The Minnesota Wild head into the 2026-27 season with a roster that still feels unfinished, and that reality makes October matter even more. The front office never landed the No. 1 center upgrade it was chasing, and the smaller moves - including trading Jake Middleton for Olli Maata and Blake Coleman - hardly scream “finished product” for a team that was a Stanley Cup contender just a year ago.
That’s the tension hanging over this group. The Wild are bringing back plenty of familiar names, but this is also the same team that fell short against the Colorado Avalanche in the second round. On top of that, Minnesota is staring at the loss of 150 points from last year’s team, which only adds to the sense that more change could still be coming before the puck drops on the regular season.
The roster itself remains fluid. Matt Boldy, Kirill Kaprizov and Brock Faber look secure, but beyond that, things can still move around.
Danila Yurov and even Ryan Hartman could be in play if the Wild pursue Dylan Larkin or another impact addition. And if Quinn Hughes and the Vancouver Canucks can’t work out a contract extension, there’s a chance that situation becomes part of Minnesota’s equation too.
That means the lineup the Wild open with may not be the one they finish with.
Even the top six looks unsettled after the departure of so many points from last season’s group. Bobby Brink has a chance to grab a spot, but the fit may not be as simple as some hope. His track record points more toward a middle-six role, with the possibility he gets pushed lower as the season goes on.
Maxim Shabanov is another name to watch. The Wild signed him for $1.6 million and are hoping he can be another value find, but his NHL transition with the New York Islanders was uneven. He posted five goals and 18 points in 44 games, and there’s a real question about whether he can handle a top-six assignment in Minnesota.
The blue line looks steadier, especially if Hughes signs an extension in the coming weeks. The bigger issue sits in goal. Jesper Wallstedt is expected to shoulder the load early, while Filip Gustavsson’s return remains without a timetable after offseason hip surgery.
All of that leaves Minnesota with plenty to sort through. The good news is the schedule gives them a chance to survive the mess and build something before the roster is fully settled. The Wild open with 10 road games in October, including a five-game trip through Edmonton, Calgary, Seattle and Vancouver, with a stop against the Utah Mammoth mixed in.
That opening stretch is rough, but the calendar does loosen later. Minnesota has nine home games in both December and January, along with a seven-game homestand from Dec. 12 through Dec.
- That kind of stretch could give the team room to breathe, stack wins and wait for opportunities to improve the roster.
Those opportunities may come the same way the Hughes deal did. The Wild were able to jump when the Canucks informed him he didn’t want to re-sign once his contract expired, and that move became easier after Marco Rossi, Liam Ohgren and Zeev Buium strengthened their value during the first months of the season.
For now, though, the task is simple: survive the early storm and stay in position to make noise later. The roster may not be complete, but Minnesota might still have enough to win early, stay afloat and keep building once the regular season begins on Oct. 1.
In Other News...
Wild Goaltending Plans Suddenly Hinge On One Costly Unknown
Filip Gustavssons offseason hip surgery has put the Wild in an early bind, one that reaches well beyond training camp. The expectation is that he will miss camp and the start of the season, leaving Jesper Wallstedt and Calvin Pickard to carry the load in his absence while Minnesota waits to see how its No. 1 goalie comes out of a procedure that has become a familiar talking point across the NHL.
The larger issue is what this means for both Gustavssons recovery path and the Wilds planning in net. Hip surgery can vary widely in how it affects a goaltenders return and performance, and Minnesota now has to balance that uncertainty with roster and contract considerations while leaning on a tandem that was not supposed to define the early part of the season. [Read more 🡒]
Quinn Hughes Contract Standoff Puts Wild On Edge
Quinn Hughes is still unsigned beyond the 2026-27 season as he takes part in the NHL Media Tour, and for the Wild, the situation has become one of those familiar late-summer pressures that can linger in the background until real talks start again. Minnesota is said to be confident it can ultimately keep him in place, with the club preferring an eight-year deal worth $160 million while Hughes appears to be leaning toward a shorter three-year arrangement.
The next stage figures to come once Hughes gets back to St. Paul, where the conversation is expected to pick up in earnest. For now, the gap is less about whether both sides want to stay together and more about how long that marriage should last, and at what salary. In a market where top-end talent rarely comes cheap, the Wild can at least take some comfort in believing the finish line is still reachable. [Read more 🡒]