The Minnesota Wild are unlikely to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs this year. They aren't exactly out of the race, to be fair. However, Minnesota is eight points back of the red-hot Nashville Predators for the final wild-card spot in the West. Their hopes are certainly fading as the NHL Trade Deadline approaches.
In saying that, the Wild are in an interesting spot. Minnesota isn't in a position to make major trades and add to their roster. This is both from a roster perspective and a cap perspective. Minnesota has nearly $15 million in dead cap on their books. And with Marc-Andre Fleury sticking around, they don't have many valuable trade candidates.
That said, general manager Bill Guerin has shown an ability to get value with what he has. He acquired a second-round pick in separate trades involving forwards Jack McBain and Jordan Greenway. McBain was a draft pick who was traded to the team he planned to sign with in a few months. Greenway, meanwhile, was an NHL forward who had just one goal with a goalie in the net before his trade.
If they sell at the NHL Trade Deadline, the Wild could surprise people with the returns they get. However, they could also add to their roster a bit. There is an argument to be made that Minnesota could add ahead of the March 8 deadline, even if their playoff hopes are fading.
If they do decide to add, there is one glaring flaw with this team that must be addressed. It's time for Guerin to address the elephant in the room for his team. Let's talk about the fatal flaw plaguing the Minnesota Wild.
Please, Wild, help Brock Faber
The Minnesota Wild have a fine young defenseman on their hands in Brock Faber. The rookie rearguard has already established himself as one of the top young blueliners in the league. He plays a complete game and can be deployed in all situations. Make no mistake, the 21-year-old Minnesota native is one of the best players on this team.
The issue here is that the Wild are using him a little too much in all situations. Faber is playing over 25 minutes a night this season. He leads the team in average time on ice and total time on ice this year. In fact, he has totaled over 300 more minutes this year than the next closest defenseman on the Wild.
It's easy to see why Minnesota relies on Faber so much. He is good enough to play top pairing minutes already, first off. Second, some of the team's defensemen down the lineup haven't turned in the best performances. Veteran Alex Goligoski and Jon Merill, in particular, haven't exactly played well so far.
So, the Wild have Faber pick up the slack. While he's done well for the most part, he has seen some rough patches after the New Year. And one has to wonder whether this over-reliance will hurt his development moving forward.
Brock Faber is one of the best young rearguards in the NHL. And if things keep going, the Wild will have a Norris Trophy candidate on their hands for years to come. However, their over-reliance on the 21-year-old is their fatal flaw. If he can, Guerin needs to add a defenseman to the Wild's roster at the NHL Trade Deadline.
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