Does Adding Justin Brazeau Put Yakov Trenin On Notice?

The Minnesota Wild made a surprising trade on Thursday evening, shipping Jakub Lauko up to Boston (see what I did there?) along with Marat Khusnutdinov in exchange for Justin Brazeau.

The move signaled the end of the Khusnutdinov experiment. The Wild didn't believe his ceiling over the next few years was significant enough to bring him along for their Stanley Cup window. From a roster rules standpoint, they may have added Lauko to the deal to make the trade work.

That Brazeau was the target is interesting in itself. It’s easy to see why Bill Guerin desired the undrafted winger. He’s a 6-foot-5, 230-pound right-handed shot capable of adding a scoring touch to the bottom six forward group, as evidenced by his ten goals in 57 games this season.

But Brazeau’s impact on the Wild aligns awfully close to their now litany of bottom-six forwards with size. Marcus Foligno (6-foot-3, 226 lbs.) has brought size with scoring touch to the lineup since they traded for him in 2017, and his value is evident. On the other hand, they signed Yakov Trenin to a long-term contract this offseason to play alongside Foligno and provide the Wild with a third line with size who can grind down the opposition’s defensemen.

Did trading for Brazeau potentially signal a divorce with Yakov Trenin this summer?

At first glance, adding Brazeau could indicate the Wild want to reclaim the glory days of the old “GREEF” line. Under Dean Evason, Jordan Greenway, Joel Eriksson Ek, and Foligno combined to form one of the league’s most formidable shutdown possession lines.

However, when you dig further into the stats and realize Brazeau is due for a contract extension this summer, you start to wonder if this move was a precursor to the Wild’s plans this summer with Trenin.

The Wild brought Trenin in to give Foligno another large body (6’2”, 201 lbs.) to play alongside. Yakov could maximize Foligno’s strength in possessing the puck in the offensive zone and create offense from it. However, that hasn’t been the case this year. John Hynes quickly put Trenin on the fourth line and away from Foligno's wing.

According to NHL Edge, Trenin’s skating has been far better than expected, but his play with the puck on his stick has been disastrous. His six goals in 56 games (almost a nine-goal pace over the entire season) is a drop from the 13.5 goals he was averaging in his previous three seasons.

That may not seem like a drop in production, but there is more to it than just his drop in goal-scoring. While still as reliable as ever on the defensive side of the puck, Trenin isn’t creating much for anyone around him. His offensive zone time is the lowest since becoming a full-time NHLer, ranking in the 41 percentile of all NHL skaters.

However, the eye test tells an even bleaker story.

Trenin tends to turn pucks over in the offensive zone and on the breakout along the half wall. His inability to sustain a cycle with Foligno is a primary reason the Wild has paired them less often as the season has progressed. If they don't see Trenin as a viable option alongside Foligno into the future, his role becomes puzzling, particularly at $3.5 million annually over the next three years.

On the other hand, Brazeau has excelled at possessing the puck in the offensive zone, turning that offensive zone time into scoring chances. While he and Trenin have similar shots on goal numbers, the former has cashed in much more frequently.

Trenin may be the superior skater, but that added speed goes nowhere if he can’t successfully work off Foligno’s game. Brazeau could be a better fit for Foligno and what the Wild are trying to create in a physical third line, which can hold onto pucks and put stress on the opponent.

If the Brazeau addition is a test run of sorts to see his fit alongside Foligno, Trenin could find himself the odd-man outcome this summer. If the Brazeau experiment works and he's extended this summer -- which Guerin certainly hopes for, given what he departed with to acquire him -- the Wild will have a log jam in their bottom six. And at $3.5 million, Minnesota wouldn't want to enter next season with Trenin penciled on their fourth line with a clear need to still add talent into their top six.

The Brazeau trade is intriguing as the Wild look to make some noise in the playoffs this spring. But it also could signal the end of the line for their lone significant signing of this past off-season in Trenin.