Growth year after avoiding cap burden

I like these moves. It allows the Wild to be a cup contender after their dead cap era ends, with 5 picks within the first and 2nd rounds.

This will solidify their core as
F: Kaprizov, Eriksson Ek, Rossi, Boldy
D: Spurgeon, Brodin, Hague, either one or both of Lambos and Addison
G: Wallstedt, Jones

At least 2 or 3 of those 5 top round picks develop into players. I'd draft 3-4 forwards, 0-1 defensemen, and 0-1 goalies.

Man, Minny is in a tough position with those buyouts. They have Kaprizov signed for 4 more years but 3 of those 4 years those buyouts are really eating into the teams ability to try and win now. There is no guarantee Kaprizov resigns in 4 years so they got make these next 4 years count. Maybe they can take a 1 year step back but it has to be right back to Cup aspirations after that.

As crazy as it sounds and only assuming he never plays again and goes on permanent LTIR, maybe Minny trading for Carey Price's contract could be a decent option? Its insured so they'd only have to pay a small portion of it and runs the length of the buyouts of Parise and Suter. It would basically negate the buyout penalties but would mean Minny has to absolutely go all in the next 4 years. Habs would probably throw in a draft pick also. Minny would be fine during the offseason with the offseason cap cushion and then just need to make Fiala signing official and place Price on LTIR simultaneously to be cap compliant for the regular season.

Minny would be able to keep most of the gang together in doing so. Maybe just move Kulikov and Talbot or something like that in the offseason if you're still over the cap by a bit. Heck maybe MTL could take back both guys in the deal just to facilitate the trade.

I don't know, either way its just an option but with how good Kaprizov is, they'd better not squander his talent and prime years of his career by taking too long of a step back with a growth year or two.

It sounds like BG is gonna try to lock Middleton up but I would love to try and entice VGK with a Hague/Middleton swap. A million bucks in cap is a million bucks in cap.

I worry Guerin's moves are going to try keep the window open next year whereas accepting a 'down year' by trading Fiala and Dumba for some value this offseason gives them an opportunity to see what they have in Rossi and Addison. If those two can even half the production of Fiala/Dumba, I could still see the Wild sneaking into the playoffs. Then the year following, if like 2 of Firstov/Khusnutdinov/Beckman/Lambos/O'Rourke/Peart can make the leap, the Wild should be looking much more polished by the time Wallstedt is ready to take over a bigger role. Not to mention whoever we draft this summer coming into play.

Obviously I'm being pretty hopeful, but then the last 2 years of Kaprizov's contract, I could see us being solid contenders again. Hopefully enough to make him want to sign an extension.

Carey price was supposedly going to be traded to Arizona at deadline, but was blocked because either montreal sn't paying the insurance , or their insurance company on price refuses to take the risk. It's supposedly why it didn't go through