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Minnesota Wild: Franchise 5 Worst Trades of All-Time

By Cody Defoe

ST. PAUL, MN - APRIL 17: A general view of the Xcel Energy Center before Game Four of the Western Conference First Round during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Winnipeg Jets and the Minnesota Wild on April 17, 2018 in St. Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images)
ST. PAUL, MN - APRIL 17: A general view of the Xcel Energy Center before Game Four of the Western Conference First Round during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Winnipeg Jets and the Minnesota Wild on April 17, 2018 in St. Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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ST. PAUL, MN – MARCH 5: Martin Hanzal #19 of the Minnesota Wild watches from the bench against the San Jose Sharks during the game on March 5, 2017 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images) /

#1 The Martin Hanzal Disaster

Just thinking about this #1 worst trade is enough to get my blood boiling all over again. I understand that GM Fletcher thought he was doing what was best for the team’s playoff future, but this one just seems to be doomed from the start.

The 2016-17 season was possibly the best season in Minnesota Wild history. On February 25, 2017 the Wild were in 1st place in the Western Conference, and had the 2nd best record in the entire NHL. They had only lost 6 games in regulation dating back to the beginning of December.

On February 26, 2017 they started their own demise with an unnecessary trade that threw the entire year off track. Minnesota traded their 2017 1st Round Pick, 2018 2nd Round Pick, a conditional 2019 pick, and AHL prospect Grayson Downing to the Arizona Coyotes for rental player Martin Hanzal, along with Ryan White, and a 2017 4th Round Pick.

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This trade is not so much a failure for what Arizona got, as it is for what Minnesota failed to get. Martin Hanzal was brought in to score goals, but he only scored 4 in 20 games. He threw off the entire chemistry of the team and ruined a spectacular season.

Minnesota would only earn 22 points over the final 23 games, their marvelous season sunk from a Western Conference top seed and playoff matchup with the wild card Calgary Flames, to second in the division and a first round exit to the St.Louis Blues.

Hanzal would gladly walk in free agency at the end of the season.

Ryan White would provide some bottom 6 grit to the Wild, and 2 goals late in the year, but also was let go when his contract expired in the offseason. He was most recently on an AHL contract in Iowa, but is currently unsigned.

Arizona selected Pierre-Olivier Joseph (1st Rd), and Kevin Bahl (2nd rd) with their draft picks so far, and still have another left for next year. Downing was traded away by Arizona, and is currently on an AHL contract.

Joseph has remained in the CHL to improve his size and skating, and is likely a couple years out from the NHL Club. Bahl is expected to also remain in the CHL this season.

Minnesota used their 4th round pick on prospect Mason Shaw. Shaw tore his ACL last season, but is still viewed as a top prospect in the Wild system. He is expected to return to the Medicine Hat Tigers for this season, but could be someone to watch. It would take a lot for Mason Shaw to sway the value of this trade.

There is no way to know just how far the Wild could have got without Hanzal, but I have no doubts it would have been further than they got with him in the  lineup. He was a terrible pickup, that was greatly overpaid for as a rental player who failed to produce.This is a clear lesson in why to not try to fix something that isn’t broken.

Next. 2018-19 Season Preview of Marcus Foligno. dark

That’s my take on the Worst Trades in Minnesota Wild History. Let me know in the comments if you agree or disagree with this list. Did I miss any trades? And keep an eye out next month for a new Top 5 list.

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