Former Player Tracking: Is Anyone Still Missed?

by BReynolds on Dec 3, 2011 12:00 PM CST in Features

When we hatched the idea for this weekly post, we truly expected the Wild to need one or two of these guys as they struggled to find their way in the NHL. It turns out, Chuck Fletcher looks more and more genius with every passing day. None of the moves has proven to be overly backbreaking, and the players who have filled the holes have, in most cases, more than compensated.

Still, there are still some pretty big skates waiting to be fully filled, and that is not done yet. It's tough to argue with results, though, and Chuck Fletcher's moves have most certainly shown results.

Think hard about this. Any players you're ready to swap out for those on the list? Check the update, after the jump.

Brent Burns

#88 / Defenseman / San Jose Sharks

Height: 6-5

Weight: 219

Born: Mar 09, 1985

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2011 - Brent Burns	22	4	3	7	7	0	3	0	1		57

How good would Burns look running the power play right now? Even with Marco Scandella starting to look an awful lot like Burns, he still isn't there. Remember, Brent Burns wasn't the Brent Burns you know in his first year, either. The top Wild defender in SOG? Jared Spurgeon with 31. Ouch.

Martin Havlat

#9 / San Jose Sharks

Height: 6-2

Weight: 217

Born: Apr 19, 1981

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2011 - Martin Havlat	18	1	9	10	6	10	1	0	0		46

Havlat's scoring has all but stopped. Streaky much? Wild fans know all about this, of course. Havlat will rebound at some point. Until then, keep an eye on twitter for criticism of his ice time and linemates.

Cam Barker

#13 / Defenseman / Edmonton Oilers

Height: 6-3

Weight: 215

Born: Apr 04, 1986

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2011 - Cam Barker	12	1	0	1	3	14	1	0	0		21

Still out with his ankle surgery. Of course... they likely aren't missing much.

Antti Miettinen

Out of work. No word on if he is searching for a new gig or not.

Andrew Brunette

#15 / Left Wing / Chicago Blackhawks

Height: 6-1

Weight: 215

Born: Aug 24, 1973

Brunette added another goal to his totals. Hopefully that means he is about to rediscover his scoring ways and really add to his team's success. Nice to see the Hawks having so much success. We'll credit it all to Burno. It's what we do.

Chuck Kobasew

#17 / Right Wing / Colorado Avalanche

Height: 6-0

Weight: 192

Born: Apr 17, 1982

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2011 - Chuck Kobasew	24	3	3	6	-7	10	0	1	1		31

Yawn. Wake me up when it's over.

James Sheppard

Still not playing. Should be interesting to see once he is.

Eric Nystrom

#24 / Left Wing / Dallas Stars

Height: 6-1

Weight: 193

Born: Feb 14, 1983

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2011 - Eric Nystrom	20	9	2	11	1	7	0	0	1		38

This guy... nine goals, two assists. The only thing that comes to mind? Good for him. It is very cool to see him succeed in Dallas. Wild fans miss him (or at least so I guess), especially those nine goals. Nine. Ridiculous.

Jose Theodore

#60 / Goalie / Florida Panthers

Height: 5-11

Weight: 185

Born: Sep 13, 1976

	GP	MIN	W	L	EGA	GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
2011 - Jose Theodore	19	1131	10	5		43	2.28	568	525	.924	1

Want to talk about ridiculous? Jose Theodore is in Florida, as a number one goalie, leading one of the top teams in the league. This from a guy who on October 1, 2010, didn't have a job. Yeah. Ponder that for a few minutes. Not that the Wild aren't seeing their normal spectacular goaltending, but Theodore is tearing it up.

What it All Means

Once again, the usual suspects continue to be the players the Wild fans miss. It sure would be nice to see Burns on the point on the Succubus power play, wouldn't it? All the while giving Scandella a Yoda to his Luke. Oh well. Guess first place in the league will just have to do for now.

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Comments

Time to call Nieuwendyk

And talk about those future considerations for Nystrom

by ThatGuy22 on Dec 3, 2011 12:32 PM CST reply actions

Did you see the tweet the other day? Some one tweeted that at this rate, for their future considerations, the Wild are going to want… Eric Nystrom.

Editor:Hockey Wilderness Editor:In Lax We Trust Now with more Twitterness: ReynoldsSBN

Master of unsustainable passive regression.

by BReynolds on Dec 3, 2011 12:45 PM CST up reply actions

Why does NHL.com always say we're "first in the West"

instead of first in the league?

by mg7505 on Dec 3, 2011 12:46 PM CST reply actions

If nhl.com said the Wild were #1 in the NHL, the East Coast would go through mass suicide.

You know you're a Wild fan if Spam Whoopie Gerald-buns comes up in conversation
Regressing all the way back to high school hockey.

by JDesthubert on Dec 3, 2011 12:56 PM CST up reply actions

I think it's so they can use the "Wild West" puns more than anything

http://twitter.com/knowsknothing

by jerem77 on Dec 3, 2011 6:36 PM CST up reply actions

The only thing that I can actually whine about

is Setoguchi. Not as advertised. 13 points through 26 games puts him on pace for about 40 points total. To put that into perspective:
Antti Miettinen had 35 points in 73 games.
PMB had 38 points last year in only 59 games.
Cullen had 39 points, in what he and the fans labeled as a “down” year.

I know it’s a relative stat, but Setoguchi does have the worst +/- on the team at -6.

Hopefully, things start clicking for Setoguchi, but at this rate, Coyle and Phillips will have to be better than expected to make up for the lackluster play of #10. The Wild have are quickly approaching the 30-game barrier that Yeo talks about, and I’m not seeing Setoguchi really stepping into a top-6 role.
Yes, the Wild are getting great goaltending and devout team defense, but at some point, Setoguchi needs to get to the 60-point level. The season is only going to get more difficult, and he needs to find a way to step his game up.

You know you're a Wild fan if Spam Whoopie Gerald-buns comes up in conversation
Regressing all the way back to high school hockey.

by JDesthubert on Dec 3, 2011 12:56 PM CST reply actions

Agreed, he has not displayed any chemistry with anyone no matter where he plays.

I still have hope for him though and maybe he will click with Granlund one day too.

by cgp711 on Dec 3, 2011 1:10 PM CST up reply actions

Also

remember that he keeps moving between first and second lines. He hasn’t really had time to establish chemistry with anyone. For a while it looked good with him, Cullen and PMB but then Lats got conked on the head…

by Hagendas on Dec 3, 2011 1:26 PM CST up reply actions

Its possible he is what he is. A 40 point player, thats what he has been the last two years. Good chance the 60 point season was the annomoly. He has also known to be very streaky. Last year at the beginning of dec he had 7points. Hes doubled that and hasnt looked particularly good, he gets on a streak he’ll be fine.

by ThatGuy22 on Dec 3, 2011 1:58 PM CST up reply actions

It's possible that The Gooch hasn't developed chemistry (especially on the first line), or is just streaky in general

But I think that the main problem is he needs to get the puck on the net more. As it stands, Matt Cullen and Cal Clutterbuck have more shots than him, and Kyle Brodziak one fewer. That’s not how The Gooch is going to succeed.

"You don't understand anything, man. Leave your STUPID comments in your POCKET!"

by Georgie Fruit on Dec 3, 2011 3:31 PM CST up reply actions