Tony Dean: WildHBcommunity:For MNWild the Pieces Dont Fit & Yeo will Pay the Price WildHBcommunity:For MNWild the Pieces Dont Fit & Yeo will Pay the Price

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Good write up, BUT please STOP with the CAPITALIZATION.

Whats the ideal return for Pommer? 5.6hit for 3 years isnt tough to move for a team looking for a vet with caproom (Florida?) or a roster that is stale and needs to mix things up a bit (NJ, OTT?)

I assume you guys would ship him out east if he had to be moved. Craig Anderson as a target if Sens feel like its time to give the net full time to Lehner could be a possibility, just spit balling ideas here

Is Harding not playing with Iowa? Thought they would have recalled him at some point even if there is bad blood between him and management.

ohhh, you're going through hard times with your $196 mil team?

Is Harding not playing with Iowa? Thought they would have recalled him at some point even if there is bad blood between him and management.
- kgrpitt

Nope. Got dehydrated in his second game back and it caused issues with his MS. He's been back in MN, I think, since it happened and has not been playing or practicing. Harding's not an option.

Nope. Got dehydrated in his second game back and it caused issues with his MS. He's been back in MN, I think, since it happened and has not been playing or practicing. Harding's not an option.
- Chinaski

Damn, I remember him being dehydrated but didn't know that has messed with the MS. Solid top 4 d and better goalie (or Kuemper getting his head out of his ass) and should set you straight. Sadly those are most likely off season moves.

Damn, I remember him being dehydrated but didn't know that has messed with the MS. Solid top 4 d and better goalie (or Kuemper getting his head out of his ass) and should set you straight. Sadly those are most likely off season moves.
- kgrpitt

I think there are a couple of triggers for MS that are simply very common for goaltenders to encounter - it's like stress, fatigue, overheating. He'll never be able to get away from those if he keeps playing so I think they may be trying to figure out how and if that can be dealt with.

You can't in one sentence say Fletcher has done a fantastic job methodically adding pieces to the team and then in the next say the team is failing miserably. I've never been a Fletcher guy. Parise and Suter basically came gift wrapped to him. Aside from the Nino trade, his other trades have been poor to horrendous. His drafting has been very suspect, and now standing pat for almost two months while the team was going into a nose dive has them in a very precarious position. The problem is, that if Fletcher fires Yeo, then Fletcher almost certainly gets fired as well. If Fletcher rides this group into the ground then both Fletcher and Yeo almost certainly get fired. So his only recourse imo is to trade for a goalie and hope the team builds confidence with a new backstop behind them. Anderson is old, so probably wouldn't want him. Enroth is a good choice, as his numbers at times have been stellar this season on a team that's dreadful. Buffalo is probably going to want a lot in return, so it will be a challenge for Fletcher to do, but he's basically forced to to save his job.

Whats the ideal return for Pommer? 5.6hit for 3 years isnt tough to move for a team looking for a vet with caproom (Florida?) or a roster that is stale and needs to mix things up a bit (NJ, OTT?)

I assume you guys would ship him out east if he had to be moved. Craig Anderson as a target if Sens feel like its time to give the net full time to Lehner could be a possibility, just spit balling ideas here
- DDM-Coga

With Pommer I feel, if Fletcher does move him, it would be for picks to try and recoup what he's traded away the last couple of seasons. Although with Fletcher's poor drafting record I hope someone else uses them.

You can't in one sentence say Fletcher has done a fantastic job methodically adding pieces to the team and then in the next say the team is failing miserably. I've never been a Fletcher guy. Parise and Suter basically came gift wrapped to him. Aside from the Nino trade, his other trades have been poor to horrendous. His drafting has been very suspect, and now standing pat for almost two months while the team was going into a nose dive has them in a very precarious position. The problem is, that if Fletcher fires Yeo, then Fletcher almost certainly gets fired as well. If Fletcher rides this group into the ground then both Fletcher and Yeo almost certainly get fired. So his only recourse imo is to trade for a goalie and hope the team builds confidence with a new backstop behind them. Anderson is old, so probably wouldn't want him. Enroth is a good choice, as his numbers at times have been stellar this season on a team that's dreadful. Buffalo is probably going to want a lot in return, so it will be a challenge for Fletcher to do, but he's basically forced to to save his job.
- mnhockeyguy

Good take on Fletcher, and I've been a big supporter of his until lately. Not sure how I feel about Enroth, as I haven't seen him play all that much. He's little and plays on a terrible team, so how good is he? If Fletcher does go after a goalie, I hope a d-man is included in the package because our 3rd pairing is flat out laughable.

Good take on Fletcher, and I've been a big supporter of his until lately. Not sure how I feel about Enroth, as I haven't seen him play all that much. He's little and plays on a terrible team, so how good is he? If Fletcher does go after a goalie, I hope a d-man is included in the package because our 3rd pairing is flat out laughable.
- SotaPopinski

Agreed, but dont think Buffalo is the place to go looking for dmen, unless it is Myer's who probably isn't going to be moved.

I really think part of the problem with all of this is the expectations for this team coming out of last season. That first round playoff series win greatly inflated the prospects of this team going forward.

If you look at the past two seasons (prior to this one), the Wild were a fairly competitive team. They lost to the Hawks in five games the first time in the playoffs and no one was all that surprised. Last year they won a hard fought playoff series even though they were considered the 'underdog' by some. However, anyone who watches hockey knew that the Avs were not a team ready for the playoffs and that the team's poor advanced stats would eventually result in losses. The Wild were very fortunate to draw the Avs in the first round. If they had either STL or CHI, I think they would have lost and the expectations would not have been as high for them this year. The Wild then lost to the Hawks again in a more competitive series than the year prior, but the Hawks were in no real danger of losing that series.

On top of that, the young players on the Wild played amazing against the Avs and quite well against the Hawks. The problem with that is it was a very small sample size and some of those players have come back down to earth (i.e. Haula).

So, to make the leap from the previous two Wild seasons to a legit Cup contender always seemed off to me. It still doesn't explain their poor play and lack of leadership lately. And I think the Wild should be a much more competitive team than they are right now. But I just think they are more of a middle of the pack team. I thought they'd make the playoffs and give a team some problems, but I still didn't see them winning a playoff series this year (not with the top end teams you have to go through).

Agreed, but dont think Buffalo is the place to go looking for dmen, unless it is Myer's who probably isn't going to be moved.
- mnhockeyguy

I was thinking more along the line of Meszaros. Myers will cost too much, and all we really need is a 3rd pairing guy, so long as the top 2 pairings can somehow remain healthy.

Ward and Sekera would be great but that is not happening without a Zucker or Nino being included.

I was thinking more along the line of Meszaros. Myers will cost too much, and all we really need is a 3rd pairing guy, so long as the top 2 pairings can somehow remain healthy.

Ward and Sekera would be great but that is not happening without a Zucker or Nino being included.
- SotaPopinski

Paws off the Avs UFA/Deadline target to trade and sign to an extension

Paws off the Avs UFA/Deadline target to trade and sign to an extension
- DDM-Coga

(frank) it, send them Nino for him!!

What do you see the Avs doing with Pickard? Keep him around and ditch Berra or what?

(frank) it, send them Nino for him!!

What do you see the Avs doing with Pickard? Keep him around and ditch Berra or what?
- SotaPopinski

I think they would be silly not to keep Pickard. Even if he doesn't fit in with the long term plans, the Avs would do well to up his trade value over the next couple years.

(frank) it, send them Nino for him!!

What do you see the Avs doing with Pickard? Keep him around and ditch Berra or what?
- SotaPopinski

Yeah Picks will be fulltime backup next season and probably will be platooning in that position this season. Avs will try and do their best to move Berra. They apparently have already been trying but want to try and get back what they have given up for him (2nd). Cant see that happening now since its been a complete disaster since joining the team.

I fully expect Berra to request to be bought out/loaned, whatever they have to do so he can go back overseas to play.

I think they would be silly not to keep Pickard. Even if he doesn't fit in with the long term plans, the Avs would do well to up his trade value over the next couple years.
- manchester33

Do you guys have anything in AHL that should be ready in a year or two?

Yeah Picks will be fulltime backup next season and probably will be platooning in that position this season. Avs will try and do their best to move Berra. They apparently have already been trying but want to try and get back what they have given up for him (2nd). Cant see that happening now since its been a complete disaster since joining the team.

I fully expect Berra to request to be bought out/loaned, whatever they have to do so he can go back overseas to play.
- DDM-Coga

A 2nd wasn't too terrible to give up for him, but I was still a little surprised to see them go after Berra of all people. Kind of seems like another headcase type of goalie that we are dealing with at the moment

Do you guys have anything in AHL that should be ready in a year or two?
- SotaPopinski

Spencer Martin is an Avs prospect that plays in the OHL with the Steelheads. He is pretty promising as well, 4-5 years out.

Aittokallio with the monsters right now hasnt been bad but hes a few years out as well. He could be ready for NHL back up duties in 2 years.

A 2nd wasn't too terrible to give up for him, but I was still a little surprised to see them go after Berra of all people. Kind of seems like another headcase type of goalie that we are dealing with at the moment
- SotaPopinski

Allaire was really high on Berra since he has worked with him for years in Switzerland. Flames werent planning on trading him (Burke was planning on resigning him) but Roy and Sakic apparently wouldnt take no for answer and were forced to over pay for him.

Calgary Herald had a little article about this when the trade happened.

Spencer Martin is an Avs prospect that plays in the OHL with the Steelheads. He is pretty promising as well, 4-5 years out.

Aittokallio with the monsters right now hasnt been bad but hes a few years out as well. He could be ready for NHL back up duties in 2 years.
- DDM-Coga

Well (frank) you guys

Allaire was really high on Berra since he has worked with him for years in Switzerland. Flames werent planning on trading him (Burke was planning on resigning him) but Roy and Sakic apparently wouldnt take no for answer and were forced to over pay for him.

Calgary Herald had a little article about this when the trade happened.
- DDM-Coga

Now it makes sense. Thanks for the enlightenment. You can be so useful...sometimes

Well (frank) you guys
- SotaPopinski

we can go swapsies on some D for a G, stop hogging all the Dmen