Minnesota Wild (1-1-2) 4pts 6th in the Central
2.50 Goals For Per Game (21st in NHL)
3.25 Goals Against Per Game (19th in NHL)
16.7% Power Play (21st in NHL)
85.0% Penalty Kill (8th in NHL)
Top 5 Scorers:
1. #11 Zach Parise ~ 1G 4A = 5pts
2. #16 Jason Zucker ~ 3G 1A = 4pts
3. #20 Ryan Suter ~ 1G 3A = 4pts
4. #12 Eric Staal ~ 1G 2A = 3pts
5. #24 Matthew Dumba ~ 1G 1A = 2pts
Top 3 PIM’s:
1. #17 Marcus Foligno ~ 7 PIM’s
2. #12 Eric Staal ~ 6 PIM’s
3. #3 Charlie Coyle ~ 4 PIM’s
Top Goaltenders:
1. #40 Devan Dubnyk (1-1-2) 2.64GAA .934%SP
2. #32 Alex Stalock N/A
Vs.
Nashville Predators (4-1-0) 8pts 1st in the Central
3.0 Goals For Game (17th in NHL)
2.0 Goals Against Game (2nd in NHL)
11.8% Power Play (23rd in NHL)
75.0% Penalty Kill (21st in NHL)
Top 5 Scorers:
1. #33 Viktor Arvidsson ~ 3G 2A = 5pts
2. #9 Filip Forsberg ~ 3G 2A = 5pts
3. #38 Ryan Hartman ~ 1G 3A = 4pts
4. #14 Mattias Ekholm ~ 1G 3A = 4pts
5. #92 Ryan Johansen ~ 1G 3A = 4pts
Top 3 PIM’s:
1. #14 Mattias Ekholm ~ 7 PIM’s
2. #36 Zac Rinaldo ~ 6 PIM’s
3. #10 Colton Sissons ~ 5 PIM’s
Top Goaltenders:
1. #35 Pekka Rinne (2-1-0) 1.67GAA .946%SP 1SO
2. #74 Juuse Saros (2-0-0) 2.50GAA .902%SP
Lines:
Nashville Predators
Forsberg~Johansen~Arvidsson
Fiala~Turris~Smith
Jarnkrok~Bonino~Hartman
Rinaldo~Sissons~Salomaki
Josi~Ellis
Ekholm~Subban
Hamhuis~Weber
Rinne
Saros
Minnesota Wild
Zucker~Staal~Greenway
Parise~Koivu~Granlund
Niederreiter~Fehr~Coyle
Foligno~Hendricks~Brown
Suter~Dumba
Brodin~Spurgeon
Seeler~Pateryn
Dubnyk
Stalock
First things first, we have a bit of administrative duties to take care of first. Due to prior commitments, there will be no post-game article today. We apologize for any letdowns this may create, but at least we’re not as disappointing as the team itself. Let the shade commence.
All throughout our lives, our performance in various aspects of our lives has been evaluated. These evaluations pretty much started the moment our parents discovered we were on our way. With the advancement of medical technology, the ultrasound can help better track a baby’s growth and heart rate and give the doctor an idea of potential size and weight at time of birth. Once we are born, our height and weight is compared to averages of other babies as well as cognitive development. When we are old enough to start school, we are graded on a daily, quarterly, semester, and yearly basis. This progression was tracked through report cards. I remember in my elementary school, we were gives grades of S (satisfactory) and N (needs improvement). When I got to high school (my high school was a grade 7-12 building), the grades became A-F. My last two years of high school were at a state operated arts high school in the Twin Cities. Since it was state run, we were also the testing ground for education reform for the state of Minnesota. When I was there, we were testing “outcome based education.” This style, you didn’t receive a traditional letter grade, more of a did you achieve the expected goals for the class or not. It was really confusing, and they had some sort of way of translating that into letter grades and a GPA for those of us going on to college. And then when I got to college, yes there were letter grades, but it seemed like the actual GPA was more important. I remember that I missed graduating cum laude by 0.02 points. After college we move into the work force. We have all had a performance review at our jobs. At my current place of employment, both myself and my manager have to rate my performance. Both of us have to rate my performance as “Exceeds Expectations,” “Meets Expectations,” or “Did Not Meet Expectations.” Where as back in our school days, we received grades that determined whether or not we are promoted to the next grade or graduate, in the work world we receive grades that determine our promotions and pay raises.
Over the past 5 or so years, if there’s been one thing that fans have pretty much said that the Minnesota Wild need to improve on, it’s been speed. The NHL has definitely worked on trying to make the game more exciting for the fans, and that has been done by rule changes and calling infractions during play for things that were already on the books. If you slash an opposing players stick, it’s far more likely to get called now than it was five years ago. We’re also seeing more interference and hooking calls than we did five years ago. Yes, all of those extra penalty calls can slow the game down, but the ultimate goal is to give the offensive player the freedom to move on the ice with the puck. With the crackdown by the officials, you hopefully see fewer players taking those infractions. The idea was to open up the ice and generate more offense. With that in mind, the game has gotten faster. It seems that memo has made it to every team, with the exception of the Minnesota Wild. I know every year with the NHL Entry Draft, I hope this is the year that management gets it through their thick skulls that we’re going to draft players that can skate. Yet every year I’m disappointed. Either we pick a forward where ‘skating’ is in the “Did Not Meet Expections” or “Needs Improvement” column or a random (and again plodding) defenseman that is on no one’s list. I can’t remember if it was on Twitter or on a message board, but someone pointed out that in all this time that we have been needing speed, we’ve really only drafted two players with speed: Jason Zucker and Erik Haula. I believe there was a third skater on that list, and for the life of me, I can’t find the post or the Tweet to remember who that person was. But the point is, of the three, only Zucker remains on the roster. And really, he’s the only player on the ice on a nightly basis who shows any attempt at speed. And when we need speed the most, ie overtime, who do we keep on the ice? Zach Parise, Mikko Koivu, and Ryan Suter, three skaters who are anything but speedy. So with the exception of Zucker, when it comes to speed, the Minnesota Wild officially get a rating of “Does Not Meet Expectations.”
If you’re not going to be a speedy team, you need to be a smart team on the ice. This means peppering the opposing goaltender with shots. This means making timely and correct passes. This means showing up to play from the moment of the opening puck drop. This means not taking dumb and numerous penalties. This is even more true (and important) when you’re the oldest team in the league. I remember when the Wild came into the league, and the Detroit Red Wings were the aging team of the league. They were called the “Dead Things” because of their collective age on the roster. Yet even with their advanced age on their roster, they could still play smart, effective, and offensive hockey. They were still feared. They still made the playoffs and were a threat. Yes, officiating was suspect Saturday night against Carolina, but when that happens you have to rise above that and plot your own destiny. Yet they didn’t. At least head coach Bruce Boudreau didn’t mince words during the post-game press conference, and called out the players, calling it embarrassing. Hey guys, when your manager calls you on the carpet for lack of performance and initiative, you better listen.
When you’re having this kind of season, facing your division leader early in the goings, just might be the thing to wake this team up. Mind you, I’m not holding my breath, it’s just a small hope. Something needs to happen to wake this team up, I just don’t know what it is. Playing a road game in Nashville rarely bodes well for the Minnesota Wild, so hopefully this will open their eyes up. Now only if it could be combined with road games in Dallas and Winnipeg as well because we all know how great the Wild are in those two cities. While they do lead the Central Division, the Nashville Predators aren’t exactly tearing up the stat sheet. They’re not lighting the lamp at the drop of a hat. What they are doing is not letting the opposition score. While that might not be the most exciting thing to watch, it can be highly effective, when on a regular basis you score just enough to win the game. If Saturday was any indication, Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne might be a bit bored. Sure, Minnesota might be lucky and get one past Rinne, but the Predators are scoring more than they let in. And as the old cliche goes, defense wins championships.
I’ll say this, I’m glad that I will most likely miss this game tonight. I need to see a concerted effort of this team at least moving into the “Meets Expectations” column before I start feeling better. I don’t know how many “Exceeds Expectation” moments we’ll have this season, but the win against Chicago was not an “Exceeds” moment. That was simply a “Meets Expectations” moment.
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