Minnesota Wild: Iowa's Talent Gap Isn't So Bad

Michael Russo of the Star Tribune had a very good article published (“Wild Won’t Get Much Help from Struggling Farm Team”) that described the woes of the Iowa Wild and how they have very little in the way of forward depth to offer the big club Minnesota Wild for call-ups.

I know the system works. It worked for us [when I coached Houston] in the American League, it works for us in the NHL, but at some point you’ve got to find a way to win hockey games. -Wild Head Coach Mike Yao from Star Tribune

Russo describes how the situation is right now and blames it mostly on a lack of talented forwards mixed with some injuries. Also he is quick to point out that there are talented players in the system they just aren’t currently ready to play for Iowa. Additionally, he brings up the point that the system that Iowa plays is the same system that the Wild play. Minnesota head coach Mike Yeo is quoted in the Russo article as saying “I know the system works. It worked for us [when I coached Houston] in the American League, it works for us in the NHL, but at some point you’ve got to find a way to win hockey games.”

I completely agree with both Russo and Yeo. Essentially the system to win is in place in Iowa, as evidenced by the success of Houston when Yeo coached there. It’s a matter of having the right players to fill that system. Due to decisions made by the organization over the years the Wild have mortgaged some of their farm system talent to give the big club in Minnesota a team that can win now.

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If you need an example look no further than the acquisition of Jason Pominville from the Sabers in 2013. The Wild gave Buffalo their 2013 1^st Round pick and their 2014 2^nd round pick, so essentially two years of high draft picks for one player. Now you can argue if Pominville has been worth it, but that’s a discussion for another time. So the risk that Chuck Fletcher was going to buy into was that he might not have a talent gap in the farm system in favor of a talent surplus on the big team. In today’s salary cap constrained NHL this is the way you have to do business. Your draft picks might be the only thing a team looking to shed cap space might want or need. Furthermore, trading draft pics is a way to insure that you don’t give any players up that you consider to be an asset that can help you win now.

I’d also say that this was a situation that Fletcher knew could happen, was okay with, and had a plan to deal with. The Wild currently have a ton of young talent up in Minnesota, many of them recently have made the transition from Iowa. That says to me that this is just a natural cycle whereby Iowa’s top players have moved up leaving a talent vacuum in Iowa, but not necessarily in the organization as a whole. Also look at the fact that Fletcher was very aware to keep the Wild’s First and Second Round picks this past draft. That says to me that he was happy with the Minnesota’s ability to compete, and thus could take a moment and re-stock Iowa a bit using those draft picks. But that’s the funny thing about the draft not all players drafted are ready for the AHL.

Like I said before I completely agree with Russo’s current assessment of Iowa’s, and like Russo see good things on the horizon for Iowa. So many great players are waiting in the wings to step up and take their places on this Iowa Wild team like Jenys, Duke, and even Eriksson-Ek so like I said before I think this is purely a cyclical problem that will work itself out soon.

Next: Minnesota Wild: Sizing Up the Central Division

For now, the Wild have a case of the injury bug, but they are fighting it off and waiting for players like Parise to make it back. As long as the Wild continue their top down contributions this talent gap should be no factor. It’s a long season and you never know who might just step out of the shadows or the Iowa cornfield unexpectedly and do some damage for the Wild at the NHL level.

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