The Minnesota Wild are in a tough spot. With the arrival of the Las Vegas (TBD) Knights rapidly approaching, the corresponding expansion draft also looms on the horizon.
At the end of the season, each team will have to protect a limited amount of players on their roster. Teams are allowed to protect either 8 skaters and a goalie, or 7 forwards, 3 defensemen, and a goalie in this draft. This means teams can mostly preserve it’s core group of players, the Kniggits should be able to acquire decent talent.
For teams that rely more on star power than depth for their success, this isn’t much of a problem. As long as, say, Anaheim gets to keep Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf, and their stud young defensemen, they’ll be fine.
But Minnesota? They’re all depth (aside from their fourth-line), and no star power. Losing one top-nine forward or second-pair defenseman may not cripple some teams, but it would erode one of the Wild’s primary strengths.
It’ll no doubt be difficult for general manager Chuck Fletcher to protect just three defensemen. Ryan Suter’s no-move clause grants him automatic protection status, and Jared Spurgeon isn’t going anywhere. This leaves one spot for Matt Dumba, Jonas Brodin, and Marco Scandella.
One thing we can infer is that Minnesota would like to have all three for the long haul. They signed both Scandella and Brodin to long-term extensions, and haven’t traded Dumba despite the high demand for right-shot defensemen.
Where things get interesting is with their forward group. Many of the players fighting for those seven protection slots are at a crossroads with the organization. While Minnesota aggressively locked down their defensemen, they’ve remained in a holding pattern with many of their forwards.
This has allowed for Fletcher to assess his forward group before making commitments, for the time being. But the expansion draft (and several expiring contracts) will force his hand. It’s time to put up or shut up — for both Fletcher and these forwards.
This won’t apply to Zach Parise, Mikko Koivu, and Jason Pominville, who all have no-move protection. Charlie Coyle is also safe, as he’s the only under-30 player Minnesota has under contract past 2017-18.
With those four spots spoken for, three remain. So let’s look at the candidates for the remaining slots and what they have to do to work their way into Minnesota’s long-term plans.
(Photo by: David Berding/Icon Sportswire)
Jason Zucker
Zucker’s struggled to launch his career in St. Paul. Injuries and clashes with the coaching staff derailed his 2013-14 campaign. He earned the trust of Mike Yeo in 2014-15, scoring 21 goals in 51 games before a collarbone injury struck. And after starting hot in 2015-16, Zucker came back to earth as his coaches leveraged his playing time to get him to play a strong defensive game.
A strong year may have earned Zucker a long-term deal in Minnesota. Instead Zucker took a 2-year, low-money bridge deal. Furthermore, it would make sense for Fletcher to expose Zucker in hopes of baiting the Kniggits into taking the Vegas-raised winger over his prized defensemen.
So how can Zucker avoid being on the outside, looking in? By getting back to his bread-and-butter: scoring goals.
When he’s on his game, few are better than Zucker at single-handedly creating chances. If he can get back to using his speed to wreck havoc on defenses, and perhaps regain that 30-goal pace, it’ll be impossible for Minnesota to let him walk for nothing.
Erik Haula
Like Zucker, Haula’s had an up-and-down tenure with the Wild. After bursting onto the scene in 2013-14, he took a major step back the following season. Yeo and the Wild brass attributed this to Haula’s fitness level, but it would be foolish to overlook the effect that two major concussions may have played.
Haula didn’t exit the doghouse until February of this year, when Yeo was fired. Once Torchetti started giving him a bigger role alongside Jason Pominville, Haula once again showed the promise from his 2014 playoff run. He notched 10 goals and 15 assists in his 32 games under Torchetti (including playoffs), putting him back in Minnesota’s good graces.
Haula can prove himself indispensable by establishing himself as a bona fide top-nine center. Haula isn’t likely to play at the 64-point pace he set under Torchetti, but he doesn’t have to. A 40-point effort where he’s strong in the faceoff dot and the penalty kill should secure his spot.
(Photo by Gerry Angus/Icon Sportswire)
Mikael Granlund
After four NHL seasons, Granlund has been disappointing. It wouldn’t be fair to call him a bust — he was able to consistently score 40 points and tended to step up in the postseason. But considering his talent, and the opportunities he got (top minutes skating alongside Zach Parise), it’s fair to expect more.
There’s long been the idea that Granlund might perform better on the wing than center. The problem? Minnesota never had the centers to allow him to make that shift. Regardless, they made that shift towards the end of last season, and it paid off. Granlund was better at creating scoring chances, even leading the team in shots during the playoffs.
Can Granlund deliver on his potential without the defensive responsibilities that come at center? That simple question is going to determine Granlund’s future in Minnesota. If he doesn’t look like the offensive dynamo he was in Finland, Fletcher might give him a chance at a change of scenery.
Nino Niederreiter
Niederreiter is a two-time 20-goal scorer who’s defensively sound and a possession monster. He’s been able to form chemistry with just about anyone, and succeed in an offensive or defensive role. So why isn’t he a lock for a protected slot?
His contract status. He’ll be an RFA at the end of the year, and is in line for a hefty raise. With the Wild deep along the wings, and tight against the salary cap in 2017-18, will they pay him? Or expose him to avoid the cap headache surrounding him?
They should do what they can to retain him, however. As it stands, Niederreiter is their best young player. But “should” doesn’t always translate to “will” in NHL front offices, and the cap does have a way of forcing tough decisions.
There are a lot of balls in the air for the Wild’s future — and that’s not even counting the decisions they’ll have to make on defense. A lot of these decisions will depend on what happens this season. Can these players thrive under new coach Bruce Boudreau? Can they succeed in larger, different roles? We’ll start finding out in two weeks.
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