Team: 2022-23 Minnesota Wild

Initial Creation Date: May 22, 2022

Published: May 22, 2022

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

This version shows a possible path to keep Fiala. I don’t think it’s likely as BG is a lousy poker player and seems to have tipped his hand that Kevin Fiala isn’t part of the Wild future. I am skeptical of how that decision will look. 3 years from now (or this upcoming season for that matter). But deals for Middleton, fleury, and Fiala himself (which is probably bottom of the range of salary offers he’d get if an UFA) that imply some ‘team friendliness/hometown discount” all illustrate the challenge of keeping Fiala. But if they could, this version has the top three lines return completely in tact, and a D core that is mostly the same as the post deadline period minus Dumba, but with addition of a big shot Michael Stone as UFA. This version also notably does not promote Rossi - as there is sort of nowhere to put him and may piss the young guy off. But this approach probably finds that necessary as the Fiala signing would not only make this season a squeeze but make the next two really challenging too and require a lot of young players to see NHL action. We’d just have I wait a year before likely seeing A lot of Rossi, Beckman, O’rourke And maybe even Khovanov and Lambos.
Admittedly the prospect pool would be somewhat depleted after those types of promotions and the alternative of a Fiala trade is likely a nice restocking. Then again, the Lightning don’t boast a great prospect pipeline, but they’ve had a good old time raising the cup the last two seasons.

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