I'm not against free agent signings in the right deal for the right player, but it's not generally smart to go after the big ones. The bigger they are, the less smart it is. Those are roles meant for guys like Boldy who come up through your system and sign by 7x7, which should be a bargain by the time it's over. Or Rossi, who you'd lock up to some kind of similar deal and hope for similar results.

If you don't have those pieces set before you start signing free agents, you will still be treading water. Not good, not bad, just perfectly Minnesota errr mediocre. The Wild have been proving this for 20+ years. You can't get the high end pieces through free agency, but trying to add the free agents before you have the high end pieces from the draft will keep you as a team who enjoys yearly first round exits.

If Yurov is a true 1C, and Faber is a true 1D, and Wallstedt is a true 1G, then you have the pieces in place, especially with guys like Boldy, Rossi, (insert defenseman taken 13th overall this summer), to start signing all the free agents with the money left. But we're not there yet.

Now you're just being petulant.

Spurgeon when healthy has been considered to be a surplus contract player. So the thought he's overpaid is ludicrous. That just wreaks of you not liking the player, which is you're prerogative. But when every known and trusted dataset out there in use states contrary to your opinion, might want to dial that one back a bit.

And while you have a point about his injury concerns. It's important to remember that up until this past year Spurgeon had only missed roughly around 30 games throughout his career. Which, given how long he's played, isn't that many in the grand schemes of things.

Up until this past year, he was actually pretty durable. The growing list of recent injuries is a absolute concern, yes. Especially given his age.But let's not act like he never f***ing plays, shall we?

And to call him a wannabe top-pairing defenseman is asinine. He was a top-pairing defenseman. He's not anymore, and closer to a 2nd pairing guy at this stage of his career.

But let's not be disingenuous and act like he wasn't one during his prime. Because he was definitely in that range to be considered one, even if it was on the lower end of the scale.

You don't like the player, fine whatever, but the options out there to replace him in UFA aren't as good and will cost more. You want to **** about his contract? I can't wait to see you **** more once his replacement is signed in free agency to a higher cost to be less effective.

That'll go over well.

But we do have those pieces, so I'm confused what your argument is. We have Kaprizov, Ek, Boldy as a bonafide top line. We have Brodin-Faber, a solid top pairing. We just have next to nothing for depth. We hope that Yurov/Ohgren/Khusnutdinov/Heidt/Peart/Lambos/O'Rourke/Hunt/Wallstedt can make a dent. I'd put money that Ohgren, Khusnutdinov, and Wallstedt will see 10+ games this year. All three will be NHL regulars for 25-26, along with Yurov and possibly Heidt.

Boeser, Frederic, and Perbix are perfect free agent targets. Boeser because he's a right handed sniper and could take a hometown discount. Frederic because he's a big quality center that this team should love to have. Perbix is a monster 2nd/3rd pairing guy.

This is what I want to see for 25-26:

Kap-Ek-Boldy
Ohgren-Yurov-Boeser
Khusnutdinov-Frederic-Hartman
Foligno-Gaudreau-Zucc

Brodin-Faber
Peart-Perbix
O'Rourke-Spurgeon

Wallstedt
Gus

That's a team I could see breaking the 1st round playoff curse. There's still problems... Zucc doesn't really mesh well with the 4th line, but he's getting close to power play specialist play. Peart is a question mark, but I have him ahead of all the rest of the LD. Middleton could be substituted for O'Rourke for the exercise if need be. Rossi doesn't really fit, so I trade him for a 1st or quality prospect (future ELC to help sustain success). We have other young players that could make a dent if someone is struggling (Heidt, Lambos, Spacek, whoever pick #13 is, etc).

I just want a vision of how this team will succeed going forward. I see this as one vision.

Spurgeon must be your son. Good grief.

That's right, I fathered him at the ripe old age of FOUR YEARS OLD! 🙄

I won't deny I like the player. But I find it irritating when people arbitrarily dismiss someone or their accomplishments/good qualities just because they don't like said player.

You want to critique and criticize his record of play in the playoffs? Fair assessment and one I won't deny or argue. But I find it disingenuous whenever someone starts trying to bash him to be less than he is just because they don't like the player. All while fitting the narrative to make said player appear worse then reality.

Every player has their warts. Even Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson-Ek. Spurgeon is no exception. But his strengths outweigh his weaknesses and no matter of diatribe on your end will change that.

The UFA's you want, I want nothing to do with. You're overrating Perbix by a decent margin and Boeser is literally on record stating he wants to sign an extension to stay in Vancouver. Furthermore, players don't give discounts to their hometeams, just because they're from there. They may be open to signing for a discount to teams they're already on. Whether to build a better roster or they're getting some other benefits that offset the discount. But signing for less just because they're from a certain place, isn't a thing. They're going to ask full price whether playing away from home or playing for their hometeam.

Finally, as for Frederic, that guy can go someplace where the sun don't shine. It's bad enough we have to see that guy twice a year. I don't want him anywhere near this roster.

To put it another way. I like Frederic less than you like Spurgeon. If you want a player like that. You may as well just go ahead and go get Wilson. No thank you to that one too.

It’s because you like getting pushed around. That’s why you like Spurgeon more than those guys.

“I don’t want him, he’s mean!!! I’d rather have my soft nice midget player that gets along with everyone.” -Raz (probably)

No, I just don't give a flying F if a player is 5'8" or 6'7". The only thing that matters to me, apart from one exception, is whether that player is an effective hockey player. Spurgeon is an effective hockey player, inspite of his warts.

That one exception by the way, is whether that player is a dirty player or not. For example, Hartman for all his skill, when he elects to play that way. Has become increasingly dirty over the last couple of years. Which I don't like or am a fan of. A player can be *mean* and still not be dirty. You're beloved Frederic falls squarely into the dirty category. Right there with Wilson as far as I'm concerned.

But then, I'm guessing you're a big fan of Matt Cooke too, right?

Finally, I am sick and f***ing tired of idiots who keep spewing the diatribe of size means anything in hockey. It means absolutely jack sh*t. When do people realize it means absolutely nothing. Hockey IQ and *smarts* will beat out skill 9 times out of ten. Go look up the number of players in the hall of fame under 6' tall. You might be surprised at the number of them.

If size meant anything, Martin St. Louis wouldn't be in the HoF. Sydney Crosby wouldn't be one of the best players of all time and a generational level talent. Brayden Point wouldn't be a 1C in the NHL. Spurgeon isn't anywhere near those level of players of course. But he's still an effective hockey player regardless.

Have a great rest of your day. I'm done with this conversation though.

You’re clearly mentally incapable of understanding that some players walk the line and some are dirty. Frederic walks the line. Hartman walks the line. Comparing them to that of Matt Cooke really is one of the dumbest things I’ve ever read on this site. Congratulations.

“Look at all these players that are great because they are supremely talented and can succeed despite their size. Spurgeon isn’t as talented as them, so I’m not sure what the **** I’m talking about or why I’m bringing them up.” That’s what I read when you brought up your useless facts.

Spurgeon can go be an effective hockey player elsewhere.

LEARN TO READ!

I NEVER compared them to Cooke. I SAID that Cooke is the type of player that YOU like.

DIFFERENCE THERE.

Frederic doesn't walk the line. He crossed that bridge a long f'ing time ago. I have watched him lay too many dirty hits and plays over the past three seasons that I have nothing but contempt for him as a player.

Hartman walks the line, for the most part. But again, there's a difference than me saying he's dirty outright and me saying he's gotten dirtier the past few years. Maybe you missed the part where he was suspended as a REPEAT OFFENDER this year. His reputation around the league is as that of a dirty player.

But then I'm just a clueless f'ing Neanderthal who can't count to two apparently.

I'm sure of what I'm talking about. You may not agree, but then I don't agree with you either. But please, go be right?* somewhere f'ing else please. I'm done.

Hey man, you said it not me.

It has been fun watching you get so worked up. Good day.