I’m curious to read what you guys are hoping for with the draft.

I want Quinn or Jarvis to be the pick at 9.

What says you?

As much as it pains me to say this...Anton Lundell. I don't look at him and see 1C potential but we have to start taking risks on centers in the hopes of getting a diamond in the rough. Otherwise we're going to severely overpay to bring one in via trade.

I'm probably in the minority on this site, but I really don't follow prospects outside of the consensus top 3 or 4 players. Partially because it's too time consuming, but probably because I know I follow the Wild and they're just going to go off the draft board and pick some kid from Sweden who no one else had on their draft board for the 1st round. It saves me some frustration by not wishing they'd pick players I knew anything about. lol

Whichever of Lundell or Sanderson is still on the board. If they are both gone I'd try and trade down a few pick and get Guhle or Zary.

Uh oh guys. I've seen a few "experts" saying it's 50/50 on Lundell or Askarov. Now if we grab Askarov, I hope he can become what everyone says he can become...but that's a big if. I'd rather have Lundell imo

I wouldn’t cry if they took Askarov.

Yeah but drafting a goalie high in the 1st round is a big risk. Maybe if we're planning on drafting him we can trade back a few spots to build up more assets?

All 1st round picks are high risks...and goalie is by far the most important position in hockey. Goalies are odd ducks, I get it (my son is a goalie)...but if a team is absolutely convinced Askarov is the franchise goalie most think he is, I think you have to take him...IF and only IF they are convinced!

If MN doesn't take the goalie I think NSH will.



With KK, Robson, and trading up to get Jones last year; I really don't want MN to use a high pick on another goalie.

The more I think about it I think Holtz might be this draft's Boldy, and if he's there at 9 I think MN has to take him. I see BUF taking Lundell. So that would leave Rossi (not a fan personally), the goalie, Holtz, and a couple of d-men to choose from.

I don’t WANT the Wild to take a goalie either, for the exact reasons you list here. What I am asserting here is IF the Wild believe Askarov is the next Carey Price (when healthy) they should take him no matter what.

Neither.

Picks 1-3 are very likely to be some combination of Laf, Byfield, and Stutzle. That leaves Drysdale, Raymond, Rossi, Holtz, Perfetti, and Sanderson available for picks 4-9. I'd be extremely satisfied with any of those guys and I view all of them in a tier ahead of your Quinn's, Lundell's, or Jarvis'. I know I'm in a sparse minority with this take, but I really did not like Lundell at all when I watched him. Really hope we don't take him but if we do I really hope I'm wrong and he's a stud...

Though as I said before I don't really follow prospects too much, what you said puts into context how deep the draft is and it's pretty likely the Wild get a really good player at 9. Dare I be optimistic they don't let their Swedish scout pick for them?!?

Hopefully we can all be optimistic about the fact Paul Fenton can't select another Filip Johansson... But on a serious note I'd be very happy with either Swedish winger. Raymond concerns me a little since he didn't look great in the SHL but among his peers he was a clear stand-out and showcased pretty insane talent. Holtz is a fantastic goal scorer but he's actually a pretty underrated playmaker too. I know we don't need wingers, but at least both are right shots and I think both are ahead of Boldy in terms of talent.

Edit: in fact, I think all of the 9 guys I listed are ahead of Boldy in terms of potential. Basically whoever we draft assuming it's one of those nine should immediately become our best prospect.

I trust Brackett and Guerin. It is a good feeling to have competent hands running the Wild for a change. From what I'm seeing at 9 and what has been mocked I think Lundell is the best option for the Wild, but who knows the draft could go a totally different direction. I'm really hoping Guerin packages #9, Pits 21 1st, and something else, hoping Greenway would be enough, to the Kings, for Byfield.
Another move I wouldn't mind is a trade down and grabbing Hendrix LaPierre. As long as Wild leave round 1 with a young future top 6 center I will be pleased.

@MNBassman @TanSor @JayTea @mnwild1790 @RazWild @wabit.

Off topic but did anyone listen to Straight from the Source, where Guerin was talking about a deep rooted problem of why the Wild are a good team that plays hard but can't seem to win in the playoffs? He doesn't know what the problem is but he intends to figure it out.
I kinda think the problem is the Wild have a bunch of guys who want to win but not one guy who hates to lose. Guys like Crosby, Ovechkin come to mind.
Just wanted your thoughts on it.

In all seriousness, I think the drafting problem was mostly a Brent Flehr problem. Fenton let him make the Johansson pick, if I understand correctly. The Boldy draft was the first post-Flehr draft and it looks to be a solid one. We'll see how Guerin handles his first draft I guess.

I did hear that and it's interesting to hear a GM acknowledge it. Say whatever you want about Haula, but he was probably the only Wild player who seemed sick of losing and they unloaded him that summer, so it is almost like the organization didn't like having a guy who said he's tired of losing. The majority of the team just seems too.... comfortable I guess.

I’m convinced the culture problem begins and ends with Craig Leipold.

I've never worked anywhere in my life where the leadership hasn't clearly stated culture ultimately begins with the people at the top. Whether they were good at establishing the right culture or not is entirely a different thing.

Well that will be a tough one for Guerin to fix.

Just wait until he figures it out and launches a GoFundMe to buy the team? lol

That's a idea. I'm ready to make my contribution. Lol

Me too!

I've said this for years: a team takes on the character of the guy wearing the "C". Koivu could have been a great "C" if angry Koivu showed up night in and night out; but angry Koivu didn't show up more than a handful of games a year.

The sad thing is Foligno is the only guy from last year's team that I would want to wear a letter on my team if I was a coach. Parise used to be on that list but he lost his killer instincts in the last couple of years. JEE and Kunin have potential to wear the "C" in the future, but they aren't there yet.

Total gut feeling, but I would put my money on Suter and Parise being the cause of the culture problem, not Koivu.