theathleticuk
ST.
PAUL, Minn.
In what has become an annual retreat to the hot and humid Bahamas, Bill Guerin and two of his assistant general managers have spent this week in meetings with Minnesota Wild owner Craig Leipold and a couple of Leipolds top lieutenants as they formulate the teams offseason plans.
Advertisement After re-signing Michael McCarron earlier this month to a six-year, $20 million deal, you may have noticed that, as of now, none of the Wilds other pending unrestricted free agents, including longtime first-line winger Mats Zuccarello, have been re-signed.
When Zuccarello said after the season that he wanted to play a year or two more and Guerin said he wanted Zuccarello back, most of us figured Zuccarello would be re-signed in one phone call.
But McCarron, who proved to be a valuable center after he arrived from Nashville, clearly was Priority No.
1.
Now, suddenly, we are two weeks from free agency and Zuccarello, who turns 39 before next season, has yet to re-sign.
Perhaps Zuccarello is waiting to see what he can get on the open market, and it absolutely would be more.
But what this especially tells you is that the Wild have hit the brakes on their free agents because they have so many balls in the air.
The Wild feel they still have time to circle back and re-sign Zuccarello.
But right now, with cap space at a premium, they feel they must wait to see where the trade market goes in the coming days.
The irony, of course, is that one reason the Wild cant simply sign Zuccarello is that his longtime tag-team partner, Kirill Kaprizov, signed by far the most lucrative contract in NHL history back in October ($17 million AAV on an eight-year deal).
Kaprizov said after the season he hoped Zuccarello would return.
But with only $12 million of cap space left and only nine forwards, five defensemen and two goalies signed, the Wild feel they cant currently commit to Zuccarello until seeing if they can acquire somebody like Dylan Larkin ($8.7 million in cap space).
Remember that there is actually less than $12 million in cap space because Daemon Hunt and Bobby Brink are pending restricted free agents and Hunter Haight and Charlie Stramel will be vying for roster spots.
Advertisement Had Kaprizov taken, say, $15 million annually instead of playing such hardball, even that extra couple of million would have gone a long way this offseason and made it easier to bring back his longtime linemate.
Thats why the Wild might try to free up some cap space in the coming days by shopping Yakov Trenin ($3.5 million), Ryan Hartman ($4 million, 10-team no-trade), Nico Sturm ($2 million), Jake Middleton ($4.35 million, no-move until his 15-team no-trade kicks in July 1) or even Jonas Brodin ($6 million) and Jared Spurgeon ($7.575 million, 10-team no-trade).
Marcus Johansson, the Wilds second-line winger, will play in Sweden next season.
Vladimir Tarasenko, the Wilds third-line winger who scored 23 goals this past season, appears to be going to market.
So if Zuccarello isnt re-signed, the Wild suddenly have to add scoring winger to an offseason shopping list that already includes top-six center because theyd be minus three top-nine wingers from this past season.
That makes for an even more complicated offseason one that should include a Quinn Hughes contract extension after July 1.
That, at least, will count toward the $113.5 million salary cap ceiling in 2027-28 and not next seasons $104 million.
Now, the Wild could seek wingers through trades, which would probably be preferable to free agency if it allows them to shed salary.
But if they have to pursue wingers in free agency, here are some who make sense (were not including Alex Tuch, who will likely be way too expensive if he gets to July 1): Patrick Kane, Detroit Red Wings Like Zuccarello, Kane would be allowed to sign a 35-plus contract.
That means that the 37-year-old could sign for an inexpensive base salary say, $2 million and also be eligible to receive performance bonuses.
Those bonuses would count against the 2027-28 cap if they push the Wild over the 2026-27 cap.
Advertisement Lets use Kanes contract from this past season as an example: His base salary was $3 million, and thats all that had to be counted on Detroits books for the season.
Kane had an additional $4 million in performance bonuses and hit $3 million of them.
That $3 million would still need to be accounted for somewhere.
If the Red Wings finished the season with $3 million in space, it would go under the 2025-27 cap.
If they didnt, the overage would go onto next seasons cap sheet.
Marco Rossis entry-level bonuses in 2024-25 were an example of this.
Since the Wild spent to the cap ceiling that season, they had an $850,000 cap overage charge this past season.
So this would be a useful mechanism to afford Zuccarello or Kane now, but it would need to be exercised with caution.
Thats because the Wild will be so tight against the cap ceiling next season that theyd almost certainly have bonus overages the following season if they signed a player or two to 35-plus contracts this season and they hit their bonuses.
Now, Kane would make a lot of sense if Zuccarello doesnt return.
Hes still a power-play stud and could theoretically slide into Zuccarellos spot on the top unit or Tarasenkos on the second.
It would give the Wild a different type of winger than Zuccarello.
They could move Kane onto Zuccarellos old line or move Boldy up and Kane onto the second line.
At the end of the season, Kane said he wanted to return to Detroit.
Its too early to say if Larkins trade request changes that and hell now test the market.
Anders Lee, New York Islanders The Athletics Pierre LeBrun reported earlier this month that the Islanders captain and Edina native was preparing to go to free agency with Lees agent, Neil Sheehy, and the Islanders far apart on a contract.
If Lee, who turns 36 on July 3, does hit free agency and the Wild have interest, chances are hed look at them hard.
Like Zuccarello and Kane, Lee could sign a 35-plus contract with bonuses if he were willing.
Advertisement Imagine Lee to the left of Joel Eriksson Ek on the second line.
That has the makings of a big, sturdy line that battles in the trenches and drives opponents absolutely bonkers in front of the net.
Lees been a perennial 20-goal scorer but finished with 19 this past season.
Hes incredibly durable, though, playing 81 or 82 games in each of the past four seasons because he keeps himself in phenomenal shape.
Anthony Mantha, Pittsburgh Penguins Despite suffering a torn ACL two seasons ago, Mantha can still fly and signed a prove-it contract with the Penguins last summer.
He sure proved himself, with a career-high 33 goals and 64 points.
With so few high-end wingers available in free agency, hell be looking to land a home-run contract.
So the question is whether the Wild could afford that, or if Zuccarello, Kane or Lee makes more sense because of the bonus manipulation that can be done with the cap for next season.
Mantha has also gone through long spells of inconsistency in his career and only had a point in the playoffs for Pittsburgh in six games.
Jaden Schwartz, Seattle Kraken Wild fans should know Schwartz well from his days of driving Minnesota up a wall with the St.
Louis Blues, both in the playoffs and regular season.
He always scored big goals.
His production has dropped during his five years in Seattle, but the 33-year-old is still a solid two-way winger who competes hard and scored 26 goals only two seasons ago.
Remember, this is a guy who scored a team-high 12 goals in St.
Louis run to the Stanley Cup seven years ago.
He only played 50 games in 2025-26, though, after missing 20 in 2023-24.
So injuries may be a concern for the solid pro.
Corey Perry, Tampa Bay Lightning Guerin had interest in signing Perry in free agency in 2023 before the Chicago Blackhawks traded for his rights and signed him for way more than the Wild planned to offer.
Advertisement At 41, Perry, too, can sign a bonus-laden contract and still is capable of scoring, playing hard minutes in the trenches and playing with an edge.
He brings emotion like few in the NHL and is willing to do anything to win.
Patrik Laine, Montreal Canadiens The only reason to include Laine here is that he, too, can sign a bonus-laden contract.
Yes, hes 28 (not 35), but because he spent at least 100 days on injured reserve this past season and has played a minimum of 400 games, he can sign a one-year contract with bonuses.
The Wild would have to let bygones be bygones here, though, because in the summer of 2024, they were not pleased that Laine wouldnt waive his no-trade clause with Columbus to come to Minnesota.
But time and need heal wounds, so to speak, and if the Wild need a top-six winger, a healthy Laine can still score goals and help a power play.
Could he be next years Tarasenko-like reclamation project? Mason Marchment, Columbus Blue Jackets Marchment is a Bill Guerin-type player: hard-nosed, skates well and scores from tight areas.
Hes coming off a 19-goal season, including 15 in 39 games after being traded from the Kraken to the Blue Jackets.
He had consecutive 22-goal seasons for the Dallas Stars before going to Seattle.
Hed make sense in Minnesota, but the question is whether they can meet his asking price.
Bobby McMann, Seattle Kraken McMann is positioned to earn the largest contract of his career after a breakout season in which he scored 29 goals between Seattle and Toronto.
Thats the most among this summers free-agent class.
McMann brings an appealing mix of size, speed and physicality, using his strong skating ability to attack the net and create scoring chances.
He plays with an edge, consistently finishing checks and applying pressure on the forecheck.
His path to the NHL was also impressive, having been undrafted and working his way up from the ECHL.
Honorable mentions: Viktor Arvidsson, Ilya Mikheyev, David Perron, Kasperi Kapanen, Victor Olofsson..