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Devan Dubnyk Definitely Deserves Hart and Vezina Consideration
I have seen many explain why Dubnyk should not be considered for the Vezina with the likes of Pekka Rinne and Carey Price. The overwhelming argument against Dubnyk seems to be that he doesn't have a full season of work with the Minnesota Wild which is certainly accurate but I would argue that since his arrival in the 'State of Hockey' no player/goaltender in hockey has made greater impact on the success of their team.
I think Rinne and Price are phenomenal netminders and if pressed I would certainly choose either of them talent wise and career results wise over Dubnyk but this season I think it is very reasonable and appropriate to consider Duuuuuuuubs for both awards as the top goaltender and most valuable player in the NHL.
Obviously Rinne has an established brand as either #1 or #1A in the world as the best netminder overall with Price being very close to being considered the same which creates a hole for Dubnyk to dig out of opinion wise but if he finishes out the season like he has been playing since his arrival then the dark horse has a shot.
In the Hart consideration Dubnyk probably has slim to none odds just because of the season's of Sidney Crosby and John Tavares. Both of those superstar centermen have global brands and play in huge East Coast hockey markets. Also just being honest Price in Montreal leading them to 100 points already is enough adversity for Dubnyk that although he might wins some hearts and minds, it maybe a closed race for both awards with many voters.
I bet like me, Dubnyk will gladly take the loss on the Hart and Vezina for a victory in Lord Stanley's Cup and that is truly what matters.
As Wild Gets Healthy Yeo's Job Becomes Tougher
As we saw last night with the return of Jordan Schroeder, this current roster is the most talented and deep ever in Minnesota Wild history. Schroeder was dynamic last night adding game changing speed and electric aggressiveness with the puck on his stick. Yeo rewarded Schroeder by promoting him up to the 3rd line from the 4th in game and it certainly doesn't look like he will be in the press box versus the Calgary Flames Friday night at the Excel Energy Center.
Besides the roster decision that Yeo must make in the final eight games of the regular season, they will matching up every night against playoff caliber competition as the opponents for the last stretch before the post season are all teams I expect to be eligible for a shot at winning Lord Stanley's Cup.
Last night we also saw Schroeder play on the penalty kill which was a role vacated not only by the recently injured Kyle Brodziak but also Jason Zucker. Yeo used Schroeder's speed to get around in the zone as a disruptor like Zucker but it also creates a mismatch should opponents cough up the puck.
Schroeder was paired with Haula on the penalty kill last night which really presents and opportunity to get it going the other way quickly should the puck be turned over. Scoring short handed is such a momentum killer and psychological advantage in the NHL, so many opportunities have been created by the Wild's NHL best penalty kill this season in that area.
I have been a huge advocate for Brodziak this year because he has really played his role well on the 4th line and penalty kill. Even now his current injury comes from stepping up to take a run at Dion Phanuef after the Toronto captain took a huge shot on Haula.
Going forward I think Yeo will have some very decisions to make matchup wise for the bottom of the roster as Ryan Carter is near ready to return. Justin Fontaine had a bit of a stumble game versus the Islanders last night but he has been a secondary scoring catalyst all season long. Because Fontaine has been so effective in creating scoring and playing well in both ends, it is near impossible to see him coming out of the lineup any time soon.
The weakest link in the bottom six at this point looks to be Sean Bergenheim. The injury to Brodziak offered an opportunity to allow him to take it slow but once healthy Yeo will find himself with several uniquely talented forwards and not enough spots in the lineup. Haula has certainly had a sophomore slump type of season but he has picked up his play recently and he showed that he is creates mismatches with his speed and effectively eliminates opponents in specialty defensive assignments like we saw last post season against Nathan Mackinnon.
I think many of us Wild writers/bloggers/podcasters will be hyper-critical of how Yeo handles his lineup down the stretch and into the playoffs this year. I am guessing now the default Bottom Six will include Charlie Coyle, Justin Fontaine, Thomas Vanek, Kyle Brodziak, Erik Haula, and Ryan Carter. The variables are Schroeder and Bergenheim because both add elements that should be more favorable depending on the matchup but I also think they will be most eligible to be healthy scratch if Yeo has full roster at his disposal.
I am still not sure when and what to expect out of Zucker and Cooke. I am sure both are eyeing the playoffs as an opportunity to get back in but both have missed a significant amount of hockey. With Zucker if he gets the green light to play, he would be an immediate upgrade to the Wild. With regard to Cooke I think he adds some veteran intangibles that previously were very important to the Wild last season but this year he was clearly overshadowed by Brodziak, Fontaine, and Carter on the 4th line.
I will get into the defensive pairings tomorrow.
Tonight is a Brand New Jeff Dubay #WildWednesdayShow Live from Bennett's Chop and Railhouse
We really encourage Wild fans and especially the #WildHBcommunity to come down and talk hockey with us before and after the show!
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Here is show from 03/18/2015 we were joined by Joe Bennett and Tony Wiseau (Editor of Hockey Wilderness) on the show:
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