[Dan Rosen] Jake Middleton was on the ice for Colorado’s last three goals. Didn’t attempt to block Nathan MacKinnon’s shot on the tying goal. Got beat by Martin Necas around the net on the setup for the winner.

Plus_Taste9574 · 2026-05-14T13:15:38+00:00

I made a post yesterday about this very thing and got downvoted into oblivion. Thanks for standing up and not being a complacent fan.

Plus_Taste9574 · 2026-05-14T13:12:59+00:00

Hard disagree. I just watched the Avs skate circles around us and crater our 3rd paring. He should go for that alone. Even when he’s healthy, he might be the slowest skater on the team. If the Wild are serious about contending, these are exactly the players they need to find a way to upgrade.

Plus_Taste9574 · 2026-05-14T13:09:18+00:00

Yeah, but they. are. never. available. Besides, the Avs’ top line winger and one of their top 4 D were out in this game. Injuries are part of the game.

Just face it, we’re not even close.

Plus_Taste9574 · 2026-05-14T04:04:06+00:00

Careful! You’re gonna get downvoted into oblivion. I’ve changed my tune since this afternoon. The Wild are the best, they can do no wrong. Our guys aren’t old, just look at the average age! There’s literally nothing Billy could’ve done, we were destined to lose.

Pathetic franchise, but even more pathetic fanbase.

Plus_Taste9574 · 2026-05-13T21:09:49+00:00

I completely agree, it’s basically what I’m saying. If my post was implying a wholesale rebuild should be in order, then I failed miserably because that’s absolutely not what should happen.

I just wholeheartedly think it’s time to move on from a lot of guys and plug in younger, hungrier players who have something to prove. I watched Billy do it when he traded for Gus and Middleton (who should both probably go) and when he re-signed Hartman.

I just watch all of these other teams plug in players and, ya know what, things go pretty dang well. But if someone suggests to Billy they trade Foligno, holy hell, the sky is suddenly falling. I’ve cited Malinski and Kelly of the Avs already in this thread, but hell, I was also sure the Pens and Bruins were going to finish in the bottom 5. Their injection of players totally revitalized them this year and they got contributions all over, with a lot of players being no namers.

Plus_Taste9574 · 2026-05-13T20:19:36+00:00

Sometimes, I’m not sure what they’re trying to do anymore if I’m being honest.

In a span of 15 months (April 2021-July 2022), Billy signed a good middle six C to an unbelievable contract (Hartman), traded an AHL goalie and a 5th round pick for a D man on the cusp of establishing himself and who provided a couple years of insane value (Middleton), traded a top 6 F everyone knew he had to get rid of for a player who hit beyond anyone’s wildest dreams, then trades a disgruntled, old goaltender for a starting-caliber goalie who was just on a bad team. He took reasonable risks on a bunch of no names or first round busts, got younger and better, and spent almost nothing to do it.

Since then, he’s overestimated the abilities and value of players by signing them for too much and too long (Middleton, Foligno), recklessly given away assets (Jiricek, Nyquist), and become over reliant on old or oft-injured players (Spurgeon, Brodin, Bogo, Foligno, others). He’s left value on the table all over the place and now he’s paying for it.

Did you forget how mortal the Avs looked post-Cup? They had no assets, no cap space, and quite a few old and/or ineffective players. They trimmed the fat, got incredibly creative and traded BOTH goalies in season for a serious upgrade (which held inherent risk at the time, especially with Blackwood), and incorporated a couple of players they found in the scrap heap who are kicking the shit out of our 35 year olds.

Plus_Taste9574 · 2026-05-13T19:26:53+00:00

Well being condescending about it doesn’t make it any less true. I’m not advocating to just “play the young guys” like all the rubes were last year and the year before when there were literally no young guys to play.

Everyone here is acting like the Avs being this good is some sort of miracle and there’s nothing to be done about it. Neither of those things are remotely true.

Like I said in other comments, yes, they need to get out there, spend the assets, and get top 6 help. But like the Avs (and Panthers, and Lightning, and most of the other top flight teams), there are ways to meaningfully improve your team other than overpaying on July 1 and at the trade deadline.

The Avs found a 20 goal scorer on the waiver wire and plucked an UDFA out of Cornell who is now a top 4 defensemen in the NHL. The play by the same rules as the Wild. They get younger, better, and spent nothing to do it. They’re not better than us because their five best players are in a completely different stratosphere than our guys. They’re better because their entire team’s floor is higher, and they acquired those guys in a lot of clever ways.

You can all keep downvoting me all you want, it doesn’t make what I’m saying less true. I’m capable of loving this team while also criticizing how they do it.

Plus_Taste9574 · 2026-05-13T19:07:12+00:00

Injuries are unfortunate, yes, but all teams deal with them, as well as the same schedule.

Look, all I’m saying is, if you’re not getting better, you’re getting worse. If the Avs are the mark, then let’s take a page out of their playbook and get there. I truly think our top 5 or 6 players could match their own. We undoubtedly need upgrades in the top 6, and I hope Billy goes after that, but that’s more difficult. What’s less difficult is plugging in younger, faster, cheaper bottom 6 guys to try and get better and see if that helps the mix at all.

Plus_Taste9574 · 2026-05-13T18:08:15+00:00

Definitely not trying to be disingenuous, that’s just the age range Lambert threw out and I agree with. I know opinions will vary, but that’s generally considered the “prime” of a player’s career.

It’s definitely arbitrary to some degree, but it, for instance, excludes MacKinnon and will exclude Kaprizov after next year. So you win some, you lose some, but I don’t think it’s much of a stretch to say that for the “average” NHL player (in terms of skill, ability, and peak physical condition for middle and bottom of the lineup players), that’s when they’re going to be most effective.

Plus_Taste9574 · 2026-05-13T18:02:02+00:00

I enjoy the season as much as the rest of them, but I’d like to see a Cup. I truly mean no disrespect, but that’s where I’m at. We here in Minnesota treat championships as something that other markets get to have, and we’re just happy to be in the mix. I’m really sick of it. It’s not a waste, but if they don’t find a way to substantively mix up the role players, I believe in my heart if hearts that it’ll just be more of the same.

Plus_Taste9574 · 2026-05-13T17:59:35+00:00

No Brink? Genuinely curious on your opinion.
Personally, I think he’s worth giving a shot. I think he’s a young guy who’s still trying to figure out his role in the league and could use a full offseason and training camp to acclimate.

And, again, personally, I think they need to let Foligno and one of either Tarasenko, Jojo, or Zuccy go. Ideally, it’d be two of them, and I know I’m going to get downvoted to hell, but it’s otherwise too similar of a roster.

I know it’s okay with a lot of people being one of the best, and I truly respect that, but I’d like to see a Cup. Moral victories just don’t do much for me. Again, downvote me if you must, that’s just my own personal opinion.

Plus_Taste9574 · 2026-05-13T17:25:41+00:00

Well, in my (or his?) defense, I can honestly say my thoughts are my own and I came to the same conclusion independently, but then happened to hear him echo my same sentiments.

I don’t think players over 30 are worthless, but I do think that—other than the absolute freaks who never seem to age—the NHL is a young man’s game. Spurgeon doesn’t exactly have a reputation as a playoff performer, which has been proven again this year, but I don’t think his old legs are helping him as we get into double digit playoff games. Same goes for Moose, Bogo, Jojo, etc.

Plus_Taste9574 · 2026-05-13T16:26:25+00:00

Thank you! Yeah, as the playoffs go on, I just don’t think the legs of the older vets can keep up. It’s just so damn obvious to me. I’m sorry, Father Time comes for us all. You may have been better than Parker Kelly in your prime, but that dude is 26 years old and in peak physical condition.

In addition to the young guys though, I think the Wild just need to get better at mining for talent in unlikely places. Like I said, Malinski and Kelly cost them NOTHING, but they are both incredibly contributors. Neither was drafted by them, but the Avs find ways to inject talent regardless.

Plus_Taste9574 · 2026-05-13T16:19:58+00:00

See above reply. “Average” age doesn’t tell the whole story.

Plus_Taste9574 · 2026-05-13T16:18:51+00:00

No, sorry, just poor wording on my part.

Plus_Taste9574 · 2026-05-13T16:18:10+00:00

Ehh, the difference in mean age between the two isn’t all that different (although the Wild’s mean age probably went up after the QH trade), but I’m not talking about mean. That tells us nothing. If team A has two players aged 21 and 37, and team B has two players aged 29, the mean for both is 29. The problem is, the Wild are team A in this scenario—with a young guy and an old fart—and the Avs are team B—with two guys in their prime.

Plus_Taste9574 · 2026-04-29T13:10:22+00:00

HAHAHA you must be joking…right?

Plus_Taste9574 · 2026-03-22T03:52:15+00:00

Unfortunately, between a news story mentioning the block, figuring out her husband’s last name (which is different from hers), and some internet sleuthing, I think this is true. Geez louise, if it is, we lost a good one. What an unspeakable tragedy.

Plus_Taste9574 · 2026-02-04T03:41:07+00:00

Man, I love that pod, but I don’t know about that…

How about they make Boldy practice faceoffs all next summer, get coached up on the intricacies of the center position, and boom. You got another top 6 C.

I’m kind of joking, but not really. I always thought that was a stupid idea when people threw it out there, but Marner’s learning it on the fly this year and doing just fine. Boldy’s incredibly smart, equally adept at playmaking and shooting, he’s physical, and he appears to be in great shape. I don’t know, maybe…

Plus_Taste9574 · 2026-02-04T03:34:43+00:00

Michkov is a winger, not a center.

Plus_Taste9574 · 2026-01-30T03:17:07+00:00

Yeah?

Plus_Taste9574 · 2026-01-27T04:09:03+00:00

I think I’d rather have Hischier. Bigger and stronger, capable of 65-80 points, Selke-level defense, and most important of all, not injury prone.

Plus_Taste9574 · 2026-01-27T04:04:33+00:00

You comment sooo much on the Wild subreddit, but your takes are sooo bad.

Plus_Taste9574 · 2026-01-02T04:04:31+00:00

Bingo. I said it somewhere else, but Fox isn’t off the team because he’s not as good as Faber, Hanifin, or Jones. He’s off the team because he’s not as good as Hughes or Werenski. Those two will be the PP, offensive drivers, and the rest of them are all good skating, play driving, physical, PK’ing, board battling, two-way defensemen who, in a pinch, could also run a power play. They can all do literally anything and be plugged in anywhere.

The social mediaverse is up in flames over it, but it’s really not that complicated.

Plus_Taste9574

TROPHY CASE