MN Wild Less Willing to Trade Goalie Than Top Center

The Minnesota Wild are expected to make some major shake-ups this offseason to a roster that pushed the organization further into the postseason than any Wild team has in the past decade.

Now, attention turns to decisions that need to be made on more than a handful of unrestricted free agents — who president of hockey operations Bill Guerin and head coach John Hynes are interested in keeping around vs pending free agents they might be able to live without.

Key UFAs who the Wild have expressed interest in bringing back include Mats Zuccarello, Nick Foligno, Michael McCarron, Vladimir Tarasenko and Marcus Johansson (among others).

Once he figures out his own free agents, Guerin will shift focus to the trade market. But it sounds like plans and prices have already been laid out for the players on Minnesota’s roster. Despite what Billy said publicly last week, there are a few guys The Athletic considers “untouchable”.

Neither goalie Jesper Wallstedt or center Joel Eriksson Ek are on that short list, which included just four names, Kirill Kaprizov, Quinn Hughes, Matt Boldy and Brock Faber. According to Wild insiders Michael Russo and Joe Smith, everyone else is gettable.

Jesper Wallstedt unlikely to be traded this offseason

However, there are different levels of “available”. And while the Minnesota Wild may have been dangling 23-year-old goalie Jesper Wallstedt at the last trade deadline, prying him out of St. Paul won’t be as easy, after he started all but one of their playoff games (10 starts), posting a 2.77 GAA and .909 save%.

In fact, The Athletic has Wallstedt’s availability listed in the “unlikely now” trade tier. The only other Wild player in that same tier — the other side of Minnesota’s netminding duo, Filip Gustavsson.

Russo and Smith then write that — should Gustavsson look good in his return off significant offseason surgery next year — trading Wallstedt before he gets more expensive in 2027 would make a ton of sense.

It remains to be seen if a true No. 1 center becomes available, but with Filip Gustavsson having offseason hip surgery, it just doesn’t seem logical to trade Wallstedt now.

If the Wild don’t make a big splash this summer and Gustavsson returns next season healthy, though, you can bet Guerin would consider using Wallstedt as the cornerstone piece in another blockbuster, especially because he’ll need to be paid handsomely in 2027.

The Athletic

Until another youngster claims his spot, Wallstedt remains far and away the best young trade chip in Bill Guerin’s back pocket who isn’t listed in The Athletic’s “Not going anywhere” trade tier.

Other insiders believe that, should the Wild open up on moving Jesper again, it would take a haul like what Ottawa will be seeking for Brady Tkachuk.

Bruce Garrioch: Re Jesper Wallstedt: GM Bill Guerin will want a huge return. The belief is that the Wild would want Ottawa captain Brady Tkachuk as part of a package for Wallstedt – Ottawa Citizen (5/19)

— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) May 26, 2026

Joel Eriksson Ek appears very much available

Here’s where things get a bit more interesting. After you get beyond the Wild’s unlikely-to-be-dealt goalies, Russo and Smith get to the players Minnesota “would listen on the right deal” for. Unsurprisingly, this category holds a lot more names.

Those names include Ryan Hartman, Danila Yurov and even captain Jared Spurgeon. While it’s difficult to see those guys playing in a different uniform, it’s not shocking to see them available.

It is a bit more surprising, however, that top center Joel Eriksson Ek — who is also spotted in this (very moveable) tier of MN Wild trade assets.

With so few trade assets, the Wild will have to find ways to draw the attention of teams willing to trade top-six centers or wingers, especially with many other teams having the motivation, cap space and assets to pursue those players.

If you’re re-signing Hughes and acquiring another top player, you’re going to need to free up cap space, too. Any team would want Eriksson Ek, who has three years left at a bargain $5.125 million (with a no-trade clause that would prevent him from being moved to 10 teams).

The Athletic

Quinn Hughes negotiations are expected to heat up in the weeks leading up to July 1, though the Minnesota Wild can technically approach him and his representation anytime they’d like.

Waiting until the start of the new league year will allow them more options and more of a feel for what the future of their roster might look like, which is the biggest reason why Guerin isn’t in a big hurry to sit down at the negotiating table.

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