DOM LUSZCZYSZYN, NHL analyst: ...
Fiala is only 22 though and can still get there, maybe even further. Minnesota, one of the oldest teams in the league, is willing to take that gamble for a player who has all the tools to be an elite player but hasn’t really been given the chance to prove it. Fiala has elite transitional stats and is a puck-carrying dynamo, which has made him one of Nashville’s strongest possession drivers over the past couple seasons, and in a “down” year has actually out-produced Granlund at 5-on-5 on a per-minute basis, though Granlund has the edge over the last few seasons.
The power play boost alone is enough to make this a win for Nashville, but Minnesota got a really good player too, one that’s four years younger who still has tremendous potential to be a really good player.
Impact Score: 4.5
Now this is what I like to hear. The team badly needs a "puck-carrying dynamo". You know, someone like Granlund...As I'm trying to find something to make me feel OK about this trade, I ran across this from The Athletic's round table:
Russo says Fenton is putting unrealistic pressure on Fiala with his comments.Here is hoping he shows signs of being this elite talent he's being touted as. I have a feeling the first couple weeks are going to be a nightmare if he doesn't.
Russo says Fenton is putting unrealistic pressure on Fiala with his comments.
Fenton is doing this trying to defend a bad deal, and Fiala is going to have to deal with the fallout if he doesn't live up to the expectations from the GM.
Does anybody have any idea/a best guess on which line Fiala will be playing with in his first game?
Does anybody have any idea/a best guess on which line Fiala will be playing with in his first game?
The fact that Fenton doesn't realize how that could hurt the kid is alarming. He really has no idea what he's doing.Russo says Fenton is putting unrealistic pressure on Fiala with his comments.
Fenton is doing this trying to defend a bad deal, and Fiala is going to have to deal with the fallout if he doesn't live up to the expectations from the GM.
Same thing will happen that happened in Edmonton with Larsson. Fine player, but just... tainted. There's no way he can become the player and the fan favorite who was shipped out for him. Lopsided one-for-one trades are a tragedy for many parties involved.Russo says Fenton is putting unrealistic pressure on Fiala with his comments.
Fenton is doing this trying to defend a bad deal, and Fiala is going to have to deal with the fallout if he doesn't live up to the expectations from the GM.
Unless he's terrible, he will get top 6 minutes. No chance he plays 4th lineBest guess, 3/4th line minutes.
Best guess:
Parise - Staal - Fiala
Donato - Eriksson Ek - Kunin
Zucker - Greenway - Aberg
4th line
God that’s badBest guess:
Parise - Staal - Fiala
Donato - Eriksson Ek - Kunin
Zucker - Greenway - Aberg
4th line
Unless he's terrible, he will get top 6 minutes. No chance he plays 4th line