Will the real Minnesota Wild please report to the Xcel Energy Center? Is the Wild the team that rattled off ten wins through December, thanks to some opportunistic goal scoring and impressive defense? Or are they the team that's currently in a tailspin, finding themselves further and further from a playoff spot thanks to a four-game losing streak, while surrendering at least three goals for the past six games?
More troubling, are both teams the current representation of the Wild? The last four losses, with the exception of the game against the Ducks, the Wild were playing against teams that have propelled themselves towards the NHL's elite, and the last two games specifically have been against conference leaders. The Wild simply don't have the finishers to make themselves competitive against some of the better teams in the league. Maybe today's call-up of Robbie Earl will help pull this team off of their recent skid, but even Earl's call-up makes for some interesting managerial moves.
Plain and simply, Robbie Earl playing tonight, unless it gets deemed an emergency call-up due to players being injured, means that he'll have to be thrown on waivers before returning to Houston, so he could end up being here for the long haul. This is due to Earl not being on an entry-level contract, so his free call-up time was limited. With the Wild's playoff hopes dimming rapidly, it might also be the best time of year for GM Chuck Fletcher to start seriously evaluating who he would like to see wearing a Minnesota Wild jersey next season, and start trying to work his magic through trades to improve the team in the long run. Remember, it wasn't too long ago that the Chicago Blackhawks were one of the worst teams in the league, and through good drafting and smart trades, they assembled themselves into a powerhouse. It's time for Fletcher to start making moves to help the Wild do that in the next couple of years.
Game pluses:
- Guillaume Latendresse. Proof that Fletcher can spot talent that fits his team, Latendresse has been a huge acquisition for the Wild, and he notched another goal against the Blackhawks. He had another couple of chances later in the game, but was stifled on each.
- Martin Havlat. Wild fans are starting to see the type of player that Havlat can be on any given night, as he continues to direct the play around him. He helped set up the Latendresse goal, and created chances for plenty of other players.
- Clayton Stoner. Stoner may not have had the strongest game of the season, but his poise while playing against some of the bigger and tougher NHL teams has been impressive, and he hasn't made any glaring mistakes.
Game pluses:
- Kyle Brodziak. Yes, the line of Brodziak/Havlat/Latendresse was buzzing the net all night, but Brodziak was one of a few Wild players to show a problem that the team has. When the puck ended up on his stick, he just couldn't finish and take the goal.
- Andrew Brunette. Brunette suffered the same problems as Brodziak, not being able to finish. Brunette had opportunities at wide open nets, but delayed too long, allowing Chicago to get back into position, turning a golden opportunity into a momentum breaker.
- Greg Zanon. The third minus almost went to the Wild for allowing so many odd-man rushes, or to the officials for some glaring no-calls, especially when Josh Harding was knocked down shortly before Chicago's second goal. However, Zanon was plagued all night by bad passes and out-of-position play. His clearing attempt in the third period that gave Chicago the 5-on-3 power play was just the capper to a rough night.
Next up: The schedule just doesn't look good for the Wild, as they come fresh off of playing the New Jersey Devils and the Chicago Blackhawks, only to return home and face the Calgary Flames, a team that has regularly had the Wild's number.
Showing posts with label Chuck Fletcher. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chuck Fletcher. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Monday, December 7, 2009
2009-10 Game Twenty-Seven: Wild 5, Ducks 4 (SO)
The Anaheim Ducks should be glad that they won't have to come back to Minnesota any more times this season. The first time that the Ducks came to St. Paul, the Wild pulled off an improbable overtime victory, bouncing back from a three-goal deficit. This time, the Wild gave up two different two-goal leads, only to win the game in the shootout.
To think, this Wild team faced it's share of struggles earlier in the season. While they probably aren't out of the water completely, they seem to have turned a corner, understanding the new system, and they're playing with confidence. Not many NHL teams could find themselves down 2-0, and then 4-2, and still bounce back. A lot of that credit can go to the veteran players, who are stepping up at the right time, but there also has to be credit given to GM Chuck Fletcher, who has shown a willingness to make roster moves to help the team, and, thus far, his in-season acquisitions have shown great promise.
Game pluses:
- Mikko Koivu. The Wild's captain outplayed his older brother, and helped bring the Wild back from both deficits.
- Antti Miettinen. Before he went down with the flu, Miettinen was starting to really hit his stride. He hasn't lost a step since coming back, and his shootout goal made things a little easier on Niklas Backstrom.
- Andrew Brunette. Without great passing, the Wild would have missed out on a couple of their goals, and few move the puck better than Brunette.
Game minuses:
- Giving up the lead. The Wild have been struggling much of this season, playing from behind in so many games. While it's a huge plus that the Wild came back from two two-goal deficits, the big minus is that they allowed the Ducks to score like that.
- Niklas Backstrom. Backstrom once again had another subpar game, allowing too many pucks through. Maybe the new system is exposing the goaltenders more, but Backstrom hasn't looked as focused.
- Defensive positioning. Part of the reason Backstrom has been having his problems is because, with the exception of Greg Zanon, the Wild defense seems to run around in their own end, without rhyme or reason. For a team that used to be know for it's defensive identity, this is more than troubling, only being glossed over because they finally have firepower to cover it.
Next up: The Wild left the comforts of home, and headed to Nashville for the second of back-to-back games.
To think, this Wild team faced it's share of struggles earlier in the season. While they probably aren't out of the water completely, they seem to have turned a corner, understanding the new system, and they're playing with confidence. Not many NHL teams could find themselves down 2-0, and then 4-2, and still bounce back. A lot of that credit can go to the veteran players, who are stepping up at the right time, but there also has to be credit given to GM Chuck Fletcher, who has shown a willingness to make roster moves to help the team, and, thus far, his in-season acquisitions have shown great promise.
Game pluses:
- Mikko Koivu. The Wild's captain outplayed his older brother, and helped bring the Wild back from both deficits.
- Antti Miettinen. Before he went down with the flu, Miettinen was starting to really hit his stride. He hasn't lost a step since coming back, and his shootout goal made things a little easier on Niklas Backstrom.
- Andrew Brunette. Without great passing, the Wild would have missed out on a couple of their goals, and few move the puck better than Brunette.
Game minuses:
- Giving up the lead. The Wild have been struggling much of this season, playing from behind in so many games. While it's a huge plus that the Wild came back from two two-goal deficits, the big minus is that they allowed the Ducks to score like that.
- Niklas Backstrom. Backstrom once again had another subpar game, allowing too many pucks through. Maybe the new system is exposing the goaltenders more, but Backstrom hasn't looked as focused.
- Defensive positioning. Part of the reason Backstrom has been having his problems is because, with the exception of Greg Zanon, the Wild defense seems to run around in their own end, without rhyme or reason. For a team that used to be know for it's defensive identity, this is more than troubling, only being glossed over because they finally have firepower to cover it.
Next up: The Wild left the comforts of home, and headed to Nashville for the second of back-to-back games.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Offense acquired
New Minnesota Wild coach Todd Richards talked about wanting a higher level of offensive play coming from the Team of 18,000 this season. It certainly looks like GM Chuck Fletcher is going to do what he can to make that happen.
Take, for example, the free agency splash Fletcher made by bringing Martin Havlat to the team. Havlat fills a hole created by a departing Marian Gaborik, who wasn't going to resign with Minnesota no matter how many different armored trucks they tempted him with. While there are no guarantees on Havlat's health, he's no more injury-prone than Gaborik is, and the biggest difference is that he is excited to play hockey regularly in front of the Minnesota fans. Too bad for him that the Wild don't play the Chicago Blackhawks a little more often, to remind Chicago of what they gave up.
Now, Fletcher has added another weapon, by signing one of the most consistent scorers in the league. As of earlier today, the Wild have signed Petr Sykora to a one-year contract, bringing his 300 goals to their line. Sykora himself knows that he needs to be paired up with a playmaking type of skater, so it seems likely that the first offensive line of Brunette/Koivu/Havlat will remain intact, with Sykora skating on a second line with Pierre-Marc Bouchard. The question remains as to who will center that line, with James Sheppard currently having an advantage in that area.
But wait, there's more. Rumors are flying that the Boston Bruins are looking to shop Phil Kessel, and the rumors also point to the Wild have a shot to bring the former Golden Gopher to their team, which would shore up the center position. To be clear, the Wild aren't the only team in the Kessel hunt, and no details are being given as to who might be getting dangled out to Boston, but it could certainly make for an interesting remainder of camp.
Bringing Sykora to the team makes it that much more likely that Colton Gillies will spend the majority of the season in Houston, honing his game. If the Wild are able to land Phil Kessel, it could mean that either James Sheppard has been sent to Boston, or that Benoit Pouliot is on the outside, having exhausted his chances to play in the Xcel Energy Center.
Take, for example, the free agency splash Fletcher made by bringing Martin Havlat to the team. Havlat fills a hole created by a departing Marian Gaborik, who wasn't going to resign with Minnesota no matter how many different armored trucks they tempted him with. While there are no guarantees on Havlat's health, he's no more injury-prone than Gaborik is, and the biggest difference is that he is excited to play hockey regularly in front of the Minnesota fans. Too bad for him that the Wild don't play the Chicago Blackhawks a little more often, to remind Chicago of what they gave up.
Now, Fletcher has added another weapon, by signing one of the most consistent scorers in the league. As of earlier today, the Wild have signed Petr Sykora to a one-year contract, bringing his 300 goals to their line. Sykora himself knows that he needs to be paired up with a playmaking type of skater, so it seems likely that the first offensive line of Brunette/Koivu/Havlat will remain intact, with Sykora skating on a second line with Pierre-Marc Bouchard. The question remains as to who will center that line, with James Sheppard currently having an advantage in that area.
But wait, there's more. Rumors are flying that the Boston Bruins are looking to shop Phil Kessel, and the rumors also point to the Wild have a shot to bring the former Golden Gopher to their team, which would shore up the center position. To be clear, the Wild aren't the only team in the Kessel hunt, and no details are being given as to who might be getting dangled out to Boston, but it could certainly make for an interesting remainder of camp.
Bringing Sykora to the team makes it that much more likely that Colton Gillies will spend the majority of the season in Houston, honing his game. If the Wild are able to land Phil Kessel, it could mean that either James Sheppard has been sent to Boston, or that Benoit Pouliot is on the outside, having exhausted his chances to play in the Xcel Energy Center.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Ready for camp
The Minnesota Wild are almost prepared to start their true pre-season warm-ups. The third jersey has been introduced, players are arriving, and the Prospects Tournament is almost over. In fact, with few exceptions, everyone who has hopes of wearing that scripted "Minnesota" across their chest is already in the Twin Cities, enjoying time on the ice with teammates new and old.
Of course, the start of training camp also means the (official) start of speculation as to which players will be on the 23-man roster when the puck drops in October. There are holes that need to be filled in a number of places, either due to departures or gaps left behind by the former front office. Also, with the expected change in playing style, former Wild stalwarts could find themselves on the bench, looking to make themselves useful in a system that's completely foreign to them.
That being said, here's some quick predictions about how the roster may very well shape up.
Forwards
Brunette/Koivu/Havlat
This line is probably a fairly good bet to be the top line, at least at the start of the season. Mikko Koivu and Andrew Brunette are pretty familiar with each other on the ice, and Martin Havlat fills in the spot vacated by Marian Gaborik. Clearly, Koivu is the heart and soul of the Minnesota Wild, and he's earned his place as the top center. The biggest question with this line will be whether or not it can stay healthy. After all, Havlat's been almost as injury-plagued as Gaborik over his career, and it's not like Brunette is getting any younger.
Miettinen/Sheppard/Bouchard
The Wild desperately needed to pick up a second-line center, and haven't been able to do so as of yet. Unless Pierre-Marc Bouchard returns to his "natural" center position, James Sheppard is the most likely candidate to take the draws after Koivu. Antti Miettinen will be one of a few Wild wingers that will need to switch sides. If Sheppard can prove that he fits better into an offensive system than the one the Wild had run previously, then concerns about the second line may dwindle. Bouchard needs to return to his play-making form of two seasons ago.
Nolan/Belanger/Clutterbuck
Just like Antti Miettinen on the second line, look to Owen Nolan to switch to the left for the third line, allowing Cal Clutterbuck to continue his development in the more natural right wing position for him. Eric Belanger has carved out a career for himself as a definitive third-line center, and, unless he wears a different jersey by the time the season starts, he should continue to take that position. Nolan's veteran leadership with Clutterbuck's spark could make a very scary line for opponents to deal with.
Boogaard/Brodziak/Weller
Fourth lines are often called on to shut down opposing teams, and to be a physical presence. The Wild don't get much more physical than Derek Boogaard and Craig Weller. With Kyle Brodziak centering the line, Minnesota may even pull a few surprise goals out of it's fourth line group.
Gillies/Kalus/Pouliot/Irmen
Colton Gillies and Benoit Pouliot should theoretically have the inside track to making the big club, but both need to show more than they did last year. Petr Kalus may be a surprise, especially if his dedication to the Wild organization is stronger. Danny Irmen may be looking at his last real chance to make it outside of the AHL level.
Defense
Burns/Schultz
If Brent Burns returns to the dominant defensive force he was two seasons ago, he's a lock to be placed on the top defensive pairing. Placing him with Nick Schultz allows the Wild to have a confident stay-at-home presence, along with offensive firepower.
Zanon/Zidlicky
Former Nashville teammates Marek Zidlicky and Greg Zanon could prove to be a dangerous pairing. Unfortunately for Minnesota, if Zidlicky doesn't shore up his blue-line game, the pairing could be dangerous for the Wild, and not for opponents. Still the team's power play leader should be more comfortable this season.
Johnsson/Hnidy
Kim Johnsson still hasn't convinced many Wild faithful that he's worth the contract he was given, but pairing him with "Sheriff" Shane Hnidy could allow him to be a little more free-wheeling, quarterbacking the play from behind the net. If Johnsson doesn't step forward, he could see his playing time cut seriously down.
Scott/Stoner
The biggest rookie splash for the Wild last season was a guy name Clutterbuck. If John Scott had played as many games in the Xcel, he could have made the leap. He needs to work on his skating, but having both Scott and Boogaard on the ice could scare a lot of players. As for Clayton Stoner, he may be looking at one of his last chances to suit up in the NHL, but faces an uphill struggle, as Wild defense has always been fairly solid.
Goal
Backstrom
No question, Niklas Backstrom is the Wild's starting goaltender. However, there's also no question that the previous Wild system helped out netminders tremendously. Can Backstrom continue to be a stud in net, or does he need a defensive system to make him sparkle?
Harding/Dubielewicz
Wade Dubielewicz was brought in as an experienced and valid back-up. Josh Harding could still start with any team in the league. Is Harding still wearing a Wild jersey to be used as trade bait later in the season, or is there possibly a chink in the Wild's goaltending that we haven't seen yet?
Ultimately, a lot of these questions won't really be hammered out until pre-season ends, and some of them may still be up in the air a couple of weeks into the season. Ultimately, though, once again the Wild look to be a team that should be solid in net, strong on the blue line, but missing some key pieces in the forward corps. With some of the free agents left available, will Chuck Fletcher make a splash, and will the Wild return to the Stanley Cup playoffs after missing this past season?
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Zherdev goes home
As soon as free agency started, it was clear what the Minnesota Wild were looking for. They needed to pick up some defensemen to help cover the holes left by free agency departures, and that was largely taken care of with the acquisitions of Greg Zanon and Shane Hnidy. They need another elite center, as was proven with their (ultimately fruitless) chase of Saku Koivu. They also need to add some more scoring on the wing, not only to replace Marian Gaborik's offensive upside, but to simply add goals to a team that struggled to put the puck in the net last year. Grabbing Martin Havlat helped take care of the first piece of the wing puzzle, but the second piece has been left unanswered.
Enter the New York Rangers and Nikolai Zherdev. The Rangers and Zherdev went to arbitration, and a value of $3.9M was set down. New York decided to walk away from the table, allowing Zherdev to become an unrestricted free agent. Rumors started swirling about where the talented young skater would end up, with some fans in Minnesota thinking that he might solve their offensive woes.
Today, the Wild faithful should be glad that GM Chuck Fletcher didn't take a chance on Zherdev. Fletcher had to have looked at the $3.9M dictated by the arbitration hearing, and wonder if the value for Zherdev was truly that high, especially with where Minnesota sits in regards to the salary cap. True, Zherdev can be an electrifying player, and can provide an offensive spark, but was he really worth almost $4M per season? The numbers from the second half of last season seem to point to a definitive "No". After a quick start, Zherdev flagged at the end, and didn't tally a single point in the playoffs. Not really a guaranteed offensive answer, especially with other prospects potentially being made available in a month or so. As for the other reason why Fletcher may have backed off? Zherdev was seen as a player with a risk to flee the NHL and play in the Russian hockey league, the KHL. According to reports, that's exactly what happened.
Ultimately, if the Wild had taken the risk on Zherdev, they might be left in the same boat they were at the beginning of the summer with Marian Gaborik. They would have the knowledge that they might have a game-breaking player on their roster, but they'd also know that they face a high likelihood of losing that player for absolutely nothing in return.
Enter the New York Rangers and Nikolai Zherdev. The Rangers and Zherdev went to arbitration, and a value of $3.9M was set down. New York decided to walk away from the table, allowing Zherdev to become an unrestricted free agent. Rumors started swirling about where the talented young skater would end up, with some fans in Minnesota thinking that he might solve their offensive woes.
Today, the Wild faithful should be glad that GM Chuck Fletcher didn't take a chance on Zherdev. Fletcher had to have looked at the $3.9M dictated by the arbitration hearing, and wonder if the value for Zherdev was truly that high, especially with where Minnesota sits in regards to the salary cap. True, Zherdev can be an electrifying player, and can provide an offensive spark, but was he really worth almost $4M per season? The numbers from the second half of last season seem to point to a definitive "No". After a quick start, Zherdev flagged at the end, and didn't tally a single point in the playoffs. Not really a guaranteed offensive answer, especially with other prospects potentially being made available in a month or so. As for the other reason why Fletcher may have backed off? Zherdev was seen as a player with a risk to flee the NHL and play in the Russian hockey league, the KHL. According to reports, that's exactly what happened.
Ultimately, if the Wild had taken the risk on Zherdev, they might be left in the same boat they were at the beginning of the summer with Marian Gaborik. They would have the knowledge that they might have a game-breaking player on their roster, but they'd also know that they face a high likelihood of losing that player for absolutely nothing in return.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
No arbitration hearings for Wild
Today, it was announced that the Minnesota Wild have avoided arbitration entirely with their stable of players. The Wild only had two players that even had the chance of ending up in an arbitration hearing, with each player going there in a different way.
Kyle Brodziak elected to take the Wild to arbitration, and was rewarded with a 3-year, $3.45M contract. Brodziak's contract should ensure that he's with Minnesota for a while, as he helps shore up their weak center position. Brodziak's route to arbitration was a calculated risk that he could get more from the team than what was expected, which may have paid off for him.
Meanwhile, Josh Harding was sent to arbitration by the Wild itself, possibly a similar risk by the team as to the one that Brodziak took. Harding signed with the Wild for a one-year deal, reportedly in the $1.1M range. Of course, if Brodziak's contract could be construed as a way to keep the center with the Wild for a while, what does a one-year contract for Harding say?
In many ways, the Wild have been grooming Harding for a trade since before Draft Day. With the acquisition of Wade Dubielewicz, Minnesota currently has three goaltenders, and, it could be argued, two starters. Harding has become the odd man out, and a one-year contract could be the Wild's way of saying, "Keep your bags packed", since any trade would allow the new team to negotiate an entirely new contract, without any carry over.
By the same token, only having a one-year contract could keep other teams away, because Harding may get looked at as a "loaner" player. Without a longer contract, he may not have the incentive to resign with any team that lands him, and may pursue free agency once his year runs out. You can bet that he'd get a good look from the other 29 teams in the league.
Of course, there's always the chance that the Wild signed Harding to a one-year deal to keep them from arbitration, and as a bit of a precaution in case Niklas Backstrom either falls apart, or suffers a severe injury. But, if that's the case, Chuck Fletcher may just be the most cautious GM ever, and his pursuit of players like Martin Havlat and Nick Leddy seems to indicate otherwise.
Kyle Brodziak elected to take the Wild to arbitration, and was rewarded with a 3-year, $3.45M contract. Brodziak's contract should ensure that he's with Minnesota for a while, as he helps shore up their weak center position. Brodziak's route to arbitration was a calculated risk that he could get more from the team than what was expected, which may have paid off for him.
Meanwhile, Josh Harding was sent to arbitration by the Wild itself, possibly a similar risk by the team as to the one that Brodziak took. Harding signed with the Wild for a one-year deal, reportedly in the $1.1M range. Of course, if Brodziak's contract could be construed as a way to keep the center with the Wild for a while, what does a one-year contract for Harding say?
In many ways, the Wild have been grooming Harding for a trade since before Draft Day. With the acquisition of Wade Dubielewicz, Minnesota currently has three goaltenders, and, it could be argued, two starters. Harding has become the odd man out, and a one-year contract could be the Wild's way of saying, "Keep your bags packed", since any trade would allow the new team to negotiate an entirely new contract, without any carry over.
By the same token, only having a one-year contract could keep other teams away, because Harding may get looked at as a "loaner" player. Without a longer contract, he may not have the incentive to resign with any team that lands him, and may pursue free agency once his year runs out. You can bet that he'd get a good look from the other 29 teams in the league.
Of course, there's always the chance that the Wild signed Harding to a one-year deal to keep them from arbitration, and as a bit of a precaution in case Niklas Backstrom either falls apart, or suffers a severe injury. But, if that's the case, Chuck Fletcher may just be the most cautious GM ever, and his pursuit of players like Martin Havlat and Nick Leddy seems to indicate otherwise.
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