After ‘boring’ 1st round, things should get interesting for Wild

For those who like to glimpse into hockeys future, Friday nights opening round of the NHL Draft is about as exciting as it gets.

But with no first-round pick in his possession, Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin is planning for something different as the first 32 NHL prospects have their names added to the draft board in Los Angeles.

Boring, he said, of the teams current plans to watch, not participate in, the opening round.

We follow, and if an opportunity presents itself to get into the first round, we will do it.

But if it doesnt, we wont.

Were not worried about it.

ADVERTISEMENT In late November, Guerin shipped the teams 2025 first-round pick and a few players to Columbus and got defense prospect David Jiricek in return.

Jiricek, who is huge, young and a former Top 10 pick, got into just six games for the Wild registering a goal and an assist and missed the last month of the season because of an abdominal injury.

But Guerin has no qualms about missing Fridays first round in order to get Jiricek in green and red.

We feel that we already picked in getting David Jiricek, Guerin said.

He was a very high pick, so were comfortable where we are.

After getting a fourth-round pick for Freddy Gaudreau in a trade with Seattle on Thursday, the Wild have five picks spread across Rounds 2-7, which begin Saturday morning.

That could change, as teams commonly make trades while the draft is happening.

For example, former Wild first-rounder Marco Rossi is coming off the best offensive year of his career as a restricted free agent.

After playing a top-line role during the teams injury-ravaged regular season, Rossi was placed on the fourth line in the playoffs.

While he confessed to being irked by the perceived demotion, Rossi scored a pair of playoff goals and played the role that was asked of him.

But the perception has been that the Wild are looking to move him, with Guerin seeking a plug-and-play NHLer, rather than a draft pick, for the diminutive Austrian.

On Thursday, Guerin pushed back on the idea that hes eager to offload Rossi.

We like Marco.

Marcos a good player, Guerin said.

He had a good season, hes a good teammate.

There is this funny narrative out there that we dont like him.

Thats not the case.

ADVERTISEMENT Having said all that, Guerin admitted that he has spoken to other teams about Rossi.

Yeah, people have called, he said.

But like I said, Im not rushing this kid out of town, thats for damn sure.

Because he bought out the contracts of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter in the summer of 2021, Guerin lost a combined $14.7 million in salary cap space over the past two seasons.

That changes this year, as the buyout penalties slim down to a $1 million apiece for the former franchise cornerstones.

And with the cap rising this season, Guerin finally has some real money to spend.

Guerin acknowledged that signing known commodities is simpler than assessing talent in the draft or making a trade, but he pledged discipline in investing Wild owner Craig Leipolds money.

Its always easier just to go out and sign guys, but thats not really the approach you want to have, he said.

Thats kind of where you get yourself in trouble.

Its gotta be calculated, thought-out decisions.

Try to get good value for the people that youre signing.

Ive made mistakes, and Ill make more, but Im trying to limit them.

We dont want to get into contracts that we really regret.

While the teams primary focus is on acquiring forwards, with a defensive corps that Guerin has said is pretty well set, he added that he expects to find a goaltender.

The depth among the Wilds puck-stoppers is lighter with the retirement of Marc-Andre Fleury, and while they expect Filip Gustavsson and Jesper Wallstedt to be the teams tandem in 2025-26, they are looking to add another option in the crease.

Guerin also talked about star forward Kirill Kaprizov, who will be an unrestricted free agent after this season unless the Wild can sign him to a contract during the Wilds one-year window of exclusive negotiation rights.

That starts when free agency officially opens on July 1.

Guerin and Leipold have said that securing Kaprizovs future in Minnesota is their top priority, with the owner vowing that no team will offer the high-scoring Russian more money or more years.

ADVERTISEMENT NHL-watchers have predicted that Kaprizov, 28, is coming off a season where he missed half the Wilds games due to injury.

But still posted a career-best 1.4 points per game average, and could command $15 million per year or more, up from the $9 million the Wild are currently paying him annually.

Weve talked.

We dont have to sign him on July 1.

We can.

I dont see that happening, but you never know, Guerin said.

Wed like to get it done as soon as we can.

Id love to do that.

But you know, these things take time.

And Guerin, as it currently stands, will have some time on his hands Friday night.

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