Just a thought...

How dangerous could our second line be in the next few years if you have Zack Phillips centering Guillaume Latendresse and Pierre-Marc Bouchard? Neither Granlund or Phillips will play in the NHL this coming season. But, while Granlund will probably begin his first North American pro season down in Houston getting used to the North American style of game, Phillips will be coming off his third major junior season with St. John as the go-to guy. Phillips could definitely make the jump especially if he focuses on his skating and bulking up during this season and next offseason. Put him between a fit Latendresse and healthy Bouchard and it's magic! Plus, Granlund will most likely make the leap into the roster sometime in the season and we've already seen what he can do when paired with Phillips. Anyone else getting major goosebumps thinking about it?

8 months ago wild4life 19 comments 0 recs |

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Didn't Phillips drop in the draft because he was considered raw?

I would eat my hat if Granlund goes to the AHL but Phillips heads straight to the NHL, especially with Granlund playing in the SM Liiga which is a better league than the various CHL leagues. Granlund may or may not go to the AHL, but Phillips will defiantly go to the AHL.

by ThatGuy22 on Sep 12, 2011 9:17 PM CDT reply actions

It all depends...

Granlund will most likely go down to Houston to start. It’s not fair to suddenly thrust him into an NHL roster spot when he still needs to adjust to the North American game. Phillip’s transition to the NHL all depends on how well he does for St. John this year. We’ve already seen how well he can play getting the puck to “the man” but he’s going to have to be the man this season without Herberdeau on his line. If he can put up numbers like he did last season or better, he’s the real deal.

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by wild4life on Sep 12, 2011 9:33 PM CDT reply actions

If you follow Zack on Twitter, you will know he is far from the NHL. Dude needs to put on about 20-30 lbs to compete with the NHL guys. As I say with any prospect, unless he comes into camp and blows the doors off the place, he’ll go to Houston. No one is given a spot anymore. No one.

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by BReynolds on Sep 13, 2011 4:30 PM CDT up reply actions

I find it funny...

that you assume that Granlund will be in the AHL but that Phillips will make an immediate jump to the NHL. By nearly all counts, Phillips has to work diligently on both his physical shape and his skating to make the Pros. Like I’ve been saying for a while now, put a circle around the 2013/14 season. It’s that season where you’ll start seeing the current set of prospects starting to make an impact on the lineup.

Also, you are making a big assumption that Lats is resigned for next season, or that a player like PMB won’t be traded to make way for a Granlund, who owns a similar if not possibly more enhanced skill set.

The Wild are in a position, for the first time in franchise history, that they shouldn’t feel pressure to try to hurry things up. There is enough talent on this team that it should be entertaining and competitive, but it will naturally open up over the course of a few years to make room (in the lineup and in the salary cap) for the first waves of what are hopefully high impact younger players. Who will be left standing from the current team? Well, we’ll have to wait a while before we can write any of those names, except Koivu’s, down.

by Krotz the Wall on Sep 14, 2011 8:22 AM CDT reply actions

I wouldn't be surprised

To see PMB traded for defensive help if our current situation doesn’t work.

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by JSLandry on Sep 15, 2011 9:09 PM CDT up reply actions

So...who do we trade for (hypothetically)?

Do we go for a D-man like Doughty, Weber…Chara? Or do we trade PMB at the deadline for a decent Lundin/Schultz/Zanon type player and a 1st round pick in next year’s draft? I guess next year’s draft class is supposed to be loaded with top-end D-men. Problem is, we have so many defensive prospects already: Spurgeon, Scandella, Brodin, Prosser, Falk, Stoner, Genoway, Bagnall, Penner, Seeler, Medvec and the list goes on. Do we start trading a few off for picks or what?

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by wild4life on Sep 17, 2011 12:39 PM CDT up reply actions

Actually,

I see the Wild trading for an offensive defenseman if they’re buyers at the deadline. Doesn’t need to be a world-beater, just a reliable one. They’ll need all the cap space they can get. I’m thinking a guy like Jordan Leopold or something. Of course, trading PMB for Leopold straight-up is a no-no. Picks would probably be involved. They may even trade one of those defensive prospects for immediate help if it’s a good choice and if it helps towards making the playoffs, which is starting to be a pressing need for this franchise.

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by JSLandry on Sep 18, 2011 10:26 AM CDT up reply actions

PMB won’t bring back an elite defensman without at least three first-round picks, so Doughty, Weber, and Chara are totally out of this conversation.
He’s also not going to bring back a #3 defensman and a 1st round pick. PMB has a major injury history, and he’s already 27. It’s not like he’s got unlimited upside left. He is what he is, and he’s all that a team will get.

Now, I’ll agree there are plenty of d-men in the system, but let’s be honest:
Spurgeon and Stoner aren’t really prospects anymore, as they’re going to be given the first shot to earn the last two spots on the starting roster.
Brodin, Falk, and Scandella will battle for spots next year. Zanon and Lundin are both in the last year of their deals, so next year is really the target time for those three.
Prosser is a wild card, as he’s good a lot, but not great. He strikes me as the first call-up guy for an injury, but will probably get buried underneath guys who fill specific roles. Not totally fair, but there are only really 7 spots open, and there are a lot more than 7 guys trying out for those spots.
Bagnall, I’ve argued, should be the 7th man this year. He could hold the press box while Falk and Scandella get top minutes in Houston. If necessary, he can be dressed to add toughness. In addition, sitting doesn’t really hurt his development, as he’s a tough defender, not a skill player.
Genoway and Penner won’t make the NHL. Hypothetically, if both of them played along with Spurgeon, the Wild would have 3 of 6 defensman under 5’10". That won’t work in the NHL, especially against power forwards. Plus, Penner was a scratch for the AHL playoffs. He’s not even a starter for the Aeros. He’ll never make the NHL.
Seeler and Medvec are projects at best. A couple more guys with very little chance to make the NHL. Maybe they’ll end up as AHL pros (Not a bad thing. Ask DiSalvatore how cool it is to get paid to play hockey, even if it is the AHL).

My guess is that PMB will be traded along with a pick and an AHL depth player for a 2nd pairing offensive defensman and a pick.

by JDesthubert on Sep 19, 2011 12:20 PM CDT up reply actions

A couple of thoughts...

1. Zack Phillips is playing the the CHL, which is full of 17-19 year olds. Granlund is playing in SM Liiga, which is a league full of men. No way Zack Phillips is ahead of Granlund as far as development. Phillips, as good as the numbers say, is playing against kids. Granlund is a top player against men.

2. I can’t see the Wild keeping both Granlund and PMB, especially on the same line. No doubt, they’re both good hockey players, but we’re talking about a pair of 5’10" playmakers. The Wild don’t want to be caught in the same situation where there are too many pass-happy players without finishers. PMB will probably be swapped to help bring in some better two-way defensman.
While we may disregard Burns now, there still is no real replacement for his offensive output, and elite teams have at least one guy on the blueline that can add 40+ points.

3. Like Bryan said, no one on in the system will be given a spot “just because”. Gillies and Sheppard had their development blown to hell by rushing them through the system. No way that Fletch and the FO make the same mistake.
In fact, there are very few players at all in the NHL that can just make the jump from CHL or wherever they were into the NHL. Hell, Tyler Seguin played most of this last year in the AHL, and he’s labeled as “can’t miss, total superstar in the making”.

by JDesthubert on Sep 19, 2011 11:49 AM CDT reply actions

Seguin didn't play in the AHL at all

He was a healthy scratch 6 times… played 74 games but underacheived.

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by JSLandry on Sep 19, 2011 5:23 PM CDT up reply actions

My bad, I thought he was sent back to the AHL since the Bruins didn’t really have a slot for him

by JDesthubert on Sep 19, 2011 5:42 PM CDT up reply actions

They couldn't send him to the AHL

It was that same situation where they could either keep him on the NHL squad or send him back to the minors before he played a certain number of games, 7 or 9.

It’ll be interesting to see how last year affects the kid’s development. He was pretty invisible for long stretches of last season.

by Krotz the Wall on Sep 20, 2011 12:51 PM CDT up reply actions

I agree. I feel like the Bruins should have sent him back after 9 games. Playing 3rd line minutes with no powerplay exposure was a terrible way to start of a kid with that high of a ceiling.

by JDesthubert on Sep 20, 2011 1:39 PM CDT up reply actions

I guess it's so rare...

for a team that far up in the standings to have a #2 overall pick, they were confused as to what to do with him :P

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by JSLandry on Sep 20, 2011 4:02 PM CDT up reply actions

Hahaha, gotta love Phil Kessel

by JDesthubert on Sep 20, 2011 4:10 PM CDT up reply actions

Yeah

You gotta love Phil Kessel to pull off that trade :P haha

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by JSLandry on Sep 20, 2011 4:12 PM CDT up reply actions

I disagree

Honestly, if Seguin had the maturity and mental makeup that was raved about it, what’s the big rush to put him in a position with that much responsibility? Seguin had nothing to prove in the CHL, and he’d most likely have gotten bored. His ceiling is definately high, yes, but he’s what… 19? Playing third line minutes on an NHL squad probobly worked wonders for his overall development. He adjusted to the speed of the game, probobly learned a thing or two of how the NHL is NOT the CHL and most likely gained confidence in his ability to skate with the men. Seguin will be tapped on to play bigger minutes this season and even with his potential will probobly hit the 40-50 point mark as he adjust further in the pro game. Look for his breakout season in a year or two, after which he’s flirting with point-per-game to 100 point totals.

by Arnie on Sep 30, 2011 4:23 PM CDT up reply actions

*send him back to juniors

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by JSLandry on Sep 20, 2011 4:03 PM CDT up reply actions

Both will probobly have AHL stints

To think either of them will make a jump right to the show is reckless in terms of properly developing players. Granlund will require at least a half a season in Houston to adjust to the North American game and introduce him to the system. There is a decent chance he get’s called up early for an injury and ends up staying because management can’t bear to let him go.

Phillips on the other hand needs pure development as a player. He will need to use his AHL time to the best advantage he can. Skating will be his biggest issue and believe it or not, he has a ton to prove. Phillips lost rank position because it was believed he was partially carried by the likes of guys like Huberdeau. He needs to prove his offensive game transfers to a higher level of play. As much as I hate to say it, there’s a chance Phillips is a bust, albeit not a major one.

by Arnie on Sep 30, 2011 4:17 PM CDT reply actions