WildHBcommunity: The Minnesota Wild Only Getting Stronger in Strange Season
The Minnesota Wild Wins Another in Nashville Against Top Team in the Division
There was just no question in my mind after Charlie Coyle sent a Heatley-esq Clap Bomb off the rush past Pekka Rinne, that this team would emerge victorious either in overtime or the shootout. Really feels good to see this team hit the road versus the top of the division and come away with 4 points. Even more important than that maybe the psychological advantage that will come from exercising the demons beating the dirty cheating no good Blues in their own building for the first time in seven chances.
With the Predators, it seems they just get worn down by the Wild's forecheck and it creates chances for them to put pressure on Rinne. Its very interesting to see Rinne meltdown again versus the Wild because besides being widely considered as favorite to win the Vezina, he has been dominate against the State of Hockey in the past.
Watching Shea Weber lose his mind in frustration last night was just great, he started punching Wild players and got bear hugged by former defensive partner Ryan Suter who whispered something nice in his ear. Suter eventually made the game winning play in overtime fending off two Predators to feed Mathew Dumba the puck during the 4 on 4 session.
The Predators have to be rooting for the Wild to keep climbing in the standings because the have been unable to put together a success ninety minutes versus our boys. I really like the Predators young players and they have put together an impressive regular season so far but I view them as a favorable matchup for the Wild.
The Dynamic Abilities of Dumba on Full Display with Greater Role and Opportunity
When Chuck Fletcher and Brent Flahr used the 7th overall selection in the 2012 NHL Draft to select the Red Deer Rebel defenseman, it was clear this was a swing at greatest with a reasonable chance for failure. Besides Mikael "FinnishBabyJesus" Granlund, no other Fletcher selected prospect has come with higher expectations and more consistent criticisms.
Dumba showed up in Minnesota eager to make his impression felt creating highlight moment during the 2012 Wild prospects development camp. My first glimpses of Dumba in a Wild jersey showed him destroying a bigger prospect carrying the puck at center ice and racing end to end with the puck. Dumba is the type of player that can bring the building to their feet any time he touches the puck so his recent successes do not come as any surprise to Wild fans.
The less sexy story and more impressive in my mind is that Dumba has bumped his head on the wall several times since being selected by the Wild 7th overall and each time he has faced a setback his response has been humble and hard working. Dumba returned to Red Deer for the 2012-13 season and was head and shoulders the best player on a bad team.
When Dumba returned to Minnesota in the summer before the 2013-14 NHL season it looked like he was preparing to stick with the NHL club all season. Dumba appeared in 13 games with the Wild causing the first year of his entry level contract to be activated which was significant because it usually signals that a young player will not be returning to Canadian Juniors.
Dumba was loaned to Team Canada for the World Juniors which was significant as well because he had never been selected for the team in previous years and his top prospect status and NHL experience saw him rewarded with a prominent role on the squad. Dumba did not light the world on fire with his World Juniors performance despite showing he certainly belonged and was capable of dynamic play versus the best young players in the world.
Dumba was then traded by Red Deer to Portland which was an orchestrated move by Fletcher and Flahr to further provide him with an opportunity to season his game before becoming an NHL regular. Dumba could have thrown a temper tantrum or reacted poorly to being sent back to Juniors but instead he hit the ground running joining a loaded with top end prospect talent Winterhawks team that was looking to make a huge Memorial Cup push.
Over the years I have seen many levy the opinion that selecting Dumba over Derek Pouliot (8th Overall Pittsburgh Penguins) and Jacob Trouba (9th Overall Winnipeg Jets) was a huge gaffe by Fletcher and Flahr. What was interesting about that rationale to me is that Pouliot who was a top pair defender with the Winterhawks would now have Dumba as a teammate so a true comparison of the young defensemen would be available after the 2013-14 season.
Dumba was basically a point a game performer with the Winterhawks and became their catalyst during the post season. I had the opportunity to see a bunch of Winterhawks games and not taking anything away from Pouliot who i believe will be a fine player in the NHL but Dumba's play consistently jumped off the screen.
Just across the border in the Peg, that Trouba kid has developed a solid reputation as one of the best young two-way defenders in the NHL but I really believe that we have yet to truly get a fair opportunity to evaluate and compare Dumba to him because of the difference in ice time and roles at NHL level. Here in Minnesota Dumba is just now getting the opportunity to play in an elevated role with special teams time. Trouba has been firmly planted in the Top 4 for the Jets dating back to last year.
Dumba has very good opportunity to cement his current elevated role and opportunity with continued success down the stretch run and into the playoffs this year. Dumba is still on the outside looking in though as far as the Wild's Top 4 defensive pairings go with so many talented defensemen on this roster when healthy. Dumba has been flashing the dynamic talents recently with the overtime winner last night in Nashville but the consistency to his game in the defensive end has been what has earned the trust of Wild bench boss Mike Yeo.
I think the rest of the NHL is starting to realize who deep and talented this Minnesota Wild squad is this year and it wont surprise me one bit for the national writers to label them a favorite come time for the playoffs to begin. I doubt any team in the Western Conference is hoping to draw the Wild in the first round especially with Dumba flying around the rink hammering bombs from all angles and using his energy to lift his team in critical moments.
Tonight is a Brand New Jeff Dubay #WildWednesdayShow Live from Bennett's Chop and Railhouse
Please stop by this evening to see the show live and mention us to the staff for a chance to win tickets to the WCHA and NCHC Conference Tournaments! Last week we gave 2 tickets to the Minnesota Wild along with dinner at Bennett's and a shuttle to the game away! We really encourage Wild fans and especially the #WildHBcommunity to come down and talk hockey with us before and after the show!
Tonight we will have Joe Bennett and Tony Wiseau (Editor of Hockey Wilderness) on the show!
b>Bennett's Chop & Railhouse
Address: 1305 7th St W, St Paul, MN 55102
Phone:(651) 228-1408
Hours: Open today · 11:00 am – 1:00 am
Reservations: opentable.com
Menu: bennettschopandrailhouse.com
Here is show from 03/11/2015:
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