With the All-Star break behind us, the trade deadline approaches in less than a month. Where does each teastand, and what movements should they try to make? We’ll continue our look across the league with the Minnesota Wild.
After making the playoffs ten times in the previous 11 seasons, the Wild were once again hoping to compete for the Stanley Cup this spring. Unfortunately, things did not go as planned, and Minnesota is currently on the outside looking in when it comes to the Western Conference playoff competition. Following a head coaching change earlier this season, the Wild are still within reach and will likely attempt to add on the outskirts in the hopes of making Lord Stanley’s tournament.
Teams such as the Colorado Avalanche, Edmonton Oilers, and Toronto Maple Leafs may be interested in Fleury’s services, where he would mostly serve as a backup to give their regular netminders more rest between starts. Furthermore, teams like the Carolina Hurricanes and New Jersey Devils may be desperate to find a solution to their goaltender problems and would want Fleury to start the majority of the remaining games.
Outside of Fleury, given that the club will most likely be nibbling around the margins in the trade market this March, Minnesota is unlikely to consider trading either of their first-round picks in the next two NHL Drafts. They may explore trading a small pool of mid-round picks, but it will not be enough to significantly strengthen the Wild’s squad.
1) Get Younger – Currently, the Wild are the fourth-oldest club in the NHL, with an average age of 29.4. Aside from the numerous overseas prospects hoping to make the move to North America next year, Minnesota boasts defensive prospects Carson Lambos and Daemon Hunt who are unquestionably on the verge. Given the stardom of goaltender Jesper Wallstedt, the Wild have plenty of youthful talent ready to advance to the next level. When these upcoming players are considered, the early extensions offered to Ryan Hartman, Marcus Foligno, and Mats Zuccarello become increasingly difficult to understand, as their contracts are not only tough to exit but also prevent a few prospects from receiving regular playing time.
2) A Right-Shot Defenseman – In the short run, if Minnesota wants to make the playoffs in 2023-24, they must replace captain Jared Spurgeon’s lost minutes as quickly as possible. Brock Faber, a rookie defenseman, has held his own on the right side of the top unit, but things swiftly fall apart behind him. Last season, the organization elected to acquire John Klingberg from the Anaheim Ducks to boost the right side of their defense, and they could undoubtedly benefit from another top-four defenseman of similar type.
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