Bill Guerin May Wait on Next MN Wild Blockbuster?
After tonight’s slate of NHL games are played, the National Hockey League will freeze its 2025-26 regular season so many its best players can fly to Milan, Italy, for the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The Minnesota Wild have more players going overseas than most organization, with eight. Their president of hockey operations, Bill Guerin, also happens to be Team USA’s general manager. Wild head coach Jon Hynes, is one of the team’s assistants, under Mike Sullivan (Rangers HC).
With the regular season Olympic break, will come a freeze in NHL operations. In fact, trades will not be allowed starting today (Feb. 4) at 2 p.m. CST, until February 22 at 10:59 p.m. CST.
Bill Guerin focused on the Olympics
If you are hoping Bill Guerin will bust through with another blockbuster trade, before the freeze begins, don’t hold your breath. When asked by KFAN radio host Dan Barreiro on Monday afternoon, which of his teams was weighing most on his mind this week, Guerin pretty much admitted his mind is already in Milan.
At this point, do you feel greater pressure as the president of hockey operations for the Minnesota Wild or as the guy, the architect, the guy in charge of whatever happens in Milan during the Winter Olympics for the US Hockey Team.
Oh man, some days I feel like I’m double tipping on that. Yes, but yeah, I think right now, probably for the Olympics, just because you know what, there’s been so much build up and we’ve been waiting for this for so long and it’s and it’s finally here, and it’s the short it’s a short tournament, so we gotta be ready and hit the ground running and and ready to go. So I think more more pressure for that right now.
Bill Guerin – KFAN
More importantly, with so many players participating in Milan, I can’t imagine the Minnesota Wild would be comfortable making a deal before they know how many of those players come back healthy.
But even once the Olympics are over, and Guerin turns his attention back to the NHL trade deadline, there’s no guarantee another big trade takes place before the trade deadline hits two weeks later, on March 6.
Minnesota Wild focused on patience before trade deadline?
One day after his chat with KFAN, Guerin sat down with Joe Smith (The Athletic) on his “Fellowship of the Rink” podcast. In that interview, Minnesota’s PoHO looked beyond the Olympic break and toward the all-important trade deadline.
And while it’s clear Billy is still determined to make the Wild better before their stretch run… he’s even more absolute in his mission to avoid a mistake that haunts his hockey team beyond this upcoming summer.
Smith: ‘What’s the balance of being in win-now mode vs staying patient to make sure you don’t make a mistake or miss out on something better?’
Guerin: “That’s a really good question, because that’s probably the biggest thing that goes through my brain all the time is, ‘Patience, patience, patience.’ And if it doesn’t happen now, maybe it’s not meant to be? Maybe there’s something bigger in the summer?”
“I have to look at the history of things to help me be patient. I’ve always said, ‘No knee-jerk moves.’ I’m not always true to myself on that. But I try to be. We really try to weigh the pros and cons.”
Fellowship of the Rink Podcast
Make no mistake about it, the Minnesota Wild are still looking for a forward to put them over the top in the Western Conference. Guerin says they’d love to get their hands on a top center. Of course, so would every other team in the league.
He pointed to the Hughes deal, making it clear that he passed on other opportunities to improve the MN Wild, before he got an opportunity to move in on the franchise’s newest superstar.
MN Wild still trying to add forward help
Does that mean, if Guerin doesn’t get an opportunity at another young, blue-chip superstar between February 22 and March 6 that he won’t make a deal at all? It’s hard to say.
“I’d like to add a forward at some point in time if it makes sense, and if we can do it. It’s always talked about, with our team about adding a center. Of course, we’d love to have a center. I think 32 teams in the league would love to add a center.
If you can’t do it, maybe we pivot to a wing. But it all really just has to make sense, when we’re doing it. You know me, I like to be aggressive but I like to be smart too, which isn’t always the easiest thing for me.”
Bill Guerin – Fellowship of the Rink Podcast
One thing we know for sure is that the MN Wild are running low on trade assets. If Billy can’t get enough forward talent back in exchange for Jesper Wallstedt or Charlie Strammel before March 6… is this team really going to enter the postseason with a roster that looks extremely similar to how it does now?
It’s possible… but most insiders still expect Billy to do SOMETHING, even if it isn’t blockbuster-worthy. Of course, injuries in Milan for the Minnesota Wild, or other teams, could completely change the outlook, come February 22.
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