I haven't gone through the other 61 comments so you may have addressed this but, hasn't Yeo said he knows Vanek and Pominville have experience playing together but wanted to start with Parise/Grandlund/Pominville as our top line? Also that way koivu and coyle can stick together and then be paired with a legitimate shooter in Vanek. Also I see Bulmer and Almond being on the outside looking in. We all remember Bulmer's blazing speed lighting up training camps a few years ago but come time for the regular season he gets hit and he gets hurt. Fontaine earned a spot on this team, and being he's in arbitration he'll get probably money worth playing on a nightly basis. Plus he produced which is hard to argue against. Almond may be needed as a bruiser but performance wise fontaine, zucker, veilluex seem better suited. I'd do this:

Parise/Granny/Pommy
Vanek/Koivu/Coyle
Cooke/Haula/Nino
Fontaine/Brodziak/Zucker

Although with this line up we'll need to find a Goon to fight 10 times in an 82 game season, another big defenseman to replace Stoner's role, and a healthy goalie for once.
- Spikiekj

Good post! Welcome to HB Wild! Nice to see new faces joining the ranks!

Yeo stressed puck possession before the season started last year the wild were one of the better teams at possessing puck in October then They fell of at the end of
November.(I think this happened due to injuries to Paris,Koivu and Spurgeon) They were also the second best possession team in the playoffs.

Not resigning Prosser,Stoner, McComrick and Heatley keeping Koivu and Not trading Brodziak for someone worse. Is a good start at being a better possession team.
- Nharris31

Great points. Wild did start off last season looking like a bonafide PP team. It was the first time in the teams history that I could remember confident looking passing and just puck play in general. But they did end up tailing off reverting back to more of a dump out of zone and dump and chase mentality. Their post season play looked a little more reminiscent of the early portion of the season but sort of morphed into their own style.

I wouldn't mind seeing Koivu and Vanek together on a line, but I feel that the reasoning behind such a move is simply Yeo being stubborn/arrogant. Pommer and Vanek played together for 7+ seasons and did pretty damn well when paired up. For Yeo to say that he will split them up before the team has even had a chance to practice together is a little disheartening to hear as a fan. I get that he is trying to put Koivu in the best possible position to succeed, but when your team continues to struggle to get pucks in the net, maybe it'd be a good idea to go with something that works and has a history of working.
- SotaPopinski

I disagree with this. Why split your best line up from a season ago for success that happened a few years ago. The idea is to improve the scoring and the depth and I think starting Vanek with Koivu is the right idea because we know they'll switch them around at some point anyway.

I disagree with this. Why split your best line up from a season ago for success that happened a few years ago. The idea is to improve the scoring and the depth and I think starting Vanek with Koivu is the right idea because we know they'll switch them around at some point anyway.
- arvinb316

I don't want to over analyze this or initiate some preposterous analogy but here goes... Vanek and Pommer have a "known" high level of success when playing together, plus Pominville was certainly ONE of the big reasons Vanek wanted to come here. One could even argue their on-ice success together was one of thee bigger reasons Vanek was brought in. So at the risk of sounding ridiculous.... If you brought in Messier and Kuri, would you immediately suggest they'd be better on separate lines because the success they shared as line mates was 26 years ago?

I know, pie in the sky analogy, but you get my meaning. If Vanek and Pominville have proven their value as linemates formerly, why not start out assuming they should be linemates again?

I don't want to over analyze this or initiate some preposterous analogy but here goes... Vanek and Pommer have a "known" high level of success when playing together, plus Pominville was certainly ONE of the big reasons Vanek wanted to come here. One could even argue their on-ice success together was one of thee bigger reasons Vanek was brought in. So at the risk of sounding ridiculous.... If you brought in Messier and Kuri, would you immediately suggest they'd be better on separate lines because the success they shared as line mates was 26 years ago?

I know, pie in the sky analogy, but you get my meaning. If Vanek and Pominville have proven their value as linemates formerly, why not start out assuming they should be linemates again?
- MnGump

At the very least I think it pays to give a few of these combinations a shot and see which ones work best.

At the very least I think it pays to give a few of these combinations a shot and see which ones work best.
- Chinaski

Oh no doubt. I think Yeo has plenty of time up until the regular season starts and even a few weeks or so in to it to play mad scientist. But at the end of the day, I still think the best possible line for this team will be the Vanek/Granlund/Pominville line. At least until they prove they DON'T work together.

Oh no doubt. I think Yeo has plenty of time up until the regular season starts and even a few weeks or so in to it to play mad scientist. But at the end of the day, I still think the best possible line for this team will be the Vanek/Granlund/Pominville line. At least until they prove they DON'T work together.
- MnGump

All of this is just speculation and partly because it's July and there's nothing to do but speculate, but I think Parise would work better with Koivu than Vanek and I really don't like Parise with Koivu. <-- that's a top-notch run-on sentence

I just think this team finally has the offensive depth to put together some dynamic lines without including Koivu and then still have a Koivu line that is dangerous. But that could just be me hoping for the best. We'll have to see how it plays out on the ice.

All of this is just speculation and partly because it's July and there's nothing to do but speculate, but I think Parise would work better with Koivu than Vanek and I really don't like Parise with Koivu. <-- that's a top-notch run-on sentence

I just think this team finally has the offensive depth to put together some dynamic lines without including Koivu and then still have a Koivu line that is dangerous. But that could just be me hoping for the best. We'll have to see how it plays out on the ice.
- Chinaski

I don't disagree one bit. Given the latest roster, I dont' think Koivu has much more of a place on this team other than 3rd line center and PK specialist. That's JMO, but as I've been opining, I'd like to see Coyle/Koivu/Nino line and I think they'd work well as the permanent 3rd line.

I don't disagree one bit. Given the latest roster, I dont' think Koivu has much more of a place on this team other than 3rd line center and PK specialist. That's JMO, but as I've been opining, I'd like to see Coyle/Koivu/Nino line and I think they'd work well as the permanent 3rd line.
- MnGump

Thats not going to happen anytime soon it should not either http://www.hockeywilderne...to-be-the-3rd-line-centre

Thats not going to happen anytime soon it should not either http://www.hockeywilderne...to-be-the-3rd-line-centre
- Nharris31

Well at this point it's merely a matter of opinion and it's obvious the season will start out with Koivu either no. 1 or 2. But you go ahead and trust what your kid brother Ger Devine is saying, because he's pretty much nothing more than an avid fine like you and me, and I'll listen to the people around the Wild and what the people closest to the team are saying, including people like Russo and Lou Nanne.

Besides, I didn't say it WAS going to happen right away, but rest assured, it's coming. Should Haula continue to step up his game and impress, Koivu WILL end up the 3rd line center of this team, possibly before the end of the upcoming season.

And yes, it actually SHOULD happen if Haula proves he is capable of taking over the 2nd line.

Thats not going to happen anytime soon it should not either http://www.hockeywilderne...to-be-the-3rd-line-centre
- Nharris31

What is it that you think shouldn't happen - Koivu playing with Niederreiter and Coyle, Koivu centering a line that is considered the "3rd" line, or both?

What is it that you think shouldn't happen - Koivu playing with Niederreiter and Coyle, Koivu centering a line that is considered the "3rd" line, or both?
- Chinaski

If I had to wager a guess, I think some fans feel it's beneath Koivu to be considered a "3rd" liner. 2 and 3 years ago yes I'd probably agree with that... but I think some fans place too much importance on assigning player values to what traditionally is considered top 6 and bottom 6. But what also gets overlooked is when a team adds more and more depth and talent(like the Wild have) the 1 through 3 lines and their make up have more to do with the type of line vs the caliber of player on those lines.

In other words, which lines are going to be geared more offensive than defensive and visa versa. With that added depth comes with it line flexibility. Which brings me to the point of Koivus value to the current roster. With the addition of Vanek and the somewhat surprising performances from some of these younger players ie. Eric Haula and their added potential, to me it makes perfect sense to establish a line that conisists of equal offensive and defensive ability. Like what a Coyle, Koivu and Nino line could potentially bring to Mike Yeos cache of possible line combinations.

And honestly, I don't care what line number you want to assign it, 3rd or most likely 2nd, but the only time it's really going to matter is during a playoff series. But honestly, this would be a 3rd line that could potentially skate against any opponents top line as well as their bottom 3 lines, and that versatility is what truly intrigues me about it.

And honestly, I don't care what line number you want to assign it...
- MnGump

That's what I think. The number of the line is kind of meaningless. Besides, I still don't see a Coyle-Koivu-Niederreiter line as a pure checking line. They can check if they have to and it might come off that way when Koivu's line is pitted against a lot of the top lines against other Western Conference opponents. Minutes-wise they could be the first line. Scoring ability they could be anywhere from 1-3. Flashiness, I guess that's where they would be a solid 3.

Well at this point it's merely a matter of opinion and it's obvious the season will start out with Koivu either no. 1 or 2. But you go ahead and trust what your kid brother Ger Devine is saying, because he's pretty much nothing more than an avid fine like you and me, and I'll listen to the people around the Wild and what the people closest to the team are saying, including people like Russo and Lou Nanne.

Besides, I didn't say it WAS going to happen right away, but rest assured, it's coming. Should Haula continue to step up his game and impress, Koivu WILL end up the 3rd line center of this team, possibly before the end of the upcoming season.

And yes, it actually SHOULD happen if Haula proves he is capable of taking over the 2nd line.
- MnGump

It's more facts than opinion that article. I just prefer speed on the third line to expose other teams bottom lines who may not be as fast.(now that's my opinion). You can always start Koivu's line in the defensive zone. Nanne and Russo are old school( which I am not sure how long that thinking in the NHL is going to last) I normally agree with them.

It's more facts than opinion that article. I just prefer speed on the third line to expose other teams bottom lines who may not be as fast.(now that's my opinion). You can always start Koivu's line in the defensive zone. Nanne and Russo are old school( which I am not sure how long that thinking in the NHL is going to last) I normally agree with them.
- Nharris31

Fair enough. I also don't disagree with your preference. I just think this team needs the speed up top and the all purpose lines down low. Difference of opinion isn't a bad thing... more than one way to skin a cat, as my grandpa used to say.