2023/2024 NHL/WILD Offseason-Season-Postseason Thread

Lol good call Muskie

tswoboda wrote:

Joe what were you guys chatting about??

I told him to do that exact power move…He was supposed to have a blank plane ticket in his hand though…

tswoboda wrote:

Question for the ‘throw the towel in’ brigade: What does that look like it? How is it different than making a push for the playoffs?

In addition to what Joe covered, there is the fact that any “push for the playoffs” will involve losing draft positions.

Also, to really try to make the playoffs, they’re going to have to endure some brutal hockey because every game between now and the end has to be played like a playoff game 7. What are the chances the Wild come out of that unscathed? We aren’t that lucky. And what if a KK, Ek, Boldy, Zuc or Brodin gets seriously injured in this push for nowhere? Now we got nowhere AND we’ve got an injury we didn’t need to a key player.

If they really are going to push for the playoffs, then there’s likely not going to be any significant movement in our logjam of forwards. We’ll never know if the phone is ringing for either of the Deweys, but IMO the better medium-term option would be to shift one or both if possible, but would we we move either of them if we are going all on a playoff push?

So turning the question around, what is gained by the team that the Wild have getting into a desperate push to make the playoffs?

I can’t see one thing that is gained other than some gate revenue which helps us fans not at all because it’s not like the cap goes up if me make a few bucks in the playoffs. Unless you’re thinking that this team catches fire and makes a deep run?

Grouse a player can get injured at any time whether the games are meaningful or not so I dont see that as a concern for trying to make the playoffs unless you are suggesting sitting those guys which will NEVER happen.

I guess shut it down then. Send Iowa out there.

TheFamousGrouse wrote:

In addition to what Joe covered, there is the fact that any “push for the playoffs” will involve losing draft positions.

Also, to really try to make the playoffs, they’re going to have to endure some brutal hockey because every game between now and the end has to be played like a playoff game 7. What are the chances the Wild come out of that unscathed? We aren’t that lucky. And what if a KK, Ek, Boldy, Zuc or Brodin gets seriously injured in this push for nowhere? Now we got nowhere AND we’ve got an injury we didn’t need to a key player.

If they really are going to push for the playoffs, then there’s likely not going to be any significant movement in our logjam of forwards. We’ll never know if the phone is ringing for either of the Deweys, but IMO the better medium-term option would be to shift one or both if possible, but would we we move either of them if we are going all on a playoff push?

So turning the question around, what is gained by the team that the Wild have getting into a desperate push to make the playoffs?

I can’t see one thing that is gained other than some gate revenue which helps us fans not at all because it’s not like the cap goes up if me make a few bucks in the playoffs. Unless you’re thinking that this team catches fire and makes a deep run?

This is a whole lot of “hey guys don’t try too hard OK” and if you think that’s a legit option then

the big one is guys who need surgery get them right away so they are ready by camp, you’ll start to see that around the league in a few weeks…

I don’t think ANY Player purposely wants to tank or lose games…owners and GM’s on the other hand….

JoeMX1825 wrote:

the big one is guys who need surgery get them right away so they are ready by camp, you’ll start to see that around the league in a few weeks…

We saw it in January so I guess they’re already tanking

tswoboda wrote:

makes a deep run?

This is a whole lot of “hey guys don’t try too hard OK” and if you think that’s a legit option then

If you think a bunch of rah rah fight to the finish pep talk stuff is going to convince pro players they’re contenders on this team, good luck to you.

You still haven’t said what you think would be gained by making a massive push for the playoffs.

Probably because the answer you’re trying to avoid giving is “nothing”

Well you certainly don’t go into a locker and tell a team to quiet because they are not good enough.

I honestly can’t think of a worse thing to do.

TheFamousGrouse wrote:

If you think a bunch of rah rah fight to the finish pep talk stuff is going to convince pro players they’re contenders on this team, good luck to you.

You still haven’t said what you think would be gained by making a massive push for the playoffs.

Probably because the answer you’re trying to avoid giving is “nothing”

Grouse I answered that weeks ago, might have been in the same post where I mentioned how you mostly post after losses… here we are again.

The silly part is that I’m not saying they should “push for the playoffs” at all. What I’m saying is whether they “throw in the towel” or “rah rah push for the playoffs” **it’s going to look the same**. They have no significant players to sell or keep so they’re stuck with this roster through the season whether you want to call it tanking or pushing. Throw in the towel all you want but it’s not going to change anything this year.

I just want to see Fleury fight Binnington tonight……although I’d be a little worried about him because Binnington is a legit psychopath.

$11.6 x 8 for Pedersson…

The only good thing about a push for the playoffs is more playoff experience for our young players. They talk about how important prior playoff experience is for success in the playoffs. Even losing experience is better than no experience.

I am not following a couple points made here.
#1 Who are all these forwards that are being logjammed in Iowa?
Walker? Beckman? After that the cupboard is pretty bare..
#2 Who needs the playoff experience? I guess maybe Rossi and Mermis, other than that everyone has playoff experience.
Is that enough reason to make a wasted battle in a losing effort instead of improving your draft position?

It’s too bad the NHL doesn’t follow the PWHL rules and apply the draft order by the points earned after the trade deadline.

Again they don’t have tradeable assets to try and lose…the players and coaches are certainly not going not try and lose. They are what they are what they are at this point.
Playing part of one round doesn’t mean you have playoff experience.

Shaw’s back tonight, playoff push anyone?

There is something in the likely allergies causing me to get tears that shaw is back. Love that kid

Can we fire our replay guys? WTF would you suggest to challenge that?!?

Just crazy how this team (and the first line) can run so hot & cold in a span of 6 games…

Heavyweight tilt last night! This new Rangers rookie is a monster! When you make Ryan Reaves look small thats saying something!

https://x.com/missincurfew/status/1764119183636443360?s=46&t=uoRWUp28rKzoSODmtmr3Lw

As of right now the Wild are the 8th worst team in the league. That’s the bottom quarter.
Time to stop with all this playoff nonsense.
Start the healthy scratches and start bringing players up from Iowa.
Bring in Wahlstead and let’s find out what he is.

You’ll see guys called up on Friday when rosters can be expanded, but you’re not going to get any regulars that WANT to be sat out for a rookie.

So that leaves just the scrubs like Merrill or Lucinni getting swapped out and are we really gaining/losing anything by it?

The only significant impactful changes that I could see happen the last 6 weeks of the regular season is if some guys playing through nagging injuries chose to have any minor surgeries now vs after the season…. Zuccy/Foligno/Middleton/Bogosian are possibilities as they’ve been playing all season with something nagging them….

Faber appears to be playing through an injury right now, but he wants to contend for the Calder….

JoeMX1825 wrote:

Just crazy how this team (and the first line) can run so hot & cold in a span of 6 games…

It’s every time teams start hitting them and playing a little rough. They turtle every time.

JoeMX1825 wrote:

Heavyweight tilt last night! This new Rangers rookie is a monster! When you make Ryan Reaves look small thats saying something!

That kid is not going to survive long in this league at this rate. He has been getting in fights like every other game. His brain cannot withstand that sort of punishment.

Tom schmitt wrote:

As of right now the Wild are the 8th worst team in the league. That’s the bottom quarter.
Time to stop with all this playoff nonsense.
Start the healthy scratches and start bringing players up from Iowa.
Bring in Wahlstead and let’s find out what he is.

Before the last 2 games against the Preds and Blues, they were only 4 pts out of the 8 hole. I thought they had a legit chance being that these were 2 teams they were directly competing with for that spot.

Now, not so much. Amazing how that can change so dramatically in just 2 games after losing both in regulation. They weren’t even competitive in Nashville on Thursday.

We still have a 7.7% chance of making the playoffs! It ain’t over!

Hunter Haight highlight reel goal, this under the radar prospect has had a great year! He’ll play in Iowa next year…

https://x.com/spokedz/status/1764382683461800363?s=46&t=uoRWUp28rKzoSODmtmr3Lw

I see a crazy trade rumor on twitter this morning that the Wild could be sending Zuccy, 2nd & 3rd round draft picks to the Rangers for Gabe Perrault and Kappo Kakko and I just laugh at it and scroll on by…

hours later I turn on Bally’s pregame and see Zuccy is held out tonight…

Lol, funny coincidence…

Russo saying he is out but not trade related.