By Kalisha Turnipseed -
Bill Guerin has said the Minnesota Wild are “set” with their blueline. Still, Florida Panthers’ top defenseman Aaron Ekblad is likely testing free agency because the Panthers will want to retain Sam Bennett and Brad Marchand after their playoff performance.
Florida will find a way to keep both forwards as they try to three-peat. David Jiricek will push for a roster spot next season, but will not immediately log minutes to play behind top defenseman Brock Faber.
The Minnesota Wild should trade Jared Spurgeon to the Anaheim Ducks so they can sign Ekblad to improve their blueline size, which should still be a priority. The Wild will be trading their long-time veteran captain, who made an impact on their blueline and everyone will miss. However, they will add a proven Stanley Cup winner in Ekblad, who can give Jonas Brodin physical support on the second pairing.
The Wild’s top four of Brock Faber, Ekblad, Brodin, and Jake Middleton will make up a deep, Cup-caliber blueline. Zeev Buium and Jiricek will have plenty of support, and they don’t have to be top-four defensemen immediately.
Jiricek and Buium can be productive in a power play role and give the team bursts of energy when Faber, Brodin, Middleton, and Ekblad are on the bench. I want to expand on Craig Button's vision for Jiricek.
He was drafted high, but he’s not going to be a top-pair defenseman. He’s just not going to be. So accept who you are. Accept what he is. And go on from there. A bottom-pair defenseman. A right shot, No. 5 defenseman on the right side. Stop worrying about offense.
They’ve got to be realistic about the potential, and teams make mistakes in that regard. They over-project the players, and then they say, ‘Oh, he’s not there.’ Was it his fault or your fault?
Come to the realization that what he is may not be what you thought he was, then you evaluate. He’s always been a competitor. He’s got size, he can play physical. Embrace it and stop thinking about being the sixth overall pick. He is what he is. To me, young players on entry-level contracts, that’s very valuable. Go try to be a Brandon Carlo or Erik Cernak.
Jiricek can step in when Faber and Ekblad need rest. Think of Jiricek as a relief pitcher in baseball. Faber and Ekblad are your starters. Jiricek will still provide some dynamic play, even if he’s a more limited player. Jiricek can thrive on the second power play.
For the next five years, Jiricek will have many defenders to learn from. He will have a front-row seat to watch the top four dominate. When he turns 26, he will be more developed and have more experience.
The Wild must sign Ekblad to a five-year contract at around $8 million per season. His experience will do wonders for Jiricek. He can model his game after Ekblad and provide relief for a player who hasn’t played 82 games since the 2018-19 season.
Jiricek can establish himself as a substitute for Ekblad when he gets injured, and Brodin can mentor Jiricek while playing on the same pairing. Head coach John Hynes will have to adjust his pairings slightly. Still, Jiricek can make the most of his development with more minutes because Zach Bogosian can slot in as the team’s seventh defenseman.
Depending on certain matchups, the Wild can even slot Ekblad with Middleton for more physicality against the league’s best stars. The kind of pairing that you will fear when you’re trying to crash the net. Ekblad and Middleton will clear the garbage in front of Filip Gustavsson. Meanwhile, Faber gets to reunite with Brodin as they’re both a great defensive pairing. That will also make the Wild even scarier to play against due to the upside of this blueline group.
Minnesota needs Ekblad, who can fill Spurgeon's void in terms of presence, leadership, and size. The Wild should continue to retool their blueline into a core that can go deep. Trading for Ekblad puts Jiricek and Buium in depth roles for a while, which is best for them, but they also become game-breakers on the power play. The Wild’s defense has improved, and it's officially set!
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