A new feeling of hopefulness is settling in for Minnesota Wild fans this season. Trading for Quinn Hughes will do that, something that has also accelerated the team's championship timeline. It's the reason they're in the hunt for a top spot in the playoffs and why so many are expecting Bill Guerin to pull off another trade before the deadline.
That's not the lone timeline the Wild are on, though. While it's true that winning now and convincing Hughes to sign long-term is the objective, it doesn't mean Minnesota needs to pull the trigger on a deal now.
The rumor mill cares not for logic, though, and the Wild have been at the forefront of speculation ever since the Hughes trade happened late last year. It cost Minnesota a haul, but it didn't fully deplete their war chest of trade assets; something Guerin could dip back into if he wants to land another big fish.
Top Minnesota Wild trade assets to use in a deal for another star player
Before we stroll too far down this road, keep in mind this doesn't mean the Wild should A) for sure trade these guys or B) rush to flip them now rather than waiting for the right deal. We know Billy G is going to rip another trade at some point, and when he does, these assets are likely going to be what gets the job done.
Note: This list will be updated as trade are made or assets are removed from the picture.
Charlie Stramel, Center
Stramel might be both the best and most talked-about trade asset the Wild has left. Not needing to include him in the deal to acquire Hughes helped Guerin keep a player who could get another deal almost all the way down the road on his own.
Strammel is a potential top-line center who has yet to make his NHL debut but is lighting it up in college. Heading into the trade deadline he had already posted 19 goals and 40 points for Michigan State, all signs that he has the sort of thing the Wild need but don't have at the position.
The only problem is he's still in college. He's the sort of player the team would have been fine on waiting for in the past, but Guerin has demonstrated that he's not afraid to mortgage the future for the right deal. Many saw Zeev Buium in the same light -- someone who the team hoped could develop for the future -- but he was traded away.
Stramel has a chance to be even more impactful for the Wild but his timeline no longer matches what the team is expecting out of itself. That doesn't mean the team has to trade him, as adding him to the mix in a year or so could perfect, but he's the sort of top prospect who could net a win-now piece.
2027 First Round Pick
The Wild have already flipped multiple draft picks in their wheeling and dealing, but Guerin still has the team's first-rounder for next year in his back pocket. Minnesota traded its first-round pick for this upcoming draft as part of the Quinn Hughes package and moved a 2027 second-rounder to Nashville to acquire Michael McCarron.
Parting ways with this pick would mean, unless another deal is made, the Wild won't have a first-round selection until the 2028 NHL Draft. That's a bit jarring for a franchise that has always tried to homebrew its roster, but it's the new reality of trying to win now. Having Hughes negates both some of the need to draft and develop over the next few years, and chances are the Wild won't be missing out on a top pick, given how good they're supposed to be.
Jesper Wallstedt, Goalie
A lot has been made about Wallstedt's trade value, which sort of came out of nowhere earlier this year. He's been a star rookie garnering attention across the league, which has only raised the value on him for what the Wild could get in return.
Like Stramel, ideally the Wild don't need to trade Wallstedt to get something the team needs. However, sticker prices are constantly getting swapped out for higher totals and if Minnesota wants a 1C, it's going to cost a pretty penny.
The question with Wallstedt, again like Stramel, isn't necessarily if the Wild should trade him, but when. Does Guerin make a move, pushing his chips in now, or wait for the summer when a potential shot at guys like Jack Hughes or Brady Tkachuk surfaces?
Can the Wild land a bigger fish with Wallstedt if they wait? That's the big question.
David Jiricek
The last time the Wild went sort of big to make a trade was acquiring Jiricek from the Blue Jackets back in 2024 but it's largely been a bust. Jiricek was a No. 6 overall pick but hasn't developed in the way the Wild might have hoped he might, despite showing some flashes.
With the timeline now accelerated beyond what it was when he was acquired, Jiricek is now an asset the Wild can flip to try and save face a little. It's not that he's bad, but he's sort of stalled out in his development and doesn't project to be a meaningful piece of the roster anytime soon.
He's only 22 years old, though, which is where the Wild can sell his upside. He's not a strong enough asset to move the needle on a deal by himself, but as part of a package he adds some nice value.
Danila Yurov, Center
In terms of sheer value, the Wild have a heat seeking missle in Danila Yurov. He's a prized young center whose value increased internally after Minnesota traded Marco Rossi to Vancouver, and woudl be hard to part with for a number of reasons.
Still, if it's the difference between waiting for Yurov to develop and landing a 1C who can help the Wild win now, Guerin might be tempted to make a deal. If Yurov is traded then it means all the chips are pushed to the center on Stramel becoming a stud, which is a risk. He's further behind in development than Yurov is, someone who has NHL ice time under his belt, but we're talking about depth at this point.
That's not to say Yurov isn't valuable beyond that, but if the gamble is flipping Yurov and betting on Stramel to develop alongside a strong 1C, then it might be worth it. It would be, however, a tremendous risk
Adam Benák, Center
This is where things truly get wild -- pun intended. For a franchise that has long valued developing in-house talent, trading Benák would be a shock to the system. He's only 18 years old and isn't cracking the NHL roster anytime soon, but all signs point to him being a potential stud.
He ripped it up in the preseason for Minnesota and ranks near the top in all of the right categories now that he's spending time in the OHL. He also put on a nice little display during World Juniors for Czechia, something that furthered his futures stock.
Usually this is the sort of kid the Wild would be banking on being a part of the future -- and he still could be -- but times have changed. It'd be the most uncharacteristic trade if the Wild build a package with him in it, but would also be the surest sign that the team is serious about doeing everything it can to win right now and over the next few years.