Speculation: Trade Ideas and Free Agency XIV

[Spurgeon]

Russo on Souhann had an interesting comment about the possibility of buying out Vanek this summer to make room for other moves. Also suggested that Vanek, Koivi, and maybe Pominville are unmovable.

They're immovable because of those NMCs and NTCs, but I'd think they'd rather be traded before being bought out.

Next year is when I think we should possibly use that option, lot of UFAs out there.

 

[thestonedkoala]

Russo on Souhann had an interesting comment about the possibility of buying out Vanek this summer to make room for other moves. Also suggested that Vanek, Koivi, and maybe Pominville are unmovable.

That would be dumb to buyout Vanek. He was still third on this team for points.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

That would dumb to buyout Vanek. He was still third on this team for points.

And with only 1 year left; why have dead money on the books for 2 years when the player is still useful?

 

[ThatGuy22]

They're immovable because of those NMCs and NTCs, but I'd think they'd rather be traded before being bought out.

Next year is when I think we should possibly use that option, lot of UFAs out there.

Until most of the good ones re-sign, like they always do.

 

[nickschultzfan]

What about Pominville and Haula to Montreal for Eller? He could be a solid 3rd line center with good upside. Would cut a good chunk of salary.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

I'm not sure what a 26 year old who has never had more than 30 points has for 'upside'. Salary savings and the ability to put Coyle on the wing is pretty much all you're going to get. I'd rather let Graovac take the #3C spot.

 

[Jarick]

I really hope Fontaine gets a shot in the top six. In terms of production per ice time, he's a first liner. Why not give him a shot with more minutes?

Wild are actually pretty good at the wing spot. Pominville, Fontaine, Vanek, and Zucker all rate as top line wingers in terms of primary P/60. Parise is a high 2nd liner and Nino is a solid 3rd liner. Yes, these are rough estimates and ice time and sample size and eye test yadda yadda, but the point is, there's a lot of talent at wing. I would NOT give up assets to make a change here.

The weak spot for the team is at center. Granlund, Koivu, and Coyle all rate as third line centers in terms of primary P/60, while Haula rates as a 4th liner.

 

[nickschultzfan]

I'm not sure what a 26 year old who has never had more than 30 points has for 'upside'. Salary savings and the ability to put Coyle on the wing is pretty much all you're going to get. I'd rather let Graovac take the #3C spot.

I think salary saving and putting Coyle on the wing are pretty significant benefits. If Graovac beats out Eller, that would only be a good thing. More likely Graovac would get another year in Iowa developing.

 

[ThatGuy22]

I think salary saving and putting Coyle on the wing are pretty significant benefits. If Graovac beats out Eller, that would only be a good thing. More likely Graovac would get another year in Iowa developing.

But not everyone thinks Pominville is worthless like you do, and should be dumped at all costs.

Its extremely likely, given that he saw no drop off in the rest of his underlying numbers, that his shooting percentage rebounds and he's back to a 25+ goal scorer worth every bit of his 5.8 cap hit.

 

[AKL]

What about Pominville and Haula to Montreal for Eller? He could be a solid 3rd line center with good upside. Would cut a good chunk of salary.

Wow that's bad. You want to add assets to Pominville to get Eller? I get the shedding salary angle but yikes.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

I really hope Fontaine gets a shot in the top six. In terms of production per ice time, he's a first liner. Why not give him a shot with more minutes?

If they're going to keep the PGP line together, I'd like a see a Zucker/Koivu/Fontaine 2nd line.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

I think salary saving and putting Coyle on the wing are pretty significant benefits. If Graovac beats out Eller, that would only be a good thing. More likely Graovac would get another year in Iowa developing.

Not really, because then you've traded a 20 goal, 50 point player for a 4th line center.

 

[nickschultzfan]

It has been stressed by both the Wild and local media like Russo that the Wild are significantly constrained by the cap this year and even more next year. We just watched Chicago having to trade Saad because they couldn't move Bickell or Sharp.

Does anybody want that to be us? Do we want to have to trade away Spurgeon or even Zucker or some other young player because Pominville and Vanek are collecting checks for coasting through the post-season?

Yeah, I definitely want to get ahead of that problem.

Maybe just a Pominville for Eller straight-up.

 

[ThatGuy22]

I really hope Fontaine gets a shot in the top six. In terms of production per ice time, he's a first liner. Why not give him a shot with more minutes?

Wild are actually pretty good at the wing spot. Pominville, Fontaine, Vanek, and Zucker all rate as top line wingers in terms of primary P/60. Parise is a high 2nd liner and Nino is a solid 3rd liner. Yes, these are rough estimates and ice time and sample size and eye test yadda yadda, but the point is, there's a lot of talent at wing. I would NOT give up assets to make a change here.

The weak spot for the team is at center. Granlund, Koivu, and Coyle all rate as third line centers in terms of primary P/60, while Haula rates as a 4th liner.

As long as Vanek is on the team, I want Fontaine with him. Their scoring rates were crazy when matched together last year. I'd atleast start with them as the third line wingers, getting some heavy O zone starts to see if maybe Fontaine just gets Vanek or something.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

It has been stressed by both the Wild and local media like Russo that the Wild are significantly constrained by the cap this year and even more next year. We just watched Chicago having to trade Saad because they couldn't move Bickell or Sharp.

Does anybody want that to be us? Do we want to have to trade away Spurgeon or even Zucker or some other young player because Pominville and Vanek are collecting checks for coasting through the post-season?

Yeah, I definitely want to get ahead of that problem.

Maybe just a Pominville for Eller straight-up.

You can get ahead of the problem, but Eller is a horrible return.

 

[nickschultzfan]

Not really, because then you've traded a 20 goal, 50 point player for a 4th line center.

If we are playing the hypothetical game, you have to acknowledge that we could be left with a 5.6 million/year winger and a 6.5 million/year winger who have declined out of the top-6 and are ill-suited for the bottom-6.

 

[nickschultzfan]

You can get ahead of the problem, but Eller is a horrible return.

What return?

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

If we are playing the hypothetical game, you have to acknowledge that we could be left with a 5.6 million/year winger and a 6.5 million/year winger who have declined out of the top-6 and are ill-suited for the bottom-6.

Hopefully we continue with our top 9/bottom 3 set up then.

What return?

Your suggestion of trading Pominville for Eller straight up.

 

[nickschultzfan]

Your suggestion of trading Pominville for Eller straight up.

I was being jokey. If Pominville is worth a 2 out of 10, $2.1 million/year in cap space is worth a 1 or 2 out of 10, and Eller is 0 or 1 out of 10. Not looking for much of a return because Pominville isn't worth much.

Sharp has 3 Cups to his name, and Chicago can't even get a 3rd rounder for him.

Such is the life in a Cap-tight World.

 

[ThatGuy22]

I was being jokey. If Pominville is worth a 1 out of 10, $2.1 million/year in cap space is worth a 1 or 2 out of 10, and Eller is 0 or 1 out of 10. Not looking for much of a return because Pominville isn't worth much.

Sharp has 3 Cups to his name, and Chicago can't even get a 3rd rounder for him.

Such is the life in a Cap-tight World.

I'm pretty sure Chicago could get a 3rd rounder pretty dang easily. Problem is, they are looking for a 1st++ off his worst season.

 

[Spurgeon]

Until most of the good ones re-sign, like they always do.

Yeah, but there's A LOT of high-end UFAs. Much more than recent years, even if a lot of them re-sign.

 

[Spurgeon]

If they're going to keep the PGP line together, I'd like a see a Zucker/Koivu/Fontaine 2nd line.

And then re-sign Stewart and make a Nino - Coyle - Stewart line.

Oh wait, that'd put Vanek on the 4th line, don't know if that'd work out.

Vanek - Coyle - Nino without signing Stewart would be pretty good too.

 

[nickschultzfan]

I'm pretty sure Chicago could get a 3rd rounder pretty dang easily. Problem is, they are looking for a 1st++ off his worst season.

They were months ago. But in the days leading up to the Saad trade, they weren't looking for much. The threat of an offer-sheet isn't as much of a deal if you have the cap space to match.

The problem is that almost every team that could use Sharp would need to send salary back the other way, which Chicago can't have. The teams that would take him free and clear aren't offering that much.

 

[Wild11MN]

I feel like there's no way we'd buy out Vanek this year. But I feel like he's definitely a prime buyout candidate next year. Maybe even likely next summer.

 

[Digitalbooya]

Spurgeon for Pulkkinen+2nd
Coyle+Labbe for Namestnikov
Pominville for 1st

Parise-Granlund-Nino
Zucker-Koivu-Pulkkinen
Vanek-Namestnikov-Fontaine
Haula-Carter-Schroeder
Keranen

Suter-Dumba
Scandella-Brodin
Reilly-Folin
Prosser
(each have one O dman and one D dman)

Dubnyk
Kuemper
Backstrom

(assume signed Pulkkinen $1m, Namestnikov $1m, Haula $900k, Folin $1m)
Cap space: $9.12m
Roster spots needed: 0

Picks in 2016: 1st, 1st, 2nd, 4th, 6th, 7th, 7th