Even after acquiring defenseman Quinn Hughes in a blockbuster trade, the Minnesota Wild don’t seem done adding to their roster. According to a recent update from The Fourth Period, the Wild are currently gauging the market for a top-six scoring winger.
The only name mentioned in the article was Vancouver Canucks winger Kiefer Sherwood, whom Minnesota expressed interest in before adding Hughes. While the two teams are unlikely to align on another deal ahead of the trade deadline, the Canucks are likely familiar with the Wild’s assets and who they’re willing to trade.
Sherwood isn’t a prototypical sniper by any means, but he could offer significant value for a team that appears poised for the playoffs. The 30-year-old winger has scored 35 goals in 114 games while playing in Vancouver, averaging 15:43 of ice time per game. His physicality is the most well-known part of his game, averaging nearly 5.5 hits per game over the last two years.
Minnesota is somewhat limited by its available cap space, but not to a rigid degree, especially if they’re only looking into the rental market. Buffalo Sabres winger Alex Tuch may be the best option available leading up to the deadline, while Seattle Kraken’s Jordan Eberle and Pittsburgh Penguins’ Anthony Mantha represent the secondary and tertiary options. Depending on how willing General Manager Bill Guerin is to empty the cupboards, the Wild still have their 2027 and 2028 first-round picks, as well as a few notable prospects.
Still, especially after moving Marco Rossi in the Hughes trade, it’s somewhat surprising that Minnesota isn’t looking to add a top-six center instead. At the time of writing, the Wild are utilizing Ryan Hartman and Joel Eriksson Ek as their top two options.
Unfortunately, and this may explain their hesitancy in exploring the center market, the demand is outpacing supply. Several competitive teams are looking to add a second-line center, meaning an expected seller’s market could price out Minnesota fairly quickly. Nick Schmaltz of the Utah Mammoth, Evgeni Malkin of the Penguins, and Christian Dvorak of the Philadelphia Flyers are potential options in this field, though there’s no indication any of the trio are being shopped, especially the former two.