Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin made his team’s financial situation quite clear over the weekend. After acquiring forward Gustav Nyquist from the Nashville Predators for a second round draft pick, Guerin told reporters that any additional move ahead of this Friday’s Trade Deadline would have to be “penny in, penny out.”
The Wild want to make moves – that much is known. They’ve been linked to New York Islanders center Brock Nelson for much of the season and have been in need of a shot in the arm down the middle of the ice for many months. But as much as Guerin and the Wild would love to add to their squad ahead of a playoff run, the money just simply isn’t there.
Currently operating in LTIR, the Wild have a little more than $7.5 million in cap space to work with ahead of the deadline. Problem is, that cap space is in large part due to Kirill Kaprizov’s $9 million AAV being stashed on LTIR. By all accounts, Kaprizov will be back before the end of the regular season, meaning that the Wild will not be in a position to use the temporary cap space they currently have to make an addition. According to Puck Pedia, the Wild’s projected cap is $380,223 over the limit as of Tuesday morning.
So what does this mean? Are we to expect a quiet deadline from the Wild?
The Wild still want to add, as I previously mentioned. But that would entail them moving off of a roster player in order to liberate the money to bring in an exterior player. While I think that is on the table for the Wild, there is an inherent risk of affecting your team’s chemistry by removing a player from a team that has been at the top of the Central Division all season. Yes, the Wild have slipped down the third in the division after a torrid start to the season, but the John Hynes coached club has still kept pace with the other top three teams all season. Is there a risk of changing four quarters for a buck if Guerin was to move a player off his roster to bring in outside help?
I can’t tell you which players, if at all, would be candidates for the Wild to move if they explored that avenue, but it is no secret they have a lot of money committed to their bottom six up front. Between Frederick Gaudreau, Marcus Foligno and Yakov Trenin, the Wild have $9.6 million in salary collectively allocated. I have no idea if Guerin would have any appetite in moving off of any of those three, but if he were to look at bringing in a player (a center, presumably), you have to wonder if one of the bottom sixers with a decent salary could be a candidate to go the other way to free up some money.
If there is no further deal to be had, the Wild do seem to be perfectly comfortable standing pat the rest of the way after acquiring Nyquist. The team desperately needs to get healthy first and foremost; between Kaprizov, Jonas Brodin, Joel Eriksson Ek and the suspended Ryan Hartman, they are hurting for regular bodies in the lineup. So if all else fails in the way of trades, the return to health may be the ultimate “deadline acquisition” the Wild need.
Jones trade opening things up for Ristolainen?
The Philadelphia Flyers don’t have many rentals to offer up, but they have two players with term that have been out there all season. One of those players is defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen, who has two years remaining on his contract at $5.1 million per season.
Talks have cooled off on the hulking rearguard as of late, as teams have (presumably) balked at the Flyers’ steep ask of a first-round selection. The term and money remaining on the deal is something I imagine is playing a role, but after the Chicago Blackhawks moved Seth Jones and the three years remaining on his contract, there could be a template set for a possible Ristolainen trade, as one person said to me.
Jones and Ristolainen aren’t apples to apples, mind you, as the former is more of a minute munching defenseman who can play top pair if need be and help your team’s offensive game. Ristolainen, on the other hand, is more of a niche defender in a shutdown capacity that can wear down forechecking forwards; he is probably capped as a middle pair guy on a contending team but can play in all situations, even on the power play.
The most important element to the Jones trade is the Blackhawks retaining $2.5 million on the contract to bring the AAV down to $7 million. While Jones is probably a “$6 million player,” as one person said to me, that cap hit will only be more of a bargain as the salary cap sky rockets over the next three seasons. The salary retention on Jones’ contract afforded Chicago the ability to pull a nice return from the Florida Panthers in goaltender Spencer Knight and a first-round selection in either 2026 or 2027.
In the case of Ristolainen, I was told yesterday that the Flyers are willing to retain on the player’s salary – even up to 50 percent. Hypothetically speaking, if the Flyers were to eat half the salary, $2.55 million for the next two seasons for Ristolainen would be one heck of a bargain for a 6’4, top four, right shot defenseman who plays a brand of hockey teams salivate for during the playoffs. But retention will come at a cost; if the Flyers are looking for a first-round pick just to move the player, you can only imagine what the price tag will be if the Flyers are going to be retaining any amount on Ristolainen.
At this point there are three teams who have shown interest in Ristolainen. While I can’t say for certain who those teams are, I do wonder about the Detroit Red Wings and Tampa Bay Lightning as potential suitors.
Ristolainen, 30, has four goals and 19 points in 48 games this season.
Flames interested in Carlo
As the Boston Bruins continue to listen on just about everyone (save for some key names) on their roster, defenseman Brandon Carlo has begun to draw interest. The Calgary Flames are among those teams, and I’m told that GM Craig Conroy has already made a phone call to open things up. The teams have yet to connect and dive into trade talks, but Carlo is available and the Flames have interest.
As one person said to me on Monday, there aren’t too many players not available for the right price on Boston’s roster. Carlo and his cost certainty of $4.1 million for two more seasons is attractive, especially for a club like Calgary who has struggled to retain their UFAs in recent years.
If defenseman Rasmus Andersson were to give the Flames the Heisman on an extension next season (if he still is a Flame by that time), Carlo would be an in-house safety net to soften the blow in the event of the former leaving. Even if Andersson was to stay, Carlo’s addition would give the Flames a very strong looking blueline – especially on the right side. The Flames are still in the playoff hunt and bringing in a non-rental like Carlo would not only reward the team for a strong season this year, but also help the team beyond 2025.
Carlo, 28, has one goal and nine points in 61 games this season.
Devils still looking to add
The New Jersey Devils have been on the lookout for help in their bottom six all season, and the injury to top-line center Jack Hughes is not changing that, it sounds like.
The Devils want help down the middle to upgrade their third line. They’ve been linked to Flyers center Scott Laughton recently and have also been listed as a potential landing for Montreal Canadiens pivot Jake Evans. I’ve also wondered about Nashville Predators forward Michael McCarron (more on him in a bit) as a possible target, as the Devils could use some more physicality in their lineup. Maybe they’ll poke around on Charlie Coyle, as the Bruins seem open for business.
The Devils don’t have their first-round selection this year as a result of the Jacob Markstrom trade, and I’ve heard GM Tom Fitzgerald has been trying to get creative in what he can offer up in trade talks as a result.
Overpay needed for Preds to move McCarron
The Predators have seen their season go sideways and are now looking to move some assets. They already moved off of their lone rental player in Nyquist and have teams circling on defenseman Luke Schenn. I’m sure forwards Ryan O’Reilly and Colton Sissons are drawing some levels of interest, as well, though the former is being allowed to call his own shot despite not having trade protection; stick taps to GM Barry Trotz on the loyalty.
McCarron is a name that is out there as a potential target for teams (like the Devils and Edmonton Oilers) looking to add some size to their bottom six, but I’m told that the Predators are in no hurry to move the hulking forward. He carries an AAV of $900,000, under cost control for another season. He has the versatility to play the penalty kill and be physical at a large size and is a good faceoff man who can shift to the wing if need be. It will take an overpay for the Predators to move him.
What is an overpay for McCarron? I can’t say for certain, but I don’t think the Predators are going to trade him for a third- or fourth-round selection. It will take at least a high second-round pick for the Preds to perk their ears up, if I’m to read the tea leaves correctly.
McCarron, who will turn 30 later this week, has three goals and eight points through 52 games this season.
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