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Snapshots: Buchnevich, Bogosian, Rosen

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The St. Louis Blues aren’t actively shopping winger Pavel Buchnevich but they are hearing out offers, shares team insider Jeremy Rutherford with The Athletic. Rutherford adds that any deal would likely start at a first-round draft pick and may even need two first-round picks to get done. That’s a steep price for an older veteran with just one year left on his contract but Buchnevich may earn it. He’s been one of St. Louis’ most productive players since joining them in 2021-22, totaling 186 points in 189 games with the club. That includes his 43 points in 53 games this season, a mark that ranks second on the Blues and puts Buchnevich on pace to break 65 points in his third season in a row.

Buchnevich became a pillar of the St. Louis offense quickly, scoring a career-high 76 points in 73 games during the 2021-22 season – a year that saw the Blues score their most goals in one season since 1981-82. He’s maintained that strength through the last two seasons, despite St. Louis’ scoring coming a bit slower, and even adapted to playing a top-line centerman role for parts of last season. His adaptability is evident, and that – as well as a chance to get a head start on contract negotiations – could be enough to convince playoff teams to pay a high premium at the Deadline.

Other notes from around the league:

  • The St. Louis Blues are expected to send down Calle Rosen to make room to activate Scott Perunovich off of injured reserve, per team reporter Matthew DeFranks. Perunovich is returning from a lower-body injury that’s held him out of the team’s last seven games. He will continue his search for his first goal of the season, and his NHL career, recording 12 assists through 31 games this season.
  • Minnesota Wild Defenseman Zach Bogosian is likely to miss at least a week of action after exiting the team’s Wednesday night game with an upper-body injury, per team reporter Michael Russo. Bogosian appears to have suffered the injury after blocking a shot from Nikolaj Ehlers, leaving the game after his shift. Bogosian has scored one goal and nine points in 44 games this season, serving a comfortable role in Minnesota’s top-four. His absence will likely lend way to Declan Chisholm or Jonathon Merrill gaining a larger role, though the Wild also have Alex Goligoski serving as a healthy scratch.

Trade Deadline Primer: Minnesota Wild

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With the All-Star break in the rearview, the trade deadline looms large and is now just a month away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should they be looking to make? We continue our look around the league with the Minnesota Wild.

After making the playoffs a total of 10 times in the last 11 seasons, the Wild were once again looking to compete for the Stanley Cup this upcoming spring. Unfortunately, things have not gone according to plan, with Minnesota now on the outside looking in when it comes to the Western Conference playoff race. After a head coaching change earlier in the season, the Wild are certainly still within reach, and will likely look to add around the fringes in the hopes of making Lord Stanley’s tournament.

Record

25-23-5, 6th in the Central Division.

Deadline Status

Conservative Sellers

Deadline Cap Space

$4.53 MM on deadline day, 0/3 retention slots used, 48/50 contracts used, per CapFriendly.

Upcoming Draft Picks

2024: MIN 1st, MIN 2nd, MIN 4th, MIN 5th, BUF 5th, MIN 6th
2025: MIN 1st, MIN 2nd, MIN  3rd, TOR 4th, MIN 6th

Trade Chips

With Minnesota signing most of their would-be trade chips to extensions last offseason, there only remains one veteran on the roster that could attract any sort of interest on March 8th. Now in his 20th year and an unrestricted free agent at season’s end, the Wild could look to peddle goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury with many contending teams looking to improve their situation between the pipes.

Fleury has been relatively productive this season, sporting a 10-9-3 record in 25 contests, carrying a .902 save percentage and 2.83 goals against average. Although he does carry a no-move clause, Fleury may waive that to join a contender in hopes of winning a Stanley Cup to cap off his career.

Teams like the Colorado Avalanche, Edmonton Oilers, and Toronto Maple Leafs could be interested in Fleury’s services, where he would primarily be utilized in a backup role to give their regular netminders more rest in between starts. Furthermore, teams such as the Carolina Hurricanes and New Jersey Devils may be in desperation mode when it comes to fixing their goaltending woes and may prefer Fleury to start the majority of games down the stretch.

Outside of Fleury, considering the organization will likely be nibbling around the edges when it comes to the trade market this March, it is unlikely Minnesota will consider moving either of their first-round selections in the next two upcoming NHL Drafts. They may consider moving out a thin pool of mid-round selections, but it will not be enough for the Wild to make any significant improvements to the roster.

Team Needs

1) Get Younger – Currently, the Wild ranks as the fourth-oldest team in the NHL, with the average age sitting at 29.4. Outside of the numerous overseas prospects looking to make the jump to North America next year, Minnesota has defensive prospects Carson Lambos and Daemon Hunt who are certainly on the cusp. Keeping in mind the stardom of goaltender Jesper Wallstedt, the Wild certainly have plenty of young talent ready to bring to the top level. Factoring in these upcoming players, they make the early extensions given to the likes of Ryan Hartman, Marcus Foligno, and Mats Zuccarello more difficult to comprehend, as their contracts are not only difficult to move out, but are blocking a few prospects from regular playing time.

2) A Right-Shot Defenseman – In the short term, if Minnesota is looking to make the playoffs in the 2023-24 season, they need to replace the lost minutes of captain Jared Spurgeon sooner rather than later. Rookie defenseman Brock Faber has certainly held his own on the right side of the top unit, but it quickly falls apart behind him. Last season, the team chose to acquire John Klingberg from the Anaheim Ducks to strengthen the right side of their defense, and they certainly could use another top-four defenseman within that caliber of player.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Minnesota Wild Sign Mason Shaw

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Now fully recovered from the second ACL injury of his career, the Minnesota Wild have signed forward Mason Shaw to a one-year, $775K contract, per a team announcement. Shaw has already suited up for the organization’s AHL affiliate in Iowa this season, scoring four goals and seven points in nine games.

Originally drafted by the Wild with the 97th overall selection of the 2017 NHL Draft, it would take a few years for Shaw to eventually reach the organization in a full-time role, scoring 33 points in 76 games during the 2018-19 season in Iowa. Aside from a few shortened seasons from 2019-2021, Shaw finally made his debut in Minnesota over a three-game stint in 2021-22.

Last season, playing 59 games for the Wild of the NHL, Shaw scored seven goals and 17 points overall, before the second tear of his ACL would cut his year short on April 1st. Although he is not an offensive weapon by any stretch of the imagination, Shaw’s style of play does make the Wild more difficult to play against.

During his brief time in the NHL, Shaw’s workhorse mentality, his ability to finish his hits and play physically, and his strong defensive attributes make him a player that General Manager Bill Guerin has prioritized on his roster. Having already played a handful of games in Iowa this season, Shaw will join Minnesota for practice shortly, and will likely be available to play in a game in the near future.

Marcus Foligno Will Miss Two Games, Connor Dewar To Return

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Wild winger Marcus Foligno will not travel on the team’s upcoming two-game road trip, according to Sarah McLellan of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. He was absent from practice earlier on Sunday after sustaining a lower-body injury in the third period of Friday’s game against the Penguins.

The 32-year-old has missed a handful of games with injuries this season but has again been a mainstay in the Wild lineup, recording 20 points in 47 games while averaging 14:35 and posting a team-high +12 rating. The former Sabre is now in his seventh season with the Wild and boasts a full no-movement clause as part of his pending four-year, $16MM extension that will run through 2028. He has not been placed on injured reserve, maintaining hope that he’ll be able to dress against his former team when the Wild return home next weekend.

Wild Expected To Recall Adam Beckman

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The Wild are expected to announce the recall of winger Adam Beckman from AHL Iowa on Sunday, The Athletic’s Michael Russo said. He joins the team in place of winger Marcus Foligno, who left Minnesota’s 3-2 win over the Penguins on Friday early in the third period with an undisclosed injury and did not practice Sunday morning, per Russo.

This is Beckman’s second recall in the last six days. The Wild summoned him on Monday to fill out their forward depth, but with Vinni Lettieri returning from a lower-body injury before Wednesday’s game against the Blackhawks, Beckman didn’t slot into the lineup and was returned to Iowa before Friday’s game.

The 22-year-old is in his third pro season since being selected in the third round, 75th overall, by the Wild in the 2019 draft. With 10 goals and 10 assists (20 points) in 39 games for Iowa, he’s on pace to fall short of last season’s 24 goals and 36 points, both of which were career-highs, set in 53 games.

Now an alternate captain at the minor-league level, Beckman’s high-end scoring during his time in junior hockey with the WHL’s Spokane Chiefs hasn’t fully translated to the pro level. Projecting as more of a top-nine threat than a top-six one if he works his way onto the Minnesota roster full-time, the Saskatchewan-born winger has one assist in 12 NHL appearances over the last three years.

Beckman could make his season debut Monday against the Golden Knights if Foligno is unable to play. The Wild do not have another forward on the roster to draw into the lineup and would need to dress seven defensemen if they opt to sit Beckman again.

With an open roster spot and ample cap space, given captain Jared Spurgeon’s long-term injured reserve placement, Minnesota will not need to execute a corresponding transaction to recall Beckman. He is in the final season of his entry-level contract, which carries an $894.2K cap hit, and will be an RFA this summer.

Foligno, 32, will miss his fifth game of the season due to illness or injury if he is not cleared to play. The 13-year veteran has again been a solid two-way force for Minnesota in a third-line role, recording 20 points in 47 games while posting an expected +3.8 rating, good enough for fifth on the team.

Jonas Brodin Returns To Lineup, Adam Beckman Reassigned

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Sarah McLellan of the Minneapolis Star Tribune is reporting that Minnesota Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin is set to return tonight against the Pittsburgh Penguins after missing the past few games with an illness. The 30-year-old hasn’t played since before the All-Star break back on January 27th against the Anaheim Ducks and should slide into the lineup on the team’s second pairing alongside Zach Bogosian.

Brodin missed a few weeks back in December with an upper-body injury and has dressed in just 32 games this season. The native of Karlstad, Sweden has averaged almost 24 minutes of ice time per game when he has been healthy and has a goal and 12 assists this season, nearly matching last season’s offensive output in half the games.

Brodin’s return will likely push Alex Goligoski into the press box and has also led the Wild to reassign Adam Beckman to the AHL. Beckman was recalled earlier in the week and was healthy scratched on Wednesday night when the Wild took on the Chicago Blackhawks. Beckham was once viewed as a solid prospect for Minnesota, but it appears time could be ticking on his chance of playing in the NHL for the Wild. The 22-year-old has just a single assist in 12 career NHL games and in the AHL this season he has nine goals and 10 assists in 37 games.

Beckham has received four NHL recalls in his career but has been passed over on multiple occasions recently when the Wild have needed to recall a player from their AHL affiliate.

Bill Guerin Named GM Of U.S. Four Nations And Olympic Teams

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Minnesota Wild president of hockey operations and general manager Bill Guerin has been named the general manager of Team USA for the upcoming 2025 NHL Four Nations Face-Off as well as the 2026 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team. The announcement was made official this morning and allows the three-time U.S. Olympian to take some time before selecting his first six players for the Four Nations tournament, which is something the NHL has asked each team to do early this summer.

Guerin is no stranger to donning the American sweater as he suited up for three Olympics in 1998, 2002, and 2006, winning a silver medal in 2002. He was also a member of the 1996 Team USA World Cup team that shocked the hockey world and created one of the most iconic moments in USA hockey history when they beat Team Canada to win the tournament. Guerin is a member of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, having been inducted back in 2013.

Guerin retired from playing in 2010 as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins and then spent eight seasons with the team in management, winning two Stanley Cups. He was then named general manager of the Wild in August 2019 and guided Minnesota to four consecutive playoff appearances before being named president of hockey operations and general manager last July.

Guerin made sweeping changes in Minnesota during his nearly five years with the franchise with his biggest moves being the buyouts of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter. Now he is tasked with putting together a collection of American players who can bring home gold in two separate tournaments and could be the favourite in both. Team Canada will have arguably the best forward group in both tournaments; however, the Americans will likely boast the most well-rounded team, something that Guerin and his staff will start to look at in the coming months.

Pat Maroon Undergoes Back Surgery

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Earlier this week, the Wild placed winger Pat Maroon on injured reserve.  We now know how long he’ll be out of the lineup as the team announced (Twitter link) that the veteran underwent successful back surgery on Tuesday and is set to miss the next four to six weeks.

The 35-year-old is in his first season with Minnesota after the Wild acquired him back in July for a seventh-round pick.  The change of scenery has certainly helped Maroon’s offensive game as he had 16 points in 49 games before the injury after putting up just 14 in 80 contests last season.  Of course, Maroon is also known for his physicality – he led the NHL in penalty minutes in 2022-23 – and while his hit total is down considerably, he’s averaging more than a hit and penalty minute per game.

A three-time Stanley Cup winner, Maroon has 150 career NHL playoff appearances under his belt.  That, coupled with a low-cost contract (Minnesota is only responsible for $800K of his $1MM contract), makes him an interesting depth addition for teams should Minnesota not get back into the playoff picture.  To that end, Michael Russo of The Athletic relays (Twitter link) that Maroon should start skating again in a few weeks so while he might not be completely cleared to return by the March 8th deadline, he should be far enough along in his recovery that interested teams shouldn’t be scared off by the injury.

Wild Notes: Lettieri, Brodin, Chisholm, Raška

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The Minnesota Wild have activated forward Vinni Lettieri from injured reserve. Lettieri has been out since December 30th with a lower-body injury, missing the team’s last 14 games. He’s appeared in 19 games when healthy this year, scoring three goals and four points. He has also scored eight points in 10 AHL games.

Lettieri will return to the lineup looking to top 20 games in a season for only the third time in his career. The 29-year-old has played in 102 career NHL games over the last six seasons, though much of them have come in a relief role. The 2021-22 season marked the most that Lettieri has played in one season, as he appeared in 31 games and scored 10 points with the Anaheim Ducks. His only other season of more than 20 games came in the 2018-19 season – Lettieri’s rookie year – which saw the centerman net three points across 27 games.

Lettieri has also totaled 237 points across 277 career AHL games.

Other Minnesota Wild notes:

  • The Wild will be without both Jonas Brodin and Declan Chisholm for their Wednesday night matchup against the Chicago Blackhawks, per team reporter Sarah McLellan. McLellan shares that both players haven’t skated much, as Brodin is facing illness and Chisholm was traveling internationally after the team claimed him off waivers from the Winnipeg Jets last week. Both will look to enter the lineup when Minnesota hosts the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday.
  • Minnesota has sent forward Adam Raška to the minor leagues. Raška has spent a month with the NHL roster, slotting into five games but failing to change his stat line. The 22-year-old winger has also played in 20 AHL games this season, recording one goal, 61 penalty minutes, and a -5. Raška has appeared in 13 NHL games over the last three seasons, though he’s still searching for his first point. That search will be delayed a bit longer as the former seventh-round pick rejoins the Iowa Wild.

Jared Spurgeon Undergoes Successful Back Surgery

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  • On January 18th, it was announced that Minnesota Wild captain Jared Spurgeon would miss the rest of the 2023-24 season due to surgery on his back and his hip. Today, Michael Russo of The Athletic reports that Spurgeon underwent successful surgery on his back, and will undergo hip surgery in approximately a month. In a lost season for both player and team, Spurgeon will have finished with a career-low 16 games played for the Wild, only tallying five assists overall.

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