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NHL: Wild
 

Chuck Fletcher's Wild surging, but offense still an issue
by Josh Brewster

Minnesota Wild General Manager Chuck Fletcher has much to be happy about these days, while one particular problem continues. 

Sitting in a surprising second place (as of Wednesday, Nov. 16) at 10-5-3, Fletcher's Wild have won six of their last eight games and have rattled off some impressive Western conference wins over the Blues, Red Wings, Ducks, Blue Jackets, Flames and a 5-1 throttling of the Canucks.  The Wild will start a six-game home stand Thursday Nov. 17 after winning their last six of eight.  The two losses came at Los Angeles and San Jose.

Hockeytalk caught up with Fletcher at Honda Center in Anaheim Sunday (Nov. 13) during his club's 3-2 victory over the Ducks.

Nik Backstrom and Josh Harding have combined for a tremendous 2.06 goals against, good for second overall.  This despite dealing away powerhouse defenseman Brent Burns. 

"Fortunately, our defensive zone coverage has been good," Fletcher said. "Our penalty killing, certainly of late, has been outstanding, and we’ve had great goaltending."

The team's offense is another story. Scoring at just 2.24 goals per game, the Wild are 24th in the NHL. It's a situation that precedes Fletcher, and one he'd like to correct. Since the days of the overly-defensive-minded coach Jacques Lemaire, Minnesota has been known, since its 2000 birth, as a low-scoring, often boringly defense-minded club.

"We’ve struggled to score," Fletcher told Hockeytalk.  "It starts, first and foremost, with our power play.  Our power play’s 25th in the League (12.7%) and it’s not contributed offensively to our team.  Whenever you look at a team that has trouble scoring, typically, their power play isn’t where they want it to be.  Part of it, too, is chemistry.  We’re integrating six new forwards on our team this year.  A new system, a new head coach (Mike Yeo). We’re going to need our offense to contribute a lot more if we’re going to make the playoffs." 

SHOOT!

Fletcher kept his feet moving last summer, acquiring Dany Heatley and Devin Setoguchi from San Jose, with Brent Burns and Martin Havlat going to California. 

"This is my third season as GM, and going back, even predating me, we’ve been one of the worst shooting teams in the league," Fletcher candidly admitted.  "We don’t generate a lot of shots on goal, we don’t shoot the puck particularly well.  Heatley and Setoguchi are two guys who can hammer the puck.  They shoot it well, they like to shoot the puck.  We thought it would help change the mindset of our team, from more of a pass-first team to a shoot-first team.  Results have been mixed so far in terms of the overall team performance but we’ve been very happy with the performance of Dany and Devin.  They’ve brought a lot of offensive confidence (to our team).  It will translate well as the year progresses."

Veteran center Matt Cullen (left) has always done whatever his teams have asked.  If you look at his statistics, you'll see that his goal totals tend to fluctuate.   Cullen twice scored twenty-plus goals for Carolina (winning the Cup in 2006), but often totals in the teens.  This is due more to the fact that he plays a variety of roles.  Currently, Cullen is first on the Wild with eight goals and 11 points.

"We signed (Cullen) to come in here and be our number two centerman," Fletcher told Hockeytalk.  "Matt has the ability to contribute even when he’s not scoring. He has the ability to play He’s a very good penalty killer, he’s one of the better faceoff guys in the league. He can play power play, he can play a checking role, he can play a scoring role. He can play wing, he can play center. Very smart player and a player with a great work ethic. Last year, we used him at first line left wing, third line center, second line center, third line left wing. This year, he’s three for three in the shootout.  His game is far more advanced than just offensive statistics."

Cullen and Fletcher became acquainted during the Wild GM's time in Anaheim almost a decade ago. 

The Harvard-educated Fletcher, whose father, Cliff, is a well-regarded, longtime NHL executive, has hockey in his blood. Fletcher spent three years as assistant general manager for the Pittsburgh Penguins under Ray Shero.  Previously, Fletcher served as the Director of Hockey Operations, Assistant General Manager, and Vice President of Amateur Scouting/Player Development for the Anaheim Ducks from 2002-2006. He held the title of Assistant GM for the Florida Panthers from their expansion year in 1993 until 2002.  Fletcher got the taste of two Stanley Cup Finals with the Panthers and then-Mighty Ducks.

LATENDRESSE  CONCUSSED

The return of 24-year-old forward Guillaume Latendresse has been a vital part of the team's quick start, but unfortunately, the 6' 2", 230lb. center who scored 27 and 25 goals for his former Canadiens, was concussed at San Jose and is sidelined indefinitely.  He missed most of last season.

"Guillaume was off to a very good start for us after missing 71 games to injury last year," noted Fletcher.  "(He) had a few surgeries at the end of the year. Rehabbed hard, came to camp in great shape. He was off to a very good start and suffered a concussion unfortunately. (Guillaume’s) a big part of our team. He has hands, he has the ability to play a skill game, yet he’s a 230 pound physical force at times, too. He’s really one of our true power forwards on the team and a real compliment to Matt Cullen. Recently he moved up and played with Dany Heatley and Devin Setoguchi."

Sitting in second place as the NHL heads to the quarter pole (the Wild have played 18 games), Fletcher says the Wild's well-educated fan base is energized by the changes the club has made and its fast start.