Dan Wallace: Is Fenton Pushing To Include Ennis Too Hard?

Every Buffalo/MN GM has to make a deal with their counterpart. It's actually a law. Fenton hasn't made his deal yet

Unfortunately I do believe that Ennis must be involved in a deal one way or the other. I dont' think Ennis goes anywhere unless he's packaged with a real asset in any deal, and moving forward with Ennis and his huge cap hit still on the roster does nothing for the future of the franchise moving forward.

Only way I can see Ennis staying and playing out the remainder of his contract is if Fenton is willing to scrap the up coming season as a sort of start over year. Which is what Leipold stated he wasn't going to do when he said "this is not a rebuild" (paraphrasing quote).

Spurgeon is a great trade piece, but personally I would just as soon move a piece or even pieces of the corps that have already been talked about in Zucker, Nino, Coyle etc... Something major has to change with the core of players currently on roster. They have proven that although individually talented, they cannot push this team anywhere come post season as part of a unit.

So yes, Ennis must go but realistically he will devalue ANY deal that he gets packaged in.

I hate to see any positive asset moved but somethings gotta give and status quo isn't going to accomplish anything IMO.

That Pominville/Scandella for Ennis/Foligno trade was idiotic from the start. If Fenton wants to clear up cap space that badly then he should just rip the band-aid off and buyout Ennis. Sure, it won't clear his entire cap hit for this season or even next season (as buyouts carry over cap hits into following seasons depending on the length of the contract), but it'll at least get him off the roster and clear up 2 or 3 million in cap space this season.

The answer is yes. Minnesota could get so much more trading away guys and not including the Ennis contract. Look at what Washington got for Grubauer because they dumped Orpik. He was probably worth a first rounder.

only 1 more year and only Dumba to sign. I don't see the issue, why would you want to trade him?

only 1 more year and only Dumba to sign. I don't see the issue, why would you want to trade him?
- DutchSenators

Just a guess here, the owner doesn't want to pay him 4.6 million for two years.

Yes, Ennis should not be included in any trades. Complete devaluation. So just buy out Ennis, and add $2.4 to the cap space. That gives the Wild about $20.2 mil in cap space. Resign Dumba and Zucker @ about $5 mil a piece, leaving roughly $10 mil to fill 6 roster spots. Going to assume Kunin and Greenway make the roster, that drops cap space to about $8.2 mil and leaving 4 spots to fill. Trade Granlund for Justin Faulk straight up, giving the Wild about another $900k in cap space, total of $9.1 mil for 4 spots. Now trade Spurgeon for a #2C that can eventually become a #1C. Maybe Spurgeon for Nylander ... though I am not so sure I am that sold on Nylander anymore as a C. Maybe the Wild have to go back to Buffalo (yes, I am trading there) and try to get Sam Reinhart. He would fit as a #2C and is right handed. But we could probably say cap-wise that it would be a wash on a Spurgeon for C trade. That still leaves $9.1mil for 4 spots. I think the Wild could get another scoring RW as a FA, and still fill the 4th line spots around Foligno.

See...done. I should have been hired as the new GM.

I would imagine that Zucker and Dumba likely gonna get more than 5mil each. Why do you guys want to trade Granlund so bad? Buying out Ennis is a good option since hes only got 1 year left on his deal. So buyout would be nice to not devalue your assets in trades with him.

I would imagine that Zucker and Dumba likely gonna get more than 5mil each. Why do you guys want to trade Granlund so bad? Buying out Ennis is a good option since hes only got 1 year left on his deal. So buyout would be nice to not devalue your assets in trades with him.
- poisondhearts37

Its not a matter of WANTING to trade granlund, he just believes granlund is the Mild's best trade chip. Which, i don't disagree with, but i don't like the idea of trading away the best playmaker on roster. Get a scorer to pair with Granny and watch the point totals climb.

I would imagine that Zucker and Dumba likely gonna get more than 5mil each. Why do you guys want to trade Granlund so bad? Buying out Ennis is a good option since hes only got 1 year left on his deal. So buyout would be nice to not devalue your assets in trades with him.
- poisondhearts37

Yeah, I don't really want to trade Granlund, but I am trying to look at it from a business standpoint and team-wise. Granlund is the best playmaker on the Wild, but his size hurts him come playoff time. And I believe BB's system calls for more rugged type skilled players, although the NHL has turned to a league of speed.