2024-25 Wild Season

[Ogie Ogilthorpe]

Had a big event the last several days so I wasn't able to watch all of the least two games or digest or comment until now. This is my biased take, sure to upset some.

Wow. The Wild aren't hiding the fact that they don't have a lot of faith in more than a handful of guys in this series. Almost 80 mins of hockey yesterday and 5 Wild forwards couldn't crack 12 mins of TOI. The extra day in between Games 4 and 5 definitely helps the Wild, who are hell bent on running the Kaprizov line into the ground.

I thought the goalie matchup going in favored the VGK slightly, or possibly a wash. I was wrong so far. Hill has been "okay", while Gus has definitely been one of the best players in the series, keeping the Wild in it. He needed to be at his best and he has been.

No clue what will happen now that it's a 3-game series. You would have to think that the Wild basically running like 2.5 lines on offense will catch up to them eventually but who knows. Cassidy continues to shuffle lines on a nightly basis, which is fairly common but I thought it would stabilize for the postseason. He's a huge believer in "pairs" that he likes together, and the 3rd player on that line can be interchangeable and he's been jockeying that until he sees something he likes.

 

[upnorthkid]

Had a big event the last several days so I wasn't able to watch all of the least two games or digest or comment until now. This is my biased take, sure to upset some.

Wow. The Wild aren't hiding the fact that they don't have a lot of faith in more than a handful of guys in this series. Almost 80 mins of hockey yesterday and 5 Wild forwards couldn't crack 12 mins of TOI. The extra day in between Games 4 and 5 definitely helps the Wild, who are hell bent on running the Kaprizov line into the ground.

I thought the goalie matchup going in favored the VGK slightly, or possibly a wash. I was wrong so far. Hill has been "okay", while Gus has definitely been one of the best players in the series, keeping the Wild in it. He needed to be at his best and he has been.

No clue what will happen now that it's a 3-game series. You would have to think that the Wild basically running like 2.5 lines on offense will catch up to them eventually but who knows. Cassidy continues to shuffle lines on a nightly basis, which is fairly common but I thought it would stabilize for the postseason. He's a huge believer in "pairs" that he likes together, and the 3rd player on that line can be interchangeable and he's been jockeying that until he sees something he likes.

all relatively fair. regarding the lines, it will absolutely be a problem as the playoffs go on (particularly if this goes 7). you can't ride 1 line this hard and get away with it especially as next round you're getting the Kings or Edmonton who both have multiple good forward lines to roll against you. Part of rolling so hard on them is they're also super fresh with Ek and KK not playing til late down the stretch and Boldy being 24. The wild will hinge on getting some depth scoring each night to have a chance. you aren't going to get 3 out of that line every night (or at least consistently enough) to win.
Gus has been vastly better than Hill to this point and has been the difference in keeping the Wild in multiple games as the chances have been heavily tilted in the metrics department so far except for when the KK line is on the ice.

 

[Wally]

Had a big event the last several days so I wasn't able to watch all of the least two games or digest or comment until now. This is my biased take, sure to upset some.

Wow. The Wild aren't hiding the fact that they don't have a lot of faith in more than a handful of guys in this series. Almost 80 mins of hockey yesterday and 5 Wild forwards couldn't crack 12 mins of TOI. The extra day in between Games 4 and 5 definitely helps the Wild, who are hell bent on running the Kaprizov line into the ground.

I thought the goalie matchup going in favored the VGK slightly, or possibly a wash. I was wrong so far. Hill has been "okay", while Gus has definitely been one of the best players in the series, keeping the Wild in it. He needed to be at his best and he has been.

No clue what will happen now that it's a 3-game series. You would have to think that the Wild basically running like 2.5 lines on offense will catch up to them eventually but who knows. Cassidy continues to shuffle lines on a nightly basis, which is fairly common but I thought it would stabilize for the postseason. He's a huge believer in "pairs" that he likes together, and the 3rd player on that line can be interchangeable and he's been jockeying that until he sees something he likes.

Wild needed to take game 4, so close.

 

[TRF Guy]

The Minnesota Wild can breathe a sigh of relief as their top prospect, Danila Yurov, finds himself eyeing a new horizon. Recently freed from his contract with Metallurg Magnitogorsk of the KHL, Yurov is now in a prime position to make his mark in the NHL.

Though a formal contract hasn’t yet been penned, the buzz is that we’ll see him in Wild gear at next season’s training camp in St. Paul, potentially setting the ice on fire from opening night forward.

Wild’s Top Prospect Surprisingly Released From KHL Contract | Fan Recap

fanrecap.com

 

[Ogie Ogilthorpe]

all relatively fair. regarding the lines, it will absolutely be a problem as the playoffs go on (particularly if this goes 7). you can't ride 1 line this hard and get away with it especially as next round you're getting the Kings or Edmonton who both have multiple good forward lines to roll against you. Part of rolling so hard on them is they're also super fresh with Ek and KK not playing til late down the stretch and Boldy being 24. The wild will hinge on getting some depth scoring each night to have a chance. you aren't going to get 3 out of that line every night (or at least consistently enough) to win.
Gus has been vastly better than Hill to this point and has been the difference in keeping the Wild in multiple games as the chances have been heavily tilted in the metrics department so far except for when the KK line is on the ice.

At some point, 24 mins a night of playoff hockey is going to catch up to you. It's not sustainable. The extra day off before Tuesday will help I'm sure.

Just listened to the presser from Cassidy (his pressers are just phenomenal, I learn a lot every time I hear him talk, he's very candid). During the game there were rumblings over someone being sick and I guess he came clean it was Howden. He battled through it and played okay I guess.

Continues to scramble lines based on what he thinks is working; I noticed late in the game yesterday he had Eichel playing with Will Karlsson (both centers typically, but probably the best defensive Forwards they have) and said they might do that some later in the series against KK/Boldy, not sure. When you have 12-13 forwards you trust, I guess you can shuffle lines without too much worry.

Looks like the Blues are going to even things up with Winnipeg, and hopefully EDM squares things with the Kings. At this point, just hoping all the other teams in the West beat up on each other.

 

[Wally]

just hoping all the other teams in the West beat up on each other.

Me too, good for us after we take down the knights...

 

[Slim Tubby]

The Minnesota Wild can breathe a sigh of relief as their top prospect, Danila Yurov, finds himself eyeing a new horizon. Recently freed from his contract with Metallurg Magnitogorsk of the KHL, Yurov is now in a prime position to make his mark in the NHL.

Though a formal contract hasn’t yet been penned, the buzz is that we’ll see him in Wild gear at next season’s training camp in St. Paul, potentially setting the ice on fire from opening night forward.

Wild’s Top Prospect Surprisingly Released From KHL Contract | Fan Recap

fanrecap.com

By all accounts, this kid is the real deal and probably better than anyone we can realistically sign in free agency this summer.

 

[TRF Guy]

Hellebuyck is a sieve in playoffs. That is now 4 or more goals allowed in 10 of his last 13 playoff games. Mind boggling because he's a wall in regular season

 

[Ogie Ogilthorpe]

Hellebuyck is a sieve in playoffs. That is now 4 or more goals allowed in 10 of his last 13 playoff games. Mind boggling because he's a wall in regular season

Wow. No shit. I follow Jesse Granger on X, because he's part VGK writer and (more) part goalie guru writer so I like his stuff. He's been on this Hellebuyck thing for a few games now. His goalie analysis overall is worth a follow if that is of interest to anyone.

 

[Wally]

By all accounts, this kid is the real deal and probably better than anyone we can realistically sign in free agency this summer.

What is the KHL level compared to NHL?

Kaprizov had over a point per game in final KHL season. Yurov had about 0.5 points per game.

 

[Slim Tubby]

What is the KHL level compared to NHL?

Kaprizov had over a point per game in final KHL season. Yurov had about 0.5 points per game.

The KHL is certainly a big step down from the NHL but is arguably the 2nd best league in the world.

Yurov was a Top 5 talent in his Draft class but his Russian contract dropped him down to the Wild.

 

[Ogie Ogilthorpe]

By all accounts, this kid is the real deal and probably better than anyone we can realistically sign in free agency this summer.

Hopefully the kid works out. It's really hard to tell with the KHL. Sometimes they are great there and not great here, sometimes the opposite. Every case is different. Vegas had a kid, Ivan Morozov, several years ago one of their top 5 rated prospects; came to Henderson in the AHL and just couldn't cut it, never stood out. He went back to the KHL last year and is back to just about a point per game player over there.

 

[Ogie Ogilthorpe]

Oilers even up the series with the Kings when it looked early in that series that the Kings would crush them in 4 games.

All four of the Western Conf series are tied up at 2-2. Going to be a long grind for whoever comes out of the West, no doubt about it

 

[upnorthkid]

By all accounts, this kid is the real deal and probably better than anyone we can realistically sign in free agency this summer.

There will be options this summer, just depends how much of our cap you want to use. Absolutely should offer sheet Knies and you at very least make Toronto probably lose either marner or Tavares as they can’t afford them all. Boeser is also reality. Yurov may be good but there are realistic and proven nhl commodities we will have a realistic shot at especially when this team won’t look that far away when the year is done

 

[TRF Guy]

There will be options this summer, just depends how much of our cap you want to use. Absolutely should offer sheet Knies and you at very least make Toronto probably lose either marner or Tavares as they can’t afford them all. Boeser is also reality. Yurov may be good but there are realistic and proven nhl commodities we will have a realistic shot at especially when this team won’t look that far away when the year is done

Knies is going to be a stud. Hell he pretty much already is. Big physical and can score. If there is any way of getting him I say go for it but the Leafs would want a lot in return. With that said Leaf Nation would be in an uproar if they traded him

 

[Slim Tubby]

There will be options this summer, just depends how much of our cap you want to use. Absolutely should offer sheet Knies and you at very least make Toronto probably lose either marner or Tavares as they can’t afford them all. Boeser is also reality. Yurov may be good but there are realistic and proven nhl commodities we will have a realistic shot at especially when this team won’t look that far away when the year is done

Knies and/or Boeser would be incredible additions because they fit the timeline of our younger stars so I agree with you completely on that.

My fear is that Guerin likes to fill in the roster with older players. Brock Nelson would be a great addition for a team right on the verge of a Cup, but IMO we need to allocate all our resources towards guys we can build with.

Both of the guys you mentioned would be tremendous additions but Boeser seems like the more realistic option. Knies would be a major coup.

 

[upnorthkid]

Knies is going to be a stud. Hell he pretty much already is. Big physical and can score. If there is any way of getting him I say go for it but the Leafs would want a lot in return. With that said Leaf Nation would be in an uproar if they traded him

He’ll be an RFA this year. So think it would depend on how big the offer sheet is if they can match

 

[TRF Guy]

He’ll be an RFA this year. So think it would depend on how big the offer sheet is if they can match

Oh I thought he had a year left. Leafs can't afford the main 4 and Knies so it will be an interesting off season for them

 

[upnorthkid]

Oh I thought he had a year left. Leafs can't afford the main 4 and Knies so it will be an interesting off season for them

He burned the first year when he left after the natty title loss. So he’s got his 3 year elc done.

 

[Ogie Ogilthorpe]

Oh I thought he had a year left. Leafs can't afford the main 4 and Knies so it will be an interesting off season for them

Marner will be with the VGK next year, didn't you know?

 

[Ogie Ogilthorpe]

Good grief.... Cassidy throwing the lines in a blender for Game 5 it appears.