Wild Trade for Marc-Andre Fleury

The NHL trade deadline is at 2PM CT, Monday and the Minnesota Wild just executed one of the splashiest moves of the day, sending a conditional 2nd-round pick to the Chicago Blackhawks for legendary NHL goalie, Marc-Andre Fleury.

That 2nd-round pick will become a 1st-round pick if the Wild advance to the 3rd round of the 2022 NHL Playoffs and Fleury is the winning goalie in four or more games, in each of the first two rounds. Earlier in the morning, it was reported that the deal would get across the finish line as long as Fleury agreed to waive his no-trade clause.

Second-rounder will be a first if the #mnwild win two rounds and Fleury wins at least 4 games in those rounds https://t.co/se6uNfjK0d

— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) March 21, 2022

Shaky Fleury Looks to Find Game With Wild

The Blackhawks had been asking for a 1st-round pick, in return for Fleury. That may have changed on Sunday night, after Chicago inexplicably started MAF in net against the Jets. He and the Hawks melted down in the 2nd period and he gave up 5 total goals on the game.

MAF has struggled all season long, posting a 2.95 GAA with a save percentage of just .908. He ranks in the back-half of the league in just about every goalie metric that hockey people care about. In fact, this wasn’t a deal I was up for just a few weeks ago.

But the Chicago Blackhawks are terrible this season and Guerin, who won The Cup with Fleury in Pittsburgh, hopes Fleury will get his old playoff swagger back with a good Minnesota Wild team playing in front of him. MAF will partner with Cam Talbot on this playoff run. This, after Kaapo Kahkonen was dealt to the San Jose Sharks in a separate deadline deal that has landed the Wild another depth piece for their lineup in defensman, Jacob Middleton.

#sharks get Kaapo Kahkonen for hard-nosed defenseman Jacob Middleton and a pick. 9 points, +3, 69 penalty minutes in 45 games.

— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) March 21, 2022

McBain Rights Traded for 2nd Round Pick

Jack McBain was drafted by the Minnesota Wild in the 3rd round of the 2018 NHL Draft. But now that he’s ready to become a pro, he isn’t interested in signing here. After the Boston College star center scored 33 points (19 goals) in 24 games in his final collegiate season, McBain’s agent informed Wild GM Bill Guerin that he wouldn’t be signing with the team that drafted him three seasons ago. So on Monday morning, he was traded to Arizona Coyotes for a 2nd round pick in the upcoming 2022 draft.

???? TRADE ????

We have acquired a 2022 second-round draft selection from the Arizona Coyotes. #mnwild pic.twitter.com/1BoXbODlI9

— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) March 21, 2022

According to Michael Russo (The Athletic), the Wild were willing to sign Jack McBain and get him on the NHL ice immediately. Depending on how he adjusted to the National Hockey League, Guerin was hoping he could help with their playoff run. Unfortunately, that didn’t entice McBain. He sees Minnesota as already set up the middle both now, with Ryan Hartman and Joel Eriksson Ek, and into the future, with Marco Rossi.

Of course, that’s ludicrous. The Minnesota Wild’s biggest weak spot for years has been at the center position and it remains a hole today. But if Jack McBain is that intimidated by mediocre NHL roster competition, his professional career isn’t worth investing in anyway.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan