Will the Elias Lindholm Trade Kick-Start the Wild's Deadline Plans?

The Calgary Flames sent Elias Lindholm to the Vancouver Canucks in the first blockbuster deal before this year’s trade deadline. The deadline falls on March 8, but the Minnesota Wild could make a move at any time between now and then.

The Wild have three players who could be attractive to contending teams. They could have had more players to shop at the deadline. But Bill Guerin unnecessarily extended Marcus Foligno, Ryan Hartman, and Mats Zuccarello, three veterans who'd make for perfect trade targets. Guerin signed that trio to multi-year deals before the start of the season, making them almost unmovable at the deadline. 

That leaves the Wild with fewer options at the deadline. Guerin still could do what he did as a middle-man last season, taking on some money from other teams as he did in the Dmitry Orlov and Ryan O'Reilly trades. Minnesota has some extra cap space because captain Jared Spurgeon is on long-term injured reserve. That frees up $7,575,000 in cap space this year. 

Last year, the Wild were one of the most active teams at the deadline, acquiring pieces like John Klingberg, Gustav Nyquist, Marcus Johansson, and Oskar Sundqvist. They also sent Jordan Greenway to the Buffalo Sabres for a pair of picks. Minnesota turned the Vegas Golden Knights' second-rounder (which Buffalo acquired in the Jack Eichel trade) last year into Riley Heidt, and he became one of the Wild’s hottest prospects. 

The Wild were interested in trying to find a replacement for Spurgeon after his injury, but it seems like they are no longer interested in parting with premium assets for a stop-gap fix. Minnesota acquired Will Butcher, who knows head coach John Hynes from their days in New Jersey. They also added young defenseman Declan Chisholm, a puck-mover the Winnipeg Jets waived who could capitalize on more opportunities. 

Minnesota doesn’t have a third-round pick this year because they traded it to the Washington Capitals for Johansson last season. But the Wild have six picks this year and could package them to get a third-rounder. I assume Minnesota will hold out to get the best deal for the limited assets they have. Still, it would be nice to have a pick in each round for the Wild’s director of amateur scouting, Judd Brackett. 

The Wild could also get an internal upgrade by signing Russian prospect Marat Khusnutdinov. The KHL star is rumored to be heading over after his season is up in late February. His arrival would be a major boost to Minnesota’s lineup and allow them to see what he could bring to the team next season. 

Jake Middleton, Pat Maroon, and Brandon Duhaime are the most logical candidates to be moved. Middleton only has one more year on his deal, and his $2.45 million cap hit is low enough that most teams could add him. Maroon and Duhaime have affordable expiring contracts and are high-energy guys who can play in the bottom six and provide value to contenders. They have some scoring touch and are not afraid to play physical playoff hockey. 

Maroon’s value is similar to Sundqvist’s last year. They are both big-bodied forwards with playoff experience who can occasionally chip in an ounce of offense. However, Maroon may command a higher price because of his reputation as a Cup winner and strong locker room presence. The Wild acquired Sundqvist from the Detroit Red Wings for a fourth-round pick. Maroon could go for that or even a third-round pick.

Duhaime feels similar to Brendan Lemieux. Back in 2021, the New York Rangers traded Lemieux to the Los Angeles Kings for a fourth-round pick. Lemieux was a depth player known for his physical play. He didn’t contribute many points, but he could play on the penalty kill and had a high motor like Duhaime. Like Maroon, Duhaime could net the Wild a fourth-round pick at market value.

Middleton is the last player the Wild could realistically trade, and it’s hard to gauge his value. The Wild have gotten surplus value on him since trading goaltender Kaapo Kähkönen to the San Jose Sharks for him. But Washington acquired Joel Edmundson for a third- and a seventh-round pick recently, which could be a good blueprint for a Middleton trade. 

Both players are big, shot-blocking defensemen who can (but probably shouldn’t) play big minutes in the top four and be a factor on the penalty kill. Middleton and Edmundson have some grizzle that contenders covet in the playoffs. 

Washington sent the Montreal Canadiens two picks and some cap flexibility to acquire Edmundson. However, they made that trade in the offseason. Perhaps the Wild can use the craziness of the trade deadline to drive up Middleton’s price and get a better return. Middleton has put together his best offensive season so far, and his value may be at an all-time high. The Wild may be able to land a second-round pick or a combination of picks and good prospects if they negotiate effectively. 

The Lindholm trade is the first big move of this trade deadline season, and more teams should be active soon. The Wild have a lot of options at this year's trade deadline. If the Lindholm trade tells us anything, this won’t be the last blockbuster move we see. 

All stats and data via NHL.com, HockeyDB, Evolving Hockey, and CapFriendly unless otherwise noted.