LogFAQs > #943142909

Well, the Wild season ended with a thud. But in a weird way, it just means things can finally move on. Fiala was amazing for as cheap as his contract is, Koivu and Galchenyuk getting dumped (one would hope) is about $10 million off the cap, and Suter, Spurgeon, and Staal (Parise to a lesser extent) are still "good enough." to hold things together while hopefully Fiala keeps the hot streak going. Stalock seems to have taken over for Dubnyk permanently, so that could be another way to save money.

Dumba was a downer, but the injury really screwed things up. I have no idea about this Kaprizov guy though. He better be Gaborik 2.0 for all the time the management won't shut the fuck up about his "IMPENDING AMAZING ARRIVAL OMFG HYPE!" train. But hey. If he can replace Zucker's production or exceed it, fine. Apparently, the defenseman they got in the Zucker trade is a good pickup too...who knows.

I think the reason I'm less pissed than usual is even if the team didn't move in the standings one way or another, the team seems to have woken up and at least bothered to CHANGE. For years, it was a misguided young core of up and down talent that never seemed to get better, nor was bad enough to be worse. But most of those guys are gone. Fenton's run was a disaster, but at least he and Guerin did what Fletcher couldn't: see the writing on the wall.

Might still take another year or two, but there's movement at least.

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"Evening caress, Always yearning, I must confess, The stars aren't burning"
Copernicus - Candlemass