Kevin Fiala

[octapuss]

Hey guys

K. Fiala was suppose to be a solid keeper and player. Rollin on the top line in Minny he should really produce. Im surprised how bad Minny is. Stall is starting terrible as well. Can the kid bounce back?

Or is he stuck on a really bad team that is going to struggle all year?

[pmorrow]

I think the best thing for those guys would be a coaching change right now. Their forward group is not very talented or deep, but they are better than this. Get a coach that can straighten things out and I still think the Wild can be an OK if unspectacular team.

[octapuss]

its funny you mention the coach...i have felt the same way for a while.....Bruce Boudreau needs to go. He has sunk a few teams in his past. Maybe his outdated methodology / analytics is not for the new NHL. Either way, Minny has some talent, and should put up numbers. How loyal is management to Bruce?

[senryu]

Management should have zero loyalty. The current GM (Guerin) didn't hire Boudreau; he inherited him. The way is paved for a firing.

[Dr.Brad]

Why do the experts (NHL Network, etc) seem to defend Boudreau at every opportunity? He’s coached really good teams at times, generally underperforming in playoffs, but he’s clearly doing nothing to make a bad team better. IMO

[stevegamer]

I think the problem is that Boudreau made a them better in years past, and now they are old and the talent level has gotten worse with the trades of the last 2 GMs.

If the Wild fire Boudreau, I can see him NJ before the end of the year, if NJ hasn't fired their coach yet.

This is an instance where you need to change the players.

[STONE.]

I think the problem is that Boudreau made a them better in years past, and now they are old and the talent level has gotten worse with the trades of the last 2 GMs.

If the Wild fire Boudreau, I can see him NJ before the end of the year, if NJ hasn't fired their coach yet.

This is an instance where you need to change the players.

Boudreau in NJ would be a reason to scramble for NJ forwards IMO. When Boudreau arrives somewhere, offense follows close behind (for a couple years, then everything slows to a screeching halt).

[octapuss]

back to Fiala?

This guy has talent and see the minutes. he is young with opportunity. The season is early but he needs to get his head clear and his shot totals up.

[Pengwin7]

MIN's centers are just too slow.
That whole offense is forced to be methodical & paceful because of Koivu, Staal age.
I don't think Luke Kunin is quite showing the upside they expected.

Fiala could be a solid player... but Fiala is just not a fit in Minnesota.

MIN basically needs to value-find that young-center that can play off Fiala.

NYR did this well when they traded Brassard-for-Ziba... then moved out Stepan.

DET is set-up OK with Larkin.

BUF with Eichel. (EDM, TOR... obv)

The good news for Minnesota... they may be in the running for Lafreniere or Byfield.
But if they don't land one of those two... it's going to be a while longer for MIN (because Perfetti, Rossi, Lapierre are probably the targets and those guys will take 3+ years to be an NHL C1).

[chuckcouples]

Fiala is skilled but that is not enough to be a quality NHL player. He may learn to be an NHL player but unless he changes the way he plays the game, there's a much higher chance he is out of the league than that he becomes a valuable fantasy league hockey player.

Boudreau is one of the best coaches in the history of the NHL. He is not the problem. The issue is that last year alone, the Wild traded away 3 of their top 6 or 7 forwards for 3 forwards who can't crack their lineup. You replace any team's 2nd line with 3 below replacement level forwards and they will struggle to score goals and win games as well.

[junyab]

They won't get better this year. Outside of a few d-men who are in their prime, most players are either still developing or getting towards the end of their careers.

[ross10019]

I was high on Fiala going into this year, but man has he disappointed. Yes part of the problem is that he isn't complemented by similarly skilled / fast centermen, but that doesn't explain the completely boneheaded turnovers and defensive play he's exhibiited, it's been horrific. In the game against Montreal, in the defensive zone, he made a really poor half-hearted defensive attempt to move the puck beyond Thompson who was forechecking, and in one fell swoop Thompson feeds it to Mete for his first goal. That kind of play is inexcusable, you're freaking 22, move your feet!!!!

[octapuss]

Good insight guys....thanks for the detail.

Im going to hold, only cause he is my bottom six forward in a 12 team dynasty league. I like dobber's ranking and might wait for the upside of new players / new coach or a break through by Kev himself.

[randomscrub23]

I was holding him in a couple leagues expecting the Golden Boy status Dobber expected he'd have to provide the opportunity for him to break though, but being a healthy scratch, I dropped him thinking that if he doesn't start to turn it around, I can hopefully likely scoop him back up again. No one else in any of my leagues has picked him up so far...

[Bobby4Ever]

I have owned Fiala for a while but recently traded him. He has the skill but from what i read/see is he turns the puck over frequently. He tries to make the play himself too much in situations where maybe he needs to use his linemates.
In Nashville i remember when Forsberg was out injured for a while and Fiala was moved into his slot on the top line and i remember being disappointed in how he fit in and produced. You cant judge a player on a small sample size like that but I kind of soured on his upside a bit. He's young obviously so he may adjust his game in time.