Wild free agents, trade assets, trade targets and free agent options
Michael Russo of The Athletic: The Minnesota Wild will have their work cut out this offseason trying to re-sign restricted free agents in Kirill Kaprizov, Joel Eriksson Ek and Kevin Fiala. They do have plenty of salary cap space to work with – $22 million.
Contract negotiations haven’t been as smooth as they had hoped with Kaprizov. It’s believed that the Wild have made big seven/eight-year offers but he’s looking for short-term. Kaprizov is eligible to be a UFA in 2024.
There is the threat of Kaprizov going back to Russia. Could he really turn down an $8-$9 million deal? If he’s holding firm on a short-term deal with the Wild, Can’t see him getting over $8 million.
The Wild need to find centers. Nick Bjugstad and Nick Bonino are UFAs and bottom-six players. Eriksson-Ek had a breakout year.
Defenseman Matt Dumba ($6 million) or Carson Soucy ($2.5 million) could be selected by Seattle in the expansion draft. That would free up more cap space.
Could they buy out or trade Zach Parise?
GM Guerin said that there are many teams kicking tires but the expansion draft makes things trickier.
Any Wild trade would basically have to be dollar in-dollar out.
Trade Assets for the Wild
Matt Dumba – Unless Ryan Suter waives his no-movement, and no side is made with the Kraken, Dumba will be exposed for the expansion draft. It won’t be easy to find a Dumba trade before the draft – someone would need to able to fit in his salary and be able to protect him.
Kevin Fiala – He’s two years away from being a UFA and looking for a big long-term deal. The Wild don’t appear to be offering seven or eight years. He had a contract dispute with the Wild on his last deal. Could be used in a package for a center.
Jordan Greenway – Teams will be looking at the 24-year old 6′ 6″ forward at a $2.1 mill cap hit.
Marco Rossi and Matt Boldy – If swinging for the fences with Jack Eichel. Boldy was in the rumor mill last offseason as well.
First-round picks – Hold the No. 21 and No. 25 picks this year’s draft, They have a second and two third-round picks.
Trade Targets for the Wild
Jack Eichel – The Wild have spoken with the Sabres about Eichel. The price will need to change for the Wild as the Sabres are just looking for futures at this point. For the Wild that would likely mean Rossi and Boldy and other prospects or multiple first-round picks. The Wild would need to send the salary of Dumba or rights to Fiala.
Sam Reinhart – Would a Fiala for Reinhart deal work for both sides?
Nolan Patrick and Morgan Frost – The Philadelphia Flyers are looking for a right-handed defenseman. Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher had drafted Dumba when he was with the Wild. The Wild-Flyers did talk Dumba last offseason. Patrick wouldn’t be the main piece in a deal. Would the Wild ask for Frost or Travis Konecny?
Other potential trade targets include Evgeny Kuznetsov, Sean Monahan, Mika Zibanejad, Tomas Hertl, Adam Henrique, Christian Dvorak, Dylan Strome, Chris Tierney, Aleksander Barkov.
Potential free agent targets include Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Phillip Danault, Paul Stastny, Derek Stepan, Mattias Janmark, Alexander Wennberg, Blake Coleman, Cedric Paquette, Luke Glendening, Sean Kuraly, Evan Rodrigues, and Casey Cizikas.