Brad Ratgen: Everything Going According to Script. Only Question, Which Script? A look at last night's win by the Minnesota Wild over the Chicago Blackhawks.

Bryz has played better than expected.

He is key to the Wilds hopes...

Unlike last season, the Wild do actually have a chance this season to pull out an upset. However unlikely that scenario remains to be, there's still enough there to make it a viable one this season.

As good as it was to see the Wild come out on top, that was still the closest 4 - 0 game I think I've ever watched. Oddly enough my wife (who has no interest in hockey or most sports for that matter) was watching the game with me last night and made a comment right after the 2nd goal was scored by Mikael Granlund about something in regards to "well that's pretty much the end isn't it"? My immediate retort was "no lead is safe against the Chicago BlackHawks"!

It honestly wasn't until Granlund scored the empty netter that I was able to sit back and relax enough to calmly enjoy the rest of the last minute plus left in the game with enough assuredness that the game was all but over.

And that is my greatest fear going into game 4. As successful as the Wild were last night, they still had to play a virtually flawless game as well as having some puck luck on their side. Not to mention the Hawks defintely had a few prime chances where normally puck luck is not even needed for them but fortunately ended on the side of the Wild.

Bottom line is the Wild need to actually improve their play even from last night going into game 4, and I'm not even sure they can play any better than last night which once again reminds us that this is still and amazingly difficult task in front of them.

Obviously I'd like to see the Wild with a major upset in this series, but I'd be satisfied for the most part if we can get to see at the very least a game 6 back here at the X.

Dethrone us in Game of Thrones like fashion huh? So ur gonna poison our players?

Dethrone us in Game of Thrones like fashion huh? So ur gonna poison our players?
- SimpleJack

Take off their heads with swift hard slap shots to the necks! Hjalmarsson and Toews?! Hmmm?!

Was looking for tickets to Fridays game via ticket master "resale". Found two on the glass near the penalty box... Owner of tickets asking $10,000.00 for them!

Oh and that doesn't include Ticketmasters resale fee of $1,975.00

I'll watch my 52' plasma thank you very much!

Dethrone us in Game of Thrones like fashion huh? So ur gonna poison our players?
- SimpleJack

I wouldn't be above it...

Was looking for tickets to Fridays game via ticket master "resale". Found two on the glass near the penalty box... Owner of tickets asking $10,000.00 for them!

Oh and that doesn't include Ticketmasters resale fee of $1,975.00

I'll watch my 52' plasma thank you very much!
- MnGump

I'll go with if you decide to purchase them
Will even buy your first beer

Was looking for tickets to Fridays game via ticket master "resale". Found two on the glass near the penalty box... Owner of tickets asking $10,000.00 for them!

Oh and that doesn't include Ticketmasters resale fee of $1,975.00

I'll watch my 52' plasma thank you very much!
- MnGump

Yeah, but which penalty box?

Chris Johnston's Vanek article - from Sportsnet

Was looking for tickets to Fridays game via ticket master "resale". Found two on the glass near the penalty box... Owner of tickets asking $10,000.00 for them!

Oh and that doesn't include Ticketmasters resale fee of $1,975.00

I'll watch my 52' plasma thank you very much!
- MnGump

Well if the cameras don't have any zoom lenses like last night the 52' plasma isn't going to do you any good. What was the deal with that last night? Of course, by the middle of the 3rd period last night the less I could see the better.

Chris Johnston's Vanek article - from Sportsnet
- Chinaski

Thanks for sharing.

Well if the cameras don't have any zoom lenses like last night the 52' plasma isn't going to do you any good. What was the deal with that last night? Of course, by the middle of the 3rd period last night the less I could see the better.


- jhawk159

I have no clue. Never seen that type of picture coming out of Xcel before. I wrote into Nbcsn, no reply....maybe I should have written it sober and left out the f-bombs

I have no clue. Never seen that type of picture coming out of Xcel before. I wrote into Nbcsn, no reply....maybe I should have written it sober and left out the f-bombs
- SotaPopinski

Take off their heads with swift hard slap shots to the necks! Hjalmarsson and Toews?! Hmmm?!
- MnGump

Well, Matt Cooke is back so... Just instead of a slap shot, would be a knee or elbow. Can't believe no one has gone out of their way to end that douchebag's career yet. Can't cheer for Wild when they employ a lump like that.

GO HAWKS!!!

Well, Matt Cooke is back so... Just instead of a slap shot, would be a knee or elbow. Can't believe no one has gone out of their way to end that douchebag's career yet. Can't cheer for Wild when they employ a lump like that.

GO HAWKS!!!
- HKYNT

Here we go again..

Well, Matt Cooke is back so... Just instead of a slap shot, would be a knee or elbow. Can't believe no one has gone out of their way to end that douchebag's career yet. Can't cheer for Wild when they employ a lump like that.

GO HAWKS!!!
- HKYNT

Yeah, figured that much. Fair point.

...and that's one big reason I didn't like the Cooke signing. I knew it would only take one suspendable or even questionable hit to give the Wild organization and it's fans a big black eye!

Do you guys think you'll be hard after Vanek in the offseason? If so, do you think it will be possible under the cap to resign guys like Nino, Coyle, Granlund, Zucker, Keumpfer, Brodin in the next year or two?

The way they are all performing, they may be in store for a nice raise.

Personally I'd love to grab Nino, still can't believe you only sent Clutterbuck.

Would you entertain a deal from the Oilers where we send the 2015 1st + 2015 2nd for Nino to help save cap space but get valuable assets? Not quite the Kessel deal, since Kessel (I believe) had a 36 goal season already under his belt.

Do you guys think you'll be hard after Vanek in the offseason? If so, do you think it will be possible under the cap to resign guys like Nino, Coyle, Granlund, Zucker, Keumpfer, Brodin in the next year or two?

The way they are all performing, they may be in store for a nice raise.

Personally I'd love to grab Nino, still can't believe you only sent Clutterbuck.

Would you entertain a deal from the Oilers where we send the 2015 1st + 2015 2nd for Nino to help save cap space but get valuable assets? Not quite the Kessel deal, since Kessel (I believe) had a 36 goal season already under his belt.
- ystoil

You really think Lowe & MacT are willing to deal a 1st + for Nino, who had his best year so far with 14g and 22a? Hell yes I'd do that deal, but no way in hell Edm does

You really think Lowe & MacT are willing to deal a 1st + for Nino, who had his best year so far with 14g and 22a? Hell yes I'd do that deal, but no way in hell Edm does
- SotaPopinski

Definitely some risk there but I feel like he's going to break out. I would think they would prefer a more established guy, but sometimes it's not available.

If we wanted Nino, I can't see Minnesota letting him go for peanuts. What would you assess his value as? Kind of tough to peg IMO.

Definitely some risk there but I feel like he's going to break out. I would think they would prefer a more established guy, but sometimes it's not available.

If we wanted Nino, I can't see Minnesota letting him go for peanuts. What would you assess his value as? Kind of tough to peg IMO.
- ystoil

I would think they'd prefer a D-man or two, or three....maybe four.

I would think they'd prefer a D-man or two, or three....maybe four.
- Ogilthorpe2

Lots of needs:

- 2nd line Centre
- Top 6/9 winger with size
- basically an entire third line
- 2 top 4 defenseman ( one left and one right shot)

Bout sums it up!

Do you guys think you'll be hard after Vanek in the offseason?
- ystoil

I think they will make an offer, but I don't think they'll go hard after him. It's becoming very evident that skating/speed is very important in today's NHL.

Look at Colorado. Who wants to play that team with a bunch of 30+ guys that can't skate that well? The Wild cannot afford to give another huge contract to a guy that is in his 30s.

I'm really interested to see what happens with Vanek. He has value, but in my opinion he does not have long term value. The fact that he turned down the Islanders offer, which I think will be far and away a better deal than he will ever be offered again, tells me this next deal isn't really about the money for him. So I think there's still a good chance the Wild have a legitimate shot at landing him. But I don't think they offer him more than three or four years. They could easily be outbid for Vanek. I'm just wondering if any team is really willing to give him a long-term deal that will amount to an untradeable contract when he's not an elite scorer anymore.

LeBrun - Toffoli/Pearson
Something for us to keep in mind when evaluating what is done with a guy like Zucker.

As a Jets fan, I am rooting for Bryzgalov.

He has a cult following in the Peg and won a lot of Jets fans over when he channeled his inner Andy Kaufman and was egging us on in the middle of gameplay.

I also want the Wild to go deep to show our ownership group that it's okay to spend some cash on blue chip free agents like Parise and Suter.