Despite positioning themselves as buyers for the upcoming deadline season, the Minnesota Wild have reportedly looked to move a veteran off the roster to clear out additional cap space. According to a recent article from Anthony Di Marco of the Daily Faceoff, the Wild reportedly attempted to send Ryan Hartman to the Philadelphia Flyers before acquiring defenseman Quinn Hughes.
If Minnesota wants to move out salary, Hartman is likely the easiest choice. Every other notable forward on the roster has no-movement protection in their contracts, whereas Hartman only has a 15-team no-trade list. Since the Wild reached out to Philadelphia first, it’s safe to assume that the Flyers aren’t on that list. He has some experience in Philadelphia, scoring two goals and six points in 19 games for the Flyers back in the 2018-19 season.
Aside from the mild trade protection, there’s no questioning why the Wild are looking to move out Hartman. Even when healthy, he hasn’t come close to the production he had in Minnesota from 2021 to 2024. Over the last two years, the 34-year-old veteran has scored 20 goals and 41 points in 103 games, which is less than he had during the 2023-24 season alone.