The Minnesota Wild have one week to furhter increase their chances of not only making the playoffs, but winning their first ever Stanley Cup. The Wild have already made a blockbuster move earlier in the season after they acquired defenseman Quinn Hughes from the Vancouver Canucks. But they are far from done, as they look to make a move before the March 6 trade deadline.
One area of need the Wild are looking to address is at center. The team already has a stout top six featuring Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy. But considering they are in the same division as the Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars, they could stand to add another impact forward who can win face-offs and/or score goals. The Wild have beern linked to some centers this offseason. Here are three they must target.
3. Vincent Trocheck
Let's start with the one center that has been linked to the Wild and it has been the worst-kept secret in the NHL, and that's Vincent Trocheck of the New York Rangers. Let's not forget that Wild General Manager Bill Guerin also chose the final roster for the United States' Olympic team, and added Trocheck to it. In fact, Trocheck jokingly almost joined Minnesota players for a photo during Team USA practice.
There is reason why the Wild should be interested in acquiring Trocheck in a trade. He has shown in recent years that he can put up points. Look no further than the 2023-24 season, where he put up a career high 77 points and made the All-Star Game for the first time in his career. He may not be putting up similar production this year, but perhaps that can change while playing with a better overall roster. Let's face it, the Rangers are in last place for a reason.
But Trocheck's bread and butter is in the face-off circle and on the penalty kill. In his career, Trocheck has a 54.2 face-off win percentage. In the Olympics, Trocheck showed off his ability on the penalty kill, as the United States went a perfect 18-for-18. His most notable penalty kill was when facing a 3-on-5 deficit in the gold medal game against Canada, and escaped unscathed.
For Trocheck, he is under contract for three more seasons, where he carries a $5.6 million cap hit annually. There is expected to be a big market for Trocheck, and the Wild better hope the price doesn't get too exorbitant.
2. Ryan O'Reilly
The Wild have been linked recently to a new center, and that's Ryan O'Reilly of the Nashville Predators. The Predators have been a potential seller ever since they had a slow start to the season. But the team has rebounded of late, as they are now just two points back of a Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. But if Nashville does decide to sell before the deadline, O'Reilly will be a name worth targeting.
This season, O'Reilly is having a bounce back campaign with the Predators, putting up 21 goals and 36 assists through 58 games, making him a nearly point-a-game player. Not to mention, O'Reilly is good in the face-off circle, winning 55.1 percent of draws. That will be valuable for any team that acquires him.
The one issue for O'Reilly is that he will have say on whether or not he wants to be traded. Even though he doesn't have a no-move clause, Nashville's front office will respect his wishes. If he were to accept a trade, the Wild are reportedly a team of interest. If O'Reilly does decide he wants out of Nashville, the Wild are a team worth watching.
1. Robert Thomas
Now we get to possibly the most expensive center for the Wild, and that's Robert Thomas of the rival St. Louis Blues. Since the start of the season, the Blues have let it be known that they are open for business and all players over 25-years-old are on the trade block. But that doesn't mean they will be cheap.
Thomas is the Blues' leading scorer, notching 11 goals and 22 assists through 42 games played. It is an off year for Thomas, as he is coming off back-to-back 80-plus point seasons. So, the recent history shows that Thomas can be a productive player on the ice, and that would be a great help to the Wild, especially as they look to outscore the likes of the Avalanche and the Stars in the playoffs.
Additionally, Thomas is under contract for five more seasons, with an annual cap hit of $8.1 million. So, you're committing to Thomas for the long haul, with Hughes also needing a new contract.
For the Wild, reports have indicated that they are willing to include goalie Jesper Wallstedt in a trade for a top six forward. Thomas does fit the bill. But the Blues do have a high asking price, as The Athletic's Jeremy Rutherford points out — three first-half-of-the-first-round assets, which could be any combination of a young pro player, a prospect, or draft picks.
While the Wild have given up a lot to bring in Hughes earlier this season, the Wild do need to make a splash. Their window to win the Stanley Cup is wide open. They must capitalize. Their chances will increase if they are to add Thomas to their top six.