While there are still some traction left in the season, and maybe (maybe being the operative word) a jaunt in the playoffs, I am going to look ahead a bit. Minnesota has gone out and resigned Nick Schultz, which I felt was the number one priority; but there are pieces like Pierre-Marc Bouchard (RFA) and UFA’s like Pavol Demitra and Brian Rolston that are going to be without contract. Then there are also bit players like Branko Radivojevic, Kurtis Foster, Keith Carney, etc. who also join that group. Maybe the lynchpin of the whole situation is whether or not Marian Gaborik will sign a long-term extension, which will be pushed this off-season; Minnesota, more notably GM Doug Risebrough, simply cannot let a player like Gaborik play out the last year of his contract and test Free Agency without getting something in return. You saw what the Buffalo Sabres have done the past few years, and you saw what transpired with the Johan Santana trade this summer as far as the Minnesota Twins go.

Defense:
- Keith Carney, Kurtis Foster, Petteri Nummelin, and Sean Hill. While I don’t consider myself qualified to “general manage”, I’d let them all go; Nummelin is gone regardless, Foster almost didn’t get an offer last summer, maybe keep one of Hill or Carney. You can bring in a decent 5-6 guy in through Free Agency or via trade, but you also have guys like Shawn Belle, Clayton Stoner, Erik Reitz, and John Scott in Houston, who all nearly made the team out of camp, but were ultimately down on the depth chart. Its time for these guys to get a shot at the NHL level, and develop under the limited 5-6 D minutes.

Burns-Schultz-Johnsson-Skoula-FA-Stoner/Reitz/Scott/Belle-Hill/Carney

Forwards:

Pavol Demitra, Brian Rolston, Matt Foy, Todd Fedoruk, Chris Simon, Branko Radivojevic. There are grumblings that Demitra doesn’t want to stay here, whether or not its true has yet to come to light; but that being said, I am not sure if I even want him back. Don’t you think you want more out of a guy than 65-70 games a year, regardless of his chemistry with Gaborik? His departure would make top-6 room for Mark Parrish, who I feel is being grossly misused, and would easily pot 25 goals given constant ice time with skill players. Rolston, well, I am finding myself split. I like what he brings to the team off the ice, but have grown disillusioned with his game; his goal totals are shrinking, and he is slowly becoming one-dimensional. I guess there are questions about whether or not he wants to stay are popping up too. I would bring back Todd Fedoruk in a second; Fridge can play, and brings physical presence without having to fight. Foy can go, as will Simon. I think Branko will be let go as well, not only because the Brass has been disappointed with his game, and also to make room for a Danny Irmen, Cal Clutterbuck, or Colton Gillies.

Goalie:

While we don’t have pressing issues here, there is a possibility that Nik Backstrom could be dealt; not that Josh Harding is absolutely ready, but that he may be worth something that Wild needs, or could be of use in the Draft. Aeros Goalie Nolan Schaefer has NHL experience, and the Brass may want to roll the dice with that tandem. I’m not saying he will get traded, but I’ve always looked at his deal as a one year and gone scenario.

There are some extenuating circumstances here; the lack of help that came in at the deadline and the slow slide down the standings may alienate some of the FA’s to be; That leads us to Gaborik; he may see this as a sinking ship, or a ship going nowhere, and he may want to seek greener pastures, whether or not he is the captain. If he does, you got to shop him, and get what you can, although the deal may handcuff Minnesota because Gaborik will want major money; so the list of Suitors may be shortened, and ideally you’d want to send him East. However, you could work in a conditional pick if he were to be resigned by the team he was dealt to. A Sign and Trade (i.e. Hossa for Heatley) may be a worthy option as well. But there will have to be a contributor coming back.

Minnesota has the pieces in place; Koivu and Sheppard up the middle, Burns and Schultz on the Blueline, and Harding in net, but the landscape changes year to year; I’ve touched on it before, but there is a very real possibility that the Wild go through a reconstruction this summer. The question is to what extent.