Dan Wallace: Wild Look To Make it 5 Straight

It has been fun and mostly entertaining so far, I hold my breath and continue to wonder when will the wheels fall off. 4 and 0 without a 1 or a number 2 Center, We are also lacking a No.1 Goaltender. Logic and the odds tell me that this Is unsustainable.

No 5 straight. An ugly game from the Wild. 4th line showed up but no one else. Kaprisov and Fiala turning over pucks and the 3rd D pair had a rough afternoon. Forget this one and get ready for the next one.

I think In the business they call It a clunker, Tuesday B.C. pack your s^$t! Let's go.

Has Kaprizov scored a goal since signing his huge pay raise?

I think Foligno needs to sit Kaprizov down and tell him to relax. Would mention the old "griping the stick too tightly" moniker. Remember, Kaprizov thinks quickly on the ice and plays a game that is exactly like the tic-tac-toe Ek goal with Ek, Kirill and Fiala. I also think he is very disappointed that he isn't playing with a highly skilled center. Eriksson-Ek can work on that line, but his game is purely north-south, whereas Zuccarello and Kirill will be all over the ice doing something. Basically, the Wild defensemen that are on the ice when Kaprizov is need to be paying attention offensively. That pretty much means Spurgeon and Goligoski. Brodin has it in him, but prefers to make defense is covered and I wouldn't trust Dumba because he is so erratic. And the 3rd pairing, ummm, just no. That's a big component that is missing since they lost Soucy. He was more than willing to jump up offensively.

Kaprizov is just stuck in that rut of trying to do too much, probably because he feels he needs to because of the contract. No worries if he ends up scoring just 25 goals. He's on pace for about 80 assists. Someone has to be scoring the goals if Kaprizov is getting that many assists. It has been fun to watch Wild games so far this year...except the stinker on Sunday. Minny was absolutely correct, 4th line showed up, but not anyone else.

Moves that will need to be made this season? Trade Greenway now, before his stock drops any farther. One trick pony that skates the puck from right to left behind the net, then doesn't know what to do with it. The removal of Rask from the lineup. Don't want to say anything about the guys in Iowa (either team) yet really...except to say "Hey, look at that, a former UMD Bulldog is leading the Iowa Wild in scoring", heh heh heh.

Long season, so only things that should change for the next game. Move Sturm up to LW with Fiala/Gaudreau. Move Duhaime up to skate with Hartman/Foligno. Drop Greenway (to send a message) to 4th line with Bjugstad. Allow Rask to wear his house slippers in the pressbox. And free Rem Pitlick. Why pick him up and not ever play him.

Zuccarello/Eriksson-Ek/Kaprizov
Sturm/Gaudreau/Fialalala
Duhaime/Hartman/Foligno
Greenway/Pitlick/Bjugstad

yeah, yeah, I know...I'm rambling...

@Gusrichards

Is Nick Swaney gonna be like Mayhew and score in Iowa but not in the NHL? Nick looks like he has to get stronger to play in the big show.

@Gusrichards

Is Nick Swaney gonna be like Mayhew and score in Iowa but not in the NHL? Nick looks like he has to get stronger to play in the big show.
- Minnyhock

Yeah, I have a sense that that is what he is going to end up like. Although, when Soucy was first starting out with the Wild, I was the only one that thought you would be a more than decent 3rd pairing d-man. But I don't think Swaney will ever be any type of NHL regular. He might get a spot call up here or there, but nothing more than a cup of coffee. But I will still hold out hope that he becomes some type of fireplug energy 4th line guy. Would rather see Swaney over someone like Kyle Rau. But saying that, I think guys like Deware, Bitten, Cramarosa and Turgeon will be in line for a spot start in the bigs before Swaney. He just has to continue to shine in Iowa and maybe get the chance.