Dan Wallace: Dumba and Talbot on the Protection List

I'm surprised Kahkonen was NOT protected! Yes Talbot has a cap friendly deal right now but just remember he Isn't very good and last year Talbot was able to Inflate his stats playing bad teams consistently It's my prediction that Talbot will be really bad this year as our everyday starter. It's a real season this year and Talbot will end up with around an 850. save pct.

I think protecting Talbot was the way to go. Kaukonen reminds me of Kuemper in his questionable mental toughness. Kuemper fixed that after he left and maybe Kaukonen can as well. Unless Guerin made a deal it looks like Wild lose him or Soucy.

Soucy Is just another Wild player over 6 ft. tall that doesn't play a big game, No snarl. Soucy Is just a no.6 or 7 defenseman.

Soucy Is just another Wild player over 6 ft. tall that doesn't play a big game, No snarl. Soucy Is just a no.6 or 7 defenseman.
- Shady1962

I generally agree with that. He’s a serviceable 3rd pair D man.

Insiders are now saying Nick Foligno Is likely to sign with the Wild and I have been saying for awhile the Minnesota Is missing toughness but Foligno Is 34 and not Ideal for a team rebuild.

stay away from eichel.

Build around Ek and Rossi

I would also avoid Eichel. This Is a total gut feeling on my part but there Is something toxic to me about Eichel. NHL teams never unload generational star players before they reach there prime, So what's up? Is It Buffalo management? Or Is there something about Eichel?

So Wild management Is saying that Sturm and Hartman have more value than Kahkonen? I'm confused but we'll see how the Wild roster looks around the first week of August.

So Wild management Is saying that Sturm and Hartman have more value than Kahkonen? I'm confused but we'll see how the Wild roster looks around the first week of August.
- Shady1962

No they’re not. Sturm and Hartman are 2 of the 7 forwards protected. They’re saying Talbot has more value than Kahkonen.

Talbot over Kahkonen? No thanks!

I think the Wild ARE saying Hartman and Sturm are more important than Kahkonen. From Day 1, BG has not been very thrilled with Kahkonen. I don't think he sees him as a true #1 goalie. If Seattle really does take Price, ala Flower move by Vegas, I think Kahkonen will be safe. I think it will be Soucy. Then you have to look at the Wild having about $29.6 mil in cap space. Let's just say KK at 5yrs/$8 mil and Fiala 4yrs/$6 mil....that still leaves $15.5 mil to find a #1C, replace Soucy and complete the roster. Guerin has a plan and appears to know what he is doing.

Although, I would be tickled pink if Geurin had a deal to get Seattle to take Rask, a 1st Rd pick and a 3rd Rd pick. That would give the Wild another almost $1.3 mil in the cap...they wouldn't have to replace Soucy or Kahkonen. To me, replacing Rask on the roster is the simplest thing BG would have to do.

I think the BIG thing out of all of this is going to be that BG doesn't spend up to the cap this year. Or if he does, it will only be on a 1yr contract. Because starting next year, Greenway and Sturm will be in line for getting decent raises. Getting Kaprizov and Fiala locked up for at least the next 4 years is the key. Because guys like Boldy, Rossi, O'Rourke, Jones, Hunt (Daemon) won't be in line for large raises until after the next 4 years. Other player to watch will be Addison and if they can lock him up after this year for a reasonable 3-4 year deal as well. That would carry the Wild through these next 4 years of cap hell. What the roster looks like this year is going to be what it looks like for the next 3-4 years.