The way they are set up right now, they basically have to trade a defenseman this off-season. Middleton is an arbitration eligible RFA next season and I don't think Guerin got him just to be a rental. So signing Middleton, that puts 8 defensemen under contract. Dumba has 8 real years already in the NHL, Middleton 1 year. Dumba is going to start wearing down soon. I hate saying this, because I am a Dumba fan. But Middleton gives the Wild something they don't have...beef on the blueline.
Ready to really yell at me? I can see Guerin trading Dumba, Addison and Fiala this off-season. Depending on what they can get back in those trades, this could very well be a possibility. Losing those guys would give the Wild almost $7 mil in cap space, and none of that has to be held for Fialalalala. That gives the Wild about $14 mil in cap space to work with. Rossi joins Boldy (effectively the replacement for Fiala) and Hartman slots in as the other wing. So now you have cap space for a FA #1 C, like a Nazem Kadri, Vincent Trocheck or Ryan Strome. A true C to play inbetween Zuccarello and Kaprizov. The GREEF line stays intact and Gaudreau then centers a mix of Duhaime, Dewar, Jost and Deslauriers (I think BG will resign him as well). Of course, this all comes on the heels of BG resigning Flower as well, as I think he wants him for 1 more year. Basically, I don't think BG is looking at the guys he picked up at the trade deadline as mere rentals, but part to fit in next year as well.
Out of those possible FA Cs, I think Trocheck would fit the best between Zucc & KK. Look what they have done for Hartman. Getting Trocheck, and resigning Deslauriers, Middleton and Flower pretty much would eat up most of the cap space, but you would end up with something like this for the roster.
Zuccarello/Trocheck/Kaprizov
Boldy/Rossi/Hartman
Greenway/Eriksson-Ek/Foligno
Deslauriers/Gaudreau/Duhaime
Spurgeon/Middleton
Brodin/Goligoski
Kulikov/Merrill
Talbot/Fleury
This is possible for at least next year. |