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.