On the Minnesota Wild …
Chad Graff of the Pioneer Press: The Wild haven’t decided if they will buy out the final year of Thomas Vanek or not. Buying out Vanek would save the Wild $5 million next season.
“The reality is it’s a cap system and we’re going to have to make some tough choices, and if we’re going to add something via the trade market, we’re going to have to give up a good asset to get something,” Fletcher said. “If we want to get into free agency, then we might have to clear some space. Every option has to be on the table for us coming off the season we did.
“With my stated intention of trying to improve our group, and maybe find a different fit for our top two lines, we have to have everything in play. I wouldn’t be doing my job if we didn’t.”
The Wild would carry a $1.5 million cap hit next year, $2.5 million in 2017-18. June 30th at 5 PM is the deadline to buy out a player.
“I don’t think we’d have to take that long,” Fletcher said. “But whatever decisions we make will take more time and we have that ability. We’ll see what the trade market bears.”
Michael Russo of the Star-Tribune: GM Chuck Fletcher on making moves.
“We’re not going to make moves so we can say to everybody, ‘Look we’ve got a different team,’ but our goal is to be a better team and there could be opportunity to become that this week,” Fletcher said.
The Wild would like to add a center if the price is right.
It might cost them one of Jonas Brodin, Marco Scandella or Matt Dumba.
Sources saying the LA Kings asked about Christian Folin.
The Sabres are looking for a left-handed defenseman.
It’s thought that the Coyotes are interested in Matt Dumba, and multiple sources saying the Wild inquired about Christian Dvorak and Martin Hanzal.
The Oilers need defensemen and could be looking to move any of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Nail Yakupov, Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle in the right deal.
Some think that Nick Bjugstad and Derek Stephan could be available.
The Wild could also consider moving Mikael Granlund and Nino Niederreiter as they are a year away from being a RFA.
Chad Graff of the Pioneer Press: Wild backup goalie Darcy Kuemper is in the rumor mill, though GM Chuck Fletcher isn’t committed to trading him.
“With our track record of injuries to our goaltenders, I’m a little hesitant to get aggressive in shopping him, is the best way to put it,” Fletcher said. “I also want to be fair to Darcy. He’s been a real good goaltender, and a real good teammate, and clearly the net right now is Devan’s. If we have an opportunity to move him and get a fair return, we’ll look at it, but I don’t want to be too aggressive in that regard and leave us short in that position.”
Fletcher said he’s spoken with the agents for their pending free agents – Jarret Stoll, Chris Porter, David Jones, Ryan Carter and Justin Fontaine