Minnesota Wild: Five predictions for the Wild in the New Year
By Luke Ryan
Significant Minnesota Wild departures will occur at the trade deadline
Charlie Coyle is the obvious expectation to depart the Minnesota Wild in 2019, that’s already been spoken about. Not that I think it’ll be a trade deadline move, though.
The trade deadline moves in previous years have always seen the Wild adding pieces and stripping out the cupboards of draft picks, in the hopes of prevailing in the play-offs.
This year though, I expect a different approach. Given I believe that 2019 will mark a year that the Minnesota Wild aren’t in the play-offs, nor do I reasonably expect them to be contending too hard late in the season, I reckon they’ll be a selling club at the trade deadline.
Great news for them is that they have some players that may fetch enough to restock their prospects cupboards quite nicely.
Eric Staal is an easy sell to a contending club with the cap space; an experienced center who can still produce and won’t cost the world.
Likewise, Eric Fehr could easily be shopped; not only does he offer experience but he’s versatile, on a low cap hit and could add that extra little bit of flexibility on the third or fourth line of a play-off team.
Again with the veteran presence, look no further than Matt Hendricks. He’s another option that you dangle for maybe a fifth round draft pick or B-grade prospect, depending what the market is doing. Realistically, he’s more the kind of player that departs as part of a package deal, but it’s still viable that you could get something for him.
Andrew Hammond or Alex Stalock could help provide some reassurance to a play-off team or a team on the bubble that hasn’t been getting the right level of performance from its backup goalie. However, if a team is contending, you’ve got to assume that they’ve had decent enough goaltending.
Maybe a late injury to a starter puts a target on them come trade deadline. Stranger things have happened!
The last thought is that J.T. Brown, although not a rental, could offer great value for money if a trading partner could be found at the trade deadline.
Whatever happens, should the Minnesota Wild end up being sellers at the deadline, you’ve got to hold high hopes that they put a lot into accruing as many draft picks as possible. The more you pick, the more chance you have of uncovering a diamond in the rough!