Dan Wallace: Wild Look To Tighten Up The D Zone

Even if the Wild make the playoffs it’s gonna be one and out. It’s crazy how they got themselves to a place where they have to rely on Goligoski and Merrill. Lambos, Hunt, Spacek and McMaster aren’t ready yet. I’m not for Brodin, Faber and Spurgeon playing 25 minutes a night to get a bump and risk injury and effectiveness. Tough to make moves with so many players with NMCs. It looks like taking their lumps until cap hell expires is the immediate future.

It’s not all gloom though. Rossi looks good so far. Lambos should be good. Stramel could be a tough mid to bottom six C. Most of their prospects aren’t high end but some of them should be able to fill some important roles in the future. Faber and a 1st for Fiala looks like a short handed goal two men down.

Just a hunch but I think Guerin will end up being a middle of the road GM. I hope he proves me wrong.

I think Guerin has been better than middle of the road so far. I think the Talbot pouting was a little change of plans, but it appears to have worked out for the better. Guerin always said he wanted to build the Wild up to be a contender every year, not just a 1 and done type roster. So I think his plan is coming together. Of course, it al depends on whether guys like Lambos, Stramel, Haight, Hunt, Ohgren, Wallstedt, Yurov...the list can go on...become better than average players in the NHL, with a couple becoming legit stars.

As for the game vs Montreal...few things. Faber looks really good. They wanted him to step up some offensively, and he is. Middleton needs to get back to being steady. Addison has not looked terrible so far this year. Anyone else think Mermis played 300 times better than Merrill in that game? And Kirill and Zucc need to stop playing pitch and catch, and start just scoring goals. And honestly, I say this knock is more on Kirill. Pay attention to who he passes to on the PP. 9 times outta 10, he is trying to get the puck to Zuccarello. He has that A on his sweater now, he needs to make everyone around him better now.