By Giles Ferrell -
The Minnesota Wild finally made their long-awaited offseason splash, trading defenseman Marco Scandella, forward Jason Pominville and a fourth-round pick to Buffalo in exchange for forwards Tyler Ennis, Marcus Foligno and a third-round pick.
Scandella (4G-9A-13P in 71 games in 2016-17) had been a name heavily involved in trade talks over the past week, with Buffalo and perhaps Boston -- at least at the draft -- as potential suitors. Pominville (13G-34A-47P in 78 games) was a contract the Wild were badly trying to get out from, as the winger was set to carry a $5.6 million cap hit for the next two seasons and was seen as underperforming. Pominville was previously acquired by the Wild from Buffalo at the 2013 trade deadline after spending his first eight seasons in the league there.
READ: Minnesota Wild: Defense Must Go - All Sales Final
Coming back in the trade, the Wild were able to get Ennis (5G-8A-13P in 51 games) and Foligno (13G-10A-23 points in 80 games) to plug them into their bottom six after losing Erik Haula to expansion, Martin Hanzal to free agency and Jordan Schroeder via trade. Ennis is set to have a $4.6 million cap hit over the next two seasons before hitting free agency, while Foligno is currently a restricted free agent without a contract for next year.
Both draft picks exchanged in the deal are for the 2018 draft.
Stay tuned to Zone Coverage for more on this trade and free agency, which begins on Saturday.
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