i was going to say... four playoff games would be success to me considering most of us were thinking "not likely but possible" at the beginning of the year.
Any updates. It looks like Seto could be out for awhile...which is OK if Wellman can make up for his production but missing two of our top goal scorers hurts.
Any updates. It looks like Seto could be out for awhile...which is OK if Wellman can make up for his production but missing two of our top goal scorers hurts.
At his current rate, he's a production improvement.
I hope Seto makes a speedy recovery but in all honesty, he's been a little more hurtful than helpful so far this season. Yeah he's got 8 goals but he just hasn't looked real comfortable so far and his defense is sub-par to say the least. Right now I think Wellman is the better option on the 2nd line and the kid looks like he's finally getting the chance he deserves. He's the only PPG player on the team right now.
Getting Lats back would be nice but I'm not crying over it as our lines seem to be playing pretty well together at the moment. Only thing I'm missing from Zids is it would be nice to have his cannon from the point on the PP.
Russo says Lats and Zidlicky are both skating on their own and getting their conditioning up. Very good news. Could mean they come back within the month.
The thing Lats adds to the top 6 is some physical play. Hard to say how a concussion might affect this, but if he's healthy, he adds that dimension, plus the goal scoring of course.
Seto does open space--that's something i'm not confident Wellman can do and while Heatley and Koivu are okay with being hit they (along with cullen and bouchard) don't seem to have the hit first mentality that make Seto, Latendresse, and Clutterbuck effective on the wing.
I contradicted Jarick in the main board thread and I stick with my opinion: Seto and Heatley mesh with the team and system just fine--they don't stick out over and above anyone else but that's kind of the point of Yeo hockey and it doesn't mean they don't mesh. I'm sure there are probably players who fit more effectively out there (there always are) but I don't think havlat or burns would have the patience to stick with it in Yeo's system. Then again, I wouldn't have guessed Heatley would have it either so...I'll just trust Fletcher to give Yeo players he can use.
Seto does open space--that's something i'm not confident Wellman can do and while Heatley and Koivu are okay with being hit they (along with cullen and bouchard) don't seem to have the hit first mentality that make Seto, Latendresse, and Clutterbuck effective on the wing.
I contradicted Jarick in the main board thread and I stick with my opinion: Seto and Heatley mesh with the team and system just fine--they don't stick out over and above anyone else but that's kind of the point of Yeo hockey and it doesn't mean they don't mesh. I'm sure there are probably players who fit more effectively out there (there always are) but I don't think havlat or burns would have the patience to stick with it in Yeo's system. Then again, I wouldn't have guessed Heatley would have it either so...I'll just trust Fletcher to give Yeo players he can use.
Agreed with the hit thing, but if Wellman plays like he did for the most part last night he was opening up space and creating chances. Not sure if he all that physical in the aspect of hitting people first, but he was getting down low and cycling the puck. He doesn't luck as smooth as Seto at cycling, but he is the fastest player on the Wild at the moment and he drives really hard to the front of the net which is a huge plus.
The thing I love about Wellman was how many shots he was taking last night. When you have the opportunity, you can never go wrong with putting the puck to the net.
Really hope to get Lats back soon though, he's been vital to our early success. Anyone remember that goal he scored against Vancouver? Man, that was so beautiful
Wellman has speed and a quick trigger. Seto will play with the puck and try to get closer to take a shot where Wellman looks like he just smacks it toward the net at the earliest possible opportunity. I think he might be great with a big garbage picker like Lats.
Zids I'm thinking will be back by the end of December. Lats I'm not thinking until January. It's hard to determine. Hopefully they were just minor ones.
Seto does open space--that's something i'm not confident Wellman can do and while Heatley and Koivu are okay with being hit they (along with cullen and bouchard) don't seem to have the hit first mentality that make Seto, Latendresse, and Clutterbuck effective on the wing.
Well Heatley and Koivu don't exactly have the speed to forecheck that aggressively. They'd get deep going to the wrong way and it would be an odd man rush the other way. They're guys that are better playing higher up with an aggressive forechecker and capitalizing on the turnovers in the O zone.
I like Koivu and Heatley just fine on the PP but at even strength I think it'd be better to have each of them on a line with faster linemates.
Wellman has speed and a quick trigger. Seto will play with the puck and try to get closer to take a shot where Wellman looks like he just smacks it toward the net at the earliest possible opportunity. I think he might be great with a big garbage picker like Lats.
Speaking of this, did everyone notice Koivu shooting more often? He made a few low-percentage shots, but that's better than an eventual turnover! Maybe Yeo's shoot-first mentality is finally sinking in.
Speaking of this, did everyone notice Koivu shooting more often? He made a few low-percentage shots, but that's better than an eventual turnover! Maybe Yeo's shoot-first mentality is finally sinking in.
I do agree that he has been shooting the puck more. The Lord knows we'll need all the shots we can get on Quick. However, his SPG is lower than his last 4 years totals.
Speaking of this, did everyone notice Koivu shooting more often? He made a few low-percentage shots, but that's better than an eventual turnover! Maybe Yeo's shoot-first mentality is finally sinking in.
He is shooting more, but he, and other Forwards, still need to shoot more off the rush and crash for rebounds.
Speaking of this, did everyone notice Koivu shooting more often? He made a few low-percentage shots, but that's better than an eventual turnover! Maybe Yeo's shoot-first mentality is finally sinking in.
He does seem to take those low-% shots more often, but it also seems like that when he's at a bad spot he often tries to take his chances, but when he's in the open and has a clear shot he freaks out and either delays it too long or tries to force a pass.
E: Just noticed that this is Latendresse's Injury Report thread, it's mind baffling how these subjects tend to mix up.
Sounds like Latendresse is close to coming back after listening to Yeo's pregame presser. Said him and Zid need to get their conditioning back up and get them back to practicing with the team. Passing all the tests and no symptoms carrying over. Pretty good news, at least from Latendresse stand point. I'd say they are back within the next 2 weeks. Although we are playing well without Zid(for the most part), we could use Lats back in the lineup.
