Capitals Acquire Tyler Graovac From Wild
The Washington Capitals announced the acquisition of center Tyler Graovac from the Wild. In exchange, Minnesota acquires Washington’s fifth round pick in 2018.
The 24 year old played in 52 games with the Wild last season, scoring seven goals and added two assists while averaging 9:50 of ice time per game. He fared better offensively with Iowa at the AHL level, collecting 10 goals and five assists in 26 games. The 191st overall pick in 2011 cleared waivers earlier in the season so the team is doing well to get an asset, albeit a late pick, for someone they could have lost for free just a few months ago.
From Washington’s perspective, this deal is primarily due to expansion. His acquisition provides them with a second signed forward to expose to meet the 40/70 requirement (Graovac hasn’t played in 70 career NHL games but the 52 this season qualify him). Graovac has one year left on his contract with a cap hit of $625K, $25K below the league minimum for next season. Assuming he’s not selected by the Golden Knights, he’ll push for a spot at the end of the roster in training camp.
Minnesota Issues Qualifying Offers To Restricted Free Agents
According to Michael Russo of the Star Tribune, the Minnesota Wild have tendered qualifying offers to (amounts pulled from CapFriendly’s QO calculator):
- Mikael Granlund ($3.2MM)
- Nino Niederreiter ($3.5MM)
- Erik Haula ($1.05MM)
- Gustav Olofsson ($874K)
- Mike Reilly ($874K)
The team has also decided not to qualify Guillaume Gelinas, Alex Gudbranson, and Brady Brassart, and is still deciding on Jordan Schroeder. It is likely that the team also qualified Christian Folin, but it is still unclear if the team has made a decision on Steve Michalek, Kurtis Gabriel, Zack Mitchell and Zach Palmquist, all of whom are also restricted free agents this summer.
Those free agents not issued an offer will become unrestricted free agents, while the Wild will retain the exclusive negotiating rights on the others even if they should turn down the offer. Both Reilly and Olofsson are still eligible for two-way offers, which they may accept. The other more established RFAs will in all likelihood turn them down and enter negotiations or the arbitration process.
The reason the team is still undecided when it comes to Schroeder, despite his 13 points in 37 games and pedigree as a first-round pick, is likely because he is eligible for arbitration. With Minnesota set to be very tight to the cap next season, they may not be able to afford the arbitration settlement for the 26-year old and could instead cut him lose or trade him in the coming days.
All teams must submit qualifying offers by 4pm on June 26th, or else lose their exclusive negotiating rights to that player. Last year, many players including Brandon Pirri and Beau Bennett did not receive offers by the deadline and became UFAs able to sign anywhere in the league.
Minnesota Wild Unlikely To Trade Before Deadline
- After a report yesterday that the Boston Bruins were interested in Jonas Brodin from the Minnesota Wild, Michael Russo of the Star Tribune writes today that it’s “doubtful” that the Wild makes a deal before the expansion draft. In one of the more interesting quotes of the spring so far, the Wild’s Senior VP of Hockey Ops Brent Flahr told Russo “you’d just rather lose a player than make a bad trade.” That idea flies in the face of much of the speculation around the draft, that teams will be “forced” to make deals in order to avoid losing a player for nothing. The idea that anything is better than nothing may not be shared in front offices around the league, instead perhaps taking their chances in the draft or more willing to deal with Vegas directly than to send a player to a potential rival.
Boston Bruins In Pursuit Of Jonas Brodin
Though the biggest task for the Minnesota Wild this summer is new deals for Nino Niederreiter and Mikael Granlund, the more pressing decision will be what to do with their glut of defenders prior to the expansion draft. Recently, our own Brian La Rose brought up the problem in his Offseason Keys piece for the Wild, indicating that losing either Jonas Brodin or Mathew Dumba for free in the draft would be a mistake. Enter the Boston Bruins, who today were reported by Joe Haggerty of CSNNE to be in discussions with the Wild over Brodin, an interest that goes all the way back to the trade deadline. 
While it’s been clear since the season ended that the Bruins needed help on defense, Haggerty notes that it is on the left side in particular that they could use a top-4 player to pair with Charlie McAvoy next season. With news that Sami Vatanen has teams “lining up” for him recently, the Bruins likely won’t be one due to his handedness. Instead, the 23-year old Brodin is a perfect candidate if they can find a package that interests the Wild. On paper, the potential match of Ryan Spooner and a first-round pick suggested by Haggerty makes some sense, acquiring another player who needs protection seems out of the question for the Wild. It’s not only their defensive group who they’ll have trouble protecting, but up front as well since they have three no-movement clauses to deal with.
It will be interesting to see how the negotiations shake out, and if the Bruins give up their first-round pick in the process. As we examined recently, the Bruins are open to moving their top pick given that they’ve selected five times in the first round over the past two seasons, and have added a number of talented players—like Brandon Carlo, Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson and Anders Bjork—in the middle rounds as well. This may be the perfect time to dangle the 18th-overall pick in a deal to acquire some defensive help, and try to go after the Stanley Cup once again.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Offseason Keys: Minnesota Wild
While the expansion draft is set to headline a busy NHL offseason, there are still several other storylines for each team in the months ahead. Here is a closer look at what lies ahead for the Minnesota Wild.
Things were looking up in Minnesota at the beginning of March. They led the Western Conference in points and decided to go all in, adding one of the biggest names available at the trade deadline in Martin Hanzal. Unfortunately for the Wild, it went downhill from there and they were eventually eliminated in the first round, hardly the outcome they were expecting. Now GM Chuck Fletcher is tasked with restructuring a team that was built for 2016-17 to be their year. Here are some objectives he’ll be looking to meet this summer.
New Deal For Granlund
Minnesota isn’t going to have a lot of money to work with this offseason (they have $61.5MM in committed payroll but only 15 players under contract per CapFriendly) but they’re going to have to open the vault for forward Mikael Granlund. After showing flashes of his potential, he put it all together and became a top line forward. His timing couldn’t have been better either as he’s eligible for restricted free agency with arbitration rights next month.
The 25 year old had 69 points, quite the platform season considering his career high was 44 which was set in 2015-16. That makes his case a particularly interesting one. Did Granlund’s full-time shift to the wing truly represent a significant and sustainable breakthrough or was it more of a ‘perfect storm’ situation where everything went right? Fletcher’s answer to that question may dictate their approach; if he thinks Granlund has truly turned the corner, he’ll push for a long-term contract. If not, a one year deal may be most prudent even though it would take Granlund within a year of unrestricted free agency.
Whichever route they do go, the Finnish forward is set to earn a sizable jump from the $3MM cap hit he had on his current deal (he’s due a qualifying offer of $3.2MM). Michael Russo of the Star-Tribune reports (Twitter link) that while Fletcher and Granlund’s agent met back at the NHL combine, no negotiations took place and they will likely meet again at the draft.
Defensive Decisions
Normally, having too many quality defensemen would be considered a good thing. However, expansion creates a dilemma for the Wild, who have five blueliners that are worthy of protection. The standard 7/3/1 route will leave two of those exposed while it’s hard to fathom a team protecting five blueliners and just three forwards, especially considering the no-move clauses they have up front with Mikko Koivu, Jason Pominville, and Zach Parise. No matter what, it’s shaping up that they’ll have to leave at least one above average defender unprotected with that player being a probable selection by the Golden Knights.
That leaves Fletcher with a tough decision on his hands. Does he bite the bullet and lose one for nothing or does he try to flip one elsewhere via a trade and then protect eight skaters in the hopes of keeping the other four around?
Either way, it’s going to be a tough call with regards to who the odd man out would be. Ryan Suter has a no-move clause himself so it won’t be him. Jared Spurgeon has emerged as a strong two-way defender so he’s probably safe as well. Marco Scandella has been a solid second pairing player and has a good contract with three years remaining at a $4MM cap charge. The other two, Jonas Brodin and Mathew Dumba, are 23 and 22 respectively and have several years of team control remaining. Losing any of those players for free (or less than market value) would be a tough pill to swallow but Fletcher is likely going to have to choose which player that happens to.
Find A New Backup Goalie
Devan Dubnyk got off to a strong start this past season but clearly wore down as the season went on. Part of the reason for that was that head coach Bruce Boudreau didn’t have much confidence in Darcy Kuemper who had a tough season so he opted to overplay Dubnyk as a result. Kuemper is set to become an unrestricted free agent and it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Wild look outside the organization to find his replacement.
Alex Stalock was signed to a two year extension midseason in a move that was primarily expansion-related. While he is capable of playing in a pinch, he’s best served at this stage of his career as a third stringer that can play a few NHL games if someone gets hurt.
There will be several goalies to choose from in free agency but by the time the Wild get through their own free agents (most notably Granlund and Nino Niederreiter), they’re not going to have a lot of money to work with. Do they go bargain hunting or do they look for one of the higher end backups in the hopes of getting someone who can help keep Dubnyk fresher for the stretch run? If they go the latter route, spending that extra money may take them out of the running of doing something else but the trade-off may still be worth it if it keeps their top netminder in top form longer.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Will Hamonic Stay In Brooklyn?
In an off-season where the Islanders’ primary concerns will be extending John Tavares to quell rumors of his departure at the end of the season, and developing prospects into NHL ready contributors, focus on the blueline should not be overlooked.
Travis Hamonic‘s stats aren’t particularly glamorous, with 3 goals and 11 assists through 49 games this past year. His Corsi For % was a career worst at a very unfortunate 43.0%, but many players struggled mightily this season in Brooklyn. He is the assistant captain of the team and his leadership with young players has been particularly important in the wake of losing both Kyle Okposo and Frans Nielsen a year ago. While Nick Leddy and Johnny Boychuk have been brilliant in their roles, Hamonic rounds the defense out with a shutdown type. Calvin de Haan has developed well and will contribute after the RFA negotiates his own contract with New York ownership. The potential error going forward is that the Islanders will see Hamonic as relatively expendable, and that could prove a costly mistake. For a franchise trying yet again to find a way back into the playoffs in a brutally competitive Metropolitan Division, losing top-4 defensemen at their lowest value is not acceptable asset management. If Hamonic were indeed dealt, it would presumably be for far less than Taylor Hall, which according to Arthur Staple and Lighthouse Hockey was an offer rejected by GM Garth Snow last off-season.
Hamonic is listed as the #5 prize in this years trade bait list by TSN which is slightly surprising for a relatively unassuming player. The Wild will almost assuredly trade one of Jonas Brodin (#2) or Mathew Dumba (#3) – leaving the Islanders with an enticing stalwart in a league with lots of struggling defensive squads. That said, it’s difficult to imagine a top line talent being the piece coming back. The Islanders’ stockpile of young players is already quite impressive, so established production is imperative. The player would also likely need to be a winger who could play with John Tavares, but he has had difficulty gelling with players in the past. Although Hamonic had a down year, management should view his overall performance with the franchise rather than drawing conclusions from a tough final season under former coach Jack Capuano. Perhaps the wisest option is to allow Hamonic’s stock to rise again before considering a move.
Minnesota Wild No Long Affiliated With Quad City Mallards
- Vegas has a new ECHL affiliate, announcing a partnership with the Quad City Mallards today. The Mallards had previously been affiliated with the Minnesota Wild who, according to Michael Russo of the Star Tribune, will have a new ECHL team announced next week. The Golden Knights had previously announced their AHL affiliate as the Chicago Wolves, and now will have two minor league teams to fill as they look to build a pipeline of young talent.
Minnesota Wild Announce Multiple Front Office Changes
The Minnesota Wild today announced sweeping changes to their front office, including the promotion of former Assistant General Manager Brent Flahr to Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations. Andrew Brunette and Shep Harder have both also been promoted to Assistant General Manager.
Matt Majka has been promoted to President and Alternate Governor, though he still will leave day-to-day operations to GM Chuck Fletcher and his team. Interestingly, Flahr remains GM of the Iowa Wild, a position usually held by AGMs around the league.
Brunette, a veteran of 1110 NHL games and one of the better all-time Wild players, will continue to work in the front office after a short stint as an assistant coach in 2014-15. He is the latest example of a former player moving into hockey operations, and is taking a big step on the path to becoming a GM should he want to.
The Wild had the most successful regular season in their history this year, but were eliminated early from the playoffs once again. After getting to the Conference Finals in just their third year, the Wild haven’t since gotten past the second round of the playoffs. Their current front office staff have built a solid team through both the draft and trade market, and will continue to look to improve this summer to get over the playoff hump.
Scott Stevens Resigns As Minnesota Wild Assistant
In a surprising turn of events for the Minnesota Wild, Scott Stevens will not be back behind the bench next season. The assistant coach and legendary NHL defenseman has resigned to spend more time with his family. After just one year with the club, the Wild said goodbye to their outgoing coach in a press release: 
We thank Scott for the hard work and dedication he provided our team this past season. We respect his decision to spend more time with his family and wish him the best in his future endeavors.
Stevens previously had coached in New Jersey where he held both assistant and “co-coach” duties with Adam Oates. Now, as a Minnesota assistant he had been expected to be on a straight line to the head coaching fraternity in the NHL. While this obviously doesn’t prevent him from eventually getting there, it does at least slow down his development behind the bench.
Now 53, Stevens was one of the most fearsome defensemen in NHL history during his playing days. A veteran of 1635 games, the bone-crushing hitter also had an incredible offensive streak to his game and recorded 908 points, including a career-high of 78 in 1993-94. He won Stanley Cups in 1995, 2000 and 2003 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007.
The Wild have yet to begin a search for his replacement, but will have big shoes to fill as they try to repeat as one of the best defensive clubs in the league.
Michael Russo of the Star Tribune had the report minutes before the team release.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Evening Notes: Navy Outdoor Game, #3 Pick, Blue Jackets
Prior to Gary Bettman’s official league announcement on the news sure to come Monday, it has been revealed by AP’s Steve Whyno that Washington will host Toronto at an outdoor game next season. The affair will take place on March 3, 2018 at the Navy Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. The contest will be the first outdoor affair held at a venue utilized by a branch of the armed forces. Considering the large amount of folks in the greater D.C. area with government employment ties, and the dear respect for veterans around the country, such an arrangement makes a great deal of sense for the National Hockey League. Whether outdoor games are becoming a novelty or not, opportunities such as these are almost certain bets to make money for the league. The Capitals and Maple Leafs are certainly not historic rivals, but both undoubtedly draw revenue.
- Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman believes the Stars’ Jim Nill is serious about moving the #3 pick. If they decide to do so, he says their focus will assuredly be on acquiring a dynamic defender. The Ducks’ dire injury situation likely takes them out of such discussions temporarily, which leaves Columbus and Minnesota as the most likely trade partners. 30 year-old Jack Johnson is entering the final year of his contract, and 23 year-old Ryan Murray will need to re-negotiate after 2017-18. Murray is obviously more enticing, and the fit is certainly there for a deal’s foundation. However, if neither intrigues the Stars, David Savard could be a target – if GM Jarmo Kekalainen is willing to add. His $4.25 MM salary is reasonable and he is still a young defender with room to improve. It’s difficult to see the Jackets moving on from either Zach Werenski or Seth Jones (so recently acquired). The Wild would likely need to move the dynamic Mathew Dumba or stalwart Jonas Brodin, neither of which seems particularly likely. Marco Scandella simply isn’t going to get the job done, and something substantial would need to be added to Jared Spurgeon for Dallas to accept. Of course, it’s always possible a dark horse team enters the discussions if they really like a player at that drafting position.
- Speaking of Kekalainen, Friedman also secured some interesting soundbytes from Columbus’ astute manager. He confidently stated that he “expect(s) zero problems (with the cap) next year.” Considering how close the team is to the ceiling, and RFA center Alex Wennberg needing a new contract, there isn’t a ton of room to maneuver. It does seem like a trade could be on the horizon. Offensive flair is their most glaring need at the moment, and they will not be the only team on the hunt for a marquee scorer. There is help on the way from Grade A prospects Pierre-Luc Dubois and Oliver Bjorkstrand, both of whom look physically ready to successfully enter the league next season. Bjorkstrand in particular will be under additional pressure to perform, as this will be the final year as his Entry-Level Contract. The ability of Columbus to draft and develop consistently well has placed them in the enviable position of all-around depth as they look towards future transactions.