Minnesota Wild: Chuck Fletcher returning to the league could be useful

It’d appear former Minnesota Wild General Manager, Chuck Fletcher is returning to the league just over half a year after the Wild let him leave.

According to reports in the Philadelphia Inquirer, it is all but certain that Chuck Fletcher will become the new Philadelphia Flyers’ General Manager. This move could prove quite useful to the Minnesota Wild, as they no doubt have players that he may consider trading for. Though the Flyers would be wise not to allow bold moves like his dual signing of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter.

There are other names that you can tie to Fletcher; namely Charlie Coyle and Nino Niederreiter, both of whom were players he acquired as projects.

The fact that they were players that Chuck Fletcher brought to the Minnesota Wild suggest that he may have an attachment to them and be willing to take either off the Wild’s hands.

Looking at the cap space he’d have available to him in Philadelphia, he’d be more than able to take on either of these guys or maybe Nate Prosser, another of his deals.

Any such trade though would require equal financial pieces returning to the Minnesota Wild. Chuck Fletcher would be stepping into a very challenging situation with regard to restricted free agents in Philly.

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Looking with a sense of realism to any move, it’s not a crazy thought to see Charlie or Nino suiting up in Flyers’ colours; both are the bigger-bodied sorts of players that still seem to do well in the Metropolitan Division.

In Charlie Coyle, they’d be taking away a player that has struggled since appearing to break-out in the 2016-17 season, where he tallied 56 points. This year, he’s been relegated to third-line duties and has managed just 12 points in 26 games; not an awful return, but you’d expect a bit more return from one of the key pieces of the Brent Burns trade.

The Swiss-born, Nino Niederreiter, too, appears to have peaked in that same season, with 57 points. He strives hard to be a two-way player but hasn’t truly realised that potential and thus could likely do with the change of scenery.

Given that the Minnesota Wild roster is likely the one that Chuck Fletcher knows best; you’d have to imagine that the Philadelphia Flyers might come calling, once he is named General Manager.

If I’m Paul Fenton, I’m answering that call and seeing what return that the Wild can get – you never know, maybe there’s a piece in Philly that can be a difference-maker.