Wild Looking to Bounce Back from Loss Hosting Edmonton Oilers at the X
Oilers in Town Featuring the Next Generation of Hockey Super Stardom Connor McDavid
The knock on the Minnesota Wild as an organization by so smart people is that they never fully went into a complete tank mode to rebuild and reload after the original regime was out of business here in the State of Hockey. The reality is when the North Stars migrated south leaving a gaping void of NHL hockey here, fans faced a harsh reality that if you don't support your franchise it can be stolen away and snuck past your borders by no good scoundrels like Norm Green. In short because Doug Risebrough and Jacques Lemaire always seemed to hover near the 8th playoff spot and when Chuck Fletcher took over he did the same, the Wild never really was positioned to add a generational talent such as a Connor McDavid.
Also there is only one first overall pick in the draft and that has belonged to the Edmonton Oilers four times in the past six offseasons. The country club of past glory and prestige has helped Kevin Lowe remain in place as Oilers Team President despite some atrocious hockey by the team in the past decade. Sure Lowe has jettisoned general managers, head coaches, and players but essential the driving forces and decision makers close to the ownership have remained untouched despite epic failures.
Lowe is responsible for every single one player drafted and acquired by the Oilers since he was promoted to the general manager position in 2000. Sure Lowe has been elevated to team president now but this is still very much his organization and imprint on the roster. Beyond McDavid, the other first overall selection in the NHL draft currently on the roster in Edmonton are Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Nail Yakupov. To go deeper this Oilers team also features three more previous first round selections in 2008 22nd overall pick Jordan Eberle, 2011 18th overall pick Oscar Klefbom, and 2103 7th overall pick Darnell Nurse.
This Oilers team has graduated literally every single one of their top prospects to the NHL roster except 2014 3rd overall pick Leon Draisaitl who has turned professional this season playing top line minutes in Bakersfield of the AHL. This Oilers team believes their window to compete is now and showed how serious they believe their changes are to turn the tides in the Pacific Division by trading for breakout backup netminder Cam Talbot.
Every matchup with the Oilers this year is going to be high contested because these teams still have a bitter relationship from years of back to back matchups in the old Pacific Northwest Division. The Wild must limit the high powered offensive weapons of the Oilers tonight!
TD's Three Keys To Victory Tonight for the Minnesota Wild
1.) Need a better showing from the blue line which was pushed around and trapped by Winnipeg. The pairings are still lopsided in my mind by Mike Yeo will again trot out there Ryan Suter and Jared Spurgeon together as his top pair. Spurgeon was a -5 in Winnipeg and they targeted him for the rough stuff which was effective. Yeo is sticking with Jonas Brodin and Mathew Dumba together but I just don't see it. Offensively sure they are both dynamic skaters and can feed the rush or carry the puck in but defensively both are not strong enough to clear out the traffic and get trapped in their own zone far to often. The bottom pair will see Chrstian Folin sit and Nate Prosser return with Marco Scandella.
2.) Time for Jason Pominville to score or get off the pot. I refuse to be sold a bill of goods that suggests because of how many shots or dangerous chances Pominville gets a game that he is playing productive and effective hockey. Pominville's performance this season has been getting out muscled and turning over the puck far too often. Pominville has failed to justify his role on the Power Play and at regular strength. Pominville better get hot quickly otherwise Yeo with have to do what he has thus far avoided at all cost.
3.) Anyone else think the Devan Dubnyk could be more injured than he is letting? Beyond the scary nature of his possible knee injury, his performance has been lackluster so far. The blue line and the forwards have honestly done no favors to Dubnyk and Darcy Kuemper in the majority of games this season so both netminders have legit gripes about their team's defensive zone play.
New WildWednesdayShow Podcast Special Guest FSN/The Sports Ticket Podcast's Kendall Mark Tomorrow Night 10/28 530pm Live at Bennett's Chop and Rail House
This is last week's WildWednesdayShow Podcast if you missed it!
In very exciting news the WildWednesdayShow Crew will be joined by Kendall Mark
@MsKendallMark of Fox Sports North and The Sports Ticket Podcast with Kevin Gorg which a brand new show on our Alive and Social network! Please stop into Bennett's Chop and Rail House 1305 7th Street W., St Paul, MN 55102 (651) 228-1408. Come see us do the podcast live, enjoy some of the best food in Saint Paul bar none, and talk some hockey with the Crew!
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Tony Dean
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