Minnesota Went Out Like Punks… Does Hughes Extend?

[skilles]

Well sure. If your opponent adjusts and the adjustment is effective, then you need to counter-adjust, but IMO, the counter-adjustment should pretty much never ever be a 48 minute defensive shell. Up 2 goals with a few minutes left? It can be somewhat defensible there. But you’re simply going to exhaust yourselves trying to rope a dope for 45+ minutes of a game.

I don't think "defensive shell" is the plan, that is what happens when the opponent is possibly the best in the world or at least in the conversation and said opponent becomes absolutely relentless and desperate. You can't just keep attacking when that happens. You have to find away to slow the game down and counter when they extend themselves and the wild failed to do that.

The 3 times we have been in this situation on huge stages
1. Against the world team member the opponent was better when fresh and went up early they both kept attacking the pace was off the charts with an incredible display of heart and will by both of them and my daughter won the war of conditioning in the final minute
2. Same thing, other girl was better with both fresh and we won the war of will in this one, the opponent did go into a defensive shell but not by choice as much as she couldn't hang with the pace and her body quit on her.
3. My daughter was the aggressor and better than the opponent and went up big early, we kept attacking the same way and the other girl figured it out and we didn't adjust and lost. Should have prioritized defense and we win relatively easily....huge mistake in a huge moment.

There was some defensive shell looking stuff going on but that was never anyone's plan. There was unbelievable relentless pace, fatigue from the absolutely brutal path to that stage, extremely high emotional stress, and a very very small margin for error because they are all SO good.

The wild going up 3-0 simply set off a colorado pace that the Wild just can't hang with, they were not wrong for taking less risk and putting defense first as much as they were just not good enough at doing so,

Nobody ever decided lets just defend and let them attack the rest of the way but you have to take less risk and you have to defend a relentless come from behind pace.

Ain't nobody "going out like punks" on that level. That is a woeful misunderstanding of what it takes to be there and what it means to the few people that are willing to do what it takes.

[Sunneez Teef]

Last night was perhaps the worst and longest defensive shell I’ve ever seen. It was tough to watch. Minny essentially stopped playing as soon as they got up 3-0. What a pathetic way to lose. I absolutely despise defensive shells. Not making overly risky plays that tend to lead to turnovers is one thing but essentially letting the other team come at you in waves for 40+ minutes is just downright stupid.

As for Hughes, who knows what he’ll do. He has 1 year left on his current deal so the Wild have a little time to get it figured out. My guess is he ends up elsewhere but hard to say.

To their credit Col starting to gain zone time working a little harder a little more desperate. Seemed like once Col scored one goal they started to gain steam

Well sure. Colorado deserves credit for sticking in there and they were clearly the better team in this series but the Wild should’ve won last night. Up 3-0 16 minutes into the game? The Wild gave that one away but going into a defensive shell pretty much the entire rest of the game.

Nate Macs shot was a thing of beauty by that time i just had a feeling it was going to OT somehow some way. Im kinda happy Minny is so upset right now probably my least favorite Central div rival. Let them soak in it all summer

+1. Do not like that team one bit.

[a smell of green grass]

Last night was perhaps the worst and longest defensive shell I’ve ever seen. It was tough to watch. Minny essentially stopped playing as soon as they got up 3-0. What a pathetic way to lose. I absolutely despise defensive shells. Not making overly risky plays that tend to lead to turnovers is one thing but essentially letting the other team come at you in waves for 40+ minutes is just downright stupid.

As for Hughes, who knows what he’ll do. He has 1 year left on his current deal so the Wild have a little time to get it figured out. My guess is he ends up elsewhere but hard to say.

To their credit Col starting to gain zone time working a little harder a little more desperate. Seemed like once Col scored one goal they started to gain steam

Well sure. Colorado deserves credit for sticking in there and they were clearly the better team in this series but the Wild should’ve won last night. Up 3-0 16 minutes into the game? The Wild gave that one away but going into a defensive shell pretty much the entire rest of the game.

Nate Macs shot was a thing of beauty by that time i just had a feeling it was going to OT somehow some way. Im kinda happy Minny is so upset right now probably my least favorite Central div rival. Let them soak in it all summer

How do you dislike them more than the Kadrilanche?

I want anyone to win but Kroenkelanche.

[BleedingBleu]

I saw a funny post about MacKinnon, Makar, & Toews getting their revenge on Boldy, Faber, & Hughes for the Olympic Gold Medal Game

[Old_Goat]

Agreed on the defensive shell. It's one thing to play a little safer and not take chances, but it's another thing to basically give up playing offense all together. That is especially a bad idea against a team like Colorado.

I would also say that the outcome of this series was pretty much determined at the end of Round 1 when Erickson Eck got hurt. Everyone knew that Minnesota needed another center at the trade deadline and while he did get McCarron, your team can't lose Eck for a series against a team like Colorado. So while Guerin deserves a ton of credit for pulling off the Hughes deal, he messed up, in my opinion, by not getting a solid center at the deadline.

Noted priority, need to have enough really good Centermen.
But to answer the question: Hughes has no reason to extend. I believe that his agent & he will see how it plays out. Additionally the comments above re the ages and contract requirements for the Wild roster indicate that Hughes could likely do better by playing for the Devils going forward for both personal and competitive reasons.

[Tony Palazzolo]

We may have been "Lose for Hughes" but Minny was "Lose with Hughes". They are in a predicament. If he doesn't talk extension with them and they want to trade who will trade for him. If he really wants to go to New Jersey than they could just wait a year and pick him up in FA. They could trade for him, but the value will be considerable less.

[DawgDad]

Vegas last night demonstrated how a defensive shell is supposed to work. They smothered the Ducks. Execution rules.

[Sudsy 11]

I didn't think Minnesota went out like punks. The Mackinnon game tying goal, amazing as it was, is partially on the goalie. Too far back in the net. Move forward to cut off the angle for anything to be exposed. Still an amazing shot by Mackinnon to score in that tiny area. Colorado is a really good team and home games in that altitude are a big advantage for the Avs. Wild were the 2nd best team in the West unless Vegas proves otherwise.

[Bacchk29]

Agreed on the defensive shell. It's one thing to play a little safer and not take chances, but it's another thing to basically give up playing offense all together. That is especially a bad idea against a team like Colorado.

I would also say that the outcome of this series was pretty much determined at the end of Round 1 when Erickson Eck got hurt. Everyone knew that Minnesota needed another center at the trade deadline and while he did get McCarron, your team can't lose Eck for a series against a team like Colorado. So while Guerin deserves a ton of credit for pulling off the Hughes deal, he messed up, in my opinion, by not getting a solid center at the deadline.

Noted priority, need to have enough really good Centermen.
But to answer the question: Hughes has no reason to extend. I believe that his agent & he will see how it plays out. Additionally the comments above re the ages and contract requirements for the Wild roster indicate that Hughes could likely do better by playing for the Devils going forward for both personal and competitive reasons.

The Devils? Their FO is a mess and so is their roster. The Blues are no further away from being competitive. All they have going for them is his brothers play there. Word are much closer.