Minnesota Wild: Matt Read Could Prove A Bargain

The Minnesota Wild might have a cut-price roster player on their hands, if Matt Read continues his pre-season form.

Across two pre-season games and averaging just 13:39 ice-time for the Minnesota Wild, Matt Read, the now veteran forward has managed to produce two even-strength goals.

That gives him a huge 4.4 points per 60 minutes.

Now that sample size is absolutely tiny and is against pre-season opposition, so can’t really be looked at all that seriously.

However, one part that can is that both goals came at even strength and despite only tallying fourth line minutes.

That, I think, you can read into. It says to me that in Matt Read, the Minnesota Wild have a player that makes the most of his chances.

Heading into the regular season, this sort of play, making the most of the chance on offer, is exactly what the former Philadelphia Flyers man needed to produce.

There are players, like Justin Kloos, that would sure as heck love to take Reid’s spot in the line-up, but the 32 year-end would appear to have held them at bay.

If he can reach the levels of even just his 2015-16 season, his $650,000 cap hit will be a bargain.

That year with the Flyers saw him tally 26 points, far below his career best of 47, but realistically if he’s fulfilling a fourth line role, we can’t expect such high numbers.

Taking the risk on Matt Read should pay off for the Minnesota Wild.

His career track record, coupled with his pre-season form, suggest that the Wild are getting a player that still has gas in the tank.

Hoping for 20-plus points from him is quite fair, but will be fully dependent on him staying fit. Perhaps that is where the risk truly is in this signing.

Either way, I’m quietly confident that he is money in the bank, especially if the pre-season statistics can be reflected over a bigger regular season sample size!

Fingers crossed.

Statistics courtesy of Dobber Sports.