Wild looking to make moves
Michael Russo of The Athletic: Minnesota Wild GM Paul Fenton continues to look to remake the Wild. He cleared some cap space at the trade deadline and there is talk that trade chatter is increasing.
Sources are saying the Wild are dangling Jason Zucker again.
If the Wild are looking to be active in the free agent market, they are going to need to move some players out. If they go after a center, they could move Joel Eriksson Ek if they think Mikko Koivu will be healthy enough. If they want to create a spot on left wing, they could look to move Marcus Foligno.
Maybe they could include Victor Rask in a bigger deal to get rid of his contract – three years left at $4 million.
Fenton could look at moving defenseman Greg Pateryn and could possibly test the market on Jonas Brodin and Nick Seeler.
The Wild almost traded Zucker to the Flames at the deadline for Michael Frolik and a draft pick.
Defenseman Jared Spurgeon is eligible for a contract extension July 1st and it sounds like the Wild would like to do so.
Potential trade targets for the Wild.
Phil Kessel – The Penguins would likely be interested in Zucker’s speed.
Russo notes: “There may be a way for Fenton to rid himself of Rask’s contract if he’s willing to take one of Penguins GM Jim Rutherford’s problem contracts like defenseman Jack Johnson.”
Johnson has four years left at a $3.25 million cap hit. Patric Hornqvist is another contract – four years left at $5.3 million but a NTC.
Jonathan Marchessault – The Wild may have been offering up Zucker for Marchessault during the season.
Tyler Johnson – The Lightning will have some cap issues and could be shopping the likes of Ryan Callahan, Ondrej Palat, Alex Killorn and J.T. Miller.
William Nylander and Kasperi Kapanen – Held talks with the Maple Leafs before they signed Nylander. The Wild could also ask about Nazem Kadri or Connor Brown. The Leafs would likely look at Spurgeon or Matt Dumba.
Vincent Trocheck and Jonathan Huberdeau – Panthers may look to move some forwards out as they look to sign pending Blue Jackets free agents Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky.
Penguins-Wild trade offer involving Kessel on the table
Josh Yohe of The Athletic: Numerous sources are saying the Pittsburgh Penguins and Minnesota Wild have a trade proposal involving Phil Kessel on the table.
Kessel does have a partial no-trade clause and may have some concerns about a trade to the Wild.
Jason Zucker would be part of a potential deal. The contracts of Jack Johnson and Victor Rask have also been discussed.
The Wild have also talked the Flames about Sam Bennett and Michael Frolik, the Coyotes about Christian Dvorak and Christian Fischer, and the Golden Knights about Jonathan Marchessault.
The Kessel offer has been on the table for days. Kessel and his right to veto is believed to be the holdup.
Kessel would be happy to play under head coach Rick Tocchet in Arizona, but with the ownership situation, an offer hasn’t been made.
