All Things 2026-207 Minnesota Wild

[Ogie Ogilthorpe]

Figured this was about as appropriate of a place to put this tidbit as any;

As expected, the cap for next season will increase by about $8.5M. The Wild have a big handful of decisions to make on some UFA's (some aging UFAs) and some RFAs;

UFAs: Nick Foligno, Tarasenko, Zuccarello, McCarron, Marcus Johansson, Zach Bogosian, Jeff Petry (and a few others)

RFAs: Brink, Hunt, Spacek, Lambos

 

[upnorthkid]

Resigning Hughes is all that matters. Everything else goes from there but you need to get a deal done this offseason as priority 1-5

 

[Ogie Ogilthorpe]

Resigning Hughes is all that matters. Everything else goes from there but you need to get a deal done this offseason as priority 1-5

A Hughes extension wouldn't be reflected on the Wild cap until the 2027-2028 season; he's under contract still for 26-27 for the same $7.85M

 

[upnorthkid]

A Hughes extension wouldn't be reflected on the Wild cap until the 2027-2028 season; he's under contract still for 26-27 for the same $7.85M

I know, but all moves ripple from if he’s going to be here or not. If he’s walking, it’s a vastly different feel to the core than if he’s staying and all the ways the money will skew each direction based on what he does. Boldy, Faber KK and Ek are all signed as your core. Wally’s deal would likely be next if they’re moving Gus. With the new cap, you need to see what the market set is going to be for your stars before you’re going to worry about guys that are on our UFA/RFA list this year

 

[Spaulding!No!]

Time Machine?

 

[Ogie Ogilthorpe]

I know, but all moves ripple from if he’s going to be here or not. If he’s walking, it’s a vastly different feel to the core than if he’s staying and all the ways the money will skew each direction based on what he does. Boldy, Faber KK and Ek are all signed as your core. Wally’s deal would likely be next if they’re moving Gus. With the new cap, you need to see what the market set is going to be for your stars before you’re going to worry about guys that are on our UFA/RFA list this year

The Wild are in almost precisely the same situation with Gus as the VGK are with Adin Hill; signed to a lengthy deal at $6.XM per year and more than likely in the market for moving them off their roster. Maybe not for sure, but I know as a VGK fan I would love them to move Hill out, despite the fact that he put them on his shoulders and they rode him to the Stanley Cup just a few years ago.

There will be a market for both goalies, if each team wants to move them, but it will likely cost the Selling team some capital for someone to take them

 

[GopherJake]

Figured this was about as appropriate of a place to put this tidbit as any;

As expected, the cap for next season will increase by about $8.5M. The Wild have a big handful of decisions to make on some UFA's (some aging UFAs) and some RFAs;

UFAs: Nick Foligno,

Only if dirt cheap. Completely expendable.

Tarasenko,

I would take him for 2 years, $6MM. 34. I like him more than I think a lot of people do.

Zuccarello,

Priority, but try to get him on team-friendly. I can't imagine he would want to leave. He's 38. 2 years, $4MM. Maybe play only one year.

McCarron

Cheap only, but has some talent. 31.

, Marcus Johansson,

I would try to sign him to a team-friendly 3 year deal. He's 35. But he could garner some offers. He's fast as hell.

Zach Bogosian,

Cheap only. 35.

Jeff Petry

Won't return. 38

(and a few others)

RFAs: Brink,

2 years, $2MM total, max. 24

Hunt,

Don't know what he will get, but good potential. 23.

Spacek, Lambos

No idea

 

[Ogie Ogilthorpe]

I wonder if this has any legs to it at all...

 

[upnorthkid]

I wonder if this has any legs to it at all...

The oilers have next to nothing we’d want back for Gus unless you want a bunch of future picks which doesn’t help us and for Edmonton there’s the wtf do you do with both Jarry and Gus under contract at those numbers?

Feels like a clickbait pick a disgruntled goalie and try fix edmontons lack of goaltending like that somehow fixes the numerous horrible contracts they have around mcdavid and drai

 

[Ope3]

The oilers have next to nothing we’d want back for Gus unless you want a bunch of future picks which doesn’t help us and for Edmonton there’s the wtf do you do with both Jarry and Gus under contract at those numbers?

Feels like a clickbait pick a disgruntled goalie and try fix edmontons lack of goaltending like that somehow fixes the numerous horrible contracts they have around mcdavid and drai

Wouldn't just dumping the salary be it's own reward for trading Gus (assuming they have full confidence in the Wall for being the #1)?

The Draft pick(s) in return would be a Bonus.

 

[Ogie Ogilthorpe]

Ope's got it; there ain't no haul or capital coming back to the Wild in any sizable fashion for unloading Gus. The appeal is dumping the salary, and finding a taker is most likely NOT going to involve some great return. The Wild would be selling LOW, like the definition of selling low.

Expecting anything major of value back, if they decide to move him, would be pretty foolish.

 

[upnorthkid]

Hence why I don’t see why you’d do it. If it’s only for cap, particularly when the cap is skyrocketing, I dont see it making sense. Wait til the deadline and hope someone gets more aggressive with the offer. The 5mil or so (after you sign someone semi capable) isn’t worth that with the cap jump for a guy who’s a capable 1A/1b

 

[Ope3]

Hence why I don’t see why you’d do it. If it’s only for cap, particularly when the cap is skyrocketing, I dont see it making sense. Wait til the deadline and hope someone gets more aggressive with the offer. The 5mil or so (after you sign someone semi capable) isn’t worth that with the cap jump for a guy who’s a capable 1A/1b

If they need the cap space to resign Hughes specifically, then a 1B Goalie is a luxury they can do without. Develop someone else.

 

[upnorthkid]

If they need the cap space to resign Hughes specifically, then a 1B Goalie is a luxury they can do without. Develop someone else.

They definitely don’t with the space And the core under contract. Hughes contract wouldn’t hit until the next year. It’s why I think the move is only for assets so at the deadline you could throw capital at a 1C

The FA market is looking real meh for top tier talent so you’re going to want assets rather than money

 

[Ogie Ogilthorpe]

If they need the cap space to resign Hughes specifically, then a 1B Goalie is a luxury they can do without. Develop someone else.

There are backup goalies to be had for $1-$3M; you may not want them to play 35+ games, but they can fill the void when you need them to.

A case can be made that Akira Schmid was the VGK's best goalie this season, better than Carter Hart and Adin Hill in the regular season. He got paid $875k by Vegas this season and is an RFA next season, projected to earn roughly $2.7M AAV.

Guys like that will be available, in the event the Wild want to try to move Gus

 

[upnorthkid]

Dump Hynes, hire knoblauch or Cassidy. Core is there, BG needs to get Hughes resigned and do some extra maneuvering to retool while adding a true top center

 

[TRF Guy]

 

[BleedGopher]

Jabs chimes in:


Gooo Wild!!

 

[Slim Tubby]

Dump Hynes, hire knoblauch or Cassidy. Core is there, BG needs to get Hughes resigned and do some extra maneuvering to retool while adding a true top center

What are your thoughts on pursuing Auston Matthews in the offseason?

 

[upnorthkid]

What are your thoughts on pursuing Auston Matthews in the offseason?

I'd be all in on Matthews, though I don't think we have the assets to get him and I don't think Toronto is going to shop him cheaply now that they've won the #1 pick and still have him under contract for 2 years while still being in his prime.

If they took Gus, a 1st and 1-2 young guys, I'd do that trade in a heartbeat. I think it will cost significantly more than that unless Matthews tells them he doesn't want to be there.

The use of Wally in the trade I think is an interesting one. Can you sell high on him and land him for Matthews straight up? I would probably also do that trade given this team as constructed (with Matthews) I think is that close to a title given how it reshuffles you down the middle while adding not just a 1C, but a top 5 center in the league. I'm not as negative on Gus as some people have become dramatic about, given in 22-23 he posted at 2.5 GSAA in the playoffs and in 24-25 another 2.5 GSAA in the playoffs playing behind considerably weaker teams.

Maybe there is a way you can get creative with it, giving them some NHL caliber guys while offloading Gus's contract as well (such as Gus paired with Hartman/Ek) that let you stay nimble with the dollar amount. Is an added piece that we have 13.6mil in cap needing to sign quite a few guys to fill a roster so this would keep that intact while landing the 1C to get Hughes his extension (and also becoming more team USA lol).

All that being said, I think the cost for Matthews realistically is higher than the upper 2 I mentioned. I think if Toronto sucks again, he may become available at the deadline for someone like Gus and picks. I think as it sits right now, Toronto is not thinking this is a full on rebuild as they still have a lot of really high value assets (Nylander, Knies, Matthews, Reilly, #1 pick which is an NHL ready forward or defenseman)

 

[Ogie Ogilthorpe]

Guerin is going to have to earn his money in the next few months. Quite a few decisions to make on a large handful of players that are 34-35 yrs old and beyond, and a LOT of UFA's as he works to assemble a competitive roster for 2026-2027 season.

This is where you need to see his roster-assembling chops as it takes more than just throwing a handful of assets at Vancouver for Hughes to be an effective and successful GM in the NHL.

Roster could look fairly different in September

 

[Ogie Ogilthorpe]

Russo at The Athletic with a deeper dive into the Wild offseason coming up

 

[Ogie Ogilthorpe]

Russo at The Athletic with a deeper dive into the Wild offseason coming up

I didn't read the article before posting, but it was a really, really good article from Russo. Cold hard facts, looking back and looking forward.

The one thing I took most from it is that it almost sounds like he's thinking the Wild would be more likely to trade Wallstedt and roll with Gus.

Contractually, they almost kinda sorta have to? Wallstedt's value is CONSIDERABLY higher than Gus right now, not so much just the play on the ice but the contract situations for both. It'll be interesting to see if they go that way

 

[upnorthkid]

I didn't read the article before posting, but it was a really, really good article from Russo. Cold hard facts, looking back and looking forward.

The one thing I took most from it is that it almost sounds like he's thinking the Wild would be more likely to trade Wallstedt and roll with Gus.

Contractually, they almost kinda sorta have to? Wallstedt's value is CONSIDERABLY higher than Gus right now, not so much just the play on the ice but the contract situations for both. It'll be interesting to see if they go that way

you'll get way more out of Wally with his contract and age. Gus will not fetch a 1C unless he's paired with additional top assets, but we just don't have the room to do that.

I won't be surprised if they sell high on Wally and I would not fault Guerin for doing so either

 

[TRF Guy]

 

[TRF Guy]

Quinn Hughes likes the idea of reaching a contract extension with the Minnesota Wild, he told reporters Friday.

"I really like it here," said Hughes, who's eligible to sign an extension beginning July 1. "I would definitely be open to re-signing. I mean, we'll see what (general manager Bill Guerin) wants to do. We're not even 36 hours removed (from the season ending). It's a tough loss, but I definitely would be open to re-signing here."

 

[Ogie Ogilthorpe]

Quinn Hughes likes the idea of reaching a contract extension with the Minnesota Wild, he told reporters Friday.

"I really like it here," said Hughes, who's eligible to sign an extension beginning July 1. "I would definitely be open to re-signing. I mean, we'll see what (general manager Bill Guerin) wants to do. We're not even 36 hours removed (from the season ending). It's a tough loss, but I definitely would be open to re-signing here."

For Hughes, that's the right answer to be saying publicly.

Zero reason for him to sign an extension before he sees at least SOME of what Guerin plans on doing for re-tooling that roster. There will be changes, no doubt about it

 

[upnorthkid]

For Hughes, that's the right answer to be saying publicly.

Zero reason for him to sign an extension before he sees at least SOME of what Guerin plans on doing for re-tooling that roster. There will be changes, no doubt about it

agree and there is almost no reason for any player to sign any long-term deal given what the salary cap is doing.

we do have a good core that is going to be attractive to him, but i also agree he has no incentive to sign with us as it sits and basically everyone would also be thrilled to get him for 2 years after next year to line up with Jack if he wants to just play it out and sign a gap contract (the money really doesn't matter to the family; they already have generational wealth across the boys)

that said, I do think he also is being true in that he did like his time here and the group and really seems to love playing with Faber.

 

[Ogie Ogilthorpe]

 

[upnorthkid]

the better question is where can i get Gus' hat?