Top 10 Wild Players Of All Time
By James Beck
This series will show the top 10 Minnesota Wild players of all time. This will be based on stats and character. Of course this list wil not be agreed on by alll. So if you don’t agree you can always give me your list. Well here we go time for some fun.
10) Wes Walz- Played 8 seasons with the Minnesota Wild playing in 438 games, scoring 82 goals adding 100 assist for 182 points. . Walz ranks 6th in goals created with 71.7. His career plus/minus was a plus 13. He has 14 short handed goals., 15 game winning goals. He ranks 9th ingoal per game with an average of 0.19. And 7th in points per game with an average of 0.42. And 7th in goals created per game at 0.16.
All 5’11 of Wes Walz was given every night. He played on the power play as well as well as penalty kill. He was also the heart and sole player that every coach loves to have. And every player would follow into battle. He was a key player in the Wild’s playoff run in 2002-2003 with 7 goals 6 assist in 18 games.
Walz was also very consistent in his years with the Wild averaging close to 30 points a season. Let’s not forget Walz was not known as a scorer. He was a defensive player that fit the system. And he played that system very well better then any other. You know that if a player is on the ice for not only even strength shifts, but power play and penalty killing as well the coach trust him with his job. http://espn.go.com/nhl/player/stats/_/id/997/wes-walz
These were not very talented offensive clubs the Wild ran out there from 2000-2008. So don’t let point totals fool you especially through Walz’s first 4 years with the club. And Walz priority was defense whatever offense that was produced was a bonus. Hard saying that for a team that needed the scoring badly. Yet you can only ask a player for what they can give. And Wes Walz gave what he had every night.
In his career Walz was on the ice for 238 goals. That ranks him 10th in Wild history. With the talent the wild have now Walz will drop in all these list. Let’s just not forget where the Wild were in 2000 when Walz joined the club the Wild had been in the league for one year and were looking to make a name for themselves. And Walz was a big part to that playoff run in 2002- 2003. http://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/MIN/leaders_career.html
Which many believe was what truly put the Wild on the map. The 3rd round pick ( 57 overall ) pick of the Boston Bruins would again help lead the Wild to the playoffs again in 2006-2007. When the franchise only makes the playoffs twice and your part of both of them and you rank top 10 in most offensive categories you have to make the list.
There you have it ladies and gentlemen number 10 Wes Walz. The list will only get more fun. Please feel free and match your two cents with my 1 cent. And let’s get this list right. Tomorrow #9 will be posted.