“The Hockey State” is a proud slogan coveted by Minnesota Wild die-hard fans, but ever since the team entered the league, the dream of hoisting the Stanley Cup has been a flickering mirage on the hockey world's horizon, and fans are beginning to get frustrated.
For more than two decades, Wild fans have cheered with a passion that rivals the state's frigid winters. But since the puck first dropped in 2000, they've been unable to get out of their own way, with player signing missteps and player retention… A No. 1 center is hard to find, and is the cornerstone of any championship team.
The secondary scoring has been so shaky lately that the front office is handing out NTCs to anyone willing to shoot the puck. The prospect pool continues to produce players who aren't ready to hit the ground running, and let's not forget the anchor every championship team desperately needs: a No. 1 goalkeeper.
But for the first time in the Wild's “mid-major mediocrity” history, a true franchise superstar talent capable of winning games on its own emerged. Additionally, they have a creative GM who is willing to be bold in any trade decision and a core of talent that could produce two or even three bona fide superstars for the league over the next few years.
The Wild's future is bright, and fans can't help but feel the excitement building. This is especially true as Minnesota will have a coveted prospect option in this year's draft rather than having to settle for the late first-round selection area they occupy.
For the first time, optimists are fanning the flames of pessimists and creating a sense of urgency for Guerin to secure his superstar's future this offseason. But with a limited toolbox, a restricted menu and a paucity of actionable moves heading into the upcoming offseason, an uneasy anticipation is building among fans.
Given this situation, what can the Minnesota Wild and Bill Guerin realistically do to keep their team's only true superstar happy, keep the locker room from devastating and restore confidence to their fan base?
First, Guerin should ensure that last year's early-season signing mistakes that limited the Wild's trade-deadline flexibility don't happen again. All of those contracts should be framed and hung in his office as a daily reminder of the power of roster flexibility when the unexpected happens.
Second, the New York Rangers' action last week against Barclay Goodrow set a ruthless precedent for NHL general managers considering who to impose cap hits on “no trade clause” contracts for underperforming players on their current rosters. Mr. Guerin, hand out as many NTC clauses as you like. You no longer have to sink with the ship if your engine stops working in rough seas.
The Rangers prioritized cap space over player sentiment by cutting a respected champion with a high-value contract, sending a message that championship-contending teams are willing to part with even expensive, valuable players to make room for upgrades.
In the cutthroat world of professional hockey, winning isn't everything. It's the only thing you have to win. Pursuing a championship requires ruthless determination, and no general manager knows that better than those who have seen the pinnacle from on the ice, on the bench or in the war room and hoisted the coveted Stanley Cup trophy.
Can Guerin use the waiver process to free himself from the burden of Minnesota's current roster and make the tough decisions necessary to remake the Wild into a championship contender?
I absolutely would! Would I? Well… should I? Probably.
The road to glory is paved with tough choices, but now that we know waiving veterans with no-trade clauses is a viable option to free up cap space and roster space, let's look at the Wild's options this offseason and next season once they're completely free of “buyout hell.”
According to capfriendly.com/freddy , Minnesota will pay Freddy Gaudreau $2.24 million next year whether he plays in the AHL or the NHL, and if the Wild were to buy out the remaining four years of his contract, it would cost them $5,033,033 to buy out the remaining $7.55 million, saving them $2,516,667.
According to capfriendly.com/Mojo, the Wild are set to pay Marcus Johansson $2 million next year whether he plays in the AHL or NHL. As I wrote last week, acquiring Mojo would only save the Wild $666,666. With two acquired players already on the roster, they would probably be better off going the waiver route since they can only buy one.
If Guerin puts them on waivers and both are acquired, that would put $9.5 million back on the books over several years, but the Wild would only have $4.1 million to spend next year ($2 million for Mojo and $2.1 million for Freddie), meaning Minnesota would have more to spend this offseason.
With that amount of money and two available spots, Guerin could negotiate with the representatives of Sam Reinhart, Jake Genztel and Sean Monahan, who became free agents this year. Will these players be wearing Wild jerseys next year? Almost certainly not.But if he can free up the space Guerin blocked in the first place, that could be a strong case for him to consider a move to Minnesota.
Before you start popping the champagne, Guerin is a “player general manager,” and the chances of him using this loophole to send back the contract he signed are about as slim as Ivan Demidov playing for the Wild next season.
but,Listen, the mojo is Alex Goligoski this year, but next year he's gone anyway, and Freddie Gaudreau might find himself on a different roster at the trade deadline, or even unwillingly in a different locker room.
Marcus Foligno and Ryan Hartman will be scapegoats on the dartboard next year if they don't turn things around, and who could resist using the AHL waiver process to see their NTCs faked?
That same year, Guerin and the Minnesota Wild will get more than $14.75 million back on the books after their awful buyout purgatory finally ends, with another $8 million if Foligno and Hartman are acquired on waivers and another $2.5 million if Marc-Andre Fleury retires without an extension.
If Guerin can put that money to work, he'll have $24.5 million to build a championship team around a core that includes a superstar, a sniper, a Selke-caliber center, a shutdown blue line and a prospect pool that should blossom.
By the 2026-27 season, if Guerin learns from his mistakes, maximizes his roster flexibility and uses the loopholes available to him, the Minnesota Wild will have the opportunity to spend tens of millions of dollars to re-sign Kaprizov and fill a roster spot that was previously occupied by a “soft mid-level” player who held out too long before handing the baton to the next regime, with the potential to become an NHL dynasty.
