Starting Lineup MN Wild 2013 - 2014

by joco0501 on Feb 22, 2012 10:52 AM CST

Forwards:

Parise-Coyle-Heatley

Ma. Granlund-Koivu-Mi. Granlund

Johnson-Brodziak-Bulmer

C.Rau-Larsson-K. Rau

Kassian

Defenceman:

Brodin-Rundblad

Scandella-Spurgeon

Schultz-Prosser

Faulk, Stoner

Goalies

Backstrom

Hackett

Is this a feasible roster?

My thought on acquiring Rundblad would be for Mn's first round draft pick this year. Zucker for Ma. Granlund, due to a calculated risk in the hopes that it could create some Sedin"esque" magic.

Right Track? How would you tweak it??

The opinions posted here are not those of Hockey Wilderness

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…..oops not sure if Flordia would take Zidlicky for K. Rau but that would be convienent

by joco0501 on Feb 22, 2012 10:53 AM CST reply actions

Strange...

strange post.

A straight up question for you right now. How do you predict that in a year and a half Charlie Coyle goes from playing wing in the Q to being the Wild’s first line center? Especially as the Wild have three much more natural centers coming into the system in Mi Granlund, Zach Phillips (who you don’t list), and Johan Larsson.

Why would the Wild go out on a limb to acquire Marcus Granlund when the Wild specifically stayed away from him during the draft to avoid that fact that they don’t have the younger Granlund rated out as a sure NHLer and certainly in a tier much lower than the older Granlund? They are going for the a more Koivu brothers approach… don’t burden the one with the other’s game. Also, the likelihood that Marcus Granlund is NHL ready and good enough to lock down a 2nd line position in a year and a half is… well unlikely.

I take it that the Wild are trading Setoguchi, Clutterbuck, and are resigning Backstrom and Schultz? It’s also disconcerting that your projected top pairing D will be what 20?

????

by Krotz the Wall on Feb 22, 2012 11:05 AM CST reply actions

Agreed.

It all seems a bit infeasible.

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by GerDevine on Feb 22, 2012 12:53 PM CST up reply actions

Not to mention that...

Kyle Rau and Johan Larsson are hardly fourth liners. Plus, unless Koivu’s role on the team diminishes, there’s no way the Kaptain plays 2nd line center.

I doubt we get Parise, so Granlund will probably take his spot. If we do get him, your 2nd line could like something like Granlund-Phillips-Coyle or Granlund-Phillips-Larsson (this line had great chemistry in last summer’s prospect camp. Your third line looks good, but I doubt we’d trade Clutter as there would be riots in the streets of St. Paul. lol

As to the defensive pairings, here’s what I think is more logical: Brodin-Scandella, Stoner-Spurgeon, Schultz-Prosser with Falk the odd man out. Now let’s talk about the goalies. With all the new talent coming into the system (both skaters and goalies), there’s no way Backstrom is still with the team in 2013-2014, not unless he’s willing to take a significant cut in pay (which I doubt he will). If Harding’s not around by then, look to have a good tandem of Hackett and Kuemper, with Gustafsson giving Kuemper a run for his money.

Proud Sioux Falls Stampede Season Ticket Holder and #1 Nate Prosser Fan! Go Wild!

by wild4life on Feb 22, 2012 11:24 AM CST reply actions

I disagree with you on Goalies

Backs will be 37 or so, and he might just be willing to sign a 2 year deal worth a good deal less than the big contract that he’s on. I really doubt that the Wild will want to have any of their young goalies facing the job of being the full time #1 for the NHL club the season after next. Backstrom might just be in line for a contract to be a split time goalie. Him or someone else.

Hell, even if the Wild got Parise and he paired with Heatley and Koivu wasn’t the center… the center of that line would probably be a play maker type like Granlund.

I highly doubt that Kyle Rau is an NHLer in the season after next, and being as small as he is, there is no way that he makes his debut on a 4th line in the NHL.

by Krotz the Wall on Feb 22, 2012 11:31 AM CST up reply actions

I find it odd

That most people seem to have Hackett penciled in as the starter of the future. I personally think Kuemper is going to be the better goalie.

The only thing Hackett has over Kuemper is an extra year of experience, due to Kuemper missing the 07-08 season due to injury, which jurt his draft stock. If you look at their Junior numbers, they are very comparable, with Kuemper having the best overall season of either of them. Granted he was a year older when he played his final WHL season than Hackett was, but he also did miss an entire year of development.

But Kuemper has done nothing but excel since, torched the ECHL so much that they had to get rid of Endras so they could move him up, and since he has been here he has put up better numbers than Hackett. I would be really interested to see what he could do if they split the load a little bit better as opposed to the 3-1 split they are currently giving Hackett.

by ThatGuy22 on Feb 22, 2012 11:42 AM CST up reply actions

I tend to agree with you.

Ultimately, I don’t see Hackett being the end-all #1 netminder for the team. I can see him being Backstrom’s backup for a year, then maybe being the technical #1 while splitting duties with Kuemper (think a tandem like what we saw the past year or so in Washington with Varlamov and Neuvirth…only better goalies lol). But, ultimately, I have a strong feeling Kuemper will win the net as the clear #1 franchise goaltender. Plus, who doesn’t droll at the idea of an extremely talented 6’4"-5" netminder in the Minnesota net? Think Pekka Rinne or Anders Lindback.

Proud Sioux Falls Stampede Season Ticket Holder and #1 Nate Prosser Fan! Go Wild!

by wild4life on Feb 22, 2012 11:50 AM CST up reply actions

*drool

Proud Sioux Falls Stampede Season Ticket Holder and #1 Nate Prosser Fan! Go Wild!

by wild4life on Feb 22, 2012 11:50 AM CST up reply actions

I think that Hackett gets the first crack at the NHL job.

Both Hackett and Kuemper are young, and it doesn’t typically pay to rush your goalie prospects into that #1 goalie position. Backstrom is around for at least another year, and I assume that Hackett will get the backup spot next year. However, as Harding always found out, just because you’re the top of the prospect ladder it doesn’t mean that the NHL club is going to gamble on you.

Kuemper will get a chance to be the #1 guy in Houston next year, and he may well prove to be the better goalie. I would expect that Kuemper will be the #1 in Houston for at least 2 years. That will give Hackett, barring injury or another veteran goalie brought in, a chance to split time with Backstrom or another part-time starter in that ‘13/’14 season.

Also, don’t discount the fact that while Hackett doesn’t seem to be flashy, stellar goalie, he seems solid and very steady. He might just well win the job when it’s all said and done. I like the fact that the Wild have a lot of competition in the nets.

by Krotz the Wall on Feb 22, 2012 12:21 PM CST up reply actions

It could easily go the other way

I just find it funny, that when people make their projected future lineups. Its always Hackett in net, not Kuemper. Im also heavily in favor of bringing backstrom back short term on a 1-2 year deal if he is willing to cut his salary.

by ThatGuy22 on Feb 22, 2012 12:54 PM CST up reply actions

I meant either way in my title, not other

by ThatGuy22 on Feb 22, 2012 12:54 PM CST up reply actions

It think that that is mostly due

to the fact that Hackett is a year further long in the development process and what you’re seeing is that Hackett is projected at getting the first shot at the job. Short injuries or trades, I imagine that Hackett will get the first shot has he’s held down the AHL job for the better part of two seasons already, should get increased NHL experience next year while Kuemper is showing what he can do as the primary starter for the Aeros. The following year, after Backstrom’s big contract is done, if the Wild do rely more heavily on one of their young guys they’ll be looking at this:

Hackett: 2 years as the primary goalie in the AHL, probably 1 year as the backup (maybe 20 to 25 starts) in the NHL.
Kuemper: 1 year as the primary goalie in the AHL, and one year as the primary backup in the AHL.

by Krotz the Wall on Feb 22, 2012 1:05 PM CST up reply actions

Nice idea for a post ...

but why 2013-14? Why not next season? A lot can/will happen between now and 2 seasons from now. Just my 2 cents. Disregard as needed.

Son-of-a-bitch is dug in like an Alabama tick!

by Mark It Zero! on Feb 22, 2012 11:54 AM CST reply actions

I think that is the point of trying to project the '13-'14 lineup.

Next season, there is a lot more certainty as to who will still be with the team. The season after next, well probably see a significantly different look to the Wild. A lot of the bigger contracts that the Wild have right now will be expiring, there should be a lot of money and spots open. And, the Wild should really start seeing more of those incoming young players make spots for themselves on the NHL roster. So, it’s a fun exercise in projecting out some of the larger changes to the roster as well as the development of the younger guys.

by Krotz the Wall on Feb 22, 2012 12:15 PM CST up reply actions

Aaah

Got it. Thanks for clarifying!

Son-of-a-bitch is dug in like an Alabama tick!

by Mark It Zero! on Feb 22, 2012 12:28 PM CST up reply actions

Is This A Feasible Roster ...

Nope.

In 13-14 I would expect it to be along the lines of:

Forwards:

xxxxxx – Koivu – Heatley
Coyle – Grandlund – Seto
Larsson – Brodz – Clutterbuck
xxxxxx – Almond – Bulmer
xxxxxx – Kassian

Defensemen:

xxxxxx – Schultz
Prosser – Brodin
Scandella – Spurgeon
Stoner

Goalies:

Backstrom
Hackett

You can mix and match the lines and what not but I think those are the players that have the best chance to be on the roster in that year, they all have the possibility to be traded for help in different areas too. We can’t just play all our young players, there will need to be veteran signings or cheap deals for veterans in the roster. Philips, Zucker, will get some call ups but will most likely spend more time in the AHL. I also think out of the defensemen I have listed, at least one will be gone and a veteran will be in the lineup instead.

Also there are two drafts in between now and then, so who knows where we end up drafting. We could end up with a top pick that could be in the lineup the next year in 2013, but lets hope that doesn’t happen. :)

by grumble_grumble on Feb 22, 2012 12:21 PM CST reply actions

Forgot About Falk

You could stick him in my lineup somewhere but then I think any two of those Dmen besides Brodin & Prosser will not be in the lineup.

by grumble_grumble on Feb 22, 2012 12:28 PM CST up reply actions

Two drafts

That’s another thing I was thinking about but forgot to mention. We could see some top-end offensive defensemen or high-end forwards taken in the 1st and 2nd rounds in both drafts and Fletcher has always drafted at least one goalie each year (2009: Hackett and Kuemper, 2010: Gustafsson, 2011: Michalek). So you can basically add two more goalies to the logjam in net we have now.

Proud Sioux Falls Stampede Season Ticket Holder and #1 Nate Prosser Fan! Go Wild!

by wild4life on Feb 22, 2012 12:48 PM CST up reply actions

Just going

to say, That is a pretty messed up Lineup. lots of uncertainty between now and then.

by wild32384 on Feb 22, 2012 10:28 PM CST reply actions

This post forgot Saku Koivu

Might as well have 3 pairs of brothers.

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by y2jayjk on Feb 23, 2012 8:27 AM CST reply actions

I dont know if this is sarcasm or not

but they dont want to play on a team together. At all. Not to mention the fact Saku might not be in the league in two years.

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by PUTTINxONxTHExFOIL on Feb 23, 2012 5:57 PM CST up reply actions

It IS, of course, sarcasm.

He’s responding to the fact that the OP already has the Wild going out, against their current course of action, and securing the playing rights of both Marcus Granlund and the other Rau brother… looking for that ‘Sedin Magic’. Since we already have a Koivu, and it doesn’t make any sense any way… hence the sarcasm.

by Krotz the Wall on Feb 24, 2012 8:24 AM CST up reply actions

Let's just get ALL Minnesota players!

What do you think Steve Debus is up to these days?

by wildfansec108row11 on Feb 23, 2012 10:50 AM CST reply actions

Looking at UFA's we might be able to start.......

L. Mendoza – M. Koivu – Granlund
Germaine – A. Banks – Conway
K. Wu – Brodziak- Clutterbuck
Averman – Coyle – C. Moreau
Powe
D. Robertson

Brodin-Shultz
Reed-Portman
Spurgeon-Russ Tyler
Scandella

J. Gaffney
G. Goldberg

Gaffney is more technically sound (always square, good feet, quick glovehand) than Goldberg and is a clear cut #1, due mostly to Goldberg’s lack of off ice conditioning. Though Goldberg has been known to be a streaky goaltender, and Mike Yeo has been impressed with his stick. (not what she said)

With Mendoza’s speed and newly found ability to stop in front of cans he should be able to stretch the ice and get mikko and sweet 8 pound 6 ounce finnish baby jesus some room to torture defenses.

Germaine Banks and Conway make up the best 2nd line in the NHL, with Conway moving to the right side.

Ken Wu grows a mustache. Wu Brodziak and Clutterbuck make up the Ned Flanders line.

Spurgeon and Russ Tyler develop good chemistry, with Russ Tyler becoming a power play specialist on the PP WITH THE ABILITY TO GET KNUCKLEPUCKS THROUGH LANES AND NOT INTO DEFENDERS SHINPADS. And a high second rounder!!!! I love It!!!!! Lou finally got Lamoreillo’d.

by Sheppard's Knee Doesnt Have A Mustache on Feb 26, 2012 8:38 PM CST reply actions 2 recs