Not a Wild fan but Donato, Khovanov, 2021 PIT's 1st (top 10 protected, turns into 2022 1st) vs Cirelli and 2020 3rd IMO is close to fair or fair

I'd say Hartman+9th overall for Cirelli.

Wild can do better than that. @TanSor, @MNBassman , @RazWild .

Ofc they can.

Just saying that's fair imo.

It's hard to send anything to TB except picks/prospects because of their cap situation. So something around the OS value of a 1st+3rd? We can toss in Hunt or Donato if you wanted a cheap player instead.

i may need to let them know what i'm looking for but i do know Cirelli will cost more than OS value, we take cheap players tho

Thing is Cirelli would have to sign it. Not sure he'd want to leave Tampa since they are in the cup finals this year.

A deal around Dumba makes the most sense for the Wild, but with his cap hit it doesn't make any sense for Tampa. Maybe a 3rd team gets involved where picks/prospects are going to Tampa, Dumba is sent to the 3rd team, and Cirelli comes to the Wild?

remember the Robin lehner trade where part of his cap hit went to Toronto and Toronto got a free 5th from it

I think it would be a deal surrounded around Wild taking back money possibly Johnson and sending some cheaper options plus the 1st maybe Johnson + Cirelli for Eriksson-EK and the 2021 Min 1st. That was my starting point. I hate giving up Ek but I think he is what the lightning will really want.

This is most ideal do you think Calgary wants Dumba enough to be the 3rd team?

Yeah, it would be Ek plus a 1st. Ek costs 1.5 next year and is similar defensively. I think Cirelli is a great player but he isnt the 1C Minnesota is looking for, he's just one of the best this year.

Maybe... From what Friedman and Russo were saying it almost sounds like Calgary is the team most interested in Dumba.

It might be a bad idea. I think Ek is finally going to get a chance to show what he can do offensively.

If he was traded he wouldn't have to sign it; that's all I'm basing my offer against.

You're correct Cirelli could be a team player and take a dirt cheap deal, just to keep the team together in TB. But if that was the case he would have been signed to that deal already.

What is the point of getting Cirelli when we lose Ek?

Our center depth is still ****ed at that point then.

We need both. Plus whomever we draft this year to set up this team for the long term, otherwise we're just spinning in circles throwing leafs in air blabbering like a idiot. Homer Simpson style...

Ek would be a loss but center depth in that case would still be better as you would have Cirelli and Johnson added to the middle.
Wild are probably better of keeping Ek and 21 1st. Not sure what Guerin can talk them down to but I think the lightning will want Ek.

Ek is valuable if he does or does not break out offensively. If he does, we’ve got a Cirelli on our hands. If not, he’s a reliable 3C that won’t cost too much. If we get Cirelli, we’re still in the hunt for a 1C.

I think we can take a flyer on Domi or Dylan Strome if a 1st is in play, both of which could probably be had for less. They’re dedicated offensive guys that the Wild are lacking. I know you’re not a Domi fan, but maybe a forward that doesn’t think about defense is what the Wild need. If we get better goaltending our back end is good enough to support that.

Cirelli's numbers are suppressed a bit as he is the 3c in Tampa, however, he does get more time than most 3c's due to injuries.
I think he will be the closest thing to a Bergeron type that the Wild will find.
I think to your other point Wild shouldn't trade Ek for Cirelli. If Wild trade Ek it should be a center more in the Barkov tier.

so the question is how much is the gap is between EK and Cirelli

^This^

My point is, you want both for a specific reason. I don't consider Johansson a center, although I actually like us picking him up tbh, as I see him more readily as being a replacement for Greenway at 3LW who my gut feeling gets moved this off-season. JEE is capable of holding down the 2C for us next year while we wait for either one of Khovanov, 2020 1st rounder, or a FA/trade target in 21', 22', 23' is ready or acquired.

Another reason why you keep Ek is if he explodes offensively, than yes you have yourself your own Cirelli, but if we have Cirelli as well? Why then you have two Cirelli's, and that is math that I like!

I think the consensus I'm getting is that Ek plus for Cirelli is a no go.
You should jump in on this a bit. What really makes sense for the lightning. I wouldn't be to hung up on Ek as he is a RFA in 2021 so lightning would be in the same situation next year. Sturm is NHL ready just starting to get his feet wet or maybe lightning don't want a center I think they have a few guys on the wing that can play center.
I'm thinking the offer from @KakkoForMauriceRichardAward is a pretty good offer otherwise the 3-way trade idea from @TanSor is probably the next most likely from Minnesota.

Tampa isn't moving Cirelli for a scratch ticket or a prospect that won't be ready next year. If Tampa looks to trade him at all, which I doubt, they will need a return that really impresses them. Donato, Khovanov and a mid late to late '21 1st? No thanks. If either Dumba retained (with a 3rd team involved maybe), or EK+maybe a pick/prospect for Cirelli is in play, then I could see Tampa interested. If it's just 3rd/4th line guys plus picks/prospects, it doesn't interest Tampa, who whether they win the Cup this year or not, will still be looking to win now and not give up their rising 2C who will be a key part for years to come.

Im going to comment on this first, then give my opinion about the rest...

Everything above makes perfect sense...except for the fact that Tampa has almost zero leverage. They are incredibly cap-strapped, have 3 VERY important players to prioritize and negotiate with, and will absolutely have to take the best offer available for whichever player they: get the best return for, and/or deem the most expendable. There have to be at least 100 variables involved here. Add to this the fact that GMs aren’t going to be lining up to help the probable Cup winners with their roster issues...especially with their built in cap advantage because of the tax break they can negotiate with... AND the potential of a GM or two having the seeds to OS any or all of the 3 (Cirelli, Sergachev, Cernak).
Tampa has a Cup ready team, a tax break, and other teams competing against each other as leverage, that’s it.