2024/2025 NHL/WILD Offseason-Season-Postseason Thread

There’s that little thing called the Salary cap getting in the way of your the time is now plan (I’m not saying its not a good idea, we just can’t afford it this last year of buyout pain)

We would need to unload salaries to take on likely larger salaries and the only players we COULD trade (they have no trade protection) are Rossi, Middleton, GusBus, Boldy, Trenin, Khusnutdinov, Lauko, Merrill, Bogosian, Chisholm, Faber, Jiricek and Ohgren (Rossi/Khusnutdinov/Lauko/Faber/Ohgren/Jiricek) are all sub $1 million caphits, so you don’t save much trading away any of them even if you wanted to (which you obviously wouldn’t because they are either foundational players or most teams don’t want them)

The next level of players all have some sort of limited trade protection (Freddy with 3 years of term left & the oft injured and aging Spurgeon) the rest of players have full NMCs this season (Kirill, Ek, Zuccy, Jojo, Hartman, Foligno, Brodin, Flower)

So who are you trading to free up the capspace needed to sign the all in players? There is the option of sending Jojo to Iowa and see if he reports or wants to terminate his contract, they could also send Merrill to Iowa and save a small chunk of capspace, there’s also getting other teams involved to retain some capspace, but that requires paying them too…so GMBG might have a few levers to pull, but likely not big enough to swing any major roster altering trades… I’ll never doubt GMBG though…

Ripjiggen wrote:

Russo did mention he thinks the wild are interested in Nelson past this year

I’m fine with him as a rental as I feel he would plug a few holes we have on the roster this season, but if they want to extend him how does it not turn into another Foligno contract on the books? and it will likely be in the $7-$8 aav range and he’ll want more term for a lower AAV so it could get even worse…

Jiricek sent back to Iowa, this signals that Kirill and Spurgeon are back in the lineup tomorrow night! Russo said sending Jiricek back to Iowa was the best financial decision to get both Kirill and Spurgeon back under the cap…

Brock Nelson little more to his game than Foligno.

They have to figure out a way to get Nelson or similar player. Of course if/ how to do it under the cap has always been the question.

We need more offensive firepower. By that I mean we need more offensive players with firepower. Everybody knows it. Also we need a player that can really help maximize a line. I feel like we’re one player short of having two legitimate dangerous scoring lines.

If they’ve got to pay somebody to take some cap then we’re going to have to just do that. I feel like there has to be a sense of urgency here because I don’t think everything is just automatically rosy after the buyouts are done.

I heard Kirill is back tomorrow…

lindyrig79 wrote:

I heard Kirill is back tomorrow…

Yes he and spurg are likely back.

In order for a guy like Nelson to come here things really have to work out and I just don’t see it. I wouldn’t even be concerned about signing a guy like him after this year we may have lightning in a bottle here and like grouse days the time to act is now but the question is how.

Ripjiggen wrote:

Brock Nelson little more to his game than Foligno.

i’m referring to the aging player with a high caphit and years of term left who’s game will only decline… we already have several of those types…

That’s why the playoff rental only idea makes sense, re-signing in the offseason doesn’t….

Don’t see how they get Nelson without giving up the 2026 1st. Would rather have that to use at next year trade deadline, or in a big move this summer.

Nelson is going to be the big fish at the deadline, and landing the big fish almost never works out.

tswoboda wrote:

Nelson is going to be the big fish at the deadline, and landing the big fish almost never works out.

At first I was intrigued by the idea when it first surfaced months ago, but now I am like meh to the whole idea. Giving up a 1st doesnt sound too appealing and agree that is what it will take. He is a big body guy which would complement Ek a lot. Our other centers are not that big.

tswoboda wrote:

Don’t see how they get Nelson without giving up the 2026 1st. Would rather have that to use at next year trade deadline, or in a big move this summer.

Nelson is going to be the big fish at the deadline, and landing the big fish almost never works out.

You could put a package of prospects together instead of including a 1st but it’s going to start with Liam Ohgren and probably include another good prospect like Hunter Haight, Rieger Lorenz or Ryder Ritchie and then a mid-level draft pick or two… Gotta remember our 1st round picks are likely going to be in the 20’s for the foreseeable future (we hope) and don’t carry the weight by themselves…

I don’t want to do it unless its a true rental and at that point the price will likely be too high… I wouldn’t mind picking up bottom 6 guy with some skill that can help score a few goals…

Hold your breath, but I could see a guy like Pat Maroon being on GMBG’s radar…(gasp)
I know he’s old and even slower now, but the guy knows how to win and always finds a way to impact the big games, even if he doesn’t play games, he would be a good locker room guy when you’re down a goal going into the 3rd in the playoffs…He’d cost you basically nothing (future 7th rounder with conditions that he plays playoff games) He’ll get snatched up by somebody…

Alex Tuch coming back might be a nice fit but there have been no rumors of him being on the trade block as far as I know.

Ice Cap wrote:

Alex Tuch coming back might be a nice fit but there have been no rumors of him being on the trade block as far as I know.

oh his name (and Cozens) has been in the trade rumor mix for awhile now…but he would cost you a really good player going back to Buffalo (like a Rossi) and the Wild hope Yurov will be that type of player next season…

I see Nelson as taking JEEKs role as top 6 center and taking his spot on PP1. Ek’s production is way down so maybe that is a good move to put him at 3C with Foligno and Trenin? If they’re putting Nelson at wing they’re still paying for him as a center so why not get a cheaper option then. Just seems teams that need top tier players at the deadline aren’t actually good enough to go deep in the playoffs anyway.

I just don’t think this is the year to be going all in when it’s spending next year’s 1st – same roster as last season but getting good goaltending. I like what Billy G did at deadlines in the past… spend some mid-round picks to bolster the depth. Really they just need a Jojo upgrade assuming everyone else stays healthy.

Excited to get those two back and watch the game tonight.

lindyrig79 wrote:

Excited to get those two back and watch the game tonight.

I was too.

Until I realized it’s another espn plus game. Unbelievable.

gim wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>lindyrig79 wrote:</div>
Excited to get those two back and watch the game tonight.

I was too.

Until I realized it’s another espn plus game. Unbelievable.

My daughter plays hockey in the ECAC and I have to subscribe to ESPN+ to watch her games.
Kind of a bonus that I get the Wild once in a while too.
She’s a senior so I thought this would be my last year of subscribing.
Maybe not.

I’ve pretty much given up and subscribe to anything I want to watch.

I just got done cursing out the TV as I had to download the app again and scramble for an username and password.

It sucks, but it sucks worse not watching at all…

Seems but that long ago I could watch every Twins and Wild game i wanted to. Then the spat with YouTube TV ruined that, and I recently subscribed to fanduel…. and the game ain’t on there tonight too.

We’re now too the point where one of the biggest stars in the Minnesota sports scene is returning and plenty of fans can’t even watch it.

You’re not missing anything so far. Wild came out flat and down 0-2 after the first period.

dandorn wrote:

My daughter plays hockey in the ECAC and I have to subscribe to ESPN+ to watch her games.
Kind of a bonus that I get the Wild once in a while too.
She’s a senior so I thought this would be my last year of subscribing.
Maybe not.

Good for your daughter. What team does she play for?

Wow, who knew getting back 2 key players would cause so much chaos on its own roster?!? This game is so sloppy it looks like preseason…

For those with an Uzzu subscription bizarrely the game is actually on tonight. Maybe I’ve just never looked carefully before but unbelievably if you go to the live games listing there it is listed.

It’s kind of a weird feed because there are no commercials. You just get this overhead cam and silence during the commercial breaks.

Jeepers, gotta forget this game ever happened, Wild couldn’t make a 10’ pass all game, forwards looked confused, Gus looked distracted, etc

Flush it and move onto Saturday…

That was pathetic and embarrassing all the way around. Not impressed with whatever the he’ll that was at home, with KK and Spurgeon back. Am all for flushing bad games, but that effort is deserving of a serious arse chewing. Don’t mind losing, but that wasn’t just losing. That was lazy, sloppy hockey by the whole team in front of your fans, on your ice, who paid good money and were excited to see KK and Spurgeon back. Probably one of the worst games I’ve seen them play all year. F- no no f’in effort at all.

Yeah I shut it off after 0-3. They looked lifeless.

Upon further review, I remembered we got the kids Disney Plus for Christmas, which gets you Hulu, which gets you espn plus. So maybe I shouldn’t have whined so much. Once I finally figured all that out I turned on a 4-0 game. I was in Vegas this time last week and with KK and Spurg returning tonight I assuredly would’ve lost money betting for the Wild tonight.

Trap game?