Jump to content
Hockey Wilderness Zone Coverage Property
  • Do the Wild Have Buyer's Remorse On Ryan Hartman?


    Image courtesy of Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
    Chris Schad

    In the days before the start of the 2023-24 season, Bill Guerin moved to lock up the Minnesota Wild's core. He didn't extend Kirill Kaprizov or make a trade to get him an elite linemate. Instead, he dished out long-term contracts to Marcus Foligno, Mats Zuccarello, and Ryan Hartman.

    Foligno, Zuccarello, and Hartman aren’t the Wild's future as much as they are the present. Operating in a world where he’s still paying for buying out Zach Parise and Ryan Suter, Guerin was making a statement by giving these players significant extensions. It was almost like if the Wild were going to succeed, they would do it with these players.

    Two years into the deals, the returns have been mixed. Zuccarello continues to be Kaprizov’s running mate on and off the ice, and Foligno is the physical presence who can get you 30 points in a good year.

    However, of the three deals, the Wild may have buyer’s remorse on Hartman, whose leadership is valued but his play has become questionable.

    We should start by saying Guerin wouldn’t last too long as a day trader. Most analysts tend to buy the dips. Still, he invests in the peaks, paying top dollar for players he probably could get for a lesser price. 

    Guerin argues that if he let these players go, he would have to find another one either in free agency or at the lower levels of the organization. While Zuccarello adds a level of playmaking ability, Foligno could be considered replaceable if it weren’t for his leadership.

    The Wild signed Hartman to a three-year, $12 million contract extension in October 2023 because of his leadership and production. However, the Wild laid the groundwork for an extension weeks before they hired Guerin as general manager.

    The 30th overall pick in the 2013 NHL Draft, Hartman debuted as a 20-year-old, playing five games with the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2014-15 season. It took two more years for him to become a full-time NHL player, scoring 19 goals and recording 12 assists in 76 games for Chicago in 2016-17.

    Hartman became a bottom-six fixture on the Blackhawks. Still, they traded him to the Nashville Predators at the 2018 trade deadline, triggering a string of transactions. Hartman played with the Predators for about a full calendar year before they traded him to the Philadelphia Flyers at the 2019 deadline.

    After the season, Philadelphia traded him to the Dallas Stars, but Dallas didn't tender Hartman a qualifying offer. Paul Fenton was Nashville's assistant general manager when the team traded for Hartman. During his short tenure as Minnesota's GM, Fenton signed him up in free agency on a two-year deal. However, the Wild fired Fenton a month later and replaced him with Guerin.

    Hartman had 42 points in 120 games during his first two seasons with the Wild. However, in 2021-22, he broke out with 34 goals and 65 points in 82 games.

    While Hartman was thriving on the ice, he also established himself off it, becoming a fan favorite as an agitator. When Hartman was fined $4,250 for flipping off Evander Kane in April 2022, fans raised $30,000 to help him pay the fine, but he had them donate it to the Children’s Minnesota Hospital.

    Even as Hartman’s production dropped to 37 points in 59 games during the 2022-23 season, his leadership made up for it, and the Wild rewarded him with his current deal.

    However, whatever charm in Hartman’s game has worn off as soon as the ink dried on his signature.

    Hartman put up a respectable 21 goals and 45 points during the 2023-24 season. Still, a string of questionable events on the ice tarnished his reputation. 

    Hartman earned a two-game suspension for slew-footing Alex DeBrincat in November 2023. A few weeks later, Hartman allegedly told Cole Perfetti he was going to intentionally throw a high stick during a faceoff as retaliation for a hit that injured Kaprizov. (Hartman denied the allegations in an interview with Michael Russo a few days later.)

    When the Wild dropped an overtime game to the Vegas Golden Knights later that year, Hartman snapped over a missed call. He threw his stick in an official's direction, earning a three-game suspension.

    Hartman addressed the incident by admitting he was “over-the-top” frustrated and quickly went into leadership mode over the offseason. He told reporters that he would have loved playing against the Wild last year and took the “Choose Your Hard” motto to heart, running to Home Depot and creating the “HARD” chain the Wild use in postgame celebrations.

    While Hartman's efforts had some value to the Wild’s hot start, he didn't drive winning with his play. Hartman had seven goals, 17 points, and a minus-8 rating through 48 games. The season reached its boiling point on Saturday when Hartman was given an attempt to injure penalty after driving Ottawa’s Tim Stützle to the ice at the end of the second period.

    Hartman has an in-person hearing in the NHL later this week, and all signs point toward a lengthy suspension. His spot on the team isn’t in immediate danger. Still, Hartman has invited speculation over whether he will play the final two years of the deal or the Wild will trade him when his no-movement clause turns into a 15-team no-trade clause next summer.

    Hartman’s presence has some value with the Wild. However, it’s fair to wonder if the risk Guerin took in September 2023 is still worth the reward.

    Think you could write a story like this? Hockey Wilderness wants you to develop your voice, find an audience, and we'll pay you to do it. Just fill out this form.


    User Feedback

    Recommended Comments

    Featured Comments

    It will be interesting to see how he responds on the ice when he gets back.  He can still be an asset to the team, but needs to figure it out between the ears.

    • Like 3
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    To begin the year Hartman seemed pretty disciplined, staying out of the penalty box. The whole team made significant strides in that regard. I’d like the whole team to play a hard disciplined game going into the playoffs. It’s a big deal. If they can make some improvements in the PK that would be nice as well. I’d say Hartman is having his worst year in a Wild uniform. Hopefully he can turn things around and just play hockey. That’s what I remember about his breakout year centering KK. 

    • Like 3
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    36 minutes ago, Citizen Strife said:

    10 game suspension

    I hope this is a turning point for RH. He has an opportunity to be a player that figured it out. It would be really nice to see him focused on making hockey plays again. If that’s not possible then I hope the Wild can figure out what’s best for both him and the team. 

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    The entire league, every single player has now watched that video of Hartman pile driving Stutzles head into the ice with obvious intent. Hartman is going to spend the rest of this year's games getting pounded. He's no heavy weight enforcer he's a dirty cheap shot guy who can play hockey now and again.  I wouldn't want to be him. 

    • Like 1
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    4 hours ago, MacGyver said:

    The entire league, every single player has now watched that video of Hartman pile driving Stutzles head into the ice with obvious intent. Hartman is going to spend the rest of this year's games getting pounded. He's no heavy weight enforcer he's a dirty cheap shot guy who can play hockey now and again.  I wouldn't want to be him. 

    I think you're giving the other players in the league too much credit...

    There are plenty of other rats throughout the league who make their bread and butter off being little shits who don't fight (Cousins, Thachuck, Bennett, Marchand, Benn, etc...)

    Don't play into the fantasy that the league is going to police itself against these types of knuckleheads, and not to mention Stutzle has earned a 'reputation' in the league...he's not a universally beloved guy that some dude not on his team is going to take a penalty in order to make a run at Hartman.

    • Like 2
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Quote

    We should start by saying Guerin wouldn’t last too long as a day trader. Most analysts tend to buy the dips. Still, he invests in the peaks, paying top dollar for players he probably could get for a lesser price. 

    We know for sure that Guerin has had handshake deals before. While he was trying to find guys to fill the void left behind from the buyouts, he was looking for value. I have no doubt that some guys overperformed their deals, and suspect heavily that they had an "understanding" with Guerin that they would be taken care of. I think that's precisely what we have in the 3 resignings that happened almost at the same time.

    Zuccarello is the exception, here, of the 3, but Guerin set it up so that Foligno and Hartman were taken care of. Short term NMCs were given, but later in the deal they were switched to M-NTCs. Guerin likely won't get much in return for either, but that is not the point. The point here is the roster spot becoming available to a young guy who has leapfrogged them in the lineup. They'll both likely be here until that guy emerges. 

    35 minutes ago, MrCheatachu said:

    There are plenty of other rats throughout the league who make their bread and butter off being little shits who don't fight (Cousins, Thachuck, Bennett, Marchand, Benn, etc...)

    I don't really understand the list here. You've got fighters and non-fighters listed. I know both Tkachuks and Benn have had some nice fights, I think I remember Bennett also getting into scraps. Agree with Marchand and no idea on Cousins. 

    But, you're right, there are a bunch of little shits who run and hide when it comes time to pay the piper!

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    By the way, up above, I am not defending Guerin for signing Hartman. I still think he should have let him walk on a business decision. But, if he had an agreement with him, fulfilling that agreement was probably in Guerin's best interest. 

    I have thought that MN would be a destination place for players with families. It's a nice place to live and grow up....as I remember it. Listening to the news in the past 6 or 7 years, however, seems to reveal some thing contrary to MN nice. Still, having a rabid fan base in a mid market where you can have a lot of privacy and not have media dogging you seems like a good spot for many NHLers, especially the guys from small towns who grew up on farms. 

    But, perhaps that perception isn't necessarily true. Several here have commented that they do not believe this is a destination place. If that is the case, then having a GM who follows through with handshake deals is a definite positive and is truly needed. Having a douche bag GM who trades away players on the day of the birth of their child does not help things at all. Also having a GM who will try hard to find a good place for you as a player when you don't work out is a plus. I think that is the reputation that Guerin has around the league. Just don't break the "behind closed doors" etiquette or you'll be banished from the kingdom. 

    I think we can all agree that Hartman far exceeded his prior contract.

    • Like 4
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    2 hours ago, mnfaninnc said:

    I don't really understand the list here. You've got fighters and non-fighters listed. I know both Tkachuks and Benn have had some nice fights, I think I remember Bennett also getting into scraps. Agree with Marchand and no idea on Cousins. 

    I intentionally was leaving guys like Rempe/Reaves off the list of guys who were looking to fight.  I was limiting the list of guys who have been accused of turtling at some point vs guys who are on the roster to punch faces.

    My point was MacGyver suggesting that:

    Quote

    Hartman is going to spend the rest of this year's games getting pounded.

    Is laughable, and not the way the current NHL functions.  For example, nobody on the Sabres went after Nosen for this:

    you think they're going to go after Hartman for what he did for a guy who isn't on their team?  

    • Like 1
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    I mostly blame Hartman for what happened in Ottawa.  He has said in the past that he's learned his lesson.  Really?  I don't think so.  I also blame Coach Hynes and Foligno somewhat bcz I suspect they could see hothead Hartman's frustration building, and they didn't pull him aside or make him sit and cool off. And then for the hearing, why didn't Guerin make Hartman go to NY for an in-person hearing and actually admit fault and grovel.  Maybe he would have gotten a 5 or 6 game suspension then, and he wouldn't have hurt the team as much and his family with the $$$ loss.  I appreciate that Hartman wants to protect Kaprizov and stick up for his teammates.  But what he did in Ottawa was the exact opposite, and it was asinine.  

    Moving forward: Guerin and Hynes need to put him on a short leash for the rest of this season and let him know that his tenure in MN is very suspect. We love the "best Hartman" but cannot tolerate the unhinged, selfish Hartman any longer.  It's Hartman's final reckoning...maybe his wife can plead with him to get some serious, ongoing, lasting help.  Or he could be out of the NHL after one more infraction, especially if he does permanent damage to another player.  The Wild have too much riding on this season and the next few.  Mr. Guerin, please be decisive with this situation, yes? A very short leash and/or Sayonara! 

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    22 hours ago, MrCheatachu said:

    you think they're going to go after Hartman for what he did for a guy who isn't on their team? 

    I do not. I think they'll worry about themselves, but keep an eye on Hartman just in case there are shenanigans. 

    Really, Buffalo did nothing? That's as bad as the Staal crosscheck. He's their best forward! 

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    21 hours ago, LoganPk63 said:

    I appreciate that Hartman wants to protect Kaprizov and stick up for his teammates.  But what he did in Ottawa was the exact opposite,

    Logan, welcome aboard on your 1st post! 

    I am convinced that Hartman did not think he earned an embellishment penalty and was going to take his piece of flesh the next time around. We play Ottawa twice a year, so it's odd to see this with Eastern Conference teams. 

    When I said lose our minds as a team and have a "boys will be boys" type of game, I did not envision pro wrestling moves as the remedy. I was thinking more of just boxing. 

    I get Hartman's thinking, as flawed as it may be. Embellishment penalties to some are a sign of acting, like calling him a fraud. Some guys take that as an insult, I think Hartman may be one of them. His next call was going damage the opponent, it wasn't meant to damage himself. But, who knows, maybe his 5th grade kid has a long field trip he accidentally signed up for and needed to attend? Maybe he rented a spot in FL to play golf for 3 weeks? I don't know what he was planning.

     

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Looks like laukzy back to IR

    bro, put on about 20 pounds of tough exterior this offseason.  As much as your our diamond in the rough/pleasant surprise this season, you’re no help if on the shelf all the time

    • Sad 1
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    1 hour ago, Pewterschmidt said:

    Props to Dango unchained for the clip art.  Very funny.  Have you been attending Protec’s workshops?

    I forgot i had some of those old classics on the computer .

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites



    Join the conversation

    You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
    Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

    Guest
    Add a comment...

    ×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

      Only 75 emoji are allowed.

    ×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

    ×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

    ×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...