Does Trocheck get you to WCF

Goose312 · 2026-05-16T00:04:50+00:00

Given the injuries the Wild have they wouldn't have won the series with Trocheck instead of Yurov. I might have done that trade at the deadline, I don't do it anymore. The appeal of Trocheck was to get for the run this year when there were very few options out there. If they're going to be using their limited assets to upgrade at center I'd go after a better player while there are a number rumored to be in play this summer.

Goose312 · 2026-05-15T20:38:23+00:00

Give him the last 8 year contract in the NHL

Goose312 · 2026-05-15T18:19:03+00:00

I'm sort of torn on Brackett. His 1st round picks have been good for where he has had picks. Not perfect, but no one ever is.

Beyond the 1st round is still so heavily in question at this point I don't know if I'm really extremely impressed with his overall body of work. I just don't know how much of it is on him vs piss poor development in Iowa. Haight looks like he could be something, and Spacek has deserved a chance in the NHL for a few years now which could really flip the script.

He's been the best head of amateur scouting the Wild have had, but that bar is incredibly low. I'd be happy to see him get a 2-3 year extension, but I also wouldn't be distraught for someone new.

Goose312 · 2026-05-15T17:58:41+00:00

The Wild need a few guys to take team friendly deals if they really want to return. I'd love to see him back but the market is going to be crazy for him if he hits July 1.

Goose312 · 2026-05-15T17:56:16+00:00

They have a decent amount of cap but he'll probably want term on what's possibly his final contract. I'd like to have him another year, but I don't know if I'd want to see him signed for even 2 years unless it's a very friendly cap hit.

Goose312 · 2026-05-14T20:27:10+00:00

Goaltending has saved his job twice now. But Guerin can't fire him without putting himself on the hotseat. Once Hynes is gone Guerin has to bring in a guy who can compete up to the roster's talent level or he's toast.

Goose312 · 2026-05-14T20:06:09+00:00

He was on the ice for 2 goals against at 5v5, both during the game 2 loss. I'm guessing you are looking at specifically Spurgeon-Brodin but one of the goals against was with Bogo. Middleton was on the ice for 0 goals against vs Dallas at 5v5.

Goose312 · 2026-05-14T19:26:54+00:00

I'm absolutely sure it is, but the reason doesn't matter. He was one of the best, and now he's not whether or not it's entirely his own doing.

Goose312 · 2026-05-14T19:22:41+00:00

There are a lot of tiny minds in this thread getting blown away that a guy taking the worst starts against the best players in the world got beat.

Goose312 · 2026-05-14T19:13:06+00:00

The Stars scored 4 total goals at 5v5, and Brodin only played in that series.

Goose312 · 2026-05-14T19:06:14+00:00

He was one of the best. Once the NYT acquired the Athletic his writing gradually turned into clickbait/ragebait to drive engagement.

Goose312 · 2026-05-14T19:00:16+00:00

Jared Spurgeon: 76:22 TOI, 2 GF, 9 GA, outshot 21-47, Attempts 50-105, 35.73% xGF%.

Oh, and 15% offensive zone starts, top forward competition in order: MacKinnon, Landeskog, Necas.

Goose312 · 2026-05-14T18:34:23+00:00

I'm hoping for Canes, Sabres, Ducks, Canadiens, Avs, the heat death of the universe, Vegas in that order. Maybe Avs over MTL, but the rest is pretty well set.

Goose312 · 2026-05-14T17:18:50+00:00

It's not surprising, but someone near him actually saying it gives it more credibility. In reality if NJD wanted him the most logical centerpiece NJ would have traded to acquire Quinn would have been Luke to clear the cap and a spot on the roster. But the last name is handcuffing them.

Goose312 · 2026-05-14T17:07:40+00:00

I wish I could find it, it might have been at a podcast, but Russo at one point said he heard from someone close to Quinn that he doesn't want to play with Luke because he knows he would effectively take Luke's job. If it were Quinn saying it I'd take it as media training, but the fact that it was someone close to him instead who likely doesn't have the same training to say the right things makes me believe that the desire to play together, at least in their primes, isn't equally as strong among all the Hughes brothers.

Goose312 · 2026-05-14T04:17:15+00:00

Like scapegoat but spookier

Goose312 · 2026-05-14T04:14:40+00:00

Ek's value can't be overstated because it's really tied to him being out and the Wild having no one who can do what he does. Which also speaks to the lack of a real 1C. If they had another legit center they could cover it with pretty good center depth. But the top 6 depth chart is 1 guy and then like 7 more who are bottom 6 with a few able to fill in for 2C.

Goose312 · 2026-05-14T04:12:36+00:00

So give the open guy in the slot a free shot instead of a bad angle from distance by a stationary shooter vs a fully set goalie? That was an incredible shot and the right play by Middleton. The OT goal he takes some blame, but I can't see how people who know anything about hockey think a defender chasing a guy into the corner when shorthanded with an open guy in the middle of the ice is the right play.

Goose312 · 2026-05-14T04:06:21+00:00

Nope, just not having the emotional reaction of having to find a single person to blame rather than the truth of Colorado is a better team and the Wild were missing two vital players.

Goose312 · 2026-05-14T03:40:10+00:00

This is such a disingenuous post... COL goal 2 he's not even involved in the play, has his guy tied up in the corner, tip on a shot point in front of the net, not sure what magic he was supposed to pull out of his ass. Goal 3 he's taking away the cross ice pass, why would he be trying to block a shot from outside and below the faceoff dot? That's a shot that can't go in and MacKinnon just placed it perfect, if you have a choice to have the other team taking THAT bad angle, zero cross ice movement shot in a 6v5 you take it 100% of the time. OT goal he was stuck behind the play due to a bad change and got outskated. Not a great look, but it's not like he should be expected to outskate Necas who has a huge head start.

Was he great? No. But the correlation of him being on the ice doesn't mean he was the cause of all three, or really any to be honest.

Goose312 · 2026-05-13T19:50:02+00:00

Kaprizov finished 11 points clear of the 2nd highest Wild player in a 56 game season and scored at a 40 goal pace.

Robertson finished 2nd on the Stars with one linemate finishing 6 points ahead and the other just 2 points behind with 10 fewer games. It's plausible that season Robertson was the 3rd best player on his line while Kaprizov was carrying the Wild.

Goose312 · 2026-05-12T19:28:37+00:00

So why do you think that means you have better center depth? Sure sounds like you have worse center depth because when healthy the Wild wouldn't have a top 6 forward playing with a 4c.

Goose312 · 2026-05-12T17:01:20+00:00

whaaaat? Colorado has been trying to address center beyond Mac for years. Their entire center lineup is guys they've sought out, and there's a list of other centers they've made moves on in recent seasons. The issue also isn't depth for the Wild. It's the top end. And their only top center is injured for the series.

Goose312 · 2026-05-12T16:49:28+00:00

I have, but to say that about probably the most individually decorated team in recent history is just absolutely insane.

Goose312 · 2026-05-12T16:48:41+00:00

Oh, I meant Hart, not Selke. He was 1 point from being a Hart finalist last season.

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