Coming from a fan on the outside looking in, things are looking bleak in Minnesota.
Minnesota is in need of a 1B goalie (assuming Fleury chooses to go elsewhere), and to resign Jacob Middleton. I think this unfortunately spells the end of Kevin Fiala in Minnesota. But I don't think this team is completely dead in the water. With the right cap management, this team can very well compete into next year.
This gets unrealistic here but something plausible which is a 3 way trade between NJD, VAN and MIN.
NJD - RFA Rights to Kevin Fiala, Dmitri Kulikov, William Lockwood, VAN 2023 2nd Round Draft Picks & 1,312,500 retained on JT Miller
VAN - RFA Rights to Pavel Zacha, Matt Dumba, Alexander Khovanov, MIN 2022 1st, VAN 2022 2nd Round Draft Pick & 2,625,000 retained on JT Miller
MIN - JT Miller (1,312,500 Cap Hit), Rights to Arseni Gritsyuk & NJD 2022 4th Round Draft Pick
Why this works for NJ:
- The one thing Devils really do here is part ways with Pavel Zacha. Pending RFA personally feels like a long time coming. However they do get paid for such, not by Vancouver but by the Minnesota Wild. The Wild part ways and deal Kevin Fiala to the New Jersey Devils. Devils seem like a top team to land Fiala and I feel they do. Every season they get closer and closer to contending and this is a good start. In addition to Fiala, they also take on former Devil Dmitiri Kulikov from the Wild. Someone who the Devils are familiar with a great shutdown defencemen. Unfortunatley the Wild are in cap cutting mode so they'll need to sacrifice some bodies. They pick up William Lockwood as well from the Vancouver Canucks, pretty highly touted coming out of the prestigious Michigan program, Lockwood has struggled to find footing in the NHL with the Canucks. Playing majority of the season in Abbotsford last season. With a weaker team like NJD its possible he finds a stride and challenges for a spot, or returns to Utica. What NJ gives up seems minimal. They give Pavel Zacha's RFA rights over to Vancouver. Seems like a long time coming, the rumoured relationship between Zacha and NJ organization has not been great and likely time for a fresh start. They also give up KHL star Arseni Gritsyuk to the Wild alongside their 4th round pick. In addition to that, they retain 25% on JT Millers deal for MIN.
Why this works for VAN:
- We know that if an extension cannot be worked out for JT MIller this offseason then he'll be moved and I believe that will be the case. A team that pursued him over the season and should re pursue them is the Minnesota Wild. And working this 3 way deal, the Canucks do get a lot of value out of this. The previously mentioned Pavel Zacha but as well a solidified top 4 defender in Matt Dumba. Making 6 mil as the Wild are trying to cut down on costs is a good deal to ship out of the door. Dumba will really help Vancouver down the RD with their depth. As well from Minnesota they get some more value. They as well pick up prospect Alexander Khovanov, who has floundered since coming to NA this season but has shown flashes of brilliance and could use a change of scenery. In addition, MIN ships out their top 2 picks this year, their 1st as well as Vancouver's 2nd. Vancouver as well picks up 50% of JT Miller's cap which is only 1 year remaining.
Why this works for MIN:
- While the buyouts of Suter and Parise will haunt MIN for the next few years, they need cost efficient, good players to help this team contend while Kaprizov is under contract. Finally giving Kaprizov an elite center in JT Miller will work wonders for the team. That is why as MIN I would be content giving up Fiala, Kulikov, Dumba, Khovanov, a 1st and 2nd to get this deal done. Not only do you get rid of over 8.25 million in Dumba & Kulikov. But you find value for an RFA certainly on his way out in Fiala. In addition to Miller the Wild do get a few more assets. They pick up Arseni Gritsyuk. a KHL star under contract till the end of the 22/23 season. At just 20 years old he was apart of Russia's Olympic team, putting up 3 points in 6 games. Much like Kaprizov before him, Minnesota picks up another potential Russian phenom.
After a complicated 3 way deal, we have a nice and easy 1 for 1 deal with the Carolina Hurricanes. The Wild pick up Ethan Bear and the Hurricanes pick up Jordan Greenway. Hurricanes lost 2 bottom 6 LWers last offseason in Brock McGinn and Warren Foegele who both play a somewhat similar game to Greenway. The Bear/Foegele trade between EDM/CAR was a lose-lose for both parties involved unfortunately. At the end of his current deal, Bear should look for a new home in MIN. He played good hockey at times for EDM and I really think he can rekindle that. Greenway also had a rough season points wise for MIN and in the middle of a long term deal could find a new home as well
As for RFA contracts, Ethan Bear gets resigned at 2 mil once again, matching his last years salary. Jacob Middleton however gets a nice long term deal, 2.75 over 4 years as MIN signs him up nice and long term. Connor Dewar also resigns. With the assumption Fleury likely is not coming back that does not leave much MIN UFA's worth resigning except Nic Deslauries. He was a solid piece this year and can get re upped to play 4LW. For a low-key FA signing I like Derek Stepan. Minnesota native, Former 50 point scorer has transitioned into a grit role as of late. I feel there would be mutual interest in him joining MIN in their bottom 6.
The last trade here has a good chance at NOT happening but I decided to include it anyways. This comes with the possibility that Robin Lehner & VGK's relationship comes to a screeching halt and Lehner wants out. This trade very closely resembles the Fleury trade of last year. I could very well see a situation where Logan Thompson is dubbed as VGK's #1 goalie, as George McPhee pulls strings to get his former draft pick Braden Holtby as his backup for cheap. Also, we're not dealing with Ken Holland here, we know VGK is in cap troubles and we will not buy to pick up assets with cap. As well, with Lehner signed for 3 years starting in 22/23, he'll be around for the passing of the torch to Jesper Wallstedt. Lehner as well being swedish would be a good tandem goalie for Wallstedt making the transition into the NHL, as I predict he likely spends 1 more full year in SHL or possibly AHL. But I don't think he's thrusted into the spotlight in the NHL during the 22/23 season.
Going into the 22/23 season Minnesota has just over 3 mil still in free cap space. Retaining so much on JT Miller, this leaves MIN potential to buy at the 22/23 deadline with plenty of cap space to do so. The middle 6 might get some juice if Rossi doesn't translate well into the NHL for his rookie year, or Tyson Jost continues to struggle. Potentially Addision and/or Bear don't quite cut it on defence and MIN goes out to buy a RD at the deadline. Maybe a goalie goes down? With all that being said there's no reason to spend up to the cap roof at the seasons start. There's plenty of wiggle room for unforeseen circumstances mid season.
Canucks get Dumba, Zacha, a 2022 1st, their 2022 2nd back for JT and 2nd in 2023 seems like good value for Canucks. The prospect doesn't seem to be doing too hot in year 1 of North America hockey but the team needs prospects so this would probably be a go for the Canucks assuming Dumba would have interest sticking around past one year.
Wild are getting screwed here. Fiala, Dumba, Khovanov, 1st, 2nd, Kulikov in exchange for a 1 year rental + prospect + 4th? Miller is good but nobody is giving that much value for 1 year
Every single one of your proposal here is bad for Minnesota. They have no need for a rental In JT Miller. They walked away so did numerous teams because they weren't willing to pay that for him when he wasn't. Wild don't need Ethan bear or worse Expensive G in Robin lehner
You clearly haven’t watched Bear in a Canes jersey. He has been really good and was solid on the top pairing when he played with Slavin, but on the bottom pairing, it was a rotation. Cole was guaranteed to be on the roster for the playoffs with his cup experience, and between Smith and Bear, Smith has been slightly better. The trade wasn’t a lose/lose, but more of a lose/even, with Carolina really breaking even. I like Bear, but Smith and even Chatfield are better options right now, and also cheaper.
That being said, the Canes need a top 6 LW who is a pure goal scorer, not another depth piece.
You clearly haven’t watched Bear in a Canes jersey. He has been really good and was solid on the top pairing when he played with Slavin, but on the bottom pairing, it was a rotation. Cole was guaranteed to be on the roster for the playoffs with his cup experience, and between Smith and Bear, Smith has been slightly better. The trade wasn’t a lose/lose, but more of a lose/even, with Carolina really breaking even. I like Bear, but Smith and even Chatfield are better options right now, and also cheaper.
That being said, the Canes need a top 6 LW who is a pure goal scorer, not another depth piece.
Bear has been a healthy scratch often and averages 16 minutes a night. Ideally he’s a 3rd pair d man
Caerii a aimé ceci.
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