#294. ‘Good Enough’ Isn’t Anymore For The Minnesota Wild

#294. ‘Good Enough’ Isn’t Anymore For The Minnesota Wild

Hard down beauties with Jesse Pierce and Kirsten Croll. Two hockey minds trapped in bodies that can’t skate. They may have never laced them up, but they’ll break it all down with sharp takes and plenty of laughs. This is hockey talk the beauty’s way. Hello everybody. What’s up? Bardom Beauties back in action. Jesse Pierce, Kirsten Croll coming in hot. Uh fresh off a ton of hockey back to backs this weekend. A ton more hockey coming up as the six-game home stand for your Minnesota Wild continues. Kirsten, last year the Minnesota Wild over exceeded our expectations. They, you know, were great on the road, not great at home. This year they are not good at home or on the road. A 23-1 record went away from Grand Casino Arena, one two-1 at Grand Casino Arena, and 14-2 in their last seven games played. 13th in the West, seventh in the Central, 29th in the league. Our pets heads are falling off. It feels bad. It feels It feels really bad. It does feel really bad cuz I think we’re at the point it is really bad. Um I just even being in the arena the last two games this weekend, the energy is just sucked out of it. I mean, the Utah game was bad and then San Jose. Losing to San Jose was bad. I mean, I’m trying to tread lightly because I I’m not being very just analytically critical at this point. Just overall like it just wasn’t The vibes are bad. Very good. The vibes are bad. The vibes are off. There’s bad juju going on right now. We need to like realign our chakras or do something because it’s all out of whack right now. I mean, the Utah game, Utah’s crushing it this year. Nick Schmaltz is doing everything in his power. Logan Logan Culie is a bad bad man right now. Yes. It’s like it’s it’s a lot of fun to watch, frankly. Again, I will always take the side of a general hockey fan. It’s fun to watch. They are fast. So, I knew that game was going to get off the rails. I didn’t think it’d get as quickly off the rails as it did, but I just Minnesota cannot keep up with that type of speed. You saw it New Jersey last week as well. And San Jose had a very similar method as far as their youthfulness, right? San Jose a struggling team, but for whatever reason, that’s two years in a row now, they have come in and found the back of the net more than five times, six times in fact, last night in overtime, and I think it was what, seven times uh last year toward the end of the regular season. I think it really starts down to, and we talked about this last week, Kristen, but it remains a problem. There is zero consistency. I almost feel like I’m going to give ourselves a pat on the back that Hines and company listened to our episode last week because every player I talked to in the locker room was like, “Yeah, our consistency is off. Our consistency is not there.” I’m like, “Really? That’s odd?” Cuz that’s exactly what I said last week. Like that is the biggest problem for me is there is no identity to the team. There doesn’t feel like from period to period to game to game, there’s nothing that has stayed the same whether it’s working or whether it’s not, right? Like it’s the only thing I’d say stayed the same for four games. They haven’t scored first, which is a a freaking problem. Yeah. I think it’s really hard to grasp who this team is and what they’re capable of when they’ve been as streaky as they have been to start. Like I can’t get a gauge on where this team legitimately is or what they can be as we move out of October into November. Like I just we see spurts and we see things from players we wouldn’t have expected to see from said players. And I’m going to just address the elephant in the room. We have made Marcus Johansson on a league minimum contract look like an elite goal scorer this past weekend. Three goals in two games. Top line forward. I mean more power to him. Like it’s he’s he’s played very well. He’s been able to capitalize. He’s been one of the best players on our team this weekend. So, shout out contract year. Should expect it. Should know this. But yeah, I didn’t see that coming. I can’t I can’t tell who this team is right now. It’s giving Victor Rasque, right? Like it’s very much like number one center Victor Rask. He’s he’s up there. He’s giving that opportunity. It just Marcus Johansson not whiffing on these slam dunk shots is is great. Like I’m so happy to finally see that for a change of pace. It’s weird though. Again, it speaks to the roster and the lack of lack of depth when you’re putting him on the first line. Like he hadn’t done anything to scream, I’m a topline player and and credit to Carell Capri off, right, who continues his playmaking ability, not scoring five on five, which is a problem for 97, but he’s still opening up space and making plays, maybe forcing it a little bit too much. There were a number of turnovers in Sunday’s game that you were just like, “E, Carrill, you were trying to force your way out of this and and two of them led to goals and I think another one was a penalty.” Um, I mean, not even just Carill, Brock had said that postgame last night, too. He said, “Right now, like all of these guys in this team are working their butts off. It’s not because we’re not working and not because we’re not wanting to win because every single player here wants to win.” He’s like, “We’re just trying so hard.” And I think when you do that, it doesn’t go the way you hope it does. Well, and I had asked Hines that post game too. I said, “Does this feel like there’s a desperation, you know, like are you should you be playing with this desperation because we still are 10 games in, right?” But it also seems like they’ve shown us who they are a little bit too. I don’t believe that it remains a small sample size as we’ve discussed. I feel like they are showing very clear-cut problems that need to be addressed and I think the way you address them is via trade and we can get into that a little bit later but it does it seems like and Hines responded there’s a sense of urgency they don’t feel like they’re desperate and I do think maybe one win can turn the tides but there’s no time for them to catch their breath. Winnipeg is coming in off a loss to the Utah Mammoth the other or on Sunday night so they’re going to be out for vengeance. Utah is going to want to win that game even more so uh in St. Paul Tuesday. Then you got the Pittsburgh Penguins who aren’t that great. That’s fine and well. You got Vancouver who’s playing hot. I feel like that’s pretty sustainable. And then you have Nashville to round it out uh next week. Again, a very important almost critical sixgame home stand. It feels like Kristen, it does feel that way. I think I don’t know. I just we do this time and time again. It’s almost the same song and dance. We put ourselves in a position where our backs are forced to be against the wall. And sure enough, early on in the season, we’re seeing it happen in real time. Do you take solace in the fact that they’ve crawled back and they’ve climbed back into some of these games? You saw it against San Jose. You saw it a little bit against Utah, too. Um because for me, that just kind of seems like lip service sometimes, like, oh well, they managed like don’t put yourself in that position. Don’t go down two rip. Don’t go down three rip and allow yourselves to have such a poor start against these quick teams. I personally I don’t like that. It feels kind of cheap. It cheapens it a little bit. Like it is great. You do find to a way to play hard in the third period, but it’s a 60-minute hockey game. Quite frankly, I find it incredibly annoying that they decide to play super hard late in the third period to tie it up and force overtime just to lose in overtime. So, I have to stay. It feels disrespectful of my time that you’re going to force it to stay make us stay into overtime just to watch you lose in overtime. As somebody who frankly I find it incredibly annoying as somebody Yeah. who has to write two stories then and I’m on edge trying to make sure I file at deadline and have to rush to the room. It’s a pain in the ass and it’s disrespectful. It’s disrespectful to me. I mean if you’re going to get the win if you force overtime, perfect. Like love it. I’m happy. But you’re going to lose the audacity. The the sheer audacity. a season goal differential curs of minus1 which is very high on the uh the NHL very roll low rather it’s not good how about that we’ll just go with that it’s not good it’s like second to last um again five on five continues to struggle you saw a little bit of five on five saw a little bit power play comeback but is this team does this team have what it takes to be offensively competitive even yes they cuz we’ve seen it and we know what they’re capable of. But man, right now I don’t know what it’s going to take. Like you see Go ahead. I was going to say which is concerning. Like I didn’t really have much else to add. Like right now I think just the title of this episode is concerned. I kind of like that’s concerned. Raise sound the alarm which plays into our pregame hype and everything. Sound the alarm. Beware concerned. True. I don’t know. I didn’t even I didn’t even I’m a little delirious right now. I’m running on minimal sleep and exhaustion. Are we sounding the alarm? Like is that fair to say? Like I said, we talked about desperation and it feeling like it’s a desperate moment. And I, you know, as fans in general for any sport, we tend to overreact. And I’m not meaning to overreact, but the concerns that continue to be there and present and new blemishes that pop up, it’s like I just this team I’m starting to wonder if they are even a playoff team as honest now. Yeah. I the way they’re constructed right now, something has to happen. They’re not going to I mean they could bubble their way into the postseason this year, but just it say you’re going to be a bubble team. not going to make a deep push where things currently stand. So, something has to give. But also going back to if we’re sounding the alarm, I’m I’m always ready to sound the alarm. Like I’m always like finger like inching away from the button going down. I’m I’m ready at a moment’s notice to panic over anything. You mentioned Brock Faber and I got to say like a shout out to him. I we talked about it heading into this year after I spoke with him for a separate story and I could tell he just sounded very defeated and very deflated but I was hoping you know he’s going to have a good camp he’s going to come in and it really hasn’t gone easy for Brock and it and again it’s he’s far and away not the only one but listening to him postgame Saturday in that Utah loss and even on on Sunday where Sunday he he played well three assists I want to give him the biggest confidence boost ever like again he is far and away not the only player underperforming. And I say underperforming because he is making uncharacteristic mistakes and he’s just a step off and a step behind. And we’ve said that from the beginning of the year, but man is he just so overly critical on himself. Like I get it. You’re a professional athlete and he has high standards. And ironically enough, I ran into his dad following Saturday’s game and mentioned that. I said, “Hey, let Brock know he’s he’s not this awful defenseman, but it seems like he is. He’s one of those guys gripping it too tight and trying too hard. And as his dad had mentioned, he’s a guy that wants to win. He doesn’t want to lose and he’s going to take all of that and wear it. And I you almost you can’t have him do that. Like he needs to mentally push through it seems in order to find his game a little bit too. Yeah. No, I agree. I just you just want to give the man a hug. Like he looks like he hasn’t slept in two weeks. Honestly, looking at Brock Faber in these postgame press conferences, postgame scrums, he looks like the Ben Affleck meme of him just like smoking a cigarette, just looking absolutely defeated. And God bless him because he’ll always come and talk to us and he has fantastic answers. He’s one of uh the most eloquent speakers I think in that room and can really kind of put into words exactly how they’re feeling while being honest too, which is always appreciated from the media perspective. But yeah, like sometimes I want to be like, man, like you’re right, you’re not playing up to your standard. And I can appreciate you having this level of expectation for yourself. And I can appreciate you not wanting to, you know, say it’s okay that we’re losing in the manners that we’re losing, but I want him to just take that step back and take that breath. It’s very similar to Yesper Bellstead last year, right? And we know how that affected him. And now granted that’s a goalie situation and that’s a little bit different cuz he was doing it down in the American Hockey League, but Brock I just feel is yeah like it’s he needs to mentally push through this this adversity as as they all do, right? Because it’s not all on Brock. Now, I will say this, the defense continues to be an annoyance to me because it’s just these mistakes and missteps and then you saw that kind of be addressed in the San Jose game where Jared Spurgeon gets a little bit of relief and gets paired with Jake Middleton and you’ve got the two youngans together and David Urak and Zou which wasn’t great either. I it’s it’s just I don’t know if I I’m going to say something crazy. Do you want to see Urchek and or Zeve down in Iowa for a hot minute? I for sure don’t want to see Zeve down in Iowa. I mean, he has we’ve seen his offensive prow a little bit here just through this past weekend. I know he’s a defenseman, but we’ve seen a little bit of offense from him, which we’ve known him to come to have. And especially when our offense isn’t offensing, we need that from somewhere. So, Zeve for sure know you’re a check maybe. Yeah, but also we’re we don’t really have that many options right now. I hate this topic because it’s like I feel like I talk out of both sides of my mouth when it comes to it because on one side I’m of course all in on let the young guys play, let them make the mistakes, let them, you know, be messy out there. And that’s true and and I think it’s particularly true when it comes to Zuam, right? He’s being put in these instances. He’s moving around on the power play and you’re right because he has this incredible offensive skill and the mistakes are so glaring because it’s it’s very evident that this is his first year and I think again he needs to he needs to wear I think he needs to wear the mistakes as much as he wears the praise too. I think a lot of times this fan base is very so high on him and they look past any of the errors he’s making where I’m just trying to say it’s not all perfect. ain’t all sunshine and roses when it comes to Zeve because some of these it’s exhausting to watch Jared Spurgeon have to be that reliable defenseman who’s covering up for him constantly and it’s affecting his numbers then too. I mean Spurgeon is a minus N for like the first time in his career because he’s out there trying to help Zeve and I think that’s important and I I I like that they’re there and I don’t think Zeve, you’re right, should go to Iowa, but sometimes it’s like it would feel better to have those mistakes happen down there than up here. I don’t know. Again, if the Wild were winning, we wouldn’t even be having this conversation. Zeve could be struggling and the Wild are winning and it’s fine. But because they’re losing, it’s just makes it even more glaring that like, okay, these are young players that are not maybe quite 120% NHL ready. Yeah. But also too, I’m like, I don’t know if there’s really an option in Iowa that would be drastically better. I mean, we still are without Zach Begoian, who is not going to be coming back for a minute. So, I don’t know. I I still think they’re the best available options that we have. Yeah, we saw Bogo walking around in a boot in the press box uh yesterday. So, apparently something is broken. Obviously, I didn’t bother him, but um I have heard it is a broken ankle. That sounds about right. I mean, he was Yeah. just walking around, hanging out. Great dress style by Zach Bagosian. It always sometimes is like when you’re used to seeing them either in just their workout gear or a suit like now that there’s that removal of the dress code. I like seeing guys like with the casual nice, you know what I mean? Mhm. No, I love it. I’m a big big big big fan. I am too. Like I I know it’s kind of you could quote unquote say they’re boring, the Wild guys, right? Like they’re not really they’re not the Willie Kneelanders. They’re not the Austin Matthews. And I didn’t expect any of them to Toronto is so spoiled with fashion, right? I’m just going to say that like uh Willie and Austin Kings, they serve night in night out. See, and it’s funny because I’m not hip enough to like appreciate good fashion, you know what I mean? Like fashion for what it is and like the wearable art. So to me, I’m kind of always like like it’s kind of hideous. Like I dig that like the Wild guys will have kind of the um like the nice joggers with like maybe a nice sweater or something where again it’s like cuz here’s the thing. If you’re wearing suits, you’re event you’re going in just to take it off. Like you’re wearing it for literally a drive to the rink and then you’re changing into your gear. So, it’s almost like I like their approach of a very casual. You still have plenty of guys in nice suits, which I can appreciate, but what would you would you rather have the Toronto of the world? Like the I mean, yeah, absolutely. It keeps it fun and it gives me a lot to talk about. Like I love good fashion. I love like the best dressed, the worst dressed. Like I love that. And I think like Willie Knander and Austin Matthews are just two of the coolest guys ever. So like I just Yeah, I love it. I want more of it. Yeah. I don’t think we really have a personality on our team though that’s going to do that. Maybe. I don’t know. Never mind. I don’t think so. I don’t think we have a personality on our team that’s not like a loud boisterous personality is what it is. We don’t have that. No, you have you have guys that’ll play along, but definitely not ones that are going to be loud and boisterous. Um, speaking of loud and boisterous, the notion that the Minnesota Wild need a coaching change has been very loud and boisterous. If you guys suggest to me Pete Dbor needs to come be the coach of the Minnesota Wild one more time, I swear. Are people saying that? Constantly. I am getting it constantly. John Tortarella. Oh boy. Oh boy. Bring tors. I I can’t. No, I can’t do tors. I need actual Brs. I can’t do it. I can’t do that post game every day. Just I don’t have to do it. I can just enjoy from afar. Bring in tors if you’re not. Sorry. I’m not encouraging a coaching change. I’m just saying John Tordella is currently available. Well, and I know Peter Lavlet. Sorry. Yeah. I’m just Do you want a coaching change? I didn’t say I wanted one, but I do think if this continues without a doubt hard deadline by the end of this home stand, if things do not improve, something needs to change or something needs to happen. So, if they only win one game after and say they beat Nashville, they finally salvage a victory, right? They drop all the rest of these games that we had just talked about coming up in this next week. Our heads rolling? Well, I think some people are already starting to roll their heads. I think at the end of this home stand, I think it would be very telling. And like look at the division we play in. It’s not easy. It’s not going to get easier if you’re just continuing to roll through games the way you have been. I just I don’t know if it’s a a big trade. I don’t know. I don’t know. I just think something needs to happen like something to shake it up. I think naturally John Hines does have to wear these losses as well, right? Like it the roster is constructed though to not be necessarily a good team. So I think that’s part of it. Obviously, as we’ve discussed before when it came to Dean Evson, you can’t fire players, you fire the coach. And and reminder, Dean Evson was Billy’s guy. Like that was not an easy firing for him, just like John Hines is Bill’s guy. Um you know, Dino wasn’t let go for any other reason than the team sucked. And right now the team is also not performing well. The thing that’s very curious though is you’re John Hines is working with the same roster he had last year um with minus a Matt Zukarelloo and it’s similar systems too that he has implemented. He had a full season with these guys last year. So this year things should have been very seamless. So it does make you wonder like what what’s different? John Hines will always tell us it’s in the details. It’s in the small details and things are not are not going their way and it’s in the little battles and he’s not wrong. But it does make me wonder is John the criticism I have of of Hines is is he doing enough to make some of those changes? You finally saw wholesale line changes um in Saturday Saturday’s game um against Utah and those kind of stuck for Sunday. But has he done enough to make corrections to try to better the team? Do you feel? Cuz I don’t know that he has. I don’t know. I I mean, if I’m John Hines, I’m incredibly frustrated right now. And I think we’ve seen that, too. Even just seeing some of the games, like when they were on the road trip and I was watching from home and getting to see his post games, like just evident frustration, which very valid like you can only scratch your head so many times cuz yeah, it’s the same group that you have worked with. And we’ve seen some very like gutsy and angsty moves previously like in the past too from John Hines. Like I remember what was it just last season everyone was singing praises on John Hines and right all of like the good that he had done to shake up or make adjustments in game time that we didn’t necessarily see as much with Evson. Um so I don’t know. I don’t think it’s all on John Hines. I just think right now too I think the team itself the players are in some form of a slump and there’s only so much as the coach you can do. For sure. and and they had individual meetings. I know I I spoke with you. I know they’ve spoken with Marcus Felino in particular who’s now hurt. Um not sure how severe that is, but there were x-rays taken yesterday on Sunday. Um we’re recording this on a Monday in case you weren’t aware. So that doesn’t sound great. But Marcus Felino has not been doing well either. And this year, I remember coming in all high on him saying, “I think he’s going to have this great season.” And he hasn’t been great. And obviously he wears a letter. They’ve had conversations with Carrill and they’ve had conversations with Jared Spurgeon. And I say they by because I also mean Bill Garin. Um has also had those sit downs and I don’t think they’ve been, you know, necessarily yelling matches. They haven’t been scolding or like you guys are this is pitiful. This is unacceptable. But sometimes they feel like you need that kick in the ass. It’s like would you rather have a coach that is willing to kind of yell and have those closed door meetings or do you like the way that John Hines approaches it and lets the players kind of mitigate and have that direction themselves? I mean, I think there’s a balance is the ideal answer, right? But Hines definitely seems almost too laid-back sometimes for my taste. I mean, yeah, I think you got to have a good mix of it. I mean, we’ve seen both ends like John Tordella, we’ve seen him just freak out real time, and these are grown men, too. And I don’t think that always gets very taken very well. Um, but also too, in the same regard, like these players, they’re very self-aware. They know like they know that their game hasn’t necessarily been the best. I don’t think freaking out on them and losing it is necessarily going to fix it either. So, I don’t know. I think there needs to be a good mix of both and I think there probably is. So, we just don’t see because I don’t know what I had seen from John Hines postgame, he has just not looked happy and I’m sure the players know it. And granted, he’s even keeled on both ends of the spectrum, right? Like he’s never given you that emo. It’s not the fiery emotion that Dean had. It’s not Bruce Budro, right? Like who was also just as over-the-top emotional. I noticed that you didn’t really address when I said Pete Dbor because I know how you feel about Pete Dbor, but would you like to share with our audience how you would feel if the Minnesota Wild were to suddenly maybe add him just hypothetical completely hypothetically if Pete Dbor became the new Minnesota Wild head coach? F Pete Dbor I don’t know. I would say goalenders watch out. Like yeah, I don’t I don’t think he would mesh well. I don’t know that that would be an avenue to to clear up any because again that is the main suggestion I’m getting if it’s not just fire John Hines it’s hire Pete Dbor and I’m like you know guys I mean he’s a good coach but he is a divisive coach. Yes, very much so. I think you’re right. I think it would players either love him or hate him. I don’t get the sense that and I just the guys that are in that room I don’t know that they would respond to Pete super well. No. Um, you know, I just it’d be very very interesting. So, uh, uh, continuing on the topic of praises and and whatnot, Marco Rossi. So, we have a nice little group chat going with you, myself, and emergency goalender Conor Bo. Shout out to Bopes. Uh, and we were talking about Marco Rossi and I completely agree with this. And now again, reminder, I have been critical of Marco Rossi because he’s one of the it’s like that kid that you know can be better than what he is, right? And I’ve always said there’s just a great value to Marco Rossi. It sometimes still feels that Marco Rossi though amongst the fan base, maybe even amongst the media, amongst the league, isn’t even though he’s playing in the top six again, even though he’s got 100 points in his past two years, he jumped up 20 points last year, he’s never really considered a true top six forward. Would you agree with that? And like what do you what does Marco need to do to actually be taken seriously like as a top six forward? because it does it doesn’t feel like people are all in. Like sure, he plays in the top six, but eh, it’s not really a top six forward, but he is like he’s shown that he very much is a top six forward. A goal and an assist against the Sharks the other night. Um, you know, important piece. I just don’t think it’s taken seriously. All I have to say is Marco Rossi, keep on keeping on. Keep doing what you’re doing. You are proven to be one of the best players on this roster night in night out. You are not a bust. Those who see you, such as myself, we see you. We support you. We’re here for you. Game recognizes game. Keep doing your thing. Like, I’ve been a Marl Rossy stand since day one. You have. Welcome aboard cuz I think maybe you’re seeing things my way. And also, I don’t agree with the fan base not necessarily thinking he’s a top six forward. I think more than not I have heard the fan base like screaming like he’s an exceptional player and why are we not seeing like even when it the rumors were that he could be on the trading block right the fans didn’t agree and again I just I know that the organization just didn’t seem to be all in on Marco. So for me, I the only reason I suggested moving him is cuz similar to we’ll get into this Liam Ogrren. If you’re not bought in on it and you don’t want to let the kid be the kid that he is, then get rid of him and get something back for him because other teams will absolutely embrace it. Cuz I was more looking out for Marco the person then. Like that’s got to suck to be hearing all of these like, oh, they don’t really they don’t value me like they should that I’ve done this that that and the other thing and I’ve done everything I can. And so it almost feels from an organizational standpoint that they don’t value him. So that was the main reason that I’m like, “Well, then trade him if this is how you’re going to treat him, you know?” And again, he’s still getting his top six minutes. It just doesn’t feel like they’re fully bought in. So maybe that’s it. Maybe it’s the organization not taking him seriously versus the fan base. I would say that more so than the fans cuz I just see fans singing his praises. This is true. They do love saying he’s not a bust. And he’s again off game, two goals, eight points. Um, and it’s uh it’s definitely been good. Speaking of Liam Ogrren, he remains down in Iowa. Iowa is atrocious for the record. They are really struggling down there. Um, do you do the Minnesota Wild need to explore trading Liam? If we’re talking that the one way to improve this team is not going to come within. It’s going to have to come from the outside. And again, I don’t, we talked about it last week, but to reiterate, I don’t feel the Minnesota Wild are bought in on Oakran as an NHL player. Do you trade him? Are you able to trade him even because you haven’t showcased him necessarily as this highvalued prospect even though he was a first round pick for you? What do you think about the Ogrren situation as it continues as he remains in Iowa despite them clearly needing some help offensively? I mean, I don’t want to see him gone. I want to see him playing minutes up on the Wild, especially with the current state of the team. Like I say, let the young guys play, but I think at the end of the day, like it depends what you could get back, but that’s just that I don’t know what we could get back from him right now cuz it’s similar to the Marco Rossy situation this summer to where there was seemingly maybe it was the proposition to add him to your team was a little lackluster because of you not necessarily expressing you want him a part of your group, right? I just feel I mean he’s a package. He’s part of a package, I think. Like I think it’s an easy piece to toss in because you can say, “Oh, he’s this valued player, blah, blah, blah.” Um, speaking of good packages, don’t forget to grab your Minnesota Wild Ticket Pack for the October 30th matchup. That’s this Thursday against the Pittsburgh Penguins for an exclusive Movember T with our friends over at SodaStick. That’s their big collaboration. It’s a great Movember tea. I’ve seen it. Um, don’t forget to use Bardown Beauties at checkout for 15% discount on all of their merch. You know, they’ve got the best. They do customized merching, too, you guys. Like, we have our own Bardown Beauties jerseys. We’ve got our own Bardown shirt. They will add your logo to whatever garb you would like. It’s great. There are they are the best. We love them. Again, Baronown Beauties at checkout for 15% off. But, uh, let’s hop into buy or sell then, Kirsten. I’ve got some good ones for you. The first one, do you buy or sell the idea that goalending is actually a concern and not a strength? this year. I’m buying it at this current moment in time. Yes. Because Gus love him has not looked that great. So I say current concern. So I’m buying it at this moment, but I don’t think long term it’s a concern. Yeah. Um they’ve allowed the second most goals this year at 39. San Jose. Yes. The same San Jose that scored six on them has is the only team that’s allowed more at 42. And Gus is at a 89 save percentage, ranks 32nd in the league, 3.34 goals against average. Now, I will stress it’s the defense and the offense collectively being the bigger problem than the goalending, but I’m also buying the idea because the goalending has not saved or stolen a game, right? Like there have been situations for namely Philip Gustoson just cuz he’s been the starter in more situations, but even Yesper like that overtime gamewinner from Celebrini, incredible breakaway, right? You could argue that that could have been stopped. There were a couple soft ones let in there by Yasper, too. Um I don’t think again the goalending, you’re you’re absolutely right, Kirsten. It’s a concern right now. It’s it’s not I don’t think going to be a concern moving forward as other elements of the team come together, but I definitely think it’s not getting maybe the again a little bit of the critical eye that it should be because there are certainly things that seem a little bit off. But I would agree. Buy or sell. Ryan Hartman still fits in as a top six forward himself. By he’s been one of the best players on the team so far. Do you think he can keep that up? Like he goes he’s another very streaky guy, right? Like he he was great opening night, had it scored for a bit, but then he comes back this weekend and has a good game. Like he’s kind of a very up and down and can be a little bit of a problematic player. I love him for it, but he can still be a little problematic out there by just running his mouth and and luckily though hasn’t been by way of penalties. So, we love that for him. Um, but you think he can he’s a top six like keep it in there, lock it in as long as he stays out of the box. Yes. And he’s the only guy that can really win faceoffs, too. Like he’s I I can enjoy that. I’m going to toss another thing at you then. Would you trade Ryan Hartman? No. Okay. I don’t think like if the ceiling would be that high for him at this point in his career either. See, I think it might. I would argue that he’s the type of like pest player kind of like a Brad Marshian, right? Like love Marian. I think he’s but he’s kind of on that level, right? Like he’ll get under your skin, but he can also contribute too. And I think if he can show that he really has locked down his decision-m when it comes to that temper and comes to those penalties, I think there’s a value there for him. So, I something that I just am kind of keeping a little eye on. I love having a Ryan Hartman on my on this team, don’t get me wrong, but something that I’d be aware of. Um, this is the final buy or sell of this week. I know you’re going to really like this one. We’ve talked about it uh together personally, but do you buy or sell that Mlin Celibbrini is better than Connor Baddard? Buy it without a doubt. I said this I think a year or two ago that I thought he was going to be better than Baddard and everything we have seen thus far he has been better than Bard like Mlin Celerini bad bad man like dangerous like what he already has what two hat-ticks so far this season 10 games into the season like he’s 19 years old he’s insane he has filthy hands he’s got speed he’s built like a man at 19 years old like he he is, I think, a bigger deal than Baddard, but all the hype has been around Baddard. And I just like his personality a little bit better, too. Like, I’ll be honest, like that’s a huge component. And I love that he played college hockey cuz I’m a big college hockey fan. I prefer that route over uh juniors. That’s just me. And so, to have a guy like Mlin Celbrini go the college hockey route, win the Hobie Baker, as as you’re well aware, you’re familiar with him in that capacity, too. Um, and it’s his playmaking and his vision, too. like that no look backhander to Tyler to Foley last night too. Like it’s not even just the fact that he can put the puck in the back of the net, but he he has a vision, too. And he just all of his skills. All the skills. He’s so good. I wish he was on our team. He’s so good. And he’s caring, too. Not to say that Connor Bard’s not. I don’t know the charity work that he does, but I know uh in particular Celibbrini met with the Lakeville family who he had met last year through Make a Wish and spent a good amount of time with them before he came and chatted with us media yesterday. So, he’s just he’s a good kid, too. Love him. Love him. 19 years old, too. Yep. San Jose is going to be scary in like two years. Like, they’re going to be I keep waiting. You keep seeing like even when they’re lo I’m like they’re like Eklund Smith, Ascarov and Net is the most chaotic thing I have ever seen in my entire life. Like I don’t know how I feel about it. Like that’s a lot. There’s a lot going on there. Um and they’ve got even a young coach like their coach. It’s the first NHL coach that’s younger than me which you know is throws me off. What What’ you do? I didn’t do anything. I just said, “Oh.” Oh. Like cuz you’re age again. Yeah. No, cuz you’re bringing up your age again. Well, I’m old. Okay. It’s fine. I’ve come I’m wanting to come to terms with it, I think. And on that note, thank you guys for listening. We love it. Uh, no, but we will we’ll wrap up this week’s episode. As always, shout out to our friends at Score North. Don’t forget to check out all the other content, Jud’s Hockey Show in our hockey division. Plus, they’ve got Flagrant Howls because the Timberwolves are back loving the trees. Like, we’re all we’re full in full in back to like the ‘9s. And I’m so I’m so here for it. Same love. As long as it’s not like the pit of despairs of Minnesota sport. Although the 90s I think were okay for most were fine. You had Yeah. Northstars made it. to the finals in the 90s. Wait, maybe I don’t know. Never mind. I’d take KG’s 90s. Yeah. What? Yeah. Never mind. Never mind. I just We’re good. You’re good. You feeling okay? Yeah, we’re good. I can I’ll tell you all about the ‘9s someday. Don’t you worry. It’s It’ll be great. Thank you. Cuz I don’t remember. Oh, man. It was just like 20 years ago. It’s fine. I know it was more It was only 30 years ago. All right. So, thank you guys so much for tuning in to this week’s episode of Barard Down Beauties before Jesse starts crying talking about her age. Um, we will see you guys back here next week. Thank you so much. Go wild. Bye.

The Minnesota Wild’s lack of consistency, depth and confidence has dug an early hole for them that just might be too big to climb out of…

Jessi Pierce and Kirsten Krull explore what changes could (and should) be made to bring the Wild back to success.