81 replies to this topic

[Triumph]

yeah the first line scored 75% of their goals, and its costing 22m... a pretty overpaid first line but they are putting numbers for now.

they were on a crazy roll last year though and half of their top 6 got injured and they crashed hard but with everyone healthy plus the new addition and if the goalies and a good system im sure they will make it. Their goalies saved their asses on multiple occasions during that good streak they had though.

The Wild were the worst team in the NHL outside the crease last year. They crashed hard not because they got injured (although that didn't help), they crashed because they were terrible, riding shooting luck and great goaltending to a barely positive goal differential (but a ton of wins). They're still not showing signs that they are good this year. Next year is when I'll start to consider them a playoff team.

[SterioDesign]

Zach wasn't going to stay in New Jersey, no matter what. I'm confident Lou offered him everything he could, plus the captaincy a year early.

I see a lot of Zach's play in Josefson recently, and potentially Henrique; our future is bright.

i hate saying this... cause i feel that im talking like a butthurt homer trying to pump my players tires... But from what i saw from Henrique so far... if he can keep up... he has better hands, better shot, he's better one on one and he's WAY MORE clutch than Zach as ever been in NJ ever.

So not saying Henrique could endup being better than Zach but i really don't think its impossible.

plus i dont think Zach would have fought Iginla in his rookie season haha

Edited by SterioDesign, 28 January 2013 - 11:16 AM.

[SterioDesign]

The Wild were the worst team in the NHL outside the crease last year. They crashed hard not because they got injured (although that didn't help), they crashed because they were terrible, riding shooting luck and great goaltending to a barely positive goal differential (but a ton of wins). They're still not showing signs that they are good this year. Next year is when I'll start to consider them a playoff team.

i really hope you're right Tri and actually i remember my wild fan buddy blaming injuries for the last 5-6 years so i guess it got to me lol, depth at offence and their D is certainly a concern for them right now. Heard rumours about them wanting to trade Seto for Despres in pittsburgh. Not sure how true this is though.

[ThreeCups]

I caught most of the 3rd period on in the game last night and Zach looks like he is flying around out there. I expected him to put up numbers with the Wild, it just sucks to see it happen. I am curious to see where his year end stats end up this year...

Here is the real question:

Will Parise ever have a 50 goal season in a Wild sweater?

[Jimmy Leeds]

If Lou had "gotten something,anything" for Zach, there is no Finals run and the net $32,000,000 in revenue. Lou knew he was going to probably go. The thing I'll never understand is how Suter was so dead set against coming to NJ? With the easy travel, the organization, the team itself, the playoffs every year.........someone he trusts, not Zach apparently, who had a bad experience here must have gotten his ear and convinced him it wasn't a place to be.

[Marshall]

If Lou had "gotten something,anything" for Zach, there is no Finals run and the net $32,000,000 in revenue. Lou knew he was going to probably go. The thing I'll never understand is how Suter was so dead set against coming to NJ? With the easy travel, the organization, the team itself, the playoffs every year.........someone he trusts, not Zach apparently, who had a bad experience here must have gotten his ear and convinced him it wasn't a place to be.

There's no way Vanderbeek & Co could've ponied up Zach's contract...x 2!

On a different note, the NW division is a mess so far. Only one team with a non-negative goal differential. And that's the Oilers, who are even...

[Pepperkorn]

Good hockey is good hockey and if Zach can spread it more power to him. It's better for everyone if every team learns how to play hockey the right way

In his shoes I woudl have wanted to leave NJ. I was really happy he considered staying and I get the feeling he really didn't have anything against staying with the team -- I think it's geography more than anything else. I for sure didn't feel like he was running anway from a sh!tty record or a binding system.

BUT -- as I wrote, I do worry he's got too much emotional support. He's got other things in life that can make him happy. But you never know when he'll get sick of it and just NEED that Cup. If Devils were somehow out of the running I'd for sure want the Wild next.

[caron14]

i hate him not as a player... as a person he betrayled us no matter what anyone says... if you want to leave fine... but dont tell crap and said jersey is your first choice before signing in minnessota...

[Triumph]

Here is the real question:

Will Parise ever have a 50 goal season in a Wild sweater?

50 goal seasons are really unlikely. Last season there were two guys who scored 50+, but no one who scored more than 41. The real question is will he have a 40 goal season for the Wild, and I'd bet against that too.

i really hope you're right Tri and actually i remember my wild fan buddy blaming injuries for the last 5-6 years so i guess it got to me lol, depth at offence and their D is certainly a concern for them right now. Heard rumours about them wanting to trade Seto for Despres in pittsburgh. Not sure how true this is though.

That makes no sense for the Wild - they actually have plenty of D prospects and young guys. They just don't have anyone reliable behind Suter, Gilbert, and arguably Spurgeon. PM Bouchard for Tallinder wouldn't be a bad deal for them.

[ThreeCups]

50 goal seasons are really unlikely. Last season there were two guys who scored 50+, but no one who scored more than 41. The real question is will he have a 40 goal season for the Wild, and I'd bet against that too.



That makes no sense for the Wild - they actually have plenty of D prospects and young guys. They just don't have anyone reliable behind Suter, Gilbert, and arguably Spurgeon. PM Bouchard for Tallinder wouldn't be a bad deal for them.

I would have to think in the next 3 seasons (2013-2014, 2014-2015, 2015-2016) he will have a 40 goal season for Minny....

Tri, are you also declaring that "40 is the new 50"?!?

[lucifer91]

You know the one thing that I disliked about Zach? His interviews. He always seemed whiney to me.

Any way, it seems like he has the shooting luck going for him so far and I wonder if that first line will burn out over the course of a full season if they intend to count on that line a little too much.

If Lou had "gotten something,anything" for Zach, there is no Finals run and the net $32,000,000 in revenue. Lou knew he was going to probably go. The thing I'll never understand is how Suter was so dead set against coming to NJ? With the easy travel, the organization, the team itself, the playoffs every year.........someone he trusts, not Zach apparently, who had a bad experience here must have gotten his ear and convinced him it wasn't a place to be.

Probably just the New Jersey part...

Edited by lucifer91, 28 January 2013 - 01:13 PM.

[Triumph]

I would have to think in the next 3 seasons (2013-2014, 2014-2015, 2015-2016) he will have a 40 goal season for Minny....

Tri, are you also declaring that "40 is the new 50"?!?

Parise has one 40 goal season in his entire career, and that was on a good team. Now he is on a not-good team. He's also past a scoring forward's normal prime. So yeah, I'd bet against that.

[SterioDesign]

Parise has one 40 goal season in his entire career, and that was on a good team. Now he is on a not-good team. He's also past a scoring forward's normal prime. So yeah, I'd bet against that.

well he's on a good line and has decent help from the dmen he's playing with. Kovalchuk and Nash got 50 goals on sh!tty teams too with average help. Not saying he's gonna score 50 but he could get a bunch... so far most of his goals are useless cause they lost all those games mostly lol but still

[Devilsfan118]

Wait...Zach who?

I don't care how good this guy supposedly looks, and I don't care that apparently some have justified his reasons for leaving. He's a traitorous bastard (only sorta here) who misled the team and fans all year with his stupid comments.

BUT let's not go back to this again..he's having success? Great. I don't expect the Wild to be a very good team in the long run, when you have 1/3 of the future cap invested in 3 players.

[Zubie#8]

I cant believe at the number of fluky garbage goals he gets every year. I mean 80% of his goals so far are mostly luck on the powerplay. Crazy.

[DJ Eco]

i hate saying this... cause i feel that im talking like a butthurt homer trying to pump my players tires... But from what i saw from Henrique so far... if he can keep up... he has better hands, better shot, he's better one on one and he's WAY MORE clutch than Zach as ever been in NJ ever.

So not saying Henrique could endup being better than Zach but i really don't think its impossible.

plus i dont think Zach would have fought Iginla in his rookie season haha

No, definitely not impossible! And totally agree, Henrique had more clutch and meaningful moments in the span of 2 months than Parise has had in his career. I'd even venture to say Kovalchuk is king clutch compared to Zach as well (the amount of game-winning goals he had in the span of a couple years is/was astounding).

[njd3b1ink]

The wild are a .500 team, so far they have beat up on inferior competition (avalanche & Dallas) and lost to the teams that are considered playoff teams (st Louis, Nashville, Detroit.) they might make the playoffs in a bottom seed but they are a first round and out at best

[Marshall]

well he's on a good line and has decent help from the dmen he's playing with. Kovalchuk and Nash got 50 goals on sh!tty teams too with average help. Not saying he's gonna score 50 but he could get a bunch... so far most of his goals are useless cause they lost all those games mostly lol but still

Nash hasn't scored 50 since he played AAA Midget. He has had 41 and 40 but nor more at the NHL level. Funny, given his hype you'd think he'd scored 60 every year of his career....

But anyways, both Kovy's and Nash's best seasons in terms of sheer offensive output are well behind them. Same with Zach, he's not gonna pot 45+ in a league where it's harder to score than coming out of the last lockout + following seasons.

[95Crash]

When Zach donned the USA sweater during the last Olympics and scored against Canada late in the 3rd to send the Gold Medal contest to OT, it was pretty cool knowing our entire country's hockey fans, including Rangers fans, were rooting for a Devils player. I'll miss that.

[Jimmy Leeds]

When Zach donned the USA sweater during the last Olympics and scored against Canada late in the 3rd to send the Gold Medal contest to OT, it was pretty cool knowing our entire country's hockey fans, including Rangers fans, were rooting for a Devils player. I'll miss that.

I rooted for Richter hard in 1996 during the World Championships