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Minnesota Wild: Rebuild or reload around Zach Parise and Ryan Suter’s deals?

By Toby Helgeson

ST. PAUL, MN - DECEMBER 11: Ryan Suter #20 and Zach Parise #11 of the Minnesota Wild before the faceoff during the Central Division match up between the St. Louis Blues and the Minnesota Wild on December 11, 2016, at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. The Wild won 3-1. (Photo by David Berding/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
ST. PAUL, MN - DECEMBER 11: Ryan Suter #20 and Zach Parise #11 of the Minnesota Wild before the faceoff during the Central Division match up between the St. Louis Blues and the Minnesota Wild on December 11, 2016, at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. The Wild won 3-1. (Photo by David Berding/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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ST. PAUL, MN - OCTOBER 20: Minnesota Wild center Charlie Coyle (3) celebrates after scoring in the 1st period to make it 2-1 Lightning during the regular season game between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Minnesota Wild on October 20, 2018 at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
ST. PAUL, MN – OCTOBER 20: Minnesota Wild center Charlie Coyle (3) celebrates after scoring in the 1st period to make it 2-1 Lightning during the regular season game between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Minnesota Wild on October 20, 2018 at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

So the Minnesota Wild will have to take a look at who in their lineup they can give up, for the best return on investment, given the Ryan Suter and Zach Parise deals are basically immovable.

Coming off of a big year, a year that some would say revived his career, Eric Staal could be a possible move the Wild make.

I know it’s not someone fans would like to see go, but in his last year of a three-year deal, and taking up relatively small cap space, many teams would gladly take Staal.

Per Mark Easson of mynhltraderumors.com, Staal has a no trade clause that includes ten teams he will not approve a trade to. But if he is willing to move, the Wild could gain either a few high round draft picks, or some prospects, helping this team get younger for the future.

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Charlie Coyle is another player the Minnesota Wild could shop around. With numbers being a bit down last year due to injury, Coyle hasn’t exactly panned out as the top line forward the Wild had hoped he could be when acquiring him back in 2011 from the San Jose Sharks.

His return on investment would be low right now, but with two years left on his contract; moving him could clear up some cap space to sign a notable free agent in the offseason, or to spend on some of our young core to keep them in Minnesota.

If the Minnesota Wild are looking to make an impact now, the team would have to give up some fan favorites in the “State of Hockey.”

Jason Zucker, debatably the team’s top forward, signed a five-year contract prior to this season. Coming off of a big year that included sixty-four points, Zucker has proven he can score goals in the NHL.

Trading Zucker and his scoring prowess would hurt an already scoring plagued team, but if a transaction were to occur, the Minnesota Wild would need an already proven goal scorer in return.

With the two huge contracts of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter, and nothing to show for them, it’s time for the Minnesota Wild to make moves. Whether that’s now, at the trade deadline, or in the off-season, the clock is ticking.

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