Central Division: Minnesota Making Moves
We continue our look around the Central Division today. We’ve already discussed Nashville, St. Louis and Dallas. Now, we turn our attention to Minnesota.
The Wild have lost their share in trades and free agency thus far, and have more work to do as the summer continues. Here’s a list at what Minnesota has done to date.
TRADES
- June 23 – traded forwards Erik Haula and Alex Tuch to Vegas.
- June 30 – traded forward Jason Pominville, defenseman Marco Scandella and a 4th round pick in the 2018 NHL Draft to Buffalo for forwards Tyler Ennis and Marcus Foligno and a 3rd round pick in the 2018 NHL Draft.
FREE AGENCY
- Signed goaltender Niklas Svedberg to a one-year contract
- Signed defenseman Kyle Quincey to a one-year contract
- Signed forward Kyle Rau to a one-year contract
- Signed forward Landon Ferraro to a two-year contract
- Signed forward Cal O’Reilly to a two-year contract
Good Pominville has been a pain in the side of the Hawks for long enough
Unlike Dallas, who I think has improved with their off-season moves, Minnesota looks like they’ve gone the other direction. They lost 2 forwards that played well against the Hawks in Haula and Pominville and the Scandella-Quincy exchange is at best a wash. They also lost their 2 TDL acquisitions in Hanzal and R.White.
They have $15M in cap space so maybe they pick up another player or two, but they also need to re-sign two of their best forwards – Granlund and Niederreiter, plus Foligno needs to be re-signed too. By the time they’re done re-signing those three there will be much less cap space available to sign a high priced UFA.
And … they still have the Jekyll/Hyde of goalies – Dubnyk.
Supposedly they’re loaded with talented prospects. That’s according to Pierre McGuire. I lost count on how many times he mentioned it during some Wild games.
The talking penis with glasses that is Pierre had a hard on for Alex Tuch who I always thought was overrated.
LOL ? @ the talking penis with glasses! Good one, Ernie!
Thank you for the laugh Ernie he certainly is a dick!
Don’t dog Regis McGuire,…his actual 1st name is Regis
Actually Minnesota is absolutely loaded with top 6 forwards. A couple wingers and centers and Mike Reilly.
So what would you call Panger?
Mike Reilly. The forward trying to play defence?
https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/3692395721/f07c3ecce8bd8926313f0cfd170540a9.jpeg
Am I that far off? “Hows the ice Pierre?”…..”Good!”
Pang doesnt bother me. Although every time he says “Holy Jumpin!” Reminds me of this…
https://youtu.be/ZfCtTw_8vs0
Great season, but what nobody talks about is the Blackhawks and the Wild played intense playoff hockey the last 2 months of the season trying to win the Division championship. They had nothing left for the playoffs.
While I appreciate that playing deep into the playoff has a cost for the next year (reason why Hawks have no excuses this year, let alone last) Excuses don’t win Cups and the Penguins had lots of them-
-injuries
-no name defense
-in tight Metro race all year
-won the year before and played into June
They Won!
SSHM- I agree- a very talented pool of prospects-will be there soon
Hawks should take a chance and get Jagr for less then 2 millions…..Strong ,good work ethic, experience ,and still have more passion then many guys on the team ..and better player then Sharp …100% sure …
Rasmussen…gone to Ducks….750.000$
John- the Hawks let off the gas to rest guys up and the Wild imploded 2 months before the playoffs.
Need to do what the PENS have done forever..Draft well and bring up high drafted young players every year to play alongside CROSBY, MALKIN and LETANG!!!
Let’s give IACOPELLI, SCHMUALTZ, HARTAN, GUSTAFSON (not signed?), FORTIN, GILBERT a chance!!!!
If coach Q lets it happen of course!!!
Chris do you mean Vanek. He’s slow and on decline but still got playmaking and maybe goalscoring ability by deflections but for what he probably asking be too much prior to season starts and may find something more appealing as a top 6 winger or bottom 6 center depending where Schmaltz plays at that point when some room.
Hartman and Schmaltz are playing. So im not sure where that argument comes from. Then again i see the author so it makes sense. Iacopelli has a 8 professional games…but lets give him a shot in the top 6. Fortin has ZERO professional games. Whats the harm in seeing what they can do against paid professionals. The former is a bigger question mark as he is a little older and had a bad age 21 season and a good year last year.
Dennis Gilbert hasnt signed his ELC yet. Tab really likes him. As do I, although I think he needs to work on his shot. He knows when to step up and make the big hits.
Gustafson and Pokka will both probably compete for spots. A lot of people have appearently forgotten how bad Gus was in his own zone. Made Rundblad look good.
I think it is safe to say that if Bowman trades Hossa to Carolina along with more prospects and a high draft pick, he needs to be fired before the season starts. The cap issues the Hawks have every year are created by Bowman himself. Everyone in the league, GM and sports writers will agree. This year, once again apart from their 1st round pick, the rest of the draft was rated awful by many draft experts.
Savoir …many draft expert think they are expert ..time will tell iff the Draft picks where so bad ….like when many expert didnt see ..Shaw , Big Buff , and long time ago Bossy … where did you heard about .Hossa leaving with prospect and high Picks . ????
He heard it from hockeybuzz. Or heard it from someone who heard it from hockeybuzz.
Mark Lazerus
I was hoping Bowman would try to fill his bottom roster with offensive players who may have not yet burst out as goal scorers but needed a change of scenery. Players with offensive potential, prospects from other teams that have not produced yet. Take a chance on Yakupov for instance instead of Bouma? Or Marcus Foligno instead of Wingels? Sharp was a player in the Flyer organization that the Dudley at the time say offensive potential. Pick at organizations that have drafted well the last 5-7 years and see if you can get one of their prospects!!! I would have traded Kruger, TVR and a pick for Shea Theodore for instance!
Merci!!!
And I still do not understand the Tanner Kero signing? He is an AHL player. Bowman was a little too quick to sign him. I would have tried Burmistov!
Merci beaucoup!
If we only knew as much as Mark Lazerus-oh Savoir Faire
We donot want guys who only can score in the bottom 6, we want guys that will keep the other tam from scoring and hit them. Booma can be like Frozal, just not as good.
We have and will only get better each yr guys that can score. Its only a matter of time.
Tackle and go fast, bitches.
Kruger and a pick for Theodore… what planet are you on that anyone would do that deal?
The Man Child.
Kneel before Saad.
I just spent 20 minutes looking for where Lazerus mentioned Hossa to Canes…cant find jack.
SAVOIR FAIRE!!! Ernie, no worries. Let’s hope COACH Q turns a new leaf and allows some youngsters this year as well to make the team. I really want NICK SCHMAULTZ at center with KANE!!!
Ernie, forget LAZERUS…focus on the prospects!!!
Yes, apparently Bowman is trying to trade Hossa away and the Canes are players.
Just saw Fortin injured and may not play the prospects tournament,
Too bad, type of player that may have chemistry later in with Toews.