Minnesota Wild at the Deadline: Nick Schultz Traded to the Oilers for Tom Gilbert
by BReynolds on Feb 27, 2012 12:11 PM CST
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Last night, Russo mentioned Nick Schultz was available for trade. I had my doubts. I should know better.
Nick Schultz traded to the Edmonton Oilers for defenseman Tom Gilbert. At first blush, this is not a good trade for the Wild. It is going to take some convincing to buy into this one. Gilbert is an offensive d-man, and not a particularly good one. His top production was a 45 point year in 2008-09. He has 17 points in 47 games this year.
The knock on Schultz was that his contract was inflated. As the 70th highest paid d-man in the league, I don't quite understand that line of thinking. He was the rock of the Wild defensive corps, and now Wild fans will see just what he brought to the team. The defensive ability of the Wild just took a major hit.
Keep in mind, Schultz made $3.5 million a year, and had one year left on his deal and has two years left. Gilbert makes $4 million a year (same as Marek Zidlicky), and is inked through 2014 (numbers via Capgeek). So, you lose a guy that is a known factor, a shut down d-man in exchange for a new Zidlicky.
We'll have a "Let's Meet" on Gilbert tomorrow or later today. For now, someone tell me why this deal makes any sense at all.
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Dammit.
Editor:Hockey Wilderness Assistant Editor:SBNation Minnesota Now with more Twitterness: @ReynoldsSBN
Master of unsustainable passive regression.
Freudian slip
in reaction to the trade, I presume.
I am willing to wait and see
Hockey Wilderness - Front Page Writer
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I am willing to wait and see
…if Gilbert is part of a package for Weber.
Sadness :(
I'm that ''ignorant dumbass'' who writes with the ''whiny idiot homer'' over at Hockey Wilderness.
Twitter: BubbleWild48
Don't get this one at all
Do we want no veteran D-men in the organization when Marco, Prosser, Falk, Brodin, Spurg are acclimating? Certainly don’t expect Lundin, Zanon, and Fozzy to show them the ropes. I don’t get this one at all. Great organization guy, only “positive” is causing shock in the locker room, making the team dive in the standings and stop toeing the mediocrity line of the playoff race.
This has probably been in the works for some time.
Trades don’t just happen overnight.
Schultz had two years left as well..
same term, Gilbert just makes a bit more money… and is worse.
by Krotz the Wall on Feb 27, 2012 12:24 PM CST reply actions
I don't understand this trade
http://nhlnumbers.com has his salary at 5mm this year (not the 4mm as stated in the article above). 3.5mm next year and 3mm in 2013/2014.
by aceinthecorner on Feb 27, 2012 12:25 PM CST reply actions
Add up the salary each year
And divide by the term and you get your annual cap hit. Gilbert’s is 4 mil, Schultz is 3.5.
Ok I think I just found the saving grace
The edm fans are completely distraught and feel as though we jobbed them. This fact alone makes me feel a lot better surprisingly
Don't know what I'm fighting for, but I know what I'm fighting against
by PUTTINxONxTHExFOIL on Feb 27, 2012 12:35 PM CST reply actions
It only makes me feel a little better
But than I realized they are only mad cause Corsi tells them to be. And I am going to miss Schultz shut down presence quite a bit.
Meh. They’ll hate him right up until they watch him play. Wild fans seem to hate Schultz, too. No one here, but the general “fan.” Defensive d-man never get the credit they deserve. Ever. Schultz would never get the Norris, but he is one of the best defensive d-men in the league.
Editor:Hockey Wilderness Assistant Editor:SBNation Minnesota Now with more Twitterness: @ReynoldsSBN
Master of unsustainable passive regression.
Just wait until they never have to say “Fuckin Schultz” I’m sure they will change the tune.
"ooooh babe, when I pick up the phone, there's still nobody home"- Floyd
by mckay10 on Feb 27, 2012 12:41 PM CST via mobile reply actions 4 recs
This.
Editor:Hockey Wilderness Assistant Editor:SBNation Minnesota Now with more Twitterness: @ReynoldsSBN
Master of unsustainable passive regression.
yeah,
most of us don’t want him.
Enjoy a d-man who doesn’t make many mistakes, plays solid and well positioned D.
by Krotz the Wall on Feb 27, 2012 12:49 PM CST up reply actions
I am surprised to say the least.
I heard on 93x this am that Schultz was out there…Still cant believe schultz is gone. He was our leader on D. all I can speculate is that CF believes we have too many Defensive first d men.
I wish schultzie the best. I will root hard for him even when we play them.
WWWWHHHAAATTTT?
Nick Shultz for Gilbert Godfrey. I don’t like it. And I really dont appreciate Chuck Fletcher waking the baby up with my yelling!
by Sheppard's Knee Doesnt Have A Mustache on Feb 27, 2012 12:50 PM CST reply actions
Stupid stupid stupid
stupid F8cking trade, what the hell fletch? How does this at all make sense? We have a surplus of defenders so trade a defender for a defender? HURR DURR CHUCK! Plus he’s a team leader and all we get back is Tom F*cking Gilbert. And apparently no one told Schultz and the team is stunned.
Well great, thanks Fletch, have fun on the golf course.
Unashamed Alex Burrows Fanboy, MN Wild Lover, and believer in the FLA Cats Blueprint
The structure of the trade makes perfect sense.
A Defensive D man, from a team with a few of them, for an Offensive D man which the teams lacks any real quality. The problem comes in the names attached to those roles. Schultz has been the Wild’s best defensive D man. Gilbert is not all that good.
by Krotz the Wall on Feb 27, 2012 1:06 PM CST up reply actions
You guys were right about Barker, I’m the first to say it. I’m sorry is what I came to say to you, I feel the same about the trade; at first glance the Oilers won this.
Honestly, this seems like neither side is happy, which likely means it was fair and won't have a big impact on anything.
Proprietor of Hockey Wilderness - We take Minnesota hockey WAY too seriously.
HW game threads will get longer while C&B game threads will shrink.
That’s the obvious motivation, right?
Schultz this year: 60 hits, 121 blocked shots, 18 giveaways
Gilbert this year: 54 hits, 76 blocked shots, 35 giveaways
by Lisa McRitchie on Feb 27, 2012 2:29 PM CST up reply actions
The real-time stats (hits, blocked shots, giveaways, takeaways) have big differences from scorer to scorer, so it’s good to check that when comparing guys on different teams.
Minnesota’s been credited with 20.6 hits per game at home and 23.8 on the road, so their scorer probably undercounts, and Schultz probably laid more hits than the stats say. They’ve been credited with 15.0 blocks per game at home and 18.3 on the road, so he’s probably blocked more shots than the stats say. Their scorer looks typical for giveaways and takeaways.
Edmonton’s been credited with 17.0 hits per game at home and 20.6 on the road, so their scorer undercounts hits too and that’ll be a wash when comparing across the teams.
Edmonton’s been credited with 16.5 blocks per game at home and 12.8 on the road, so Gilbert probably blocked fewer shots than the stats say, which makes the discrepancy with Schultz larger (though Minnesota’s tendency to actually face more shots may be part of this, as it gives Schultz more opportunities to block shots).
Edmonton’s scorer records a veritable crapton of giveaways — 17.3 at home vs 6.9 on the road, so that can explain an awful lot of the gap there.
@BSH_EricT
Writer at Broad Street Hockey
I agree that when you really delve deep into the stats it will likely be a wash, but I believe that Schultz is better in his own end.
by Lisa McRitchie on Feb 27, 2012 5:43 PM CST up reply actions
Do we allow Fletcher a bad deal now and then?
Meh- me either… stupid trade…
Cautiously optimistic in all things Wild, Twins and Vikings since '77
its a little early to call it a bad trade
2010-2011 Minnesota Wild Fantasy League Champion
President/CEO of the Tutu Many Slapshots fantasy hockey club
by Chris Winner on Feb 28, 2012 11:06 AM CST up reply actions
Well, there is no further use in complaining about it.
Welcome Tom, best of luck, and I hope you play your guts out for this team.
Gilbert's very happy to come home
Proprietor of Hockey Wilderness - We take Minnesota hockey WAY too seriously.
The first of April isn't for another 34 days...
The Twins, Wild, Hawkeyes and Timberwolves all contain W's, but lack Wins, while the Packers and City are without W's and have wins.
by Yabbs on Feb 27, 2012 1:25 PM CST via Android app reply actions
Another Minnesota player....
Honestly, enough of this. I don’t care where the dude is from. I just want him to be good. Shultzie was an awesome shut down d…. But I guess he didn’t have the Minnesota connection. I hate this trade.
I don't think Fletcher cares that he is Minnesotan either
Fletcher wanted someone to help us score better, apparently even if it came at a cost to the defensive side of the game. This does that to him.
My favorite rumor about this trade is its to get Sutter here, as he and Gilbert are old Badger Buddies (copyright pending)
Twitterverse: @hobey_baker
by The Nooge on Feb 27, 2012 1:56 PM CST via Android app reply actions
Honestly, there's something to that as a strategic bonus
Proprietor of Hockey Wilderness - We take Minnesota hockey WAY too seriously.
apparently he played
youth hockey with Parise. So, let the crazy rumors fly.
by Krotz the Wall on Feb 27, 2012 2:26 PM CST up reply actions
I like this trade, this team needed a shake up and our younger Dmen need to learn how to move the puck and shoot it a bit.
by timothy.shannon on Feb 27, 2012 2:30 PM CST reply actions
Wow
Zach Kassian for Cody Hodgson. Top prospect trade, maybe we can see a Kassian vs Kassian bout…
I Honestly Don't Get
where this Schultz is our best D-man coming from and what not. If he was, he wouldn’t be 5th on the team in TOI/game and 2nd tied for 2nd in PK TOI/game. He would be tops in PK and damn near tops in Total TOI if he was our best defensive D man. His contract is too much for a stay at home, non-physical D-man. A puck-mover like Gilbert is worth his contract because of the type of D-man that he is. His types are much harder to acquire via FA and trade, unlike a defensive D-man like Schultz.
by grumble_grumble on Feb 27, 2012 2:40 PM CST reply actions 1 recs
Meh, I like it
12th place in the conference, 5 pts out of a playoff spot, Fletcher need to shake things up. And it looks like he succeed in doing so, maybe this will be a very large wake up call to the rest of the team. Sorry to see Schultz go though, he’s a good guy. Also does this mean no more Mo-vembers? He was the leading force around it.
don't like it
shultz was a team guy who was solid every game. He was the shut down type of guy who could go against the #1 line. With another couple years left on his deal, there was no need to do it this year. Sucks but good luck to him. He should have been here for another 5 years.
50/50 about this trade
I mean I loved schultz and he by far was the best D man we had, given that are D has been very spotty all year expect for the first part of the season. I gotta say never really liked tom gilbert but see what he can bring to the table hopefully he will be better then Zids. Overall I am kinda sad we lost schultzy but we did need to shake things and focus on the next couple of years
by Captian Conway99 on Feb 27, 2012 3:34 PM CST reply actions
I'm a little shocked
but more sad then anything. Schultz has been solid and will be missed. Hopefully Gilbert can help us get the puck out of our zone better.
I am fine with this trade. Our biggest problem is lack of offensive defensemen.
Not sure this solves that issue, but lets at least be honest and admit that Schulz was certainly not going to solve that particular issue. I think our team has a lot of Schultz-lite players, and much cheaper. A good gamble, I think.
Schultz may have been emblematic of the Wild team, but right now, being steady and low-scoring is that emblem.
Time for a change, time will tell if it was a good one.
Let loose the hogs of war!
Dogs of war..
Whatever farm animal of war, Lana...
Yea I agree that alot of the younger D men could and can be a schultz type player in the future
by Captian Conway99 on Feb 27, 2012 3:52 PM CST up reply actions
Why is everyone so upset?
Gilbert will be a great addition to the team. If anyone has actually watched him play before they will see that he makes great passes and everyone around him better. He will also not be as big of a defensive liability as everyone on here seems to think.
As a team with Schultz we have made one decent playoff run. Why not change things up a bit.
I feel like everyone read the article from BReynolds and just jumped right on his bandwagon. I think time will show that Gilbert is a piece of the puzzle that we needed. Good trade by Fletch.
Schultz certainly wasn't the problem.
Scoring goals is good and all, but not being able to prevent them cancels that out.
I'm that ''ignorant dumbass'' who writes with the ''whiny idiot homer'' over at Hockey Wilderness.
Twitter: BubbleWild48
He was not the problem....
I agree that he was not the problem. I just do not get why everyone is freaking out about losing him. I do think Gilbert will be able to prevent goals better than everyone thinks.
by Outbackjoe77 on Feb 27, 2012 5:03 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
People are upset because they liked Schutlz and what he brought to the table.
He is defensive hockey and for some reason without him, most fans think the Wild will lose every game. I’m willing to give Gilbert a chance because while he may not be as good defensively as Schultz, maybe moving the puck out of the zone quicker will result in fewer goals against as well.
This
Losing one of the longest tenured guys, a guy who was a great locker room presence, and an all-round classy guy is definitely a punch in the gut, no question. He was well liked and well respected. But, like someone had mentioned earlier, he was part of the “losing culture” that had permeated the locker room over the years. I’m not saying he was the sole reason for the losses. He wasn’t. But something had to give.
More importantly, with yesterday’s moves, CF is trying to infuse offensive-defensemen into a team that doesn’t boast a whole lot of those kinds of players. I don’t know the stats, but I’m sure the Wild rank at the bottom for points by blueliners. This is CF’s attempt to change that.
I’m excited to see what Gilbert does in a Wild jersey. On a side note, good luck to Schultzy in Edmonton. I’m sure their fans will love the guy just as much as they did here in Minny.
Son-of-a-bitch is dug in like an Alabama tick!
by Mark It Zero! on Feb 28, 2012 9:08 AM CST up reply actions
he was part of the "losing culture" that had permeated the locker room over the years.
Take a look at the roster 3 years ago and the roster at the beginning of this season. There really aren’t that many familiar faces left. That whole “losing culture” argument is one giant pile of horse shit.
The Wild are “losers” because they have a terrible roster that shouldn’t be in most games.
You know you're a Wild fan if Spam Whoopie Gerald-buns comes up in conversation
Mikael Granlund = Suomi Savior
by JDesthubert on Feb 28, 2012 11:06 AM CST up reply actions
I think there is something to be said about a team that always seems to quit when the going gets tough.
I believe Bryan refers to that as losing their pride. Well that could be translated as a culture of losing as well.
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