With one week to go until free agency begins, the biggest storyline for the Minnesota Wild is their search for a No. 1 center. Dylan Larkin of the Detroit Red Wings sits at the top of Bill Guerin’s wish list this summer, but many feel like if it doesn’t work out, the Wild could pivot and pursue Vincent Trocheck of the New York Rangers.
Trocheck would fill the need on the top line in the same way that Larkin would and The Athletic’s Peter Baugh and Vincent Z. Mercogilano believe that a trade is coming. But for those thinking the Wild are involved, they may be disappointed as Baugh and Mercogilano reported the Wild “have faded as a suitor” as the team weighs its options.
If the Wild were targeting Trocheck, they may continue their talks with the Rangers from last year’s trade deadline. But it’s becoming clear that Trocheck may not be in their plans and they could be all-in on acquiring Larkin.
The Wild are making Dylan Larkin their top priority after reportedly “fading” on Vincent Trocheck
It would make sense if the Wild didn’t want to box themselves in by pursuing Trocheck. Minnesota had interest at last year’s trade deadline and made a significant offer to help them down the middle. But general manager Chris Drury’s asking price caused the Wild to make moves to bolster their depth and the Rangers hoped they would get a bigger return this summer.
To a degree, they may be right. Free agency has been picked over at the center position and teams are already going crazy to acquire players via trade in the days leading up to this weekend’s NHL Draft. The Wild even got in on the action, offering “the equivalent of four first-round picks” to acquire Brady Tkachuk before he chose to be traded to the Florida Panthers.
It could also be why the Wild have stopped calling. While they may like Trocheck, they may not be willing to go above March’s offer to go get him. They also seem to be more enamored with Larkin as The Athletic’s Michael Russo and Joe Smith reported that the Wild “are in daily contact with Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman and Larkin’s agent Pat Brisson in hopes of facilitating a trade.
“The fact that Yzerman, Brisson and Bill Guerin remain in daily contact…means Minnesota is still trying to find a way,” Russo and Smith wrote. “Perhaps the most logical yet complicated way being to find a third team that can help Detroit receive the type of assets it wants in a completed package.”
In many ways, it sounds like no momentum has been generated to bring Larkin to Minnesota. It’s also concerning that Larkin has expanded his initial list of three teams he’d accept a trade to and the Dallas Stars are a looming threat as they continue to negotiate a long-term deal with Jason Robertson.
Yzerman also doesn’t seem to be in a rush to trade his captain until he gets the right offer and with the Wild putting free agents including Mats Zuccarello and Vladimir Tarasenko on hold until they get a resolution, it could be one big waiting game.
If the Wild truly are out on Trocheck, it could leave them without a safety net. But it could also indicate how serious they are about trading for Larkin and maybe how far they’ll go to bring him to Minnesota.
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