When the NHL calendar flipped to July, the Minnesota Wild finally stepped out from under the long shadow cast by the Zach Parise and Ryan Suter buyouts. For years, those penalties had been a financial anchor, limiting the team’s flexibility and forcing them to operate with one hand tied behind their back. But with that weight finally lifted, the expectation was that the Wild might make a splash right away.
Instead, president of hockey operations Bill Guerin played the long game. He didn’t rush to spend the newfound cap space.
He waited. Watched.
And when the right opportunity came along, he struck.
That opportunity? A blockbuster deal for 26-year-old defenseman Quinn Hughes - a move that sent shockwaves through the league.
Minnesota jumped the line of teams trying to pry the superstar out of Vancouver, putting together a package that was essentially four first-round picks in value. That’s not just a big swing - it’s a statement.
But the Wild might not be done swinging.
The Hughes deal addressed a major need on the blue line, but Minnesota’s issues down the middle have only grown more glaring - especially with Joel Eriksson Ek out of the lineup. This team has talent, no doubt, but the center depth just isn’t where it needs to be if the Wild want to make real noise come playoff time.
And that’s where things get interesting.
Top NHL insider Michael Russo, alongside Joe Smith, recently laid out a list of potential trade targets that could help the Wild shore up their forward group. According to their reporting, Guerin - who kicked off his midseason organizational meetings in Arizona on Sunday - has been actively exploring options since the Hughes trade and will continue doing so as the March 7 trade deadline approaches.
The New York Rangers could be a key trade partner.
With reports surfacing that the Rangers are sellers at the deadline, three names have emerged as potential Wild targets: centers J.T. Miller and Vincent Trocheck, and winger Artemi Panarin.
On paper, all three bring something to the table. But let’s break this down.
Panarin is the flashiest name. He’s a dynamic scorer, a close friend of Kirill Kaprizov, and even at 34 years old, he's on pace for one of the best seasons of his career.
Through 48 games this season, he’s tallied 18 goals and 54 points, averaging nearly 21 minutes of ice time per night. That’s elite production.
But there are a couple of big reasons why a Panarin-to-Minnesota move doesn’t seem likely.
First and foremost, he’s not a center. And that’s the position Minnesota is most desperate to upgrade. Second - and perhaps more importantly - there’s some serious baggage when it comes to his representation.
Panarin’s agent, Paul Theofanous, also represents Kaprizov. And if you remember how that negotiation played out last offseason, you’ll understand why the Wild front office might be hesitant to go down that road again.
The Kaprizov extension turned into a standoff, with Theofanous holding firm until Guerin eventually agreed to a staggering $17 million per year deal - by far the highest salary in the league. Days later, superstars like Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel inked extensions for significantly less ($12.5M and $13.5M, respectively). The optics weren’t great for Minnesota, and it’s fair to wonder whether Guerin wants to open the door to another negotiation with Theofanous anytime soon.
So while the idea of pairing Panarin with Kaprizov might’ve been enticing a year ago, it feels like that ship has sailed - at least under the current circumstances.
That brings us back to Miller and Trocheck.
Both are natural centers. Both play with an edge.
And both could be the kind of stabilizing presence the Wild need down the middle. Whether Minnesota has the assets left to pull off another major deal is the big question.
The Hughes trade cost them dearly - not just in draft capital, but in top-tier prospects. The pipeline, particularly in Iowa, is thinner now. That means any second swing will require some creativity, and maybe a little bit of luck.
Timing will also be a factor.
With the Olympic break looming - the NHL will pause all transactions from February 4 to 22 while players head to Milan - the window to make a deal is tighter than usual. Trades can resume at midnight on February 23, but the actual deadline doesn’t hit until March 7, thanks to the extended pause.
Could the Wild make a move before the break? It’s possible, but their current injury situation complicates things.
Several Iowa call-ups are on the NHL roster right now, eating into the team’s cap accrual. That makes it difficult to know exactly how much space Guerin will have to work with.
If they swing big before the Olympic freeze, they could be operating with little to no cap room. If they wait until after, and health trends in the right direction, they might have somewhere between $7 million and $10 million to play with.
That’s a wide range - and it could be the difference between adding a solid contributor or landing another game-changer.
Bottom line:
The Wild have already made one of the boldest moves of the NHL season. But if they want to truly contend in the West, they might need one more.
Whether that comes in the form of J.T. Miller, Vincent Trocheck, or another center remains to be seen.
But don’t expect Bill Guerin to sit back and coast. He’s shown he’s willing to go big - and with the deadline approaching, the clock is ticking.