All Things 2022 Minnesota Wild Off-Season thread

[gophersfan]

Not sure if we have one of these and didn't find one.

 

[Ogee Ogilthorpe]

Flower looking to stick around long enough to pass Patrick Roy for 2nd place on the NHL all time wins list. I'll be cheering like hell for him, even if he's playing for the stinky poopy Wild.

 

[GopherVotary]

I was a Fiala fan but after his MIA performance against the Blues in the playoffs, I was OK with trading him. And they got a decent return in the trade.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

Wild drafts a Russian forward in the 1st round. apparently not concerned about recent reports that Russians may run into issues with travelling back and forth between Russia and the US.

 

[From the Parkinglot]

Wild drafts a Russian forward in the 1st round. apparently not concerned about recent reports that Russians may run into issues with travelling back and forth between Russia and the US.

Maybe they will trade the draft pick to Putin for Khrill.

 

[GopherVotary]

Talbot traded to Ottawa, so we’re all in on MAF.

 

[Ope3]

Cam Talbot has been traded to the Sens per the Athletic. Wild got a goalie in return.

 

[From the Parkinglot]

Billy G don’t mess around which I appreciate. Not sure everything will work out, but at least he has a vision and is committed to it.

 

[From the Parkinglot]

 

[TruthSeeker]

Clear backup goalie until the Swdish prospect is ready.

It appears that the Swede will be the backup in 23-24 and then start full time 24-25.

This also gives the Wild a little more cap room this year, which they need.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

In one sense, this is a gamble. I don't know if Fleury is still capable of going out and starting 60 games in goal any more, but the guy they got from Ottawa doesn't look like a guy you want in the nets for 25-30 games either.

then again, if Kaprizov is still in Russia, it doesn't matter who plays goalie - it's going to be a long season.

with the cap hell this team is in for the next three years, I suspect that it's going to be "youth movement" all the way to position the team to start making moves once they get out of cap jail.

 

[BleedGopher]

per Shooter:

Minnesota Wild star Kirill Kaprizov reportedly is being retained in his native Russia while authorities there are investigating an alleged attempt to evade military service. Although reports are speculative, Wild owner Craig Leipold is naturally concerned.

I asked Leipold if the Kaprizov conjecture makes him nervous.

“It’s pretty hard not to be little nervous about it, right? Leipold said. “I mean, I think every team that has Russian players that are back in Russia right now, they can all say ‘No, I’m not nervous right now, I’m not nervous.’

“Until he gets back into the United States, I’m going to be a little nervous.”

Charley Walters: Wild keeping wary eye on Kirill Kaprizov’s status in Russia

“Until he gets back into the United States, I’m going to be a little nervous,” Wild owner Craig Leipold said.

www.twincities.com

Gooo Wild!!

 

[Ski U Mah Gopher]

In one sense, this is a gamble. I don't know if Fleury is still capable of going out and starting 60 games in goal any more, but the guy they got from Ottawa doesn't look like a guy you want in the nets for 25-30 games either.

then again, if Kaprizov is still in Russia, it doesn't matter who plays goalie - it's going to be a long season.

with the cap hell this team is in for the next three years, I suspect that it's going to be "youth movement" all the way to position the team to start making moves once they get out of cap jail.

The cap situation really depends on which year that the TV contract pays off the losses from COVID and there is a big cap expansion. People think that might be next season, which means 23-24 will have the expansion. Even though they still would have the penalty, there would be more money available to sign players.

 

[Go4]

#freethethrill

 

[From the Parkinglot]

Ready to strike as soon as salary cap hell is over for Zach and Ryan. Small price to pay for them to be gone.

 

[TruthSeeker]

Any Dumba takers? He's not worth what he's paid, and he's easily replaceable.

 

[GophersInIowa]

That would be so Minnesota sports. Up and coming team and their superstar gets stuck in Russia.

 

[BleedGopher]

Shama chimes in:

The Wild probably won’t say much publicly but ownership and management has to be nervous about getting star forward Kirill Kaprizov back in the states from his native Russia with the unpredictable environment there. If Kaprizov isn’t in Minnesota within a few weeks, this will turn into a media soap opera.

David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Goooo Wild!!

 

[Ogee Ogilthorpe]

Ouch.

The Athletic put out some predictions for the NHL 2022-2023 season, some voting done by the beat writers around the league.

Team most likely to MISS the playoffs that made the playoffs last season? The Minnesota Wild

But they also have them with a hefty percentage likelihood of making the playoffs (83.3%), which seems a little contradictory.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

Ouch.

The Athletic put out some predictions for the NHL 2022-2023 season, some voting done by the beat writers around the league.

Team most likely to MISS the playoffs that made the playoffs last season? The Minnesota Wild

But they also have them with a hefty percentage likelihood of making the playoffs (83.3%), which seems a little contradictory.

Really, it's basically the same team coming back with two (big) exceptions:

Fiala and Talbot.

Hopefully some of the young guys like Rossi and Boldy help make up some of the scoring lost with Fiala.

the Goalie thing - to me - is more concerning. The Wild is now betting on an older goalie in Flower being able to play 55-60 games. and the back-up is very unproven.

on paper, I still think it's a playoff team, but they might have to fight for one of the last playoff spots instead of being a top-4 seed.

 

[TruthSeeker]

Really, it's basically the same team coming back with two (big) exceptions:

Fiala and Talbot.

Hopefully some of the young guys like Rossi and Boldy help make up some of the scoring lost with Fiala.

the Goalie thing - to me - is more concerning. The Wild is now betting on an older goalie in Flower being able to play 55-60 games. and the back-up is very unproven.

on paper, I still think it's a playoff team, but they might have to fight for one of the last playoff spots instead of being a top-4 seed.

Kaprizov is stuck in Russia. He may not play either.

 

[GophersInIowa]

Kaprizov is stuck in Russia. He may not play either.

We need to declare war on Russia.

 

[From the Parkinglot]

 

[From the Parkinglot]

I hope it’s true and he’s coming to Minnesota.

 

[TruthSeeker]

I hope it’s true and he’s coming to Minnesota.

Once he's here, he'd be a fool to go back.

 

[GophersInIowa]

I hope it’s true and he’s coming to Minnesota.

Don't let him leave once he gets here.

 

[From the Parkinglot]

Don't let him leave once he gets here.

I agree. Introduce him to a nice Edina girl and what a cabin up north looks like. Hockey is the only sport Minnesota can attract free agents because the wives are from here and there is nothing better than having an off season at a cabin here.

 

[TruthSeeker]

I agree. Introduce him to a nice Edina girl and what a cabin up north looks like. Hockey is the only sport Minnesota can attract free agents because the wives are from here and there is nothing better than having an off season at a cabin here.

The Vikings do fine.

 

[From the Parkinglot]

The Vikings do fine.

fine doing what recruiting free agents? Not sure I believe that. Plus if they do it’s cause the nfl owners are evil and cut players all the time. Za’Dariis Smith was a pro bowl player and the packers simply released him to save $15million in the cap. No other sport can do anything like that.

 

[Ogee Ogilthorpe]

fine doing what recruiting free agents? Not sure I believe that. Plus if they do it’s cause the nfl owners are evil and cut players all the time. Za’Dariis Smith was a pro bowl player and the packers simply released him to save $15million in the cap. No other sport can do anything like that.

Yup. And that's why the NFL rules the roost, far and beyond all the other sports. Very, very few disastrous contracts that don't benefit anyone but the player and can devastate teams and franchises for 4, 5, 8 years down the road...