Wilderness Walk: Are We In For A Surprise Trade?

Here’s my list of players that could be replaced and would open up a lot of cap space for the Wild. All have value and could bring some back some less expensive returns. The idea was floated about bringing back Soucy if possible. If Spurgeon could be traded there would be cap to get bigger on defense and the familiarity with Soucy and his attributes would be good for the Wild on the back end. The nice thing about that option is that the Wild could put a package together to go after a center via trade. Spurgeon and a 2024 2nd to Buffalo for Middlestadt.

Spurgeon

Zuccarello

Foligno

Fleury

Our draft position is final, we're at 21.....unless there is a trade to move up. I would suggest if such a trade happened, we'd keep 21 also. 

That would give us 6 1st rounders in 3 years. I would expect all 6 to be consistent contributors once they are developed. A consistent contributor would be defined as a rostered player with a regular shift, exactly where that shift is isn't so important, like for The Wall, it could be the whole game! 

I like Protec's targets of Danielson and Ritchie in the 1st round, and if we could snag a top 5 selection, maybe even Carlsson. 

I'd forgotten about 1 other depth prospect at center, Damien Giroux. He is kind of small but got his NHL debut late in the year. He skated hard and his compete level was good, he even picked up an apple. However, perusing his stats in Iowa, I wouldn't say he'd be anything more than an injury call up.

What we don't have are centers and NHL ready RHS forwards. I think we're out of balance in the organization with both of those. I'd like to see Shooter working the phones this offseason and rebalancing our pool. 

Looking down the list of 2020 draft picks, we kind of complain about Rossi not being ready yet. There's a few that have really made it from that draft, Stutzle being the cream so far. There's some others having solid play. I think we just have to wait it out. Another guy who has struggled is 7th overall pick Alexander Holtz. I wouldn't mind taking a run at him, even though he's a wing, he is an RHS with an incredible shot. I'm thinking he'd look real nice in the Ovechkin office area.

In pretend world, you go sign Soucy around 3M, Dumba signs for 3M, you got a top six center at 2.5M. Net cost is roughly what Spurgeon is paid.

All the Wild and Buffalo need is for Spurge to waive the NMC and both teams get better where they need to. 
 

Fleury back to PIT is more interesting. Bring up Wallstedt and sign Gus. Can Pittsburgh take Fleury’s cap hit?

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Our draft position is final, we're at 21.....unless there is a trade to move up. I would suggest if such a trade happened, we'd keep 21 also. 

21st is a weird spot for the Wild because I think most good size centers will be gone. Ritchie perhaps could be there but Danielson jumped from mid-term to final rankings. 
 

I’ve seen some mock drafts have the Wild taking Oliver Moore which is awesome for reference to old movie gifs but I don’t think he’s there at 21st cause he’s got speed and explosiveness.

On 5/16/2023 at 8:37 AM, Protec said:

Here’s my list of players that could be replaced and would open up a lot of cap space for the Wild. All have value and could bring some back some less expensive returns. The idea was floated about bringing back Soucy if possible. If Spurgeon could be traded there would be cap to get bigger on defense and the familiarity with Soucy and his attributes would be good for the Wild on the back end. The nice thing about that option is that the Wild could put a package together to go after a center via trade. Spurgeon and a 2024 2nd to Buffalo for Middlestadt.

Spurgeon

Zuccarello

Foligno

Fleury

So are you speculating or just making a hypothetical on trading Spurg?

Why do you want to trade Spurgeon?

there is an NMC for the first four years of the deal and then a modified no-trade clause for the final three.

Middlestadt has had one good year and that was this year.

Trading our captain and a 2nd for a player who really hasn’t proven himself seems like a lopsided deal for Buffalo.

Totally hypothetical.

I like Spurgeon but he’s an expensive player and the Wild need a young top six center so bad. How can the Wild acquire a player on the verge of becoming a top six center? The draft hasn’t produced one for the Wild since Ek. That was nearly a decade ago. 
 

My idea is only that the Wild will have to get another center while Ek is around and Kaprizov can be convinced the Wild will improve. That’s not gonna come as a result of Brackett picks unless he does a 180 on his tendencies or who the Wild can get for Addison or Rossi. 
 

If they wanna get a guy sooner than later, they’re gonna have to part with a pretty good player. To me, it looks like Middlestadt is going to be good to go. Maybe he’s not the guy but a similar situation is what would really help the Wild. That is, getting a younger center on an affordable contract for one of our aging but valuable veterans before they begin to decline.

2 hours ago, Protec said:

I like Spurgeon but he’s an expensive player

The spurgeon aav and term look excessive now that we’ve seen him get bullied badly in the playoffs.  Love his game and grit considering his size, but he’s not big enough to command that $/term/nmc.  I believe BG gave it to him because he personifies the locker room culture over haul that needed to happen, but that contract becomes more difficult each year spurgeon ages