Added $1,875,000 to salary cap to accommodate retained salary on Ryan O'Reilly that occurred IRL but not in sim.
Added $1,250,000 to salary cap to accommodate retained salary on Dmitry Orlov that occurred IRL but not in sim.
Contracts for Kyle Masters, David Spacek, Matthew Seminoff, & Brock Faber don't take effect until the 2023-24 season; thus, do NOT count towards the 50 contract limit.
Minnesota Wild Reserve list with last day to sign | position | age:
Benoit, Nate - Aug 15, 2027 | LHD | 19
Bichsel, Lian - Jun 1, 2026 | LHD | 18
Gardner, Daimon - Aug. 15, 2027 | C/LW/RW | 18
Healey, Ryan - Aug 15, 2027 | RHD | 18
*Khusnutdinov, Marat - Indefinite | C | 20
Lorenz, Rieger - Aug 15, 2026 | LW, C | 18
Peart, Jack - Aug 15, 2025 | LHD | 19
Walker, Julian - Indefinite | C, RW| 36
Warren, Marshall - Aug 15, 2023 | LHD | 21
Yurov, Danila - Indefinite | RW | 18
*he's signed to his KHL team through the 2023/24 season
This is a living document and will be updated accordingly.
22/10/2022: Traded Petrovský to PHI for Ratcliffe
Acquired Ratcliffe to beef up forward group and an have someone that park in front of goalies w/o anyone being able to do anything about it. Like what we had last year with Bjugstad (rip Gopher). Petrovský was a casualty that I really like and whose coming off a stellar IIHF Juniors tournament. He also looked great in practice during the offseason. But I just couldn't pass up on Ratcliffe's size.
28/10/2022: Traded O'Rourke, Jost, Dewar, & '24 3rd (MIN) to MTL for Xhekaj, Hoffman, & Pezzetta
- O'Rourke has the same tenacity as Xhekaj but I feel the latter is able to take it up a notch due to his size and background
- Jost & Dewar are consequences of having too many role players assigned to the same role, e.g. Steel, Shaw, Duhaime (to some degree), Chaffee, et al.
+ Hoffman can put up 50+ pts with the right pairing
+ Pezzetta is someone that I've been told is a guy who "plays his heart out every night and has a great physical presence" so could be another Duhaime
- '24 3rd to close the deal. Future picks in later rounds won't mean much in terms of convincing Kaprizov to re-sign during his prime
31/10/2022: Traded Hoffman & conditional '23 4th (MIN) to BUF for Mittelstadt
- '23 4th turns into '23 5th (MIN) if Hoffman puts up >= 40 points during 2022/23 REG season
+ Mittelstadt is a former gopher that at one point was considered a potential franchise center. It's clear he isn't a true 1C but might as well gopherit by giving him a second chance.
09/11/2022: Traded Pezzetta, Haight, & Hunt to DAL for Bichsel, Tufte, & '23 4th (DAL)
+ Bichsel is a prospect I wanted prior to the draft. He's big, mobile, aggressive....essentially a Middleton with top line potential
+ Tufte is big (or rather...tall). He's a former 1st rd pick and from Minnesota so bringing him back home.
07/12/2022: Traded Ratcliffe to NSH for '23 3rd (FLA), Traded '25 5th to NYR for Reaves
- Ratcliffe was an appreciated big body but I wanted/needed to free up some cap space for my next trade.
+ Replicated Reaves trade just cuz.
17/12/2022: Traded Addison to VAN for '24 1st (VAN), '23 4th (the better of VAN v. VGK), Gardner
- Decided to trade Addison to free up a spot on the right side of my D core for larger prospects.
+ I also fully intend on trading the '24 1st for a '23 1st as I'm only interested in a one year retool.
17/12/2022: Traded Xhekaj, '24 1st (VAN), '24 6th (MIN) to MTL for '23 1st (VAN), O'Rourke
- Despite Xhekaj being EXACTLY the player I need/want, I couldn't, in good conscience, play him another game in MIN knowing I was ruining a terrific IRL cinderella story he has going with MTL.
+ Swapped VAN 1sts so that we have 2 1sts in this next draft class that's projected to be loaded with talent. The added pick also might help us move up a few spots if we find ourselves outside the range of picks where a number of franchise centers are expected to go.
+ Welcomed back O'Rourke. I'm not his biggest fan (although I'll admit I haven't watched a ton of film on him) but bringing him back for IRL parity.
04/01/2022: Traded '25 7th (MIN) to NYI for Bellows
+ Keiffer Bellows is a shooter from Minny, figured it wouldn't hurt bringing him in. Even if it distrupts team lines and/or chemistry a bit.
05/01/2022: Traded '25 6th (MIN) to EDM for Kesselring
+ Michael Kesselring is a large RHD with another year left on his ELC and gives the team a long term depth piece.
10/01/2023: Traded O'Rourke, Bankier, Pillar, & Giroux to DAL for Hunt, Blümel, & Seminoff
- I traded O'Rourke because, although I like his grittiness, I feel he has less upside than Hunt.
- It was hard to give up Bankier & Pillar -- both, of whom, have put up a ton of points in the WHL; however, I don't feel their respective games will translate well in the NHL.
- I traded Giroux just cuz I feel that we are loaded with bottom 6 centers.
+ Welcome back Hunt! I've really enjoyed his play in the AHL this year and can see his game translating nicely in the NHL.
+ Matej Blümel is killing it in the AHL and should provide an added boost to a struggling Iowa Wild team.
+ Matthew Seminoff is a quick, skilled winger that I liked pre-draft.
11/01/2023: Traded Hunter Jones to WSH for Gabriel Carlsson
- Hunter Jones needs a change of scenery (similar to Gustavsson)
+ Gabriel Carlsson provides defensive relief for the Iowa Wild.
19/01/2023: Traded Sam Steel to PIT for Nathan Légaré & '25 3rd
- Given I traded for Mitts early in the season, compounded by the acquisition of Bellows, Steel is better served on a team that will actually play him.
+ Légaré is a B- prospect but on a cost controlled 2yr deal
+ 2025 3rd was the best I could get, better than nothing I suppose.
02/02/2023: Traded Casey Mittelstadt & '24 1st (lottery protected, falls back to unprotected '25 1st) to NSH for Michael Rasmussen & Noel Gunler
- As much as it hurts to trade a homegrown center I so desperately wanted, I had to come to grips with the fact that:
(a) This team needs all of the cap space it can get just to stay afloat and
(b) Mitts is one of many pass-first playmaking centers on this team / in their system, e.g. JEEK, Freddy G, Rossi, Khusnutdinov, etc.
- As for the draft pick, it was easier to part with given that:
(a) This team's only glaring need is a goal scoring 1C -- which we should be able to address using VAN's '23 1st
(b) If this team makes the playoffs next season then subsequently tanks in 2025, we have bigger issues at hand than losing out on a top pick
+ Michael Rasmussen is a large (6'6") center that at best could be the next Tage Thompson and at worst the next Jordan Greenway. I'm fine with either outcome.
+ Noel Gunler is another big bodied, goal scoring winger that's been plagued by lack of production issues. "[He] is a natural goal scorer whose shot, hands and bouts of ingenuity give him clear power-play, top-of-the-lineup upside in a perfect world" (Scott Wheeler, The Athletic). With the right coaching and development plan, he could become the goal scoring maestro the Wild so desperately need.
11/02/2023: Traded Dumba & Greenway to WPG for '23 1st, '23 3rd, & Zhilkin
- Wish Dumba all the best. It was a pleasure to watch him grow as a player, leader, and vital member of the community.
- Greenway was fantastic as well; however, moving him allows the team to operate at much more comfortable levels of the cap range
+ The '23 1st and 3rd rd picks will help us continue to build our forward core.
+ Danny Zhilkin is an interesting prospect that we are excited to work with.
14/02/2023: Traded 2023 3rd (VAN) + 2024 7th (MIN) to PHI for Nick Seeler
+ Nick Seeler is on a veteran min for the next 2 seasons, an excellent PKer and all around depth defensemen
15/02/2023: Traded 2 2023 3rd rd picks (FLA & WPG), '24 2nd (MIN), '25 3rd (PIT), Chaffee, & Firstov to OTT for Järventie, Ostapchuk, & Kastelic
- Mitchell Chaffee is a career AHLer and will not be apart of this team's future
- Vladislav Firstov is an exciting prospect who's fallen out of favor after signing a 1-year deal with a KHL team
- The one 2nd and 3 3rd rd picks aren't as valuable given the depth of talent the Wild currently possess.
+ Roby Järventie is a large winger with top 9 upside and a wicked shot.
+ Zack Ostapchuk is a bottom 6 center with size and skill that looked decent during world juniors.
+ Mark Kastelic is the perfect 4th line center on a good contract.
15/02/2023: Traded Dakota Mermis to ARZ for Janík, Carcone, Kelemen, & '23 6th (ARZ)
- Dakota Mermis was a valued member of the Iowa Wild, as a captain he helped keep things stable.
+ Janík, Carcone, & Kelemen were all players ARZ wished to offload in order to get under the 50 contract limit
+ Michael Carcone will be an especially valued member given his production in the AHL.
20/02/2023: Traded Janík, Kelemen, & Baddock to BUF for FC
- Janík, Kelemen, & Baddock were traded to free up contracts
21/02/2023: Traded Zhilkin to BUF for '23 2nd (NYI)
- Danny Zhilkin is a large center that was taken by WPG in the 3rd rd in last year's draft; however, he lacks the upside that the Wild are searching for
+ 2023 2nd (NYI) round pick should help in acquiring the high upside pieces the Wild so desperately need
22/02/2023: Traded '23 2nd (NYI) to NSH for Nick Perbix & '24 7th (NYI)
+ Perbix is an incredibly disciplined RHD with length and offensive upside. A '23 2nd may be high for a 3rd liner but his contract more than makes up for it.
Daily Log:
09/11/2022: SO MANY INJURIES!!!
- Greenway a healthy scratch for rest. Foligno, Duhaime & Hartman on IR. Calling up Beckman, Ratcliffe, & Shaw.
- Called up Walker after trade.
10/11/2022: Send Beckman & Walker back down to AHL
14/11/2022: Activate Foligno from IR, call up Xhekaj, scratch Merrill & Goligoski
16/11/2022: Placed MAF & Greenway on IR to match IRL, moved Duhaime off of IR, called up McIntyre cuz things are going great in Minnesota
26/11/2022: Activated MAF & Greenway off IR, placed Duhaime on IR, sent McIntyre down to AHL
27/11/2022: Recall McIntyre, place Gustavsson on IR
7/12/2022: Activate & start Gustavsson, send McIntyre down to AHL, placed Brodin on IR with illness
9/12/2022: Start Fleury, activate Brodin off IR
17/12/2022: Bid adieu to Addison (our PP QB God) in the hopes of improving our ability to acquire a true 1C come the '23 draft, sent Rossi down to AHL to regain confidence, activated Hartman off IR, called up Tufte, traded Xhekaj back to MTL out of guilt due to ruining his cinderella story );
27/12/2022:
- Mason Shaw suspended 2 games. Replacing with Tufte.
- Foligno placed on IR, calling up Petan.
- Sign Kyle Rau to a 2-year extension to provide Rossi with a consistent scorer that's a full time AHLer.
- Middleton is sick and will be out for tonight's game.
29/12/2022: activate Middleton, call up Walker
30/12/2022: activate Shaw and send Petan back down to AHL to avoid waivers
03/01/2023: activate Foligno off IR, Walker sent back down to Iowa
06/01/2023: activate Duhaime off IR, place Zucc on IR
08/01/2023: start Gustavsson
09/01/2023: place MAF & Greenway on IR, call McIntyre up
10/01/2023: activate Greenway, Zucc, & MAF off IR, send McIntyre down
17/01/2023: sign Boldy to a 7x7 contract extension, matching RL
15/02/2023: place Foligno on IR, call Baddock up
17/02/2023: claimed Hudson Fasching, send Baddock & Sustr down, call up Attard
22/02/2023: sent Attard back down
23/02/2023: Brodin and Merrill placed on IR, Foligno off IR
02/03/2023: Call up Rossi & Walker and placed Rasmussen & Foligno on IR
06/03/2023: Send Rossi & Walker down, activated Foligno off IR
09/06/2023: Send Kaprizov & Duhaime to IR, sign Spacek & Masters to ELCs, call up Walker & Kastelic
13/03/2023: Give Foligno a rest
19/03/2023: Duhaime & Brodin off IR
21/03/2023: Foligno off IR, Kastelic sent down
23/03/2023: Klingberg on IR
29/03/2023: Klingberg off IR, Duhaime & Reaves on IR
01/04/2023: Shaw out for season, Duhaime & Reaves off IR, Mark Kastelic called up
08/04/2023: JEEK on IR, Kaprizov off IR
10/04/2023: Rossi & Petan called up, Faber signed to ELC, & resting key players
11/04/2023: The Boys are Back!
17/04/2023: Rossi & Petan sent back down, Klingberg injured
19/04/2023: Hartman hurt