Yes that's what I think... I could see Backstrom very excited Parise and Suter were signed... more goal scoring and better defense. He might want to stay right here, even taking less, because the Wild could very well be heading for a strong Cup run. Anything can happen once you get in the playoffs so a Cup possibility could be very soon, especially with strong goaltending and good coaching... we have both, and LA is an example of how you can get very good very quickly. Backstrom might want to be a part of that.
Even before Carter was traded, that was a team who should have won the Pacific Division hands down. They were not a typical #8 seed
Well if what I've seen out of Hackett in the prospect scrimmages is anything close to where he's at right now in his development, then I'd say he's gonna need more than just one more year in Houston.
Well if what I've seen out of Hackett in the prospect scrimmages is anything close to where he's at right now in his development, then I'd say he's gonna need more than just one more year in Houston.
I'll take what I saw of him when he played 9 games, he looked very good. Needs some more positional improvement so it becomes innate.
Ummm... aren't we hoping that's kind of where our team will be?
True, but to be a real cup contender. Following areas need to be addressed:
2nd line center spot. Still a ?, between Cullen and Granlund, some can step in, but we need a real 2C along the lines of Kesler, Richards, etc.
Defense, after Suter there's an enormous drop off, most of em are still young, inexperienced etc.
Maybe goaltending, Harding can take the ball and run with it, but what about Backstrom, he's 34/35 now? Does he have the wheels of someone like Kipper or is he starting to drop off now in skill, etc? Last season or two haven't been great health wise for him.
But we'll see this season. We'll make the playoffs no prob this year, but cup contention is still a dream away.
He's getting up there in age and we've already got Harding locked up for 3 more years... Backstrom is an avg goaltender with below average lateral movement, and a weak glove. It's time to move on.
He's getting up there in age and we've already got Harding locked up for 3 more years... Backstrom is an avg goaltender with below average lateral movement, and a weak glove. It's time to move on.
Hes above average goaltender that has given this franchise more than he has gotten, who is indeed overpaid but we could maybe hope to pin him for 1 or 2 years at 3-4.5 million. If he asks more we let him walk, if we undercut him he'll walk.
Hes above average goaltender that has given this franchise more than he has gotten, who is indeed overpaid but we could maybe hope to pin him for 1 or 2 years at 3-4.5 million. If he asks more we let him walk, if we undercut him he'll walk.
Not sure where you got that idea from!
Disagree that he's above average.... and this team has goaltending futures already... It's time to move on. No need to hold onto a goalie of his age and his potential price unless he takes a cut down to $2mil.
How about we see how Backs does this year with an actual defense in front of him rather than a pile of swiss cheese, mm'kay?
Yeah, hopefully Suter will hold down the fort, but we really do need to re-vamp our D a bit more. Suter, Gilbert are basically are only known commodities. Everyone else is too young, too experienced or don't have much top or 2nd pairing potential we've seen yet and we need more of those. Scandella's interesting to watch, young, skilled, has the potential, but it'll be interesting to see if he ever puts it all together. He's shown flashes of it, then regresses.
Disagree that he's above average.... and this team has goaltending futures already... It's time to move on. No need to hold onto a goalie of his age and his potential price unless he takes a cut down to $2mil.
See
Quote:
Originally Posted by Avder
How about we see how Backs does this year with an actual defense in front of him rather than a pile of swiss cheese, mm'kay?
So that money is better spent on another Connelly or some other noname depth player? I feel alot more secure with Bäcks AND Harding than just Harding. Why the hell would we be betting on him with his injury history? He got a loyalty 3 years contract, doesn't mean that hes our starter maybe ever.
Yeah, hopefully Suter will hold down the fort, but we really do need to re-vamp our D a bit more. Suter, Gilbert are basically are only known commodities. Everyone else is too young, too experienced or don't have much top or 2nd pairing potential we've seen yet and we need more of those. Scandella's interesting to watch, young, skilled, has the potential, but it'll be interesting to see if he ever puts it all together. He's shown flashes of it, then regresses.
Yet another reason not to re-sign Backstrom... likely will need to spend some of that freed up space on a top 4 D-man in the near future... they don't come cheap!
Yet another reason not to re-sign Backstrom... likely will need to spend some of that freed up space on a top 4 D-man in the near future... they don't come cheap!
Where's all this "Scandella will be a top 4 d-man" talk that a lot of people in here like to go on about?
We don't need to spend any money on our defense in the near or even foreseeable future. Brodin and Dumba will come in a couple years from now and our defense will be set.
Yet another reason not to re-sign Backstrom... likely will need to spend some of that freed up space on a top 4 D-man in the near future... they don't come cheap!
Yeo's saying he wants to put Spurgeon on the first pairing? Don't know why as it's a bit generous putting him at 5'9, guy's going to get eaten up by the 1st line forwards. Good O, but want someone more physical on the top pairing. Gilbert/Scandella was a good pairing last year plus with Gilby's exp can clean up Scandella's mistakes until he settles down in the NHL some more. 3rd pairing is straight forward, big mean, physical and ready to dish out punishment. Though I do want to trade for another Top 4 D, put Spurgie back down on the 3rd pairing to protect him a bit more and utilize him on the PP a lot more. Hopefully something like that would fix up our Swiss Cheese D from last year especially near the end of the season.
^Talk is still there about Scandella it's just that he's really inconsistent about it, some nights he's playing like he is top pairing material and other times well he got waived to the AHL to get some more time in. He'll get it. That's why he's interesting watch, it's there, it's just whether or not he puts it together.
Oh yeah forgot about Dumba and Brodin, Dumba's years away from even entering the NHL, sure we drafted him, but that's the thing we just drafted him. 2-3 years away at min, Brodin unless he really steals the show in training camp, at least another year or two away. It's what I always hated about the Risenbourgh days, ****ing rushes prospects and ruins them. Take their time and let them develop the necessary skills to be in the NHL. We can always plug our D with guys until those two are ready.
Last edited by ShutDownDefense: 07-16-2012 at 01:54 AM.
Where's all this "Scandella will be a top 4 d-man" talk that a lot of people in here like to go on about?
We don't need to spend any money on our defense in the near or even foreseeable future. Brodin and Dumba will come in a couple years from now and our defense will be set.
Dumba may be a couple years out yet... Brodin has yet to prove a thing. Spurgeon is nice top 4 filler for now... but clearly we need to upgrade. He's better off on the bottom pairing. Scandella is very inconsistent at this point. I hope he can continue as he did late last season, but who knows. If this team plans on making a cup run... it will need a new top 4 defenseman to do it. They may be buyers for one come the trade deadline, and if Harding is playing well and Hackett is doing well in Houston, it's possible Backstrom could be the chip that brings that short-timer here.
Obviously if Backstrom is the guy rolling, then we keep him but then let him walk in the offseason... and the Wild could try to trade for a short-timer next offseason (I'd prefer the defender is on only a 2-3yr deal while the youth is able to develop and replace him by the end of his deal).
So Talon name 10 clearly better goalies than Bäckström. If you can name all the way up to 15 I'll give you your point.
Lundqvist
Quick
Rinne
Price
Ward
Miller
Lehtonen
Schneider
Brodeur
Fleury
Thomas (not yet retired, just taking a year off?)
Luongo
Elliot
Smith
Rask
Howard
Hiller
Halak
Niemi
Kiprusoff
Backstrom
Is that enough? That actually has him outside of my top 20 rankings at this point... which I didn't expect to be honest...
Lundqvist
Quick
Rinne
Price
Ward
Miller
Lehtonen Schneider Brodeur Fleury
Thomas (not yet retired, just taking a year off?)
Luongo Elliot Smith
Rask Howard
Hiller
Halak Niemi
Kiprusoff
Backstrom
Is that enough? That actually has him outside of my top 20 rankings at this point... which I didn't expect to be honest...
Not sure if serious.
And no, Thomas shouldn't count since he's not playing this year.
Lundqvist
Quick - 1
Rinne - 2
Price - 3
Ward - even
Miller - 4
Lehtonen - even
Schneider - nope
Brodeur - 5
Fleury - more inconsistent
Thomas (not yet retired, just taking a year off?)
Luongo - not sure if will ever perform to expections again, slightly better pure skill wise, but less consistent
Elliot - streaky as hell
Smith - evenish but alot to prove
Rask - 6
Howard - no way
Hiller - 7
Halak - 8
Niemi - no way
Kiprusoff - 9
Backstrom
Is that enough? That actually has him outside of my top 20 rankings at this point... which I didn't expect to be honest...
Don't try to skew it for you, I said clearly. Bäcks save % is 13th in active if you don't count the occassionals and backups, if I'm not mistaken. But thats not where I'm coming from here, the above is my opinion and I don't agree with your ranking but numbered the ones I consider better just to make clear how many clearly better goalies there are.
The fact that you have Backstrom behind Brodeur and Niemi is a complete joke.
Not sure why... Niemi is a games played machine and does very well... and Brodeur just took his team to the finals... played damn well the whole way too. When was the last time Backstrom even came close to a playoff series win?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Foxlockbox
Don't try to skew it for you, I said clearly. Bäcks save % is 13th in active if you don't count the occassionals and backups, if I'm not mistaken. But thats not where I'm coming from here, the above is my opinion and I don't agree with your ranking but numbered the ones I consider better just to make clear how many clearly better goalies there are.
The problem is... when you're average, you end up in a group that is not so very clear at all. That's where Backstrom is.
Not sure why... Niemi is a games played machine and does very well... and Brodeur just took his team to the finals... played damn well the whole way too. When was the last time Backstrom even came close to a playoff series win?
Niemi is streets behind Bäckström mentally and talent wise. Way too inconsistent, and overpaid.
Yeah, hopefully Suter will hold down the fort, but we really do need to re-vamp our D a bit more. Suter, Gilbert are basically are only known commodities. Everyone else is too young, too experienced or don't have much top or 2nd pairing potential we've seen yet and we need more of those. Scandella's interesting to watch, young, skilled, has the potential, but it'll be interesting to see if he ever puts it all together. He's shown flashes of it, then regresses.
