On the Minnesota Wild …
Michael Russo of the Star Tribune: Wild GM Chuck Fletcher could be looking to add some depth upfront in case of injuries and fatigue down the stretch.
“That’s why you’re always talking to see if somebody you can get can fit in and contribute and upgrade your depth. If you can do that, I think you need to do that.”
Fletcher notes that there aren’t a lot of active sellers as teams are still in the wait-and-see mode. There are a lot of teams that are looking to buy or are holding pat.
Like the Wild, not a lot of teams want to add players with term left on their deals because the expansion draft as well as the project flat salary cap of $73 million next season. Like the Wild, not a lot of teams have the salary cap space.
The Wild could add a $2.8 million player, maybe a bit more at the deadline depending on other roster moves.
“So if you want to add a $3 million player, you don’t have room,” Fletcher said before Tuesday’s game. “You’ve got to get creative. And, every time you have to get creative, it creates more wrinkles into the thing.”
Fletcher could try to get the trading team to retain salary or take roster player back.
There had been some talk that the Wild could be willing to trade defenseman Marco Scandella ($4 million) or forward Jason Pominville ($5.6 million and a 20 team no-trade list). Fletcher says he not interested in doing something like that at the moment.
“I don’t think we have any interest in that type of thing right now. Our team has played so well this year, we’ve got pretty good depth. If we do anything, it would be to add to that depth or maybe add some pieces around the edges to give us some more insurance. I want to add to our depth, not take away from it, so I don’t think we’d be cutting out any core pieces at this point.
“You never say never, but it’s not something I’m pursuing.”
Options for the Wild include Patrick Eaves, Brian Boyle, Steve Ott, Matt Hendricks, P.A. Parenteau, Ryan Carter and Martin Hanzal.