Minnesota Wild: Following the Nick Leddy trade tree
By Luke Ryan
In February 2010, the Minnesota Wild determined to give up Nick Leddy’s NHL rights to the Chicago Blackhawks.
Packaging his rights with Kim Johnsson, they received Cam Barker in return.
Cam was coming off the back off a career year for the Blackhawks and was showing signs of that early-round pedigree.
Joining up with the Minnesota Wild, he was only a season removed from a breakout 40-point year with the Chicago Blackhawks, who were on the cusp of a Stanley Cup; one that Nick Leddy ended up getting his name on.
The offensive side of his game dried up upon arriving in Minnesota though; 12 points across 71 games not the return expected. He eventually wasn’t renewed by the Wild and ended up with the Edmonton Oilers and then Vancouver Canucks; he now plays in the Finnish Liiga after a stint in the KHL.
Kim Johnsson was literally just an add-in on the deal, as he only played 8 games in Chicago colours before finishing up a stellar career.
Meanwhile, Nick Leddy played his first full NHL campaign with the Blackhawks in the 2011-12 season, scoring 37 points. The following year, he played in 23 play-off games as Chicago won the Stanley Cup.
It’s safe to say that in terms of getting his hands on the Cup, the bouncing around paid off for Leddy; I’m sure given his time again he’d have love to have stayed in Minnesota and graduated from University to the state’s NHL team. However, given the chance of lifting the trophy, it’s not unreasonable to think that he’d take a trade to Chicago again and again!
He eventually found himself traded by the Blackhawks too, but we’re not going to spend too much time tracing those branches of the tree, as I believe none end up entangled with the Minnesota Wild!