Article: Guerin Ignored the Noise and Had A Smart Offseason

[ArizonaWildFan]

4 hours ago, goenzoy said:

Why should Kaprisov sign without even knowing which Center will play on the team ?

Was watching Joe Smith and Michael Russo yesterday and they are pretty certain that Kaprizov will be signing. They are saying the reason it hasn't happened yet is that Kirill is in Moscow. The thought is that that contract will be announced very publicly when he gets back. Makes sense.

[B1GKappa97]

5 hours ago, goenzoy said:

Why should Kaprisov sign without even knowing which Center will play on the team ? Rossi gone and Eriksson Ek injured for 25 games 

Ek is a guy who will play util he can't. The man tried to play a postseason game with a broken leg! All we need is another shutdown C so he doesn't have to take every minute of every shift against the best of the best. 

But personally I don't see what Kaprizov would be worried about if it was Ek as his centerman. Its not like it kept Kaprizov, or Boldy, from leading the post-season in scoring for most of the Vegas series. 

He wants to go from being the most productive winger to the... most productive winger on another team??

[B1GKappa97]

I'll forgive it all if he finds a way to bring Alex Tuch back. 

I feel like Tuch is who he wishes Boldy would be more often..

[mnfaninnc]

I think most of the key free agents are signed now. I guess we are going into trade season, and from a transactional standpoint, I believe offersheets go down as trades.

The teams who need centers and missed out are the ones to watch now. Will they take a run at Rossi? I'm kind of doubting it, but Philly did pay $5.4m for Dvorak, so, who knows?

Can Guerin add a final piece in a trade? I still think he needs to subtract a bottom 6 player from the roster, but I think that may happen closer to training camp hoping one of his prospects can outplay a vet. 

Could the Wild re-acquire Tuch? Boy, that would be nice! If so, it might look like this:

Tuch-Ek-Kaprizov

Boldy-Rossi-Tarasenko

Zuccy would be kicked down the lineup. A bottom 6er would have to go, maybe in the deal. 

[ArizonaWildFan]

July 5, 2025:

Assuming the Wild sign Rossi, don't re-sign Merrill, and Brodin begins the season on LTIR, the opening night 23 man roster looks something like this:

 

C - Ek, Rossi, Sturm, Yurov 

W - Kaprizov, Boldy, Tarasenko, Zuccarello, Foligno, Hartman, Ohgren, Trenin, Johansson, Aube-Kubel

D - Faber, Middleton, Spurgeon, Bogosian, Buium, Jiricek, Lambos

G - Gustavsson, Wallstedt 

Total Cap Hit (assuming Rossi signs for $7M) - $87.2M (incl buyout and carryover)

Total Cap Available - $95.5M

Cap Space on Opening Night - $8.3M

20 players dress on opening night and assume two wingers and one D are in the press box (Johansson, Aube-Kubel and Jiricek). Here are my lines:

Kaprizov - Rossi - Boldy

Zuccarello - Ek - Tarasenko 

Ohgren - Yurov - Hartman 

Trenin - Sturm - Foligno 

Faber - Middleton 

Spurgeon - Lambos

Bogosian - Buium 

Gustavsson 

Wallstedt 

Not the Panthers or Oilers but not bad. In game planning, plan to your team's individual and collective strengths, recognize your weaknesses and counter those areas from being exploited.

Take the 82 game regular season and the $8.3M to improve and build for the playoffs. This isn't a Cup winning roster but it could be a team that makes a nice run in the playoffs. Play a style of play that fits the personnel rather than trying to make players fit a desired style that is incompatible and unrealistic. And fix the damned PK! Moving from the bottom of the league to even the middle would be good for at least five wins next season.

[mnhockeyfan03]

1 hour ago, ArizonaWildFan said:

July 5, 2025:

Assuming the Wild sign Rossi, don't re-sign Merrill, and Brodin begins the season on LTIR, the opening night 23 man roster looks something like this:

 

C - Ek, Rossi, Sturm, Yurov 

W - Kaprizov, Boldy, Tarasenko, Zuccarello, Foligno, Hartman, Ohgren, Trenin, Johansson, Aube-Kubel

D - Faber, Middleton, Spurgeon, Bogosian, Buium, Jiricek, Lambos

G - Gustavsson, Wallstedt 

Total Cap Hit (assuming Rossi signs for $7M) - $87.2M (incl buyout and carryover)

Total Cap Available - $95.5M

Cap Space on Opening Night - $8.3M

20 players dress on opening night and assume two wingers and one D are in the press box (Johansson, Aube-Kubel and Jiricek). Here are my lines:

Kaprizov - Rossi - Boldy

Zuccarello - Ek - Tarasenko 

Ohgren - Yurov - Hartman 

Trenin - Sturm - Foligno 

Faber - Middleton 

Spurgeon - Lambos

Bogosian - Buium 

Gustavsson 

Wallstedt 

Not the Panthers or Oilers but not bad. In game planning, plan to your team's individual and collective strengths, recognize your weaknesses and counter those areas from being exploited.

Take the 82 game regular season and the $8.3M to improve and build for the playoffs. This isn't a Cup winning roster but it could be a team that makes a nice run in the playoffs. Play a style of play that fits the personnel rather than trying to make players fit a desired style that is incompatible and unrealistic. And fix the damned PK! Moving from the bottom of the league to even the middle would be good for at least five wins next season.

Not good enough. Billy can do better and he knows it.  Rossi and Spurg have to be moved to get better.  The goal is a championship not a playoff round win

[goenzoy]

3 hours ago, ArizonaWildFan said:

Was watching Joe Smith and Michael Russo yesterday and they are pretty certain that Kaprizov will be signing. They are saying the reason it hasn't happened yet is that Kirill is in Moscow. The thought is that that contract will be announced very publicly when he gets back. Makes sense.

Yes thats the same Michael Russo telling us since Christmas that Rossi getting traded is above 80% and it will happen soon.

I also think that the odds of Kaprisov signing are higher then the odds of not signing .But it is utter nonsense to believe that they signing is close. 

Would even think that it will not happen before 2026  

[Imyourhuckleberry]

3 hours ago, ArizonaWildFan said:

20 players dress on opening night and assume two wingers and one D are in the press box (Johansson, Aube-Kubel and Jiricek). Here are my lines:

Kaprizov - Rossi - Boldy

Zuccarello - Ek - Tarasenko 

Ohgren - Yurov - Hartman 

Trenin - Sturm - Foligno 

Faber - Middleton 

Spurgeon - Lambos

Bogosian - Buium 

Gustavsson 

Wallstedt 

I wouldn't be shocked if they opened the season with Matt Kiersted, or one of the other defensemen they signed recently rather than Lambos. That 6th defenseman might only be getting around 14 minutes a night while Lambos could be playing 23 minutes per night in the AHL. Merrill average 14:06 last season.

I also wouldn't be shocked if they put Buium up with Faber right away and had Middleton with Spurgeon. Faber and Buium might have a few rough moments between them, but I could see them being a dynamic top pairing in time.

Kiersted and Ben Gleason are both 27 years old and have been in NHL games before, so possible that the Wild would give them time early if they needed a LHD. Certainly could be Lambos as well, just don't want to assume it.

Probably more likely they have one of their RHD play off-hand side and put Jiricek in the lineup than they use Lambos in the top 4. I won't be shocked if Lambos is with the Wild later in the year, but I'll be a little surprised if they start him night 1.

[ArizonaWildFan]

2 hours ago, mnhockeyfan03 said:

Rossi and Spurg have to be moved to get better.

Not to be argumentative, but how do you move Spurgeon and his $7.5M AAV? If he's not good enough for the Wild at that price, which team is going to come knocking on the door? Same with Trenin. I want to see him and his $3.5M AAV for the next three years gone, but no other team is stupid enough to pay that money for such insignificant production.

As far as Rossi, I don't understand the hatred for a kid that has produced well above most others on ELC's. How are you going to replace his production and with who? Are the haters claiming that the Wild don't need a 60+ point center to be successful? Let the kid play and improve rather than always looking over his shoulder to see if GMBG and HCJH are behind him trying to #&@- him up the ?*!.

[ArizonaWildFan]

51 minutes ago, Imyourhuckleberry said:

Faber and Buium might have a few rough moments between them, but I could see them being a dynamic top pairing in time.

Spot on, Huckleberry! Something to look forward to.

[ArizonaWildFan]

Here's an interesting hypothetical, albeit unrealistic: Wild looking for a veteran LHD to cover Brodin's absence and help with the development of the young D corps. They are already paying one such UFA $833K this season, Ryan Suter. Guerin gives Bill Daly from the league office a call and asks if the buyout money could count as a contract. If yes, he calls Suter and mends fences. Suter has a kid that lived and played hockey in Moorhead last year and may be doing it again this year. Farewell tour with a different role. Never going to happen but I wouldn't hate it. $833K that's not get flushed down the toilet.

[Sam]

On 7/4/2025 at 10:30 AM, Imyourhuckleberry said:

Also thought this was interesting:

Marat Khusnutdinov has signed a 2 year, $1,850,000 contract with a cap hit of $925,000 per season, playing for the Boston Bruins.

Justin Brazeau has signed a 2 year, $3,000,000 contract with a cap hit of $1,500,000 per season, playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Good, glad to hear we’re done with Breezers. He was pretty much invisible for us.

[mnhockeyfan03]

46 minutes ago, ArizonaWildFan said:

Not to be argumentative, but how do you move Spurgeon and his $7.5M AAV? If he's not good enough for the Wild at that price, which team is going to come knocking on the door? Same with Trenin. I want to see him and his $3.5M AAV for the next three years gone, but no other team is stupid enough to pay that money for such insignificant production.

As far as Rossi, I don't understand the hatred for a kid that has produced well above most others on ELC's. How are you going to replace his production and with who? Are the haters claiming that the Wild don't need a 60+ point center to be successful? Let the kid play and improve rather than always looking over his shoulder to see if GMBG and HCJH are behind him trying to #&@- him up the ?*!.

Spurgeon you basically have to give away similar to Tarasenko to free up cap space.  That cap space can go towards a forward we need more than D.  Nothing against Rossi but he is a $4-4.5mm player and not $6-7mm.  I just think the money for him can go towards a bigger more powerful center we need like Roslovic and Kuznetsov.  If we then move Spurgeon and Rossi we would still have $10mm left over to sign someone at the trade deadline after signing roslovic and Spurgeon.  We need size and speed.  Zucc also needs to be moved but can’t with his NMC.  We keep running the save team back each year and keep getting the same crap results.  Be Bold

[ArizonaWildFan]

Fan03, I don't disagree with you on Spurgeon, I could move on from him. $7.5M is almost elite D money and Spurge is not elite. I agree with giving him away to free up cap space but I just don't see any takers at that price.

There is no one on the roster that I couldn't move on from, Kaprizov included for what his next contract is going to look like. But the organization has to draft, develop and move players better going forward. No more stupid contracts! And Guerin is not the right person for a job with those requirements.

I hate this year's Johansson signing. Stupid! I hated last year's Trenin contract. Stupid! I didn't like the Middleton extension for $4.35M. Overpriced! The Wild are stuck with too many bad contracts.

[mnhockeyfan03]

4 minutes ago, ArizonaWildFan said:

Fan03, I don't disagree with you on Spurgeon, I could move on from him. $7.5M is almost elite D money and Spurge is not elite. I agree with giving him away to free up cap space but I just don't see any takers at that price.

 

There is no one on the roster that I couldn't move on from, Kaprizov included for what his next contract is going to look like. But the organization has to draft, develop and move players better going forward. No more stupid contracts! And Guerin is not the right person for a job with those requirements.

I hate this year's Johansson signing. Stupid! I hated last year's Trenin contract. Stupid! I didn't like the Middleton extension for $4.35M. Overpriced! The Wild are stuck with too many bad contracts.

Agree I don’t think Billy is the right person for the job and I don’t think Hynes is the right coach.  I think Deboar is the right coach but I think Billy is scared of bringing him in as he can’t control who plays where.  Hynes Billy has control over.  Billy is not a creative thinker.  As long as he is GM we aren’t going anywhere to be honest.  
 

we do need to get much bigger on D and in our top 6. 

[OldDutchChip]

30 minutes ago, ArizonaWildFan said:

Fan03, I don't disagree with you on Spurgeon, I could move on from him. $7.5M is almost elite D money and Spurge is not elite. I agree with giving him away to free up cap space but I just don't see any takers at that price.

There is no one on the roster that I couldn't move on from, Kaprizov included for what his next contract is going to look like. But the organization has to draft, develop and move players better going forward. No more stupid contracts! And Guerin is not the right person for a job with those requirements.

I hate this year's Johansson signing. Stupid! I hated last year's Trenin contract. Stupid! I didn't like the Middleton extension for $4.35M. Overpriced! The Wild are stuck with too many bad contracts.

zona - you still complaining about 800K for MJ? give it up already. 

now you saying Kap is going to be overpaid and you'd be fine moving on from him.... 

too many bad contracts! yeap - MJ for 800k! oh my!

[ArizonaWildFan]

1 hour ago, OldDutchChip said:

zona - you still complaining about 800K for MJ? give it up already. 

Johansson is going to sit in the press box most of the season and eat up a roster spot that could be used for future development. He doesn't help them win this year or make it past the first round. All the other teams in the league have a 23 man roster. Billy decided he only needs 22. Genius! Johansson sure as Hell isn't getting sent to Iowa if he can't hold a spot. So yes, a very stupid contract. He won't complain, though, getting paid $800K for a pretty damn good seat to watch the games.

If you read what I wrote, I can move on from anyone. I didn't write anything about Kaprizov getting overpaid, I alluded to the fact that he's going to get a very substantial contract. I don't own a #97 sweater so not locked in and emotionally tied to players like you are with Trenin and Johansson. (BTW... what color hoods do you guys wear when you have your #23 Rossi jersey burning parties?)

If the Wild could improve by taking the $14M - $16M that they will probably pay Kirill and land a high quality center and forward with that cash I would do it in a heartbeat. That's what the winning franchises are doing. They're not spending money on stupid contracts (your boys MJ and YT) and they're not putting too much of their cap dollars with term and no movement clauses on one guy, especially one that has durability issues.

I like Kaprizov and hope he signs, but if he doesn't... I won't lose any sleep over it. (Just lobbed a softy over the plate for you, ODC, see if you can knock it out of the park)

[SkolWild73]

3 minutes ago, ArizonaWildFan said:

Johansson is going to sit in the press box most of the season and eat up a roster spot that could be used for future development. He doesn't help them win this year or make it past the first round. All the other teams in the league have a 23 man roster. Billy decided he only needs 22. Genius! Johansson sure as Hell isn't getting sent to Iowa if he can't hold a spot. So yes, a very stupid contract. He won't complain, though, getting paid $800K for a pretty damn good seat to watch the games.

If you read what I wrote, I can move on from anyone. I didn't write anything about Kaprizov getting overpaid, I alluded to the fact that he's going to get a very substantial contract. I don't own a #97 sweater so not locked in and emotionally tied to players like you are with Trenin and Johansson. (BTW... what color hoods do you guys wear when you have your #23 Rossi jersey burning parties?)

If the Wild could improve by taking the $14M - $16M that they will probably pay Kirill and land a high quality center and forward with that cash I would do it in a heartbeat. That's what the winning franchises are doing. They're not spending money on stupid contracts (your boys MJ and YT) and they're not putting too much of their cap dollars with term and no movement clauses on one guy, especially one that has durability issues.

I like Kaprizov and hope he signs, but if he doesn't... I won't lose any sleep over it. (Just lobbed a softy over the plate for you, ODC, see if you can knock it out of the park)

The way the Wild have done it in the past, if one of their young guys isn’t playing, they usually do not put them on the press box.  Kind of the reason for the 22 man roster.  They would rather have them playing in Iowa than sitting in the press box.  I don’t hate the 800k for Nojo.  If we have injuries, which if history is any guide we will, he will be a good replacement at the price.  Besides, most of our  young forwards will most likely be on the team this year, unless they flop, so really don’t see Nojo taking too much playing time from our top forward prospects.

[OldDutchChip]

11 hours ago, ArizonaWildFan said:

Johansson is going to sit in the press box most of the season and eat up a roster spot that could be used for future development. He doesn't help them win this year or make it past the first round. All the other teams in the league have a 23 man roster. Billy decided he only needs 22. Genius! Johansson sure as Hell isn't getting sent to Iowa if he can't hold a spot. So yes, a very stupid contract. He won't complain, though, getting paid $800K for a pretty damn good seat to watch the games.

If you read what I wrote, I can move on from anyone. I didn't write anything about Kaprizov getting overpaid, I alluded to the fact that he's going to get a very substantial contract. I don't own a #97 sweater so not locked in and emotionally tied to players like you are with Trenin and Johansson. (BTW... what color hoods do you guys wear when you have your #23 Rossi jersey burning parties?)

If the Wild could improve by taking the $14M - $16M that they will probably pay Kirill and land a high quality center and forward with that cash I would do it in a heartbeat. That's what the winning franchises are doing. They're not spending money on stupid contracts (your boys MJ and YT) and they're not putting too much of their cap dollars with term and no movement clauses on one guy, especially one that has durability issues.

I like Kaprizov and hope he signs, but if he doesn't... I won't lose any sleep over it. (Just lobbed a softy over the plate for you, ODC, see if you can knock it out of the park)

MJ is an extra vet, he is not blocking Yurov or Ohgren. If they impress - they will have a spot. If someone else miraculously demands a spot -- great! But it doesn't hurt to have a vet on a league minimum that can score 30 plus points and help on PP.  As for Trenin, he delivered when it mattered and showed why he was signed. i think he will have a much better season this time. 

if you are OK moving on from generational players like Kap then you are a bad judge of players. which i guess is true. 

Before you go back to a nap please note - neither Trenin or MJ are "stupid" contracts. This is a lazy take. MN really has no bad contracts. 

[mnfaninnc]

20 hours ago, goenzoy said:

I also think that the odds of Kaprisov signing are higher then the odds of not signing .But it is utter nonsense to believe that they signing is close.

Why would this be nonsense? I didn't listen to the show, but someone reported that Kaprizov is currently in Russia. If that's the case, there is a good reason why he isn't here in person to sign a deal.

There is a different mindset between NA players, western Euro players and Eastern Euro players. This must always be taken into account. Kaprizov could also be conveniently waiting for McDavid's contract to hit, though I think his being in Russia and the Wild wanting the signing to be very public, is probably the the best reason at this point. 

Non NA players have a tendency to go home after the season and have a very nice break. They'll take care of business when they get back, it's not necessarily paramount on their mind. They may agree to the terms, but the actual signing is pushed out with a mindset of "I'll do it when I get back."

[mnfaninnc]

18 hours ago, ArizonaWildFan said:

Not to be argumentative, but how do you move Spurgeon and his $7.5M AAV?

Detroit is looking for a defender that fits Spurgeon's description. They have the money to absorb the cap hit. Danielson would be my target since this is not just a cap dump. Danielson is unproven and not quite ready yet, but is a nice center prospect and fits within the core age Guerin is trying to build towards.

Detroit has a couple of RHS defenders who are also in the system but not quite ready. I could see a deal looking something like Spurgeon + Kumpulainen = Danielson + B prospect D with size. 

[mnfaninnc]

11 hours ago, SkolWild73 said:

The way the Wild have done it in the past, if one of their young guys isn’t playing, they usually do not put them on the press box.  Kind of the reason for the 22 man roster.

The reason for the 22 man roster was strictly for cap reasons. They would start the season that way to try and accumulate cap space. The last 2 seasons that has not worked. 

Yes, they do let the young guys play in Iowa, and with Des Moines being so close, they can get a player here quickly if there is an illness or injury. But, the players they've been calling up aren't the kids, they're the tweeners we signed for depth like Shore. 

Using just 22 isn't a bad strategy either if your team is relatively healthy. You have 1 extra forward and 1 extra defender. They often will pick up the 23rd guy on a road trip, specifically the long Canadian ones. Depending on health of the team, that's either a defender or forward. 

Now that they're not pushed up against the cap, they may opt for 23, but I'd certainly bet on them staying with 22 to start the season. 

[mnfaninnc]

I disagree that we need to trade Rossi or we're not getting to the 2nd round. And, I disagree that we can't move Zuccy with an NMC. Zuccy has full control over whether he goes or stays, but if it's needed, he and Guerin can have a conversation about where he goes. Most players know they will have to move if necessary, but where they go is up to them.

Guerin has been very reluctant to talk to NMC guys about moving on, and perhaps that's coming from being a player in that situation. Instead of approaching Parise/Suter about it at the expansion draft, he merely bought them out. But, other teams seem to be able to part with NMC players cordially. 

As for Rossi, I know we can only have a few smaller players in the lineup. If Rossi can come in at 195, just with leverage he'll play like a guy at about 210. That's not small. It may be short. 

I think it's more important to part ways with the smaller-older players. We did that with Freddy. Zuccy and Spurgy are probably next on that list. I'm very hopeful that Yurov and Ohgren are coming in bulked up from their listed weight. Adding Tarasenko and Sturm really helped our overall team beef. I'm also pretty sure that Buium has been adding strength as he said it was something necessary for this level. 

[goenzoy]

2 hours ago, mnfaninnc said:

Non NA players have a tendency to go home after the season and have a very nice break. They'll take care of business when they get back, it's not necessarily paramount on their mind. They may agree to the terms, but the actual signing is pushed out with a mindset of "I'll do it when I get back."

That players do have different vacation pattern is clear  but it has nothing to do with 

signing contracts . Kaprisov like any player wants to win and also he did finish a season with half of it on injury .So I doubt very much that Kaprisov will sign before he knows how season is going . For himself, the team and also the other players around him .Him might sign before Christmas and not in 2026 but clearly not before start of season .No rush for him 

[Up North Guy]

4 hours ago, mnfaninnc said:

Now that they're not pushed up against the cap, they may opt for 23, but I'd certainly bet on them staying with 22 to start the season. 

I think they will continue to save cap room whenever they can. Who knows what the costs of the trades later in the year will be. Better to have it if needed rather than not. We all know injuries can add up quickly.