Wanna blog? Start your own hockey blog with My HockeyBuzz. Register for free today!
 

Trades? Trotz? Leading Up to Draft

June 18, 2018, 3:15 PM ET [3 Comments]
Dan Wallace
Minnesota Wild Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Four days until the draft!

We have already seen one significant deal with Alex Galchenyuk finally being dealt out of Montreal, on his way to Arizona for Max Domi.

That is the kind of deal that we expect to see from Paul Fenton as he looks to retool the current roster while restocking the system through the draft.

Either way we know that the Wild roster is going to look dramatically different than it did when we saw them skate off the ice in Winnipeg back in April.

I don't see a scenario that brings Phil Kessel to the State of Hockey, but James van Riemsdyk could most certainly be an option in free agency. We know JVR spends his summers here in Minnesota, also playing in Da Beauty League with his brother Trevor who plays for the Hurricanes.

Of course JVR would command upwards of $6-7 million per year depending on the term. The fact that JVR shoots left is also an issue as the Wild are definitely in the market for that right shot at the forward position.

Getting back to the Galchenyuk/Domi deal which in essence was a trade that saw two players moved after down seasons. Both players are young and the change of scenery could prove to be just what each one needs to tap his unlocked potential.

Two very different style of player, but both high former first round draft choices with high expectations.

Fenton needs to be talking to everyone and anyone that will listen and hopefully he is able to parlay some of the current roster into the pieces that can push the Wild to greater heights.

Taking this to baseball for a second, and sorry to reference the Yankees, but in this instance it makes sense to do so. The Yankees have experienced some significant injuries to their starting pitching of late and it has been reported that Yankees GM, Brian Cashman has been in conversation with 20 other teams in an effort to acquire some help.

Paul Fenton needs to take a page from that book and be talking to that many NHL GMs even if it just lays the ground work for future transactions. The past regime of Chuck Fletcher seemed to only be able to make trades with the same few teams and rarely appeared to seek the right deal, but merely the deal to make the team better.

On another aside, it is being reported that Barry Trotz has officially become a free agent as he has turned down the Capitals offer to return to the team for next season. Do we see Trotz re-uniting with Craig Leipold and Paul Fenton in the coming days?

Follow me on Twitter @dwallace17
Join the Discussion: » 3 Comments » Post New Comment
More from Dan Wallace
» Walker Up, Goligoski On LTIR
» Wild Look To Tighten Up The D Zone
» New Season Of Hope For Wild
» Kirill Gets The "A"
» Zuccarello Extended For 2 Years