The Minnesota Wild’s 2026-27 season is approaching, but when fans look at the roster, they can’t help but feel disappointed. The trade for a No. 1 center never materialized and even the small moves such as trading Jake Middleton for Olli Maata and Blake Coleman feel underwhelming for a team that was a Stanley Cup contender one year ago.
Even with many of the same faces back on the roster, Wild fans remember this group wasn’t good enough to get past the Colorado Avalanche in the second round. After losing 150 points from last year’s team, it feels like there’s another shoe that will drop before the regular season begins.
But the truth is, this roster may be a work in progress and the Wild’s success this season might be determined by how many games they can win until they’re a finished product.
The Wild’s roster is a work in progress ahead of next season
The current state of the Wild’s roster is fluid. While some names like Matt Boldy, Kirill Kaprizov and Brock Faber are locked in, other players including Danila Yurov or even Ryan Hartman could be thrown around as the Wild look to trade for Dylan Larkin or another impact player.
With the possibility that Quinn Hughes could be traded if the two sides can’t agree on a contract extension, there’s a good chance the Wild’s roster on Opening Night may not look the same when they reach the end of the regular season. But there’s also internal factors that could shake things up.
The Wild’s top six is one of the biggest questions going into the year after losing 150 points from last year’s lineup. While many are hoping Bobby Brink can seize one spot up for grabs, his past suggests he’s more of a middle-six player that could be pushed toward the bottom at the end of the year.
The same situation goes for Maxim Shabanov. Signed for the low cost of $1.6 million, the Wild are hoping they can find another bargain to fill out the lineup. But he had issues acclimating to the NHL after his rookie season with the New York Islanders (five goals, 18 points in 44 games) and he also could be overmatched in a top-six role.
Minnesota’s blue line feels set – especially if Hughes signs an extension in the coming weeks – but there are more questions behind it. Jesper Wallstedt will carry the load to begin the year, but there is no timetable for Filip Gustavsson’s return after undergoing offseason hip surgery.
Long story short, there’s a lot for the Wild to figure out. But they can lay a solid foundation by getting off to a hot start this season.
Wild may need to weather an early storm before their next move
Winning games early won’t be easy, especially with an unfinished roster. Minnesota opens with 10 road games in October including a season-long five-game road trip to the Pacific Northwest (Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames, Seattle Kraken, Vancouver Canucks) with a pit stop against the Utah Mammoth.
But if they can get past the opening stretch, things could open up as they find their footing. The Wild have nine home games each in the months of December and January and have a season-long seven-game homestand from Dec. 12 through Dec. 28.
In addition, there could be windows that present themselves to upgrade the roster, such as the one that brought Hughes to Minnesota. After informing the Vancouver Canucks that he didn’t want to re-sign when his contract was over, the Wild swooped in and made the deal and that process was made easier after players like Marco Rossi, Liam Ohgren and Zeev Buium cemented their stock in the opening months of the season.
With that, the Wild have to weather the early storm as they attempt to have an encore for last season. And while their roster isn’t complete, they may have enough to put themselves in a position to win and make noise when they put the finishing touches on the team when the regular season begins on Oct. 1.
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