#277. The Minnesota Wild Will Be Even Better Next Year

#277. The Minnesota Wild Will Be Even Better Next Year

[Music] Sometimes you just got to go bar down. Carill top titty 2×4 to end the game. That was nice. Bar down beauties. That’s the sexy part of the game, is it not? The plays and the goals and the Yeah, that’s what you guys like. I mean, and it is great. And now a new episode of Barown Beauties with Jesse Pierce and Kirsten Croll. All we want is a gosh darn parade. The mot all we want is a gosh darn parade. The sentiment doesn’t get any more motan than that. Soda stick knows Minnesota and Minnesota sports. Grab the parade tea. Even available with the adult word for darn and support our state’s need for a championship parade. Available now for a limited time only. Also exclusively available through Sodick is a Brock Faber and Mark Andre Flurry designed hats. I am rocking the Brock Faber one as we speak. if you are watching it. Uh, looks great, feels great, and supports a greater cause with all proceeds going to the Minnesota Wild Foundation, which helps grow the game of hockey here in the state of hockey. Get yours while they last. And as always, smash code barown beauties at checkout for 15% off all purchases at sodastick.com. What’s going on everybody? Oh wow, that was a different intro for me. Hello everybody. End of the season, guys. This is where we’re at. I’m Jesse Pierce, writer for NHL.com. She’s Kirsten Croll in Arena Host. We are the Barown Beauties. Uh season rap. Before we get into the Minnesota Wild and all the exit interviews that we have done thus far, as always, recording on a Monday. Uh John Hines, Bill Garren speaking today when you’re listening to this Tuesday, so won’t have official updates from them. But Kirsten, game sevens. We love us some game sevens in the playoffs. I know you’re probably a little less thrilled with the teams that are moving on from said game sevens, but we got two multi-goal comebacks in the third period for the Dallas Stars to advance again in kind of an embarrassing fashion over the Colorado Avalanche. Miko Ratin saying fu to his former employer a little bit with a hat-tick including the empty netter that advances Dallas after they were down in the series. And then you had an even more dramatic double overtime victory for the Winnipeg Jets against the St. Louis Blues, who looked like they might be able to knock off the President’s Trophy winners, Cole Perfetti. Y’all remember him. Um 1.6 seconds left to tie it in Winnipeg. And uh Connor Helubuck manages to sneak out some good saves in those double overtimes. And the Winnipeg Jets are moving on as well. No, Blues Jets was crazy. And to be quite honest, Winnipeg is it’s not I there are teams I hate more. So, I’m really just indifferent. They’re like me. To me, like, okay. Like, either way, coming out of that series, I was like, I don’t love St. Louis. Don’t love Winnipeg. I’m indifferent. But last night’s game seven, incredible. Even before um that 1.6 seconds you mentioned left in the game to tie it. Even before then, uh you saw the puck for Winnipeg almost cross the goal line just right there. We remember seeing that photo like literally game of inches. So, I think Winnipeg and St. Louis’s was just theatrics all around which makes it so much fun. Um, so indifferent and also hopefully Helybuk can do well I guess in the second round. I guess I’m not sold on Winnipeg just because of postseason Helybuk which we’ve really seen in the series against the Blues. So I don’t know but whatever. Dallas I am still praying for their downfall. I know. I’m sorry. Uh that puts Winnipeg and Dallas against each other in round two, Vegas and Edmonton on the other half of the Western Conference. Then you’ve got Toronto and Florida, a rematch of last year, and Washington and Carolina. How are we feeling about I the Winnipeg Dallas series now because of all of this could be really, really fun. I just Yeah, I’m going back to what I said. I’m really hoping Hely Buck finds his game in the postseason, a consistent game in the postseason at that. I think I mean there’s something you have to look at as the coach is you can’t play him as hard as you did down the stretch especially when Winnipeg was in such good position anyway. You didn’t need to like allow him to rest, allow him to reset before he goes in and plays the biggest games um of the season, especially against St. Louis who was coming in hot and had something to prove, right? Like St. Louis gave them a fight every time. And I just find it funny that he got pulled in every game in St. Louis as well. Like I mean a thousand% agree with you. I just you definitely still notice that difference in his game. And granted like yeah I they heavily played him. That’s a whole other discussion for another time. But yeah, I hate Dallas. Let’s go Jets. I know. I mean even Nathan McKinnon on losing to Dallas, he’s like they were without their best defenseman and one of their best forwards and they still beat us. And so that says a little something about that. You know what it says about Colorado? They weren’t built different after all. Turns out Ford isn’t the way to go. Maybe Chevy. Chevy’s Toyota. Yeah, it was built different. Presented by Toyota. St. It was presented by Toyota. Yes. That’s hil That’s even more hilarious. I can’t with them. I just Yeah, that’s that’s kind of funny. Does sound like Robertson and Heiskinan will be back for round two after they had missed the entire first round. So that’s probably good for them concerning for Winnipeg. Um Toronto feels a little different. Actually, that’s a lie. I thought they felt different. I thought, you know what, maybe this is a good little playoff team that could make a push and then they kind of choked in the first round. They managed to get out, but they couldn’t close it out like they should have early on. Um, you got to imagine them against Florida. There there’s got to be those sentiments of like remember when Florida absolutely dominated us last year. Now they do have three former former Florida Panthers in on their team including Inette with Anthony Steller, but I think that’s another series that I’m excited about. I want Florida to lose. Why? I think I’m developing a hatred towards Florida as well. Is it jealousy? Is there like a little greeneyed monster about it? No, I don’t think so. Okay. Not not with Florida. I just think I’m developing a hatred towards them. But I need an explanation as I don’t really have one. Oh, okay. I really don’t have one. I just vibes. Just the vibes. The vibes are low on literally how I live my life. Fair. I don’t know if it was like a Matthew Kachchuck thing or like I don’t know. Well, I I’m a former Matthew Kachchuck lover. Former. Still, well, I don’t know. If I hate Florida, I can’t like Matthew Kachchuck. It’s true. Still love the way he just chews his mouth guard, though. That’s drives me nuts. Just drives me nuts. Get some gum. I love it. I love it. No, I hate gum. So, I don’t know. I love the mouthguard. I found a brand gum lately. I don’t know why. I’m just kind of all about it. Um, but yeah. And Washington and Carolina, you know, Vegas, Edmonton. Fine. Great baby. See, give it give it to Oves. No. Yeah, he already has his cup. He has the record. He’s fine. Just bow on top of the season for him. That’s all. It’s an easy story. It’s an easy easy story. Um, as I mentioned, let’s switch gears into the Minnesota Wild. It does make me feel a little better, Kirsten, with those dramatics. It makes you feel a little better about Minnesota losing. It was a 50/50 series, right? it. And I I will be honest, I was more bummed than I think I’ve ever been at the end of a a playoff. Not because I thought this team was made for a deep run, not because I thought, you know, this that or the other. I just felt that they were the better team in a lot of those games and I thought honestly they could get out of that first round. Now, I’m not saying I would have loved a match up against Edmonton or the Kings for that matter and again I’m not saying that they would have pushed on, but I did feel like it was different. Now, I know that that narrative got misconstrued when I tweeted about it. I’m not saying, “Oh, well, they tried hard and that’s good enough for me.” And I’m not saying like, “Yay, let’s give them a participation ribbon because they made it to the playoffs.” That’s not at all. You cannot say that this team was not different. You cannot say that this was the same old song and dance when it came to the playoffs because in years past, you could easily point to 1 2 3 four different instances or four different breakdowns that were just atrocious where they looked like they were getting swept in four. That was not the case in this series at all with Vegas. I mean, they played great. Philip Gustiffson did his job. Um, you know, they had Carell Capri off, Matt Baldy going on that top line. They on the other side were shutting down Vegas’s top lines. They were getting to the inside. Um, and I think again, Minnesota was probably the better team. Vegas just got some good looks. Minnesota got some good looks and some puck bounces and that’s hockey. So, I’m not saying like, oh, I’m proud they tried so hard. That’s not the case. I just say this was different. It did. It felt good to watch them play such a competitive series for a change. Yeah. I mean, outside of game one, I had been saying every single game the Wild were right there. Games that they didn’t win, they I don’t want to say easily could have taken, but it very much could have just as been theirs as much as Vegas is. So, my confidence even watching this team play in the first round against Vegas, I just kept saying, “This is not the team I’ve been used to seeing as of late. They looked completely different. They looked ready. They looked prepared. Um, and it was a really fun series to watch. I mean, disappointing, yes, because it it could have been theirs, but it didn’t work out that way. Uh, we did have a chance to speak with Gustaf Nyquist, who had the infamous offsides review. Here’s what he had to say about that play from his perspective and his accountability for that overturned goal that could have given Minnesota uh the win probably. and a 3-1 series lead. Here’s Nyquest. Yeah, for sure. I mean, obviously it’s it’s uh it’s an unfortunate play. Um, you know, at the end of the day, it’s on me to stay on side there and and uh um from my view there’s a guy in between and I can’t really see the puck and I was thousand% sure it was o over the line obviously and and it wasn’t. So, obviously that’s that’s unfortunate but you know those plays you can look at it different ways too. those plays happens 20 times a game if the linesman I’m not saying he should have called it cuz I like when they let the you know play go like Brass’s break he had a breakaway in game what was it four I think four so I’m not playing line but if he calls it right away the makes the right call which is a hard call to make but you know the play blows dead and no one’s talking about it you know so um it’s just like an offside like 20 other times game. So, but it’s unfortunate obviously and it’s that was that was um a tough um a tough uh uh moment in the game obviously when the chance to go up one with a minute left in a in a big game. So, um yeah, I mean I I appreciate he can take accountability. I can appreciate that he didn’t see the puck. That’s fine. But I still think there was a little lack of awareness there. It happens, right? It happens. I don’t think with out I mean I’d like to think that that was a gamechanging moment but they had opportunities to put it away other times as well right. Um Nyquis did add obviously he hits free agency he would like to stay here. I don’t see that happening. What about you? It’s tough to say cuz I I don’t know. I mean, they picked him up for a reason, and I’m just trying to This is my answer coming from trying to put myself in like a GM’s mind. Maybe for the right price they would keep him, but also I just I think I was disappointed because he wasn’t he wasn’t the player that we saw here two years ago. And I was very, very excited when we acquired him from Nashville. Yeah, it was a little bummed about that that he didn’t continue the trajectory that we saw when we had him last time. It was very lackluster return, right? I think we were both on the same page with that. Like, oh, this is good. I can take a second round pick for that. Like, this is fine. No, did did not pan out as well. And of course, you can’t really project that, right? Like, you look at his lack of production in Nashville and maybe you just thought, okay, well, that’s cuz he’s in Nashville and they weren’t doing well. They couldn’t get it figured out there, but he can come back here and do it. And he did. I mean, by the end of it, he wasn’t even on the PK. So, really, he didn’t contribute anything. And I think part of that’s just age. Um, I just don’t know that he ever found the fit here with these guys, which is weird cuz it’s a lot of the same players that he was familiar with, so you kind of had hoped for that transition to be much easier. Um, speaking of guys who could potentially not be with the team, Marco Rossi, obviously the big story line as well, uh, gets demoted throughout the course of the playoffs to the fourth line, which again, I thought he did well. Now, Marco Rossi did very point blank blank yesterday state. I respect the decision um to be put on the fourth line, but I was obviously disappointed, but I’ve been taught to respect those decisions because it is always the team first. He had a one-on-one conversation, as all the players do, with coach John Hines before he leaves for his summer in his off season. Um did not meet and will not meet with Bill Garren as far as he knows. He is letting his agent kind of handle all those contract situations as he is an RFA. Um, I just I don’t know. The more it just feels like there’s more writing on the wall, Kirsten, that he will like more than likely be traded this off season. Well, from my understanding, from what I’ve heard, it feels like a big part of the disconnect is he wants more money than what Bill Garren and team are offering him. And I can understand not wanting to throw all the money at him, too. But I lost my train of thought for a second. I just Yeah, I think that goes back to I think that’s just the big disconnect. And I think his agent is trying to push for more money. I don’t want to say than he’s worth, but yeah, more than the Wild are willing to pay him. He, you know, I mean, he, as he said, I’m no doubt for sure a top six guy. And I quote, I would play the audio for you guys, but it’s a little harder to hear him sometimes. Uh, so we’re just You know what? No, Marco Rossi, you are a top six guy. That’s what he said. He said, “I have no doubt I’m for sure a top six guy.” And he also mentions from 40 points to 60 points this year. Um, and he said, “And I’m always going to improve.” So, he was definitely kind of selling himself a little bit to us during his media exit interviews. I’ll just be curious. I think there’s value in him. I’ve said it for two years now that there is a value to him and that’s why I think he would be traded. I just if you’re going to put him on the fourth line and not ever bump him back up during the playoffs, which seemed a little odd to me cuz I’ve I’ve usually understood John Hines’s and I think he played fine. I don’t I always go back and forth on this because in-game movements for sure are one thing, right? Like if you see a guy all of a sudden be pushed down to the fourth line. Sometimes that is um reflective of how he’s performing, but other times it’s just to try something new, right? Like and I do believe that. But I don’t think it’s always necessarily being like, well, he’s playing so terrible. But, you know, I just thought it was odd to not move Marco back up in the lineup after Freddy Gdro had kind of fumbled a little, you know, didn’t really do a whole lot or Gustaf Nyquist for that matter. Right now, Nyquist obviously being a winger, so it’s a little different there. Um, but definitely interesting. I think you could get a decent maybe a pick or a player and a pick. If you’re getting rid of Marco Rossy, you better be getting more than just a pick in return. Yeah. I mean, what’s what would you think then? What would make you satisi? Do you want a one for one? Like a player that’s as equally like a young guy like Marco is um do does it need to be a center? What would be your what are your bullet point stipulations? I’ll bring these to Bill when I I chat with him. I’ll let him know that this is what we think. We absolutely need a center. If you’re I want a one for one player and maybe even a pick, but a pick alone, absolutely not. Are you kidding me? It’s fair. So, that would be the the No, it has to be more than a pick. Like, if you are letting go of Marco Rossi, you better be getting a hell of a deal and a hell of a player back in return. You better be going after top free agents this off season. And no, I’m not talking about Brock Nelson. Defin I don’t think Brock Nelson wants to come here, frankly. And respectfully, I don’t want him either. I just think it’s, you know, him coming here would be kind of like people would look at it as, oh, the Swan Song, he’s coming home. Maybe he’s not done. Plus, you’re playing for the Colorado Avalanche who has some pretty good players. Not that Minnesota doesn’t, but they have some pretty good players. So, I would agree with you. I suppose it has to be more than a pick. I I mean, he’s 60 points in a season has to look pretty good to some people, right? Like maybe Buffalo, Vancouver. Um, maybe that’s the play is a team that didn’t make the playoffs or maybe he could be kind of that middling veteran presence for like a San Jose, right? Um, but San Jose feels a little bit smaller to me, too. And they’re kind of in a weird spot. I don’t know. I I would see a Yeah. a player and a pick coming back probably for sure. Maybe two players. You think you get two players for Marco Rossi? Again, it just depends what you’re looking for. That’s fair. That’s fair. It depends the player players you’re going after in exchange. There’s a lot of moving parts, but you better be getting a hall back for Marco Rossi is all I’m saying. Well, and you do now, I do want to remind people we have Denilia Eurovv uh expected to come and join the team this next year. So, that gives a little bit more of offensive sway. I believe he’s kind of a playmaker. He’s definitely a scorer. He said his long goodbye to his KHL team on the Instagram the other day, which is good. Found it curious though, Kirsten. So we talked to Carell Capri off as well and we asked him have you spoken to Denilia you know it’s the Russian camaraderie and he said no I don’t talk to him at all which I felt very weird he didn’t say it like abruptly like there’s any problem or anything like that but I just thought that was kind of odd he said no I don’t talk with him that’s all he said and we just kind of dropped it like oh all right I don’t know like I kind of understand like he’s not up here yet it’s probably going to change once he’s up But he had talked to Husnoff and I think he talked, excuse me, I believe he was talking to Denilia at one point in time when we asked him about him. Um, and it’s not Carrill’s responsibility to be that liaison. Why am I losing my voice? Do you hear how it’s just I do? It’s removing itself from my body. Um, excuse me. But yeah, I thought that was kind of a We did have a great conversation with Carill. I think as we have talked about before on the podcast, Kristen, this season obviously showed him a lot. Yes, it’s disappointing, but I think even the way they performed in those playoffs showed him what he needed to as far as I want to win, right? This is the team that I want to win with. This is the team that could be that for him. Um, money is not an object for the Minnesota Wild when it comes to resigning him. That’s for sure. But here is what Carill had to say about his future. or you know, I’m just let let’s play the audio. We’re just going to play the audio so you guys can determine how it went. Here’s Carrill on Minnesota and possibly his future. It’s really short. He basically just said, “Yeah, I love it here. Should be all good.” Mhm. So, um, so yeah, that’s Carill again. Read what you will into it. It feels like he is going to resign here. From my perspective, Kirsten, I think it was promising. It definitely was promising hearing him say that and just seeing his cander online, just his nonchalantness about it, it made me feel good about hearing and seeing that from him. And also, I think just in general in Minnesota, it’s a fun time to be a part of this state, this city with the young talent across all sports that we’ve got like Justin Jefferson, Ant, Carrill. Like I think it’s just a fun time to be here, too. So, I can see why he would want to stay. He just he loves it here. I gotta I wonder though, do you think would you consider it concerning if he doesn’t sign an 8-year extension? Let’s say like if he goes for five or six, which you know isn’t super tight and locked up. What do you think about that? Like I guess sign an 8year extension. Yeah. Is feel better about that. Yeah. Yeah. Because I I think it was Russo too that I was reading about online that brought up that point like when like he’s in his prime right now and if you’re 29 when the new contract would kick in. Yeah. So, and that is risky once I mean it just it happens like he’s already had the injuries. We’ve talked about that how that’s a little bit of a risk. You’re in your prime when the contract sets in. I don’t know. And then I mean just naturally the way hockey is you do fall off a little. Not saying, don’t come for me anybody about me saying, “Oh, Carl’s not good. He’s not worth the money.” He is. But I do think agreeing with that point that was made. It just brings up question marks cuz you don’t know. Yeah. And he did say Carrill also added he’s healthy. I mean, he’ll use the summer to kind of rest and recover, but there’s been no um additional surgeries needed or anything for that uh undisclosed lower body injury, which obviously kept him out of the lineup for a while. So, that’s good. But I do have to think that that injury in and of itself probably lessened the appetite for him a little bit on the market, right? Like I have to say that probably worked in Minnesota’s favor a little bit. And so from Carill’s perspective, why really run that risk? I mean, of course, another team would be thrilled to pick him up. I’m not saying that there’s other teams that would be like, “Ah, we don’t want him.” But I think it probably raises more questions and and whatnot whereas you have a team here in Minnesota that’s very much ready, willing to just have them sign on the dotted line a blank check, right? So I think that bodess well for Minnesota. And the nice thing is it does sound like Carrill does want to have this locked up squared away this summer and so he can go into next season. He doesn’t have to worry about it. It’s not something he’s going to drag out. Um, he also too just he seems like a loyal guy and I think he’s loyal to Minnesota. Not that he has to be, but he just seems happy and why it’s a good thing. Exactly. And again, they they love him. It’s it’s got to be nice to be that superstar. And it it’d be important for Minnesota to have that because they need another franchise player. You could argue that Miko Koyu was probably the first franchise player, but he wasn’t the superstar that Carell Caprio is and is going to continue to be. I mean, again, this man had a heart trophy like season going before he got hurt. And even then, he picked right back up where he left off. Like, he looked good in the playoffs. There were only a few times where I’m like, “Huh, that looks a little off.” But granted, that’s the playoffs. That’s part of it. Um, and I I agree. I think he seems very happy here. I don’t want to say content because I think he’s always going to be hungry. To him, winning is more important. You know, it’s it’s very obvious. It’s what we’ve stated from the the get-go. It has nothing to do with the money being offered. He wants to win a Stanley Cup. And I think they’ve shown what is here with Faber, with Baldi, um, with Philip Gustoson doing what what he has done, too. You know, I think it says a lot about the team. You know, he feel he felt good about the playoffs. I actually had the opportunity to just chat one-on-one with him a little bit this weekend as well. And, you know, he asked my opinion. How did you think we did did this year? And I said, I I was actually very surprised. You know, I admitted to him, I was like, I didn’t think you guys would be this strong. And um you know I think that made him happy to even have that extra perspective. Yes, I made Carrill happy by telling him that I thought you guys were going to suck and you didn’t. So, but it is I think there’s enough here for the promise. I also have to give a shout out to Matt Zukurella who we asked about with Carrill and Zuki was classic patented Zuki. Hilarious. Talked about how I think Carrill will be most happy if I also get an eight-year extension and a raise and how that’s what’s going to keep Carrill happy. Um, and then he also brought up how he’s 37 and so things always hurt and how Brock shot his ball off and just classic Zuki. I still wse at that. That sounds really brutal. I know. And then Zukerella left the room and asked if he won the best the nicest uh player of the year award which sometimes media members give out to their teams like the player that was the most n like most available and we’re like sure. He’s like is that your goal? And he’s like yeah I wasn’t very good at it last year. It’s like well that’s true. love that for him. Weren’t very good at it. So, uh, let’s see what other wrap-up points we have. Philip Gustoson. Do we want to talk about Philip Gustoson? Let’s talk about Phil. Let’s talk about Phil. Um, he looked a lot like I finally figured it out in his media interview. And I don’t know if you’ve seen the photos of him. He looked a little bit like Young Gravy. He was giving me Young Gravy vibes. Yes. Yes. I don’t know if that’s a good thing or bad. Yeah. They don’t look alike at all. What are you talking about? Oh my goodness. All right. Let’s Let’s I’m going to do a little Google search here. Um uh where is it? I know they posted all their pictures. They He did It was his hair. It was his hair and his outfit of choice yesterday. I’m not criticizing that and I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, but you as a Rochester native like Young Gravy I thought would enjoy that. Look, tell me. Yeah. Tell me this man just when he was mad. Um let’s see. How do I send this to you? We’re going to send it. Apologies, guys. If you haven’t, go to Wild. It’s Wild Wild’s Twitter and you can also see what I’m about to show Kirsten. Uh, Kirsten. Oh, well, I can’t send it to you. Well, let me send it to you, but it’s Let’s see. Here we go. There we go. Now, go look at that and tell me that doesn’t look like Young Gravy a little bit. It doesn’t give you Young Gravy vibes. It’s the way the hair is kind of feathered. It’s the chain. No. Literally, no. I mean, the shirt maybe looks like himself does not look like young gravy. The shirt is something he would wear. No, the hair doesn’t even I That’s all I can think about. Matt has like long wavy hair and it’s like flowy that’s like down to his shoulders. Young Gravy’s real name for Yes, Matt is Young Gravy’s real name. Um but yeah, no, Philip Gustoson was fantastic. Obviously night and day compared to last year. Last year was very short, very quiet. He he knew it was different, but I I love that he acknowledged what I think we all noticed is he was having fun. Like I remember last year talking about it after the season and saying he seemed so tense and he didn’t have that cool, calm collective that we had seen Gus the year prior, right? And you could just sense that that was off on him. And he acknowledged that. He said, “I just kind of got back to relaxing and resetting and just kind of keeping it cool.” And he’s like, “And playing a simpler game of hockey.” And to him, that’s just playing kind of an easy way of hockey. And I think um you know, Mark Andre Flurry had a huge help in that. We’re going to talk about Mark Andre Flurry and get to him in just a minute as well. But I I love that Gus refound himself this year. And I I think the way that he acknowledged how he knows how he needs to play, right? So, I think that’s only going to be tremendous moving forward for him. I agree. Again, no notes. No notes. Here is kind of taking it and running with it and I’m like, “Yeah, I have nothing else to add.” I know the the one thing that I I do here’s an audio clip from Gus is he talked about how much Flurry meant him but he really the interesting part of this note was he talked about how there wasn’t a rivalry with Flurry versus in the goalending position because only one can play at a time there tends to be but he talked a little bit about how that made for a very unique situation. Take a listen. Oh, actually never mind. Don’t take a listen. I forgot I don’t have this audio. My phone died. Um, but yeah, he talked about how there wasn’t a rivalry with Florine, how there’s going to be kind of a quote unquote rivalry with Yesper coming in. Um, and we saw Yesper with the team a little bit. How are you feeling about the tandem without Mark Andre Flurry as we lead into his final NHL exit media day here? Um, how do you feel about Gus and Yesper knowing how tough Yeser struggled this year? I’m feeling good about the goalending in general just because I’m very pleased with how Gus performed this season. So, I’m very confident in him heading into the next year. But I’m very nervous about Yesper. I we know what he’s capable of, but this year was really really rough for him. So, mentally, I’m hoping I’m hoping that’s what it was. just a down year and that he can regroup this off season and come back next year and find his groove up in Minnesota. So, I’m hopeful, but I’m nervous. It makes me kind of want and I will be sure to maybe ask Billy about this. We’ll see how he feels. I think it’s a fair question. Um, I would like to explore free agency for a potential one to twoyear veteran older goalie, right? Like I think I have no concerns about Gus and I have no concerns about him being that starting goalie 110% right and working 70% of the games this season. I don’t have any problems with that. Um but you’re right. I think my worry is the bounce back from Yesper. Can he do that? Can he do that now in this NHL level? So that’s where it’s like I would like to have maybe that older goalie that has been around the block, only needs to come in for a couple games, but you at least have that to lean on in case Yasper isn’t ready, right? And we won’t know that. It’s not fair to say cuz again, look at what Philip Gusson was able to do in bounceback from his, you know, I don’t want to say disastrous, but it was a bad year. And this one for Yesper very much felt disastrous. Again, you can reset, you can do all of that. Um, but I’m I’m curious to see how that works. I am excited for Gus to kind of be that mentor that Flurry was to him and we’ve already seen that. He definitely has taken Yes. I know during training camp they were hanging out all the time. Obviously they’re both Swedish so that has that natural connection. Um but I would like to see Bill Garin explore a little bit on a older goalie for a shorter stent possibly. Yeah, I’m not opposed to that idea. I think just because there are so many question marks with Yesper coming out of this season and it after being so excited about him it’s the excitement has turned more to concern but I don’t know there’s still a lot of time different group we’ll see that’s kind of where I’m at as far as yes we’ll see minimally questions that’s all it is like if not concern minimally there are questions that I have so Um, yeah. I think that’s gonna do it. Before we wrap up the Minnesota Wild season, here is Mark Andre Flurry just being Mark Andre Flurry about his final NHL career. Um, I want to give one more shout out to him in general. Just we’ve said it time and time again, he is such an incredible human being and Wild fans are so lucky to have been able to watch him and have him in their kind of space. I love that he’s going to stay in Minnesota now. it sounds like. Um, but from my perspective, I’m so grateful that I got to cover him and get to know him as well and just be around him because I think being around him, you’re just you’re happier a little bit, right? He just brings that out of you. And to have had him on the podcast before and for him to just be so gracious with us in his time um all the time, I’m really really grateful for that. Yeah. just it’s it’s very surreal to know we got to see him on a nightly basis here in Minnesota up close in the final years of his career. So it was a lot of fun, a lot of mems. He’ll be missed. So missed. I love that I also have photos with him where we’re wearing different weird outfits. Like I don’t have like a normal picture. Like I have one of him where I’m wearing a Kentucky Derby outfit and then another one where he’s wearing a bowling outfit like all of these times. So, I look forward to seeing him in regular street clothes and me in regular street clothes and just being like, “What’s up, Flower?” And yeah, very lucky. Wish him nothing but the best. I know he’ll probably be very excited to spend time with the family. Um, which is welld deserved as well. So, here’s Mark Andre Flurry. I don’t know. I had a little time maybe in my car after the game, you know, driving home by myself and have a little time to reflect. Um just I don’t know still little unbelie unbelievable unbelievable jeez already. [Music] um that it’s over, you know, like 20 some years went by like so quick, right? And um and I I love my teammates, love my team here, too, right? And I thought the guys like played so well in the playoffs and gave a good run at, you know, Vegas was one of the best team in the league and um and we all believe, you know, we could come back and have a chance here and um I don’t know, it’s like, you know, it’s coming, right? I knew it’s coming, but it’s still uh still sad a bit, you know, when when that happens for real. Uh I’m worried about that. Yeah, I’ve heard it from different guys also. It’s like uh you know, you play a season, you playoffs, and then it’s it’s normal, right? We got summers and we work out and I probably won’t work out much, but at this time, um, but I think when Cam comes around and uh, yeah, I think that’s when it might uh, might hit me a little more. All right, and with that, that’s going to do it for this week’s episode of Bard Down Beauties. Again, as the offseason approaches, we’ll probably have a change to scheduling because there’s nothing to talk about sometimes, at least not until the draft. At least not until free agency. free agency. We will be back in full swing. Uh but stay tuned for any schedule changes that we might be having with the offseason approach. Until then, go now. I kind of want the Jets to beat Dallas. I think that’s who I’m Absolutely. I know. But you know me. I was going to say something very harsh and then I remembered this is a family-friendly podcast. So, f Dallas. I just Yeah. I I think Winnipeg there’s just like a feelood for me there. And the white out does look sick. I get that. I don’t love that they claim that that’s their thing only, but it looks so good. Sorry, my high school did white outs. Like, get over yourself. You’re No idea is original. I’m just saying. Is also true. Um, and yeah, so as always, you guys are awesome. Shout out to Wild PR2 for helping us out this season with all of their interviews and and access and everything like that. Uh, shout out to Billy, John, the players, um, everybody. It was a fun season to cover. There was much less turmoil than I expected, some angst with all the injuries, but the team did much, much better than I thought they would this year. And so, I’m very excited about the future uh without question to see what is next for your Minnesota Wild. And even more importantly, we’re officially out of Capell. Yay. Oh, before we go, too, we should probably give shout out to the PWL Minnesota squad, the Frost. They are moving on into the playoffs. They are se Toronto sele Toronto selected them, right? Or no, it’s because No, Montreal select Montreal selected Ottawa. So, Toronto got Minnesota. Okay. So, that is a rematch of last year’s finals. Uh Minnesota will start on the road and then they will bring it back here in the best of seven series. Uh look forward to those playoffs starting. It’s been a very up and down season for the Frost. Um they barely made it into the playoffs in fact, but shout out to them on their run as the that kicks off this week. And uh shout out to the Wolves. Oh. Oh. Oh, that was No, no, we just howling. Oh, it’s just a howl. Just a howl. That’s what Yeah, I did it. No, at first it sounded more like a whine as opposed to a howl. Fair. Well, go Wolves. Go sports. We love sports. Um, have a great rest of your week. We’ll talk to you later. [Music]

We’re shouting it from the rooftop: the Minnesota Wild are going to be even better next season. The offseason work starts now.

Jessi Pierce and Kirsten Krull dissect the finale from the playoffs and to the postseason breakdown of players (and plays).

Plus, hear from Marc-Andre Fleury in his last media day as a professional hockey player.

As always, we’re greeted by new voice studios, brought to you by SotaStick, presented by Talk North, Royal Credit Union, and Grain Belt. This is season 6, episode 277.

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