Way too early Minnesota Wild predictions for the 2024-25 season

Judd Zulgad, Jessi Pierce of Bardown Beauties and NHL.com, and AJ Fredrickson try to peer into their crystal balls and declare a few bold predictions for the upcoming season for the Minnesota Wild. Will the club make the playoffs? Will anyone get traded? Who will have a breakout year? Plus more on the latest JHS!
Subscribe to our channel to the most entertaining Minnesota sports talk!
We launched a new SKOR North Twins KZbin channel: / @skornorthtwinsshow
SUPPORT OUR PARTNERS!
live.skornorth... -- Win tickets to Monday Night RAW by using promo code SLAM on the SKOR North App
www.burnsville...
lgndy.co/colle... -- Use code 'HOWL' for 20% Off Order at Legendary Golf
www.ecofunmoto... -- Get your ATV and Jetski's at EchoFun Motor Sports
www.denniskirk... -- For your motorcycle parts and accessories
www.bachmans.com/ -- Order some flowers for your special loved ones
nicoletlaw.com/ -- The personal injury law firm of SKOR North
finchhomesolut... -- Call Finch Home solutions for all your electrical needs
FIND US HERE!
Mackey & Judd on Apple: podcasts.apple...
Mackey & Judd on Spotify: open.spotify.c...
The SKOR North app on Apple: apps.apple.com...
The SKOR North app on Google: play.google.co...
Follow Judd on Twitter: / jzulgad
Follow Mackey on Twitter: / philmackey
Follow Mackey on Instagram: / philmackey
Follow SKOR North on Instagram: / skornorth

[@travzimmerman1340]

As long as you don't lose much in regulation, you should make playoffs. Making the playoffs isn't an accomplishment. 10-0-72 makes playoffs. It would be best of the Wild finished bottom 3 in the league, which is very possible if anything were to happen to Kirill. *Remember when Jessi's gal-pal Kristen said Kirill WASNT elite 😂 1. Wild will miss. 2. Yes, players will be traded 😂 3. Marat will have a breakout year

[@tegridy27]

When did she say Kirill wasn’t elite? Blasphemy

[@travzimmerman1340]

​@@tegridy27 It was during the 2023-24 season.

[@Phaze-rb3mp]

The bright side is we could get a hot goalie or the emergence of the Great Wall of St. Paul, Trenin might do better on this grit team (like a GREEF line), Marat, Rossi, Ohgren, Faber, & Chisholm could get better. It was so dumb not to take the risk on Yurov. Maybe even Heidt or some AHLers could help. Would be nice if by mid season we have more weapons. Maybe Denver and Magnito can poo the bed in playoffs and yurov, Buium come and do a Faber in the playoffs.

[@BLake-bf3kq]

Hynes is not dean, He coached patty Kane in juniors and our line up has considerably gotten more skilled but the only part that matters is that this team can play with kaprizov. Look at some of the highlights of last season, Ek is developing playmaking from the goal line and Boldy is playing like a legit power forward, kirill is starting to score more transition goals. So realistically our prospects are in good hands because our coach isn’t focused entirely on playing a “veteran grit hockey team” style New look wild coming next season, Cheers!

[@lethalmigraine9009]

I completely disagree. In fact, I see no difference at all between the 2 besides Hynes not hitting Darby after wins.

[@flyervoracek5954]

The Wild will likely be better than last year with a full year of Khusnutdinov and the additions of Trenin and a healthy Spurgeon, as well as the continued growth in Boldy, Rossi, and Faber. Ohgren and Wallstedt will be nice additions at some point this season, and I expect reasonable bounce back years from Hartman, Gustavsson, Middleton, and Gaudreau. I expect Foligno, Merrill, Johansson, and Fleury to be about the same. I would expect them to either be the Capitals or the Red Wings of this season, just barely making it in or missing. Get one more draft of good prospects in the 2025 draft, then roll with the ready prospects in 2025-26.

[@joef2504]

Judd is the first on this panel to figure out what EVERYBODY else knows, Buium to sign in April and then never leave the Wild lineup for 10+ years...

[@subwolf7420]

No no Zuccarello isn't going anywhere, he's too old for that, and he's settled in here with his family. And 2 yrs with the NMC, Guerin wants him to stay here, and Kaprizov appreciates it.

[@uncledaveyfromthenavy5452]

the Suter and Parise signings was a disaster that ruined this team for years. It's going to be a long time to recover before they make the playoffs, which is not that big of an accomplishment.

[@joef2504]

best return we can hope for GusBus would be a 3rd round pick we traded away to draft Buium...

[@jasonb.ig_ern9905]

Put Johansson and Gaudreau on waivers today and hopefully someone rids us of there bad contracts

[@shaneboegeman8638]

A.J. - "Gus gets off to slow starts every year" Me - looks up last year to see Gus with 41 save shutout against the Cup champion Florida Panthers.

[@dalewennberg6504]

I love the wild 1st off. But I hate the make up of this "team" why do they pick up bottom 6 guys and keep giving extensions to old vets I'd keep the younger guys see what can happen if they get a chance with some actual ice time. Management sucks. Just start rebuilding get younger faster and stronger

[@nathanpalmquist2031]

Aj looks really pretty today. Got ya back bud 😅

[@lethalmigraine9009]

3 predictions? 1. 97% chance Wild miss the playoffs. 2. Marat won't play on the 1st line like he deserves, but if he was with Kaprizov for a full season, he would prove he is Pavel Datsyuk 2.0. 3. The team will carry 3 goalies and they will all have a gaa of 2.75 or worse

[@debr4265]

Khusnutdinov is 2c at best dont even compare him to datsyuk

[@lethalmigraine9009]

@@debr4265 I said what I said because he is that good.

[@SwifferTWetJetMop]

Marat has never been a point producer and he’s undersized. He known for his skating and defensive acumen so he should probably be a bottom six center. He could put up some points with Kaprizov, but Kirill is a superstar, everyone who plays with him sees their points go up. I like Marat but I don’t see him as a 1c

[@lethalmigraine9009]

@@SwifferTWetJetMop undersized doesn't come into play when you play big like Marat. Also, Marat, and fellow little guy Rossi, are more physical than 5 inches taller Boldy. As for the points, the beggining of Datyuk's NHL career was worse than Marat. Datyuk only had 9 points in Detroit's first 41 games. Marat had 4 in 16. Datsyuk got to play with Luc Robitaille that first year, and Luc was a 30 goal scorer. Marat was stuck with useless roster fillers in Johansson and Gaudreau, who haven't had 30 goals combined in any season they have played. Datsyuk and Marat had basically the same careers in the KHL. They both are good at face-offs. Both are defensively responsible. Seriously, but their numbers side by side. Datsyuk and Khusnutdinov are almost identical.

[@SwifferTWetJetMop]

⁠@@lethalmigraine9009Datsyuk had 2 inches and 30 lbs on Marat, Rossi has about 20lbs and that matters. Both those players from the eye test have better playmaking and finishing than Marat. If he really is Datsyuk-like he’ll be undeniable even playing 3rd line min. Once again I like the player but not more than Ek and Rossi and other prospect centers. I’m also not against having Rossi on the wing and trying Marat in the top six this season, but long term I don’t see him being that kind of player.

[@philreels]

Boldy-EK-KK97 Zucc-Rossi-Ohgren Trenin-Hartman-Foligno JoJO-Khusnudunov-Freddy Everything went wrong last year, I believe (hoping) they're a 95 point team this year with this top line and not too many injuries. Zuccerello setting up Rossi and Ohgren has a lot of potential. Solid checking line that's hard to play against. Fairly fast/skilled 4th line. D should be solid too.

[@mattgruszynski8057]

Best case for the Wild would be if the young guys play so well that the line of Hartman, MoJo, and Zuc are the third line. Give these young guys a shot! We aren't winning a cup this year but we need to give the young, faster, more talented guys ice time this year. Top line should be Kirill, Boldy, and Rossi followed by Ek, Liam, and Marat. Let the older guys be the grinding lines.

[@lethalmigraine9009]

Wild have no cap room next summer unless they foolishly trade away Marat, Faber, or Rossi. The cap room is gone. Also, Gustavsson should've been dealt before the Stanley Cup ended. Guerin is a clown.

[@travzimmerman1340]

Parise $6.537M Suter $6.537M Fluery $2.5M MoJo $2M Merrill $1.2M Chisholm $1M $19,774 Faber $7M x 7 Rossi $4M x 5 Marat $2M bridge x 2 Leaves $6.774M in cap if not one move is made (which we know won't be the case) and if the cap does not rise.

[@lethalmigraine9009]

@travzimmerman1340 Comp for Faber is Sanderson. Faber is getting 8 x 8.25 Tons of comps for Rossi, 8 x 7.5 The comps for Marat are 3 to 4 years at 3.75 to 4.5

[@travzimmerman1340]

​@lethalmigraine9009 I'd be shocked on those deals for Marat and Rossi. Shocked. Wouldn't be surprised on the Faber deal but I sure as hell wouldn't do $8.25M x 8 for him. Guerin is going to move somebody though because he likes to pretend to play GM.

[@mph650]

@@lethalmigraine9009and who exactly are those Rossi and Marat comps?

[@travzimmerman1340]

​​@mph650 Rossi is a 1 time 20 goal scorer, and I believe Kirill assisted on half of those goals. I don't see that as worth $7.5M at this time. I love Marat but WAY TOO small of a sample-size to consider $4M. Start REAL low with both or all three and go from there. The over-spending has got to stop.

[@bobholst874]

Play gus against suckhole teams that we can beat to pad his stats and make him look like he's better again. Just like when they hung the A on Dumba to try to make him look worth more on tbe trade block...didn't work, but they tried it!

[@tylerandersen8142]

Zucerello and kaprizov just want the fans to show thier talent when it comes to passing they don't care about winning a cup. Johansson and gaudreau I don't trust at all

[@evannovitzke]

Opening Night Lineup: Kirill Hartsy Zuks Bolds Ekker Heidter Jojo Rossi Treds Moose Khus Lauks (Press box: Merry & Freddy) Midds Fabes Brods Spurg Bogo Decks Dude Gus Wally

[@travzimmerman1340]

Ohgren back to Iowa then, or?

[@evannovitzke]

@@travzimmerman1340 I think they’re likely to give Heidt his 10 or whatever rookie games to see how he does and then will bring up Öhgren if Heidt doesn’t torch the nhl then. From what I’ve heard Heidt was a standout with Buium at development camp. I’d be happy to see Heidt in the lineup he seems like he is dominating offensively in the WHL. Seems like ohgren is going to be quite the force when fully developed.

[@lethalmigraine9009]

The best lineup using the garbage pail vets signed to awful extensions would be.... 97-22-23 36-14-12 28-38-17 Lauko-89-Trenin Scratch 90 and whoever 7-25 46-24 5-4 Scratch 47 29 for all road games but back-to-backs 30 for all home games but back-to-backs

[@lethalmigraine9009]

Huh? Boldy was worse last year than year 2. Boldy is dreadful. Overrated, overpaid, and needs to be traded. He is weak on the puck, worse off the puck, mediocre vision, lousy defensively, too inconsistent, and soft as a bunny rabbit. Boldy is a 3rd liner being forced to play on the 1st line when he has no business being there.

[@mph650]

What are you smokin? Statistically, Boldy was better last season compared to yr 2 - in 6 less games. Everybody is aware of his shortcomings and what he needs to improve upon. But cmon guy.

[@lethalmigraine9009]

​@@mph650 I saw him play plenty. He regressed last season. He was hard to watch.

[@SwifferTWetJetMop]

Boldy is really good, it’s about consistency with him. Absolutely worth investing in and giving him opportunities.

[@bobholst874]

Boldy has speed he has no idea how to use. For his size he is not physical at all. He should average 6 to 7 SOG Per game! With absolutely the worst zone entry in the NHL, it is amazing that they almost made the playoffs!

[@BLake-bf3kq]

@@mph650 he is smoking on some STRONG shit man