Speculation: If you were GM of Minnesota

[Digitalbooya]

What are the first moves you make? Free agent targets? Would you tank? Would you hold out hope for something other than a 1st round exit?

NMCs: Parise, Suter, Koivu
M-NTC: Staal, Spurgeon, Dubnyk

Look forward to hearing other fanbases’ opinions.

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[613Leafer]

They're in a tough spot. Moderately competitive in that theyre a consistent playoff team for six years now, but nobody sees them as a contender.

They also have some huge contracts they probably can't move in Parise and Suter. And then their best forward is 34 next year and has already shown some ups/downs the last 5 years, possibly due to age.

If I were them, I'd probably be looking to restructure the team. I just can't see them winning on their current trajectory. So I'd sell high on Staal, and look into what other veterans I could move, with the focus of maximizing the return by taking back bad contracts / retaining salary if needed.

Then spend a year or two signing guys on low-risk deals, with the intention of flipping them at the deadline if out of the playoff picture.

 

[Toews2Bickell]

Get younger, try to make timely acquisitions for a game breaking forward ala Saad for Panarin, Larsson for Hall, etc. Bank on a compliance buyout for Parise. Do not intentionally tank, but try to methodically build the team via smart draft picks and trades ala WPG/NSH over a 3-5 year span. Minny fans could handle this type of retool, they understand whats going on. And probably keep Boudreau since he's done about as much as he can with that roster imo, although I'm not sure if he's a good coach for a young roster, so if not then maybe look elsewhere after a year or two if he can't make it work.

 

[Hammond]

No need to blow it up lol. They're missing their best dman against a great winnipeg team. they should rid themselves of dead weight and try to add some younger depth players. Keep brucey and try again next year.

 

[hi]

They have a bunch of good players but 0 players that will allow them to truly contend for the Cup. Their drafting seems weak so the first thing I would do is revamp the scouting department and the approach to the draft. They also trade picks like they are candy so stop doing that.

 

[Pens x]

You gotta start over at this point. This team isn’t contending anytime soon.

 

[XXIV97]

1) I would bring over Kirill Kaprizov to increase scoring depth
2) I would target players with speed to play in the bottom 6 (x)
3) Sign Bozak for the 3rd line



JASON ZUCKER-ERIC STAAL-NINO NIEDERREITER
ZACH PARISE-MIKKO KOIVU-MIKAEL GRANLUND
KIRILL KAPRIZOV-TYLER BOZAK-CHARLIE COYLE
JOEL ERIKSSON EK-MATT CULLEN-X

 

[stl76]

First move I would make would be to wait until the season is over...

 

[BlueDream]

First move I would make would be to wait until the season is over...

Well let's not pretend like they're going to beat the Jets.

They have a pretty good roster, they just need to add an elite goal scorer that can put them over the top.

Move a guy like Coyle or Niederreiter along with some futures to bring in a guy like Pacioretty. If they can add that to their offense, they may actually get somewhere.

I'd just make one blockbuster move and see where it gets them before blowing anything up. So far, Fletcher hasn't been aggressive enough in upgrading them. Just lateral deals.

 

[Bazeek]

Well let's not pretend like they're going to beat the Jets.

They have a pretty good roster, they just need to add an elite goal scorer that can put them over the top.

Move a guy like Coyle or Niederreiter along with some futures to bring in a guy like Pacioretty. If they can add that to their offense, they may actually get somewhere.

I'd just make one blockbuster move and see where it gets them before blowing anything up. So far, Fletcher hasn't been aggressive enough in upgrading them. Just lateral deals.

I've been pretty positive on Fletcher overall. He's made some missteps, but overall he runs the team well and has a good head on his shoulders. But if he moves Coyle or Nino for an older winger I'm cashing in my 401k to put up the billboards.

I get what you're saying more generally though, and I don't disagree.

 

[Uncle Scrooge]

Well if im Fletcher i really don't have much of a choice than to stay the course. They committed almost 200M on 2 players - Parise and Suter and neither are going anywhere. They re-signed Koivu. Their core is full of guys who are around their mid 20's. And the team is making the playoffs every year.

The older vets on the team aren't done yet, but it's not going to last for too many years. I think at this point they have to just try and improve the team any way they can in the near future and try to squeeze 1 good playoff run at least. Difference between winning and losing for a team like Minny is very thin.. If they can find some type of new mojo, like for instance a 3rd line that produces they could find a whole new dimension to their game and carry it to the playoffs.

Playoff success is ultimately what you want but not having it is also something that's easy to overreact to. Like for instance the team had some decent playoff battles under Yeo all things considered when they were actually a worse team than these last couple years. If im the GM i believe the team is good enough to compete, but at the same time i realize they need something new to spark things.

Being a perennial playoff team isn't exactly the worst place to be in, despite what some people say. Cap going up benefits the Wild a lot. Next summer will be a huge one for Minny and i think that's the biggest focus for them right now, tearing it apart or stuff like that is something they can think about some time in the future. I believe there's still a window for the Wild to get something done but the GM has to be active and explore literally every option out there. Sitting on your ass hoping next year will be better isn't going to make things better.

 

[BigZ65]

Prioritize speed all over the ice, drafting and acquiring.

I think it's almost time to rebuild considering the amount of picks they've dealt at the deadline over the years. Could do this on the fly and stay competitive since guys like Parise, Suter, Koivu aren't going anywhere.

 

[AveryStar4Eva]

There in a tough spot, because they are not a contender, but their contracts and no move clauses make it hard to rebuild. If they can add another dynamic forward or two (Kaprizov, Neal, etc) they could do some damage.

There defence and goaltending is contender level in my opinion.

 

[Guffman]

No need to blow it up lol. They're missing their best dman against a great winnipeg team. they should rid themselves of dead weight and try to add some younger depth players. Keep brucey and try again next year.

They finished 13 and 16 points behind Winnipeg and Nashville respectively with Suter playing 78 games. Winnipeg will be getting even better next year and I don’t see Nashville slowing down.

What’s your game plan in getting out of the division next year? Do you really want to be first round fodder again?

 

[Voodoo Glow Skulls]

What are the first moves you make? Free agent targets? Would you tank? Would you hold out hope for something other than a 1st round exit?

NMCs: Parise, Suter, Koivu
M-NTC: Staal, Spurgeon, Dubnyk

Look forward to hearing other fanbases’ opinions.

I don't know what the GM should do.

Its kinda an established team, overall structure isn't bad, no horrible contracts, decent prospects coming up...

Seem to be stuck in limbo.

Maybe go big and go after Karlsson?

I don't think a rebuild is a good idea.

 

[ViktorBaeArvidsson]

First, I would quit.

 

[BlueBaron]

The first move I'd make if I was GM of any team would be to buy a new house and car.

Seriously though. You don't just trash a playoff team but you could become conservative. Keep FA signings short and when opportunity shows itself trade some of those more difficult contracts for younger cheaper versions with upside. Focus on drafting and scouting and hope you can have a good run or two before a complete rebuild is required.

 

[justafan22]

The first move I'd make if I was GM of any team would be to buy a new house and car.

Seriously though. You don't just trash a playoff team but you could become conservative. Keep FA signings short and when opportunity shows itself trade some of those more difficult contracts for younger cheaper versions with upside. Focus on drafting and scouting and hope you can have a good run or two before a complete rebuild is required.

Yeah I mean they're good enough to be a playoff team but they just aren't a contender and some of their best players are declining already. Washington West IMO, with a slightly worse core. Dubnyk could get hot one year and win them a cup, but even at times they just aren't good enough to match up with the Jets and Preds of the west, who will always be in their way for the next 2-3 years.

 

[absolute garbage]

Being a perennial playoff team isn't exactly the worst place to be in, despite what some people say.

This often gets lost on HF, where basically anything but the Cup or 1st overall pick is a failure.

The Wild are in a pretty good spot. They have a good core in place for a few more years at least, and a couple of young players (JEE, Greenway, Kunin, Kaprizov) coming up who will make an impact of some size, possibly a big one.

Just keep winning and making the playoffs while scanning the market for opportunities to exploit the dumber GMs in the league. The cap crunch is coming for the Jets and Preds that will level the playing field.

 

[McSuper]

What are the first moves you make? Free agent targets? Would you tank? Would you hold out hope for something other than a 1st round exit?

NMCs: Parise, Suter, Koivu
M-NTC: Staal, Spurgeon, Dubnyk

Look forward to hearing other fanbases’ opinions.

Might not like what other fans post . I feel like posting a trade but of course that would be with the Oilers as that is my team . Problem becomes are you making a proposal base on both teams need or one base on your favourite team . I feel if I made one it would only take the Oilers needs into consideration for a few reason . 1 being I don't know the Wild well enough to know their needs

 

[Jay haller]

Resign, simply as that

 

[Ctrain2k]

I'd start building around the young guys Granlund, Dumba, Coyle, Niederreiter. ETC.
They've also done pretty well drafting lately with Kunin and Greenway

 

[Juxtaposer]

The Wild have a bunch of really good young players, but they lack that superstar scorer that would take them from “perennial playoff team” to “true contender”. Unfortunately there’s no simple way of getting one, and their hands are tied financially by Parise, Suter, and to an extent Koivu.

 

[north49er]

What are the first moves you make? Free agent targets? Would you tank? Would you hold out hope for something other than a 1st round exit?

NMCs: Parise, Suter, Koivu
M-NTC: Staal, Spurgeon, Dubnyk

Look forward to hearing other fanbases’ opinions.

IMO they MUST get younger and that's easier said than done. If you look at there roster they only have 3 forwards 25 or younger and I'm not sure all of them are even on their current roster (is Luke Kunin playing? If not it's down to 2 forwards). Their current opponents (Jets) have at least 9 forwards 25 or younger. Not sure where the Wild went off course but this year, with an aging roster, may be their last kick at the Cup for a while.

 

[Joey Moss]

Minnesota is in the stage where they would be smart to re-build this off-season and it won't take as long to be back to a contender. If some of those players waive they could get some value for them still.