Minnesota Wild news: Trade rumors, Beckman up, Khusnutdinov imminent
Marcus Johansson has been placed on injured reserve and the Minnesota Wild have recalled forward Adam Beckman from the American Hockey League and he'll be in the lineup Thursday night when the Wild take on the Coyotes in Arizona.
Beckman has seven goals and three assists in his last 10 games with the Iowa Wild.
The roster moves are happening as Johansson deals with a lower-body injury and more moves could be on the way with the NHL trade deadline hitting at 2 p.m. CT Friday.
Will the Wild trade Brandon Duhaime (yes), Connor Deward, Patrick Maroon or Jon Merrill?
They're the four players most commonly discussed in NHL rumor mills, and The Athletic's Michael Russo and Joe Smith are reporting that Duhaime and Dewar were "garnering interest." Just hours later the Wild and Avalanche agreed to a deal that saw Minnesota send them Duhaime for a 2026 third-round draft pick.
Meanwhile, Marcus Foligno could return from a groin injury Thursday or Friday, according to what general manager Bill Guerin told Russo and Smith. Foligno hasn't played since aggravating his groin injury on Feb. 9.
On top of that, Minnesota should be welcoming prospect Marat Khusnutdinov in the next couple of days, with Russo saying he could be arriving in the U.S. from Russia and skating with the Wild at practice on Saturday.
Guerin has predicted Khusnutdinov will play center for the Wild, who enter play Thursday nine points out of a playoff spot with only 20 games to go.
Marat Khusnutdinov’s U.S. work visa has been issued, I’m told. He will fly all day tomorrow and arrive in Minnesota tomorrow night. Assuming the #mnwild still practice Saturday, he’ll join team and likely skate for the first time
— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) March 7, 2024
The Wild need as many bodies as they can get with back-to-back road games Thursday-Friday against Arizona and Colorado before a home game Sunday against Nashville.
Bill Guerin anticipates Marat Khusnutdinov will start at center for Wild
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