Joined: May 2016
Posts: 8,205
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MN just traded half of their bottom-6 + 1st for Duchene and a prospect (Senyshyn). They don't have the depth to absorb that loss. It also takes away 3 of the Wild's PK FWDs (Wild roll 3 groups).
Zucker/Staal/Granny
Parise/Duchene/Nino
Greenway (rookie)/Koivu/?
?/Fehr/?
? to be filled in with some combo of: J.T. Brown (not a fan), Kunin (not ready), Senyshyn (not ready, imo), Hendricks (shouldn't ever see the ice), Matt Read (can play but isn't good), a somewhat skilled midget (Rau, Kloos, Shaw, or Anas), or Cal O'Reilly (good AHL player/not good NHL player). With this group any injury or under-performing top-6 player and the Wild's season is over.
It actually hurts to lose Foligno, he's a PK anchor, and brings physicality to a team that sorely lacks it. Coyle isn't great but he fills a team need. JEE isn't untouchable, but he's one of the few young NHL players the Wild have.