a little more life in that second game.

Did kaprizov even play these last two games ? Yes he is young a good talent but you’d think he would show a little more life in that second game.
- Avs303

bednar made a conscious decision to play mack’s line against kaprisov’s line as opposed to matching his third or fourth line with minny’s top guys.

it’s difficult to get going offensively when mack-rants-landy are making you spend the entire time in the defensive zone. when the avs’ big line is going, there isn’t a team in the league that can stop it.

bednar made a conscious decision to play mack’s line against kaprisov’s line as opposed to matching his third or fourth line with minny’s top guys.

it’s difficult to get going offensively when mack-rants-landy are making you spend the entire time in the defensive zone. when the avs’ big line is going, there isn’t a team in the league that can stop it.
- avsgrinder

agreed, that line is the best in the NHL right now

As i've i said before and agree with Shady... BG has to be diligent at the trade deadline and must remained focused on the next several years to come... the wild are a nice little team right now, but Kaprizov's young years must be maximized and that means continuing to restock/retool the Wild farm system while trying to unload the current dead weight of this roster.