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The Minnesota Wild are in salary cap hell for the next two years after buying out Zach Parise and Ryan Suter. They will cost the team a staggering $14.7 million for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 NHL campaigns, hamstringing the current roster and making it extremely difficult for GM Bill Guerin to improve the team.
Along with that, the Wild have been one of the most disappointing postseason squads of the last decade. They haven't won a round since defeating the St. Louis Blues in six games back in 2015, and have now gone seven consecutive playoff appearances without a series win. A perennial playoff team, it's going to be difficult to find ways to remain competitive while staying under the cap, and this could be the year the team takes a step back after four straight Stanley Cup Playoff appearances.
It's shaping up to be a tough few seasons for the Wild, especially after they lost a heart and soul player in Matt Dumba this summer. The team still has a few great pieces and excellent goaltending, so playing in late April and beyond is a very realistic goal. But eventually, something will have to give if this team can't find success when it counts. Any of these three players could be on the move this season to help mitigate the cap situation in the State of Hockey.
Marcus Foligno, LW/RW
It looked like Marcus Foligno was finally starting to put it all together after a career-high 23-goal, 42-point campaign in 2021-22. But that simply was not the case for the 32-year-old in 2022-23; he was far less impactful, scoring just seven goals and 21 points in 65 games. Although the veteran is and has always been strong in his own end, he simply lacks the kind of offensive touch the team needs right now. He's only making $3.1 million in the final year of his contract before he's set to enter unrestricted free agency next summer. Guerin should be looking to move Foligno for draft capital instead of letting the Buffalo native walk for nothing after next season.
Calen Addison or Alex Goligoski, D
Even without Dumba, the Wild have a bit of a logjam on the back end, especially with Brock Faber bursting onto the scene. Both Calen Addison and Alex Goligoski are being dangled as potential trade chips; one would actually fetch a decent return, and one could help take some money off the books next season.
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Guerin could try to trade Addison, after he had an excellent 2022-23 campaign with 29 points in 62 games in his first full NHL season. At just 23-years-old, the young D-man has a ton of potential, but he is a restricted free agent and isn't going to be cheap to sign. If there isn't enough money to go around, Guerin could realistically get an early draft pick for the young Canadian. With Faber skyrocketing up the depth chart after his performance in Minnesota last season, Addison could be on the move.
On the other hand, Alex Goligoski is the more likely name to be traded. The 38-year-old dressed in just 46 games last season, and put up just six points. He's eating up more cap space than he is worth, making $2 million towards the cap next season. Once a very impactful defenseman, the American is well past his prime and should be dealt for a late draft pick. If that doesn't happen, he'll probably slot in as the seventh D-man when a new season gets underway.
Marc-Andre Fleury, G
Marc-Andre Fleury is one of the better goalies in NHL history, winning three Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009, 2016 and 2017. Even at 38-years-old, Fleury proved that he is still a capable goaltender, winning 24 games and posting a very respectable .908 save percentage and 2.85 goals-against average last year.
But Filip Gustavsson is the goalie of the future in Minnesota, and he was just signed to a three-year deal. With Fleury approaching the final season of a contract paying him $3.5 million, there are surely other teams that would be happy to let the veteran start upwards of 45 or 50 games next year. That won't happen with the Wild. The tricky part is the no-trade clause, meaning the Canadian could realistically veto any deal. But if it means he'll get to play more, there's a very slim chance that Bill Guerin will look to move one of the most decorated active NHL netminders.
The next two years are going to be very difficult with Parise and Suter still on the books, but as currently constructed, the Wild are still good enough to knock on the door of a playoff spot in the Western Conference in 2023-24.
