# The Wild = WINNING!!!



## Gunny

It seems the Wild are finaly doing something to get them into the playoffs sooner rather than later.

Thank God.

*The Minnesota Wild have officially won free agency.

That's the big news on this July 4 holiday as the Wild announced they've landed both of this year's prize UFAs - former Nashville Predators defenseman Ryan Suter and former New Jersey Devils captain Zach Parise.

The deals cost Minnesota a fortune. ESPN's Pierre LeBrun reports the pair got matching 13-year, $98 million contracts, meaning both will have an average annual cap hit of $7.54 million.

And yes, the Wild just dropped $196 million dollars.

This will go down as one of, if not the, biggest days in franchise history. The Wild instantly become a Western Conference contender and may have shifted the landscape in terms of free agent philosophy - in a market where heavy hitters like Chicago, Detroit and Pittsburgh were all angling for Suter and Parise's services, a team that's missed the playoffs four straight years (and never been considered a big spender) reeled in the two biggest fish.

Notes

- Turns out Lou Nanne was right all along.

- According to Josh Cooper of The Tennessean, Nashville's offer to retain Suter was 13 years, $90 million.

- TSN's Darren Dreger says Wild players are "ecstatic" about the signings. Dany Heatley has reportedly been in contact with both Parise and Suter. "Both asked: can we win," Dreger tweeted. "Answer: yes."

- Based on annual cap hit, Parise and Suter are now the NHL's seventh and eighth highest-paid players. Only Alex Ovechkin, Evgeni Malkin, Sidney Crosby, Eric Staal, Rich Nash and Vincent Lecavalier average more per year.

- Next season, the Wild will have $35.2 million (roughly half of the $70.2 salary cap) committed to five players - Parise, Suter, Heatley, Mikko Koivu and Niklas Backstrom.*


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## drjongy

What an unbelievable acquisition. I bet the season ticket sales are going nuts now!

Love seeing ex-Sioux players doing well!!!!!


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## hwdeuce

Maybe in 5 yrs they'll win something 
Those two guys are over rated and just getting out of there prime 
Let's see if they can stay healthy that should be there first goal

GO TWINS


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## Gunny

_"just getting out of there prime". _

Umm... Hoookayyy

I guess you are privy to some inside information that EVERYONE IN THE NHL is not.

The Wild may have, with these two acquisitions, fortified their spot in the playoffs.

One of many articles praising the Minnesota Wild signings.

_Wild set up to be contenders now and in the futureWednesday, 07.04.2012 / 5:12 PM / NHL Free Agency 2012
By Corey Masisak - NHL.com Staff Writer_

_"Expect the additions of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter to have a greater impact on the present fortunes of the Wild -- and putting these two stars with a strong, young foundation already in place could make Minnesota contenders for years to come"._

_"Adding Parise and Suter will make the Wild a fascinating team in 2012-13 -- and should help Minnesota in its quest to make the playoffs for the first time in five seasons. The key for the franchise potentially contending for the Stanley Cup is a wave of elite prospects who are about ready to make an impact in the Twin Cities. They could provide another infusion of talent and depth for the club to make the final step from possible playoff team to Cup contender"._

_"Suter immediately becomes the anchor on the blue line for the Wild; expect him to log a ton of minutes, just as he did in Nashville. But Minnesota already had an intriguing, young defense corps before Suter arrived"._

_"Minnesota is also blessed with future impact guys on the blue line. Jonas Brodin was one of the best players at the 2012 World Junior Championship, and 2012 first-round pick Mathew Dumba is considered an elite prospect as well"._

If you can find one article opposing the signings I would like to read them

Even the GM's of their respected teams are saddened by the loss of these two players.

"There's no question we're disappointed. It's a very unfortunate thing when you have a player of his stature that's come right through the ranks and then, at this given time, a decision is made to go elsewhere,'' Lamoriello said on a conference call

"Zach told me this: If it wasn't for going home to Minnesota, he'd be coming to New Jersey," Lamoriello said on a conference call with reporters. "It was one of the toughest decisions he said he had to make. I respect that decision to make. We can't get into minds of people. In my opinion, our organization did whatever it possibly could to retain him and it's a decision he made."

"It would be an understatement to say that the Nashville Predators are disappointed at this time," GM David Poile said about the loss of Suter.


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## hwdeuce

only 38 goals between the two of them during 2011/2012 yr thats not so great 
what happen last year when they signed heatley and setiguchi there was high hopes
when they signed and look where that got us below .500 and i will bet it will happen again 
dont forget this is looser ville
parise has only had 3 good years of 30+ goals and that was 5 yrs ago


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## Gunny

You've convinced me...

What a great hockey mind... :eyeroll:


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## Gunny

If there was only some reason for the debacle of last year... Good thing everyone was healthy. No injuries during the season helped us out tremendously...


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## Bucky Goldstein

hwdeuce said:


> parise has only had 3 good years of 30+ goals and that was 5 yrs ago


wut

Zach Parise Stats

SEASON TEAM GP G A PTS +/- PIM SOG % PPG PPA SHG SHA GWG GTG TOI/G PROD 
'05-'06 NJ 81 14 18 32 -1 28 133 10.5 2 9 0 0 5 -- 13:08 33:15 
'06-'07 NJ 82 *31* 31 62 -3 30 247 12.6 9 13 0 0 7 -- 17:32 23:12 
'07-'08 NJ 81 *32* 33 65 13 25 266 12.0 10 13 1 0 8 -- 18:04 22:30 
'08-'09 NJ 82 *45* 49 94 30 24 364 12.4 14 16 0 3 8 -- 18:46 16:22 
'09-'10 NJ 81 *38* 44 82 24 32 347 11.0 9 17 1 0 5 -- 19:46 19:32 
'10-'11 NJ 13 3 3 6 -1 6 49 6.1 0 1 0 0 1 -- 19:51 43:02 
'11-'12 NJ 82 *31* 38 69 -5 32 293 10.6 7 7 3 4 3 -- 21:29 25:32

05-06 was his rookie year, 10-11 he was out most of the year with an injured knee

I realize you're trying to stir the pot but your statements should be somewhat accurate


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## hwdeuce

I hope you understand that won't keep up 
He's over rated almost 30 and just reached his peak 
The wild are not a competing team and 1 or 2 people can't help you 
Like I said it will be 5 yrs before there a competing team if they 
Hang on to everyone wich won't happen 
Goalies are horrible to P.S 
Your going to be paying him till he's 41 
Why would you pay someone that much 
Your just looking for a quick fix 
In losser ville 
It's a pipe dream


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## hwdeuce

Your looking for a fix for kouviu 
GET DEFENSE YOU NEED IT 
IT WINS YOU GAMES


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## 9manfan

You have the same attitude as recurvendickhead, you probably think the Vikings are moving to LA yet also..... oke: .....


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## Gunny

_"Goalies are horrible to P.S"_

You might want to look at the goalie stats before making such bold statements.

3 of the 4 goalies that played for us this past season all ranked in the top 30 for save %...
There were 89 goalies in the NHL this past season.
Backstrom only played in 46 of games due to injury...That means they used 3 back up goaltenders for roughly half of the season
Minnesota ranked 13th in goals against... That puts them better than half the teams in the league, and again with (arguably) their top goaltender on the bench for 36 games.

Minnesota ranked LAST in goals per game... That means NO offense 
Minnesota ranked 27th in power play percentage... Again no offense
Minnesota ranked LAST in shots per game... Once again, no offense
Minnesota ranked 27th in shots against... This is where I agree 100%...No defense which I'm sure we can agree that there will be a few more goals that the goalie had no chance to make a save on.

I contend that the Wild are in a very good spot to compete with the top teams in the league. If they get into the playoffs they have a chance. Remember where L.A. was seeded in the tourny. And NOBODY would have said Quick would be the winner of ANY trophies at the beginning, middle or end of the year going into the playoffs. Damn did he deserve them though.


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## drjongy

hwdeuce said:


> Your just looking for a quick fix In losser ville It's a pipe dream


13 year contracts and "just looking for a quick fix"?

........yeah, right. Are you and recurvanator related?


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## 9manfan

drjongy said:


> hwdeuce said:
> 
> 
> 
> Your just looking for a quick fix In losser ville It's a pipe dream
> 
> 
> 
> 13 year contracts and "just looking for a quick fix"?
> 
> ........yeah, right. Are you and recurvanator related?
Click to expand...

Think they are twins....


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## wurgs

look back at Parise's past. He's improved every team he's been on.


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## HUNTNFISHND

Don't count your Stanley Cups until they are won. :wink:

Lest we forget da Vikes and their spending spree a few years ago. How many SB's did that get them? Or how about them Detroit Tigers this season. The huge payroll doesn't seem to be helping them either. Just sayin big names and money don't always equal wins...


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## Gunny

Tell that to the Yankees or Red Wings... :lol:


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## jonesy12

hwdeuce said:


> Maybe in 5 yrs they'll win something
> Those two guys are over rated and just getting out of there prime
> Let's see if they can stay healthy that should be there first goal
> 
> GO TWINS


How are those Twins doing by the way?


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## Gunny

Better than The Cubs, Astros, and Rockies... Just barely 

Man, why arn't we in the NL...

It's a (ahem) rebuilding decade...


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## HugeBurrito2k6

I freaking love going to hockey games and watching the cheerleaders and crushin beers. Only thing i can not stand about the game is when all the shoes are making that screeching noise on the wood floor. I love when there is interceptions and strikeouts. Phil Mickelson is the best goalie I HAVE EVER SEEN! :sniper:


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## 9manfan

The Wild is playing some great hockey right now, took awhile to jell with all the new players, palyoffs are not that far away....Go Wild!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## HUNTNFISHND

So when is that Stanley Cup tour for the Wild? :wink:

Hey at least they made it back to the playoffs. Of course half the teams do every year!


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