Russo mentioned these names in his latest Athletic article:
Sources say the Wild have shown interest in well-decorated Vegas Golden Knights goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, who ranks fifth all-time with 466 wins and won one of his three Stanley Cups in 2009 with Guerin as his Pittsburgh Penguins teammate. The Wild also have expressed interest in Arizona’s Darcy Kuemper, their own 2009 sixth-round pick who was cut loose in 2017 but has emerged as a solid goalie the past two years.
Kuemper is now 30 and the price, which could include a first-round pick, could be steep. Same with either of Columbus’ two goalies — Elvis Merzlikins and Joonas Korpisalo. The Blue Jackets reportedly want at least a top-two center or winger for one of them, and the Wild are a team that needs centers. Other goalies that may be available via trade? Boston’s Tuukka Rask, the Islanders’ Semyon Varlamov and Florida blue-chip prospect Spencer Knight.
If Jacob Markstrom remains unsigned by Vancouver, he’d be the top free-agent goalie available. But at age 30, he’ll want a long-term, lucrative deal. If it got to free agency, Guerin could also look to sign more of a stopgap that could buy Kahkonen or Jones more time in their development like Braden Holtby, Corey Crawford, Thomas Greiss or Cam Talbot.
