The Minnesota Wild Have A Major Offseason Ahead

The Minnesota Wild have a major offseason ahead. After blowing a 3-0 lead in Game 5 vs the Colorado Avalanche, their season came to a painful end. Heading into the offseason, there are many questions to be answered.

The biggest one is how they can improve after one of their best seasons in a while. They made the second round of the postseason for the first time in 12 years. Despite this, they have several areas that need answers over the next few months.

Center Depth

The biggest knock on Wild general manager Bill Guerin was that he failed to solve the team’s lack of depth up the middle. They had to have guys like Michael McCarron and Danila Yurov on their second and third lines. The two combined for just seven points in 11 playoff games.

Simply put, that Minnesota depth needs to be improved to compete with other top teams. The free agent market is weak, so it’s possible Guerin has to go the trade route to find that center help. Either way, the Avalanche exposed the center position, and it needs an overhaul.

Re-Sign Or Not Re-Sign

Another aspect that will affect which path the Wild take is who they decide to bring back. The guys that stand out the most are Mats Zuccarello, Marcus Johansson, and Vladimir Tarasenko. All three are important in their own ways.

Mats Zuccarello

With Zuccarello, he still brings a lot to Minnesota. He’s had his most success playing alongside superstar Kirill Kaprizov. On top of that, he’s incredibly well respected by everyone in the locker room.

Guerin and Zuccarello likely find common ground to continue the partnership. The question for the guy they call “Zuccy” is whether he will be willing to take less money and potentially a lesser role to stay. That’s going to be the key component.

Marcus Johansson

It’s fair to say that Johansson ended up being one of the best bargain deals for Minnesota. He signed for just $800,ooo and played at a higher level than that. He finished 25-26 with 15 goals and 49 points in 75 games played.

This was arguably the best season of his time in Minnesota and overall since 22-23. The Wild may look to upgrade the top six, and it’s possible that the two don’t see a future together after three and a half years. However, if Guerin can’t find something better, it would be easier to bring back Johansson on a deal similar to last year.

Vladimir Tarasenko

Another low-risk, high-reward move by Guerin. Tarasenko looked like his younger self this season with 23 goals and 47 points. This production on the third line is quite impressive.

The question becomes if Minnesota still feels comfortable with him despite just two goals in the team’s 11 playoff games. If they feel that was a fluke, bringing him back would bolster their depth and provide a positive locker-room presence.

Extending Quinn Hughes

Until there’s a long-term decision made, Quinn Hughes will be the focal point in Minnesota. He performed as advertised and then some since coming over in a blockbuster trade in December. Guerin has proven that he isn’t scared to be aggressive in building a winner.

That’s something that has stuck with Hughes since being traded. Hughes mentioned his interest in re-signing in Minnesota.

He’s eligible to re-sign as early as July 1st, and the entire hockey world will see what Hughes ultimately decides. Hughes could potentially make nearly $20 million in a new deal in 2027-28. The cap is expected to go up to $113.5 million by then.

The pressure is on, given the still looming threat that Hughes could join his brothers in New Jersey. If he does re-sign, the narrative will change, proving the Wild to be a destination for free agents.