The Wild’s offseason has already hit the point where the biggest question isn’t who they might add. It’s when they’ll be able to add anyone at all.
Cap space is tight, even after a few minor moves, and the goalie situation hangs over everything. Minnesota is sitting on about $6 million in room, and one of those moves was a one-year, $1 million deal for Calvin Pickard.
He gave Edmonton 64 starts over the past three seasons, was shaky last year, and was at least a solid backup the two seasons before that. For now, he’s insurance while Gustavsson gets healthy.
If the Wild do manage to swing a trade, Pickard could end up as the No. 2 goalie for the whole season.
That possibility, though, may not come together right away. A deal may have to wait until midseason, once Gustavsson is healthy enough to make the rest of the plan clearer.
That would leave the Wild in the same kind of holding pattern they dealt with last season, when owner Craig Leipold wanted Christmas on July 1 but had to wait much closer to the real holiday before the Quinn Hughes trade talk turned into anything tangible. The biggest move of this offseason, in other words, might still be months away.
That creates a tricky short-term problem for a team that wants to win now. Asking fans to be patient is never easy, and it gets harder when the roster is already losing proven scoring. Marcus Johansson, Vladimir Tarasenko and Mats Zuccarello were responsible for 20% of the Wild’s offense last season, and all three are on their way out.
Minnesota has already spent some of its remaining cap room on Flames winger Blake Coleman in a trade Thursday, and the possible Larkin pursuit still looms over the whole operation. But the immediate reality is a thinner scoring group and a lot of pressure on the players still standing.
Zuccarello’s exit makes some sense, especially if he reaches all his bonuses on a Kings contract that could climb past $6 million. He and Kirill Kaprizov clicked on the ice, and their friendship clearly mattered in Kaprizov’s growth. Still, the message from the organization is pretty clear: it’s time for Kirill to move forward without the safety net.
The Wild aren’t the only team in town dealing with a slow market. The Wolves are also staring at roster holes and limited spending power, which has made their free agency quiet since it opened Tuesday.
Their top need is a big man. The difference, of course, is that the Wolves already made two blockbuster trades last week.
Elsewhere, Team USA got through a red card situation from first-half scorer Folarin Balogun and beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 on Wednesday, but Balogun will be out again Monday against Belgium, with a World Cup quarterfinal spot on the line.
On the local basketball side, Patrick Reusse had a strong read on the Lynx, and fans have reason to be excited about the near-term return of Napheesa Collier. She and Dorka Juhász, both of whom have not played this season, were back at practice Wednesday.
And for Twins fans, Bobby Nightengale had a strong feature on prospect Walker Jenkins, who made for a big night in St. Paul on Tuesday. Nightengale also joined Thursday’s podcast, coming off a Twins series win over the Astros that sends Minnesota to New York with some momentum, even as the suddenly struggling Yankees wait.
In Other News...
Wild Make Another Quiet Bet That Could Matter More Than Fans Think
The Wild added another low-key piece to their long view, signing forward Max Shabanov to a one-year deal for the 2026-27 season. It is the sort of move that can disappear in the noise of a busy offseason, but Minnesota has shown a willingness to keep looking for value wherever it can find it, especially with players who still have some runway left in front of them.
Shabanov arrives after the Islanders chose not to give him a qualifying offer, opening the door for him to reach unrestricted free agency. His track record still gives the Wild something to work with, especially after the offensive numbers he posted in the KHL with Traktor Chelyabinsk, but the next step will be figuring out whether he can bring that production over and stay available long enough to matter. [Read more 🡒]
Flames Just Made A Veteran Trade That Says Plenty About The Plan
The Wild and Flames completed a veteran-flavored swap that reshapes the back end of Minnesotas roster and the long-term balance of its draft cupboard. Calgary is retaining half of Blake Colemans $4.9 million cap hit, and the trade also sends a package of future picks to the Flames, underlining that Minnesota is paying for proven help rather than waiting on younger, less certain options.
There is also a contract wrinkle that helps explain how the deal came together. Jake Middletons modified no-trade clause kicked in July 1, and Calgary was not on his 15-team no-trade list, which opened the door for the move once the sides started working through the details. For the Wild, the immediate question now is less about the mechanics of the trade and more about how quickly the new pieces settle into a lineup that has been looking for steadier, more seasoned answers. [Read more 🡒]
Bill Guerin Just Put Wild Fans In A Familiar Trade Bind
Bill Guerins summer approach has been pretty familiar for Wild fans: stay patient, keep shopping, and walk away when the price gets too steep. The Minnesota general manager said the club has backed out of some trade discussions after the asking prices climbed beyond what it was willing to pay, even as other talks simply failed to line up. For a roster that still has areas to address, it is the kind of stance that can sound prudent one day and maddening the next.
Guerin also made clear there is still time left to find help, which is why the market remains worth watching for Minnesota. The Wild have options, but they are operating in that uneasy middle ground between wanting to improve and refusing to overextend, a spot that often defines how this front office handles business. For now, the question is whether patience leads to the right fit or just another round of near misses. [Read more 🡒]