5 players the Wild could trade this offseason
The Minnesota Wild are coming off another disappointing finish to the season and are in need of an overhaul. With the cap penalties for the Zach Parise and Ryan Suter buyouts reaching their peak of $14.7 million in each of the next two seasons, upgrading the roster won't be an easy task and will require general manager Bill Guerin getting creative.
That could open up the trade market as the Wild will look to improve without taking a step back. With the offseason approaching, there are several names that could be on the move, giving the Wild a different look heading into next season.
Calen Addison
One of the centerpieces in the 2020 trade that sent Jason Zucker to the Pittsburgh Penguins, Addison was one of the top prospects in the organization and became a key part to the Wild's power play early last season. But despite his 18 assists with the man advantage, Addison fell out of favor with the Wild's coaching staff and was a consistent scratch in favor of trade deadline acquisition John Klingberg over the second half of the season.
Klingberg and fellow defenseman Matt Dumba are expected to depart in free agency and Addison's spot on the roster isn't secure. Former Gophers captain Brock Faber is expected to begin the season with the team and the Wild could add a veteran in free agency or turn to young prospects Ryan O'Rourke or Carson Lambos.
This creates an odd man out situation for Addison, who might be the Wild's best trade chip at 23 years old. The Athletic currently has Addison ranked 15th on its latest trade board and it seems likely the Wild will dangle him in an attempt to add elsewhere on the roster.
Marco Rossi
Rossi has had big expectations as the ninth overall pick in the NHL Draft but hasn't been able to stick with the Wild so far. Rossi led the NHL in scoring last preseason but managed just one assist in 19 games after opening the season with Minnesota before being demoted to the AHL.
The good news is that Rossi had a great season with the Iowa Wild, recording 51 points (16 G, 35 A) in 53 games, but he had almost identical numbers in the minors last year with 53 points (18 G, 35 A) in 63 games. Can he do it at the NHL level?
The Wild are starving for a top-flight center and if they don't believe Rossi can take the steps needed to be that player, it might be best to move on. But it's uncertain what kind of value they can get for a former top-10 pick and a trades comes with a significant amount of risk if he figures it out somewhere other than Minnesota.
Alex Goligoski
Many were surprised when the Wild signed Goligoski to a two-year extension in April 2021 and it could lead to a tricky divorce as the Wild head into this season.
Goligoski recently met with Guerin to discuss his future after he played in just 46 games and was a healthy scratch for the majority of last season, according to Michael Russo. With a $2 million salary, the Wild would probably like to get him off the books, but Goligoski has a full no-movement clause that would require him to approve any trade.
Brandon Duhaime
Duhaime recorded 10 points (9 G, 1 A) while serving as a bottom-six forward last season but is also looking for a new contract as a restricted free agent.
A player in Duhaime's position usually doesn't command a huge haul but at 26 years old he has enough upside to warrant a minor deal. Ranked 24th on The Athletic's trade board, Duhaime could fetch something in return and could be a decent throw-in piece to complete a bigger deal.
Marcus Foligno
Dealing Foligno would be a tough pill for Wild fans to swallow but it's possible that the fan favorite's time in Minnesota has run its course.
Foligno surprised many when he set career-highs in goals (23), assists (19) and points (42) during the 2021-22 season, but he regressed mightily by posting just 21 points in 65 games last season. In addition, Foligno took the team's "Grit First" slogan too far in the playoffs, racking up one point and 35 penalty minutes in the six-game playoff series with the Dallas Stars.
Wild fans would point out that officiating had something to do with Foligno's time in the penalty box, but at $3.1 million, the Wild need a season similar to the one he had two years ago. If they don't think they can get it, "Moose" could be on the move.
