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The Minnesota Wild entered the 2023-24 NHL season with some optimism. Minnesota fell to the Dallas Stars in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs. But big performances from Filip Gustavsson and Matt Boldy gave them hope for this year. Unfortunately, things did not work out for Minnesota.
The Wild missed the playoffs after a disappointing season. Gustavsson was among a number of players who did not play up to their potential this season. And now, Minnesota faces a very tough offseason ahead. An offseason that will certainly shape their status as contender or pretender moving forward.
Minnesota doesn't have a lot to work with this summer. They are currently projected to have a little under $6 million to work with in NHL Free Agency. So, what can the Wild do? What moves should they make in order to contend in 2025? Here are two moves they need to make in the 2024 NHL offseason.
Wild must improve in faceoff circle
An underrated issue with Minnesota over the last few seasons is their struggles to win faceoffs. They had the seventh-lowest faceoff-winning percentage this past season. In fact, none of the team's regular starting skaters had a faceoff percentage north of 50%. Going back to 2019-20, the Wild have the sixth-lowest faceoff percentage.
Faceoffs are incredibly important in hockey. Winning a faceoff can set your team up to make a game-breaking play and score a crucial goal. Meanwhile, losing a faceoff can put your team on the back foot and in danger of giving up a back-breaking goal. If Minnesota wants to improve next season, winning more faceoffs would be a start.
There are options in NHL Free Agency for the Wild. Chandler Stephenson and Kevin Stenlund, for example, are two players who would vastly improve their faceoff percentage. Both players have won more than 50% of their faceoffs for at least the last two seasons in the NHL.
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In any event, Minnesota has to be creative this offseason. If they can't add a big name, they can improve around the margins and do the little things better. Bringing in a faceoff specialist could give them a big boost as they look to contend for the playoffs next season.
Wild should add top-six forward
Yes, the Wild need to be creative in the offseason. But the team still has a need in their top-six. Minnesota finished top-five in scoring in 2021-22. Over the last two seasons, though, they have scored the 10th fewest amount of goals of any team in the league. They need to find more ways to score goals in 2024-25.
The Wild have options in NHL Free Agency and trade this summer. In fact, Stephenson could allow Minnesota to solve two problems at once. Stephenson could slot in as the team's second-line center and provide 16-20 goals a season. It's certainly not a game-breaking amount of goals, but it's definitely an improvement for Minnesota.
Minnesota could target a few players through trade. If they want a center, they could swing a deal for Anaheim Ducks center Trevor Zegras. Should the Wild desire a winger, they could try and make a move for Philadelphia Flyers winger Joel Farabee. Both players could give them short and long-term options in the top-six.
No matter what, the Wild will need to spend the little cap space they have to make roster improvements this summer. Minnesota has a solid team in place already. Let's see if they try to reinforce the roster with their available cap space in NHL Free Agency or through trade.
