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  • Can the Wild Get Better By Standing Pat?


    Image courtesy of Stephen R. Sylvanie - Imagn Images
    Tony Abbott

    The NHL's salary cap is on the rise, but the league's economy might be about to grind to a halt.

    There's a flow to player movement. There are usually a group of teams looking to reset their competitive window, and a team of buyers looking to fuel them with futures for the price of taking the sellers' good players off their hands.

    But unless a team is interested in the Pittsburgh Penguins and their slightly used Rickard Rakell or Bryan Rust, that might not happen this offseason. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic recently quoted a GM as saying, "Almost everyone is looking to add or get better." 

    That's bad news for the Minnesota Wild, for whom the buyout shackles are finally off their wrist and are ready to make a splash. In a world where the Buffalo Sabres were looking to trade Tage Thompson, the Detroit Red Wings were shopping Dylan Larkin, or Brady Tkachuk was trying to find a way to leave the Ottawa Senators, the Wild might have been able to do that. 

    But in a world where even last-place teams like the Chicago Blackhawks or San Jose Sharks are done trying to bottom out? The road for the Wild to improve gets a lot rockier. 

    Or does it?

    "I don't want to sit on my hands at all, and I'm kind of tired of doing that," Bill Guerin said in May,

    In March, he said, "[July is] going to be a time where organizationally, we make a step."

    However, Minnesota might be in as good a position as anyone to improve without a huge shake-up.

    The Wild only punched their ticket to the playoffs in the last 20 seconds of the season, when Joel Eriksson Ek scored a game-tying goal against a dreadful Anaheim Ducks team to clinch their spot.

    While that suggests the Wild are a bubble playoff team, the truth is that with a reasonably healthy year from Kirill Kaprizov and Eriksson Ek, Minnesota would have been an easy playoff team. Yes, even with "one hand tied behind their back," as Guerin occasionally says of their cap situation.

    The Wild are (currently) set to return most of that team from last season, and are already making three major additions, without spending a dime in free agency. Top prospects Zeev Buium, Danila Yurov, and David Jiříček are all expected to be on the roster next year. You can probably add in a fourth by penciling in Liam Öhgren in the lineup.

    That's the 12th overall pick from last year's draft, plus three top-25 picks from the 2022 Draft. Playoff teams usually aren't in a position to add four highly-touted first-rounders in a single offseason. That's reserved for young, up-and-coming teams after years of painful rebuilding.

    However, the Wild are in exactly that spot.

    Of course, it's important to temper expectations a bit. We don't know which players are ready to step into huge roles and which require more time. But even two of those four being ready for prime time next season would make a significant impact. 

    Even beyond the injuries and the prospects, the Wild still have room to improve next year. Their young core currently includes Matt Boldy (24), Marco Rossi (23), and Brock Faber (22). All three players have room to improve next season.

    The State of Hockey is still waiting for that elusive Boldy breakout season, even though he is coming off a career-high 73-point campaign. Still, the organization and its fans believe there's more meat on that bone. His final 20 games (including playoffs) suggest that, as he scored 11 goals and 24 points over that time. If his 2025-26 season can resemble the first and last 20 games of last year, and not the middle 48, we could see something truly special.

    Rossi put together a second-straight 20-goal season while managing to take his playmaking up a notch as the Wild's top-line center. The trade rumors surrounding him have been on full blast this offseason, but a combination of a thin center market and Minnesota's not-so-stellar job of selling him could keep him in Minnesota. If Rossi is back in St. Paul, he'll be motivated to either prove to the Wild he's part of their future or put on a show to audition for another spot. His work ethic to get better next season can't be questioned.

    Then there's Faber, whose disastrous second half plummeted him to the fourth-worst season in the NHL, per Evolving-Hockey's Standings Points Above Replacement. Faber cost the Wild 3.3 points in the standings last season. Still, no one believes that it represents his true talent level. With a smarter plan to keep his workload in check, Faber should look much better as a top-pairing defenseman.

    Sure, it might be preferable to see the Wild add a bona-fide No. 1 center, if you're not sold on Rossi. But with reasonable health, a wave of prospects arriving, and their young stars continuing their upward trajectory, they might not need a huge shake-up. Suppose Minnesota can limit itself to adding a top-six winger around the edges. Then, it would complement a promising core without ripping out any of the foundation of what the organization is building. As loath as Guerin is to sit on his hands, it might be the best way to set up the Wild to win in the near term.

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    15 hours ago, Pewterschmidt said:

    I thinks it’s Rossi + Ogz to BUF for Peterka + 3rd rd. prospect BUF drafted in 2022

    Rossi is better than Peterka.  How does this make sense?

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    2 hours ago, Scalptrash said:

    If he wants his name on the cup, he'll leave. The only reason he'll stay is for more cash and more security. Which is more important to him? Time will tell.

    Everyone is predicting 15x8 (too much IMO, injury prone). If he rejects that offer, the Wild should trade him immediately.

    Here’s the thing…unless KK97 has a clause in his contract that controls where he can be traded to (limited or no trade clause) he has 0 control over going to a cup contender until his current deal runs out. Note: KK97 has intimated that he’ll re-sign here.

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    19 hours ago, Tony Abbott said:

    Well, when they make that trade you'll get to have a big, big laugh, won't you?

    I’m laughing at what ODD posted. 😂

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    19 hours ago, Beast said:

    Yurov isn’t going to come in and light the world on fire.

    Yurov just has to be better than NoJo or Freddy to improve our roster.

    The bar is low.

    Aob5.gif

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    21 hours ago, OldDutchChip said:

    Kap wants to compete. When a team competes, they do not rely so heavily on rooks or youth. We are overloaded with both - Faber, Rossi, Wally, Yurov, Zeev, Jiri, H&H boys, Ohgren are all still young.

    I think this is where we have the communication problem. If Kap wants to compete, he's looking at a team outside of the top 10. I'm pretty sure what you mean is Kap wants to contend. Teams that contend have seasoned their young players into more than just getting acclimated. Boldy, Faber and Rossi should be past that point this season. 

    If we play the kids, the 4 or 5 rookies plus the other 3 young guys, could we contend in 2 years? If I'm sitting in Kaprizov's shoes, I would be thinking that I like the area and the lifestyle, I like where this team is headed going forward, they are a lot closer than the "experts" think. Or, I could not sign and turn my life upside down and try to make it to a different contender. Most of those "contenders" do not have the cap room I need for my contract. I think, instead, I'm willing to go ahead with the Wild's plan, but not on 8 years, more like 5. If I'm not contending then, the team will have to do it without me. 

    In those 5 years, I've made enough money to do whatever I want after hockey, and I still have time to be a hired gun for a contender. I'm thinking a 5 year, $70m deal would be enough to stay, and I'll still be paid nicely on 1 year deals after that. 

    If I'm that type of player, this is the career planning I shoot for. I'll do as much as I can to be on a contending team, but if they're not there, I'm financially sound in an area I like to be in. I'd also think that my locker room voice can bring these younger guys along quicker than most, and I will demand excellence. 

    Back to the beginning, sometimes the words "contend" and "compete" get used interchangeably. The issue is that they are very different words and should be used that way.

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    20 hours ago, Beast said:

    Absolutely not.

    They were healthy. They got all anyone could ask for from Kaprisov, Boldy, and Gus in the playoffs.  Hartman even played well. Rossi chipped in (from the 4th line, inexplicably). They still couldn’t even come close to escaping the first round, let alone something like the conference finals.

    What could possibly improve?  Gaudreau or Mojo somehow become a 30 goal scorer?

    Yurov isn’t going to come in and light the world on fire.

    If they can’t get a deal done, I don’t want to hear the “aw shucks, we tried.”  Guerin has been planning/building for this moment since he wrote off Parise and Suter.  If he comes out of this off-season without a significantly better team, that’s a result of his poor decision making, and he absolutely needs to be fired.  

     

    I'd argue two things:

    1.  Faber was worn out by the end of the season from playing so much when other defensemen were hurt.  He was playing 27+ mins per game for a large chunk of the season and played a lot during 4 Nations.  His play dropped off quite a bit because of it.  The Wild need to be able to depend on more than Faber if Spurgeon or Brodin get hurt.

    2.  How is it that the Wild did not come close to making it out of the first round?  The series went 6 games and the only game that Vegas beat the Wild by more than 1 goal was the first game where they won 4-2.  A number of games went to overtime.  Sure seems like the Wild hung with Vegas for most of that series.

    A little more offense and youth definitely makes us better.  And it won't take much for people like Yurov, Buium, Jiricek, etc to do more than the players they would be replacing.  But if they do more than that, that's huge.

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    1 hour ago, Patrick said:

    Rossi is better than Peterka.  How does this make sense?

    I'm not saying this is a winning trade by the Wild.  I'm saying this is what gets done after handicapping bill's GM abilities.

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    The thing is Kap knows he has some decent talent around him already.  He has never struck me as a me first kind of guy, and he's pretty much THE face of the franchise and is treated as such and also left alone otherwise.

    He basically has money to burn and the assurance that this team has literally no choice but to keep him.  Guerin would pay him a desperation tax of a extra mil or two, even if Kap or his agent didn't need or want to.

    He has no incentive to stay, but he also has every incentive at the same time.

     

     

     

     

     

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    1 hour ago, Dango said:

    Go and get Marchment from Dallas as the shiny new object

    This is a great idea.  I hate this guy, but would love him in the green and wheat.  brings some Rat and grit to the group

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    20 hours ago, Beast said:

    If they can’t get a deal done, I don’t want to hear the “aw shucks, we tried.”  Guerin has been planning/building for this moment since he wrote off Parise and Suter.  If he comes out of this off-season without a significantly better team, that’s a result of his poor decision making, and he absolutely needs to be fired.  

    I can't agree with this take. I don't want to spend to spend. This offseason had all 32 teams gain about $7m in new cap space. There isn't much of that cap crunch now with teams except in Dallas and CO. Simply put, demand is far higher than supply. Sometimes it's not all about money either. We've got the cap expanding over the next several years, too. That means teams will have room to sign guys.

    If what you're looking for isn't available this offseason, just wait until January and be aggressive there. But don't be aggressive stupid, be smart and target what you want. If it's not their, don't feel obligated to pick up another Marty Havlat. Keep yourself in position for the next opportunity like a Rantanen becoming available. 

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    45 minutes ago, mnfaninnc said:

    I think this is where we have the communication problem. If Kap wants to compete, he's looking at a team outside of the top 10. I'm pretty sure what you mean is Kap wants to contend. Teams that contend have seasoned their young players into more than just getting acclimated. Boldy, Faber and Rossi should be past that point this season. 

    If we play the kids, the 4 or 5 rookies plus the other 3 young guys, could we contend in 2 years? If I'm sitting in Kaprizov's shoes, I would be thinking that I like the area and the lifestyle, I like where this team is headed going forward, they are a lot closer than the "experts" think. Or, I could not sign and turn my life upside down and try to make it to a different contender. Most of those "contenders" do not have the cap room I need for my contract. I think, instead, I'm willing to go ahead with the Wild's plan, but not on 8 years, more like 5. If I'm not contending then, the team will have to do it without me. 

    In those 5 years, I've made enough money to do whatever I want after hockey, and I still have time to be a hired gun for a contender. I'm thinking a 5 year, $70m deal would be enough to stay, and I'll still be paid nicely on 1 year deals after that. 

    If I'm that type of player, this is the career planning I shoot for. I'll do as much as I can to be on a contending team, but if they're not there, I'm financially sound in an area I like to be in. I'd also think that my locker room voice can bring these younger guys along quicker than most, and I will demand excellence. 

    Back to the beginning, sometimes the words "contend" and "compete" get used interchangeably. The issue is that they are very different words and should be used that way.

    sorry - i meant contend. and his time is now. two year "wait and see" means Kap is 30. does it benefit Wild to wait for youth to "blossom" and hope Kap ages well (if he re-ups) or would a smarter move be - cash in some of youth and go in now - you'll give yourself immediate contention window and more certainty that you can actually achieve the goal. 

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    20 hours ago, OldDutchChip said:

    you think Yzerman won't consider dealing Larkin for Faber and Rossi and prospect/pick? that team is going nowhere and it may buy him more time to play GM.

    I don't think Yzerman will consider it, I think he needs to win this year, not buy more time. For him, I think a better deal is going after Spurgeon. Spurgy doesn't have a lot of fits, but I think this one is one. He needs the playoffs, and, honestly, we could use the roster space. I think a Danielson for Spurgeon could work out for both teams. Detroit needs a few more players who have been to the playoffs to get there. 3 years in a row they've been positioned to get past that barrier and wilted.

    20 hours ago, OldDutchChip said:

    same for Sabres GM - you think a "reset' of sorts will give him some job security? Yes, sir. And for a GM on that trash team - that may be worth dealing. Either that or he is out.

    I think this is our best chance at a team willing to deal. While I think we could cash in on Lafreniere, I do think Buffalo needs a reset. The thing is, both teams are talking about the same thing, trading out prospects for help now. Maybe instead we can each help the other's deficiencies with strength? Buffalo is in an unenviable position of being the top 3 American teams that are listed on 10 team NTCs. 

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    12 hours ago, DennisIN said:

    Improvement candidates: Rossi, Boldy, Brock, Hartmann, Trenin

    Is this because Hartman and Trenin had such terrible regular season?

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    11 minutes ago, OldDutchChip said:

    or would a smarter move be - cash in some of youth and go in now - you'll give yourself immediate contention window and more certainty that you can actually achieve the goal. 

    Only for the right guys, not just to change things up.

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    11 minutes ago, mnfaninnc said:

    I don't think Yzerman will consider it, I think he needs to win this year, not buy more time. For him, I think a better deal is going after Spurgeon. Spurgy doesn't have a lot of fits, but I think this one is one. He needs the playoffs, and, honestly, we could use the roster space. I think a Danielson for Spurgeon could work out for both teams. Detroit needs a few more players who have been to the playoffs to get there. 3 years in a row they've been positioned to get past that barrier and wilted.

    I think this is our best chance at a team willing to deal. While I think we could cash in on Lafreniere, I do think Buffalo needs a reset. The thing is, both teams are talking about the same thing, trading out prospects for help now. Maybe instead we can each help the other's deficiencies with strength? Buffalo is in an unenviable position of being the top 3 American teams that are listed on 10 team NTCs. 

    Red Wings are going nowhere, and even Steve Y with "life-time" contract needs to deliver and the product on the ice is just not good. They may sneak as a WC but that team is just not that good. they still have Vlady on that team and likely will resign Kane? Yuck! I think i'd rather have Nyquist than vlady - yeap!

    guess we don't know what he'll do, but if approached - i think Steve will listen. 

    Buffalo is a call for sure. And let's not forget Canes and Stars - they are always dealing - so maybe there is a way to get in and come out ahead. 

     

     

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    14 minutes ago, mnfaninnc said:

    Only for the right guys, not just to change things up.

    yeap agree

    to be considered serious trade partners we have to actually be willing to deal players other team want

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    5 hours ago, OldDutchChip said:

    cash in some of youth and go in now

    Unfortunately I don’t believe this is a realistic option. The Wild just aren’t at that development stage. Even though it didn’t work out, Dallas’ attempt to get past the CF this year is an example of a well timed push. I’d add the Aves to that discussion as well. I agree with your sentiment about needing a bold move. There’s not much of a chance of a smart bold move happening this year. 

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    Can the Wild get better by standing pat? Yes and no. Leave the team intact (get Kaprizov and Rossi signed and no more dead weight aging veteran free agents with term) is the yes. The Wild cannot stand pat on the General Manager. Guerin has to go.

    Watch Paul Maurice's post game interview from Game 6 after Florida clinched. He describes a top to bottom organizational unity. The Panthers don't have 23 superstars who are the best in the league at every position.

    Unity is not a word ever used to describe Guerin's approach to managing the club. He's the boss, the big swinging dick, and if you're not one of his guys you're gone. That's not the Florida Panthers approach.

    Stand pat with the roster and get rid of the GM ASAP so he doesn't ruin another season of Wild hockey.

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    12 hours ago, Burnt Toast said:

    Unfortunately I don’t believe this is a realistic option. The Wild just aren’t at that development stage. Even though it didn’t work out, Dallas’ attempt to get past the CF this year is an example of a well timed push. I’d add the Aves to that discussion as well. I agree with your sentiment about needing a bold move. There’s not much of a chance of a smart bold move happening this year. 

    no one really knows how things will play out but i think the current situation is our prime chance to go for it and try to win the cup starting this year. Kap is right in his prime. Boldy should be entering his and Ek is still in tact. Give Kap one more star and we have just as much chance to go up against FL as EDM. 

    MN's never ending patience is tough to shake. You have to identify that opportunity if you want to win and go for it. I think the opportunity is now. Go out there and trade for Tkachuk or Thompson or Robertson, and sign Bennett.  Yes - you'll sacrifice Rossi and one of your very best prospect - but that's how it works - offer someone of interest and see what happens (Zeev is number 2 ranked prospect - that is something - the appeal of next Hughes/Makar ..... or Addison 😉 )

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    22 minutes ago, OldDutchChip said:

    no one really knows how things will play out

    100% agree. I don’t think the players, GMs, or owners really know either. The Oilers lost a top line player in the CF, Hyman. Even with 2 of the best players in the world they got steamrolled by Florida. Bob,  who’s like 35+ plays to a 940 save percentage. In 2019 St. Louis came out of nowhere to win the SC. What I’m hoping for is a 3-5 year window where the Wild can really contend. If there’s a way that can start in the fall I’m all for it. 

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    1 hour ago, ArizonaWildFan said:

    He describes a top to bottom organizational unity

    Florida didn’t take a penalty in game six. That included the whole team. They are a structured, disciplined and I’d add unselfish team. Brad M was integrated quickly and seamlessly. That’s pretty amazing. 

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    On 6/16/2025 at 5:08 PM, TheGoosesAreLooses said:

    With the free agency market looking incredibly lacking in talent, I would tend to agree that the best route is to hold our cards and retain Rossi. 2026 free agency looks far better or even the TDL this year. Why overpay now? As highlighted by Tony above, we have 4 rookies looking to be in the mix and should see what we have before wholesaling young talent to get a 1c. 

    It will be a good growing year. Let's not fool ourselves into believing that this team, as it was last year, is one piece away. Let's develop some prospects and see where we sit at TDL. Move when it makes sense, not just because we have money to spend.

    And for the sake of my sanity, give the reins of Iowa to an expirienced coach known for developing prospects. No more Billy's buddies nepotism. Get the best guy for the job. Probably the number one thing we can do to improve our chances at a cup the next couple years.

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    20 hours ago, OldDutchChip said:

    And let's not forget Canes and Stars - they are always dealing - so maybe there is a way to get in and come out ahead. 

    Canes will deal and have tons of cap room. I think the player fits will be pretty easy as both play that same structured game. Stars have little cap room so they will be looking to subtract cap. While Marchment or Robertson might be nice, it seems like they will first look for suitors outside of the division to me. 

    Buffalo is a call, but I have to wonder if both teams aren't after the same thing. Do we have strengths to cover their weaknesses and vice versa? I'd love to bring Tuch back, but does he even want to leave Buffalo? 

    That was the same thing with Larkin, he's at home, does he really want to leave? Tuch has a 5 team list, Larkin is full NTC. I don't think Detroit is willing to blow things up, I think they're in adding mode to win now. That's why I thought Spurgeon might interest them. 

    For me, I'd rather play Jiricek 2nd pairing minutes and move Spurgeon who will not be on our cup run team and maybe get an unproven young guy for him that can help our center depth. 

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