What about these guys to help?

I'm curious to know why Mikhail and Oleg haven't been moved over to America yet for the Wild? Both are extremely young players, Oleg is only I believe 23, and could help out a depleted Minnesota defensive corp and keep some of the guys in the minor to develop better.

Mike is a puck moving defensemen and Oleg is a hard-hitting d-man, both are needed for the Wild, so why haven't we ever really heard anything about these two?

Maybe they don't want to come over. They certainly wouldn't be the first Euros that decided to stay in Russia, Finland or wherever. I'm not saying that's the case, but it could be that the Wild don't have the option of bringing them over.

I think Oleg's 26 or 27, and I'm guessing he either doesn't want to play over here, or the scouts don't think he's good enough. We picked him up in the expansion draft from Washington, right?

Is Tyulyapkin still playing in the Junior league in Russia? I'd guess he's probably still developing, and maybe they figure over there is as good as here (perhaps the Sushinsky stuff has them thinking twice about bringing young Russians over).

.....(perhaps the Sushinsky stuff has them thinking twice about bringing young Russians over)......



I like to call it "Sushi Gate" :D

I thought Oleg was younger...well Brandner is about as old as Oleg...Hmmm...

*sighs* Just trying to find depth...

Tyulyapkin is supposed to be playing in the WJ's for Russia. I think DR said there was 4 prospects headed to the WJT.

Oleg is definitely going to be a lifer in the European leagues. He doesn't even get a sniff of a invite from the Wild management when the preseason starts.

Well if they aren't going to come over here, why not look over here for some help? I glanced at the Louisiana IceGators roster and there is a bunch of players born in the late 70s, early 80s that are on the roster.

Armands Berzins- 20- C
Frederic Cloutier- 22- G
Kenny Corupe- 23- C
Maxime Fortunus- 20- D (HE GREW! 6'1"!!!!)
Derek Gustafson- 24- G
Brian Herbert- 25- LW
Kevin Holdridge- 23- D
Jamie Johnson- 21- C
Alex Materukhin- 22- RW
Kevin Mitchell- 23- D
Rod Sarich- 22- D
Jim Vickers- 23- D

There are a couple more like Herbert on that team. But look at that!

Defensemen take a little bit longer to pan out then offensive weapons and look how many are on the team that are younger then 24. Is it that we have too much depth or what?

Fortunus just played his first game with the Aeros last week. Out of that group, I think only 3-4 are property of the Wild. (Cloutier, Berzins, Fortunus and Johnson.)

I think your right, but I hope if the others do well, we can see and bring them up to Houston.