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Hockey Wilderness

A Minnesota Wild Blog that WON'T make you sick and kill you!

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Michael McCarron’s Contract Is About More Than Stats

This week, the Minnesota Wild heeded social media's pleas and re-signed Michael McCarron to a six-year, $3.33 million contract. While the fun side of Wild Twitter is rejoicing over the return of Big Sexy, there are plenty of detractors who want to talk about why this contract is bad. This isn’...

McCarron's Contract Reflects His Value To A Championship Roster

Michael McCarron is a fourth-liner, 31 years old, and locked up through the 2031-32 season at $3.33 million per year, with a full no-movement clause attached – a classic Bill Guerin contract. When the Minnesota Wild announced McCarron's new contract Tuesday, the consensus formed fast: Guerin had ove...

Signing Anders Lee Would Solve A Longstanding Wild Issue

The Minnesota Wild’s need for a legitimate top-six center has been one of the organization’s most persistent issues. If the trade market fails to produce a solution, the team should strongly consider pivoting in free agency, specifically toward New York Islanders captain Anders Lee. While Lee...

Dylan Larkin Needs the Wild As Much As Minnesota Needs Larkin

It's been a week since the bombshell news of Dylan Larkin's trade request hit the NHL, and the hockey world has been trying to figure out where he'll land. At first, it seemed as if Larkin had just three destinations he'd waive his no-move clause for, but he has expanded his list recently. The...

Wild Just Don't Have Enough To Land Dylan Larkin

The Minnesota Wild are going to go hard after Dylan Larkin. Almost immediately after the Detroit Red Wings captain and first-line center requested a trade out of Michigan, the entire Wild front office leaped to their phones to ask Steve Yzerman what he wants from their roster to get the 29-year-old...

Do the Wild Have To Trade For the First 1C Available?

The Vegas Golden Knights will have screwed with everyone’s expectations once the season ends, especially the Minnesota Wild’s. Vegas hovered around +1000 odds (bet $100 to win $1000) of winning the Stanley Cup most of the season, meaning they were fringe contenders. Their odds naturally were h...

Do Carson Lambos and David Spacek Still Have A Future With the Wild?

I watched a lot of Iowa Wild games this year, took my annual road trip to catch a home series, and also went down to Des Moines to cover the team’s final two games of the season. Through it all, I was able to observe and document the growth, difficulties, and progress that players encountered as the...

Dylan Larkin Would Add Dimension the Wild Desperately Need

The Minnesota Wild have spent the past several seasons building a competitive roster defined by structure, discipline, and strong defensive play. While that identity has kept them in the playoff picture, it has also exposed a persistent issue: a lack of elite, game-breaking offensive talent down the...

Joel Eriksson Ek Can't Be Part Of the Wild's No. 1 Center Trade

Bill Guerin has been forthright in saying he’s trying to add a No. 1 center, so naturally there’s a lot of speculation about who the Minnesota Wild are targeting. While bringing in a new player will be exciting, it’s also vital to examine the other part of those transactions. What the Wild will...

Does Dylan Larkin Live Up To the No. 1 Center Branding?

The Minnesota Wild want a Number One Center. That's not necessarily news. You could write that at just about any point in the Wild's quarter-century-long history, and it'd be true. What is news is that a No. 1 Center wants Minnesota. Dylan Larkin wants out of Detroit, and Helene St. James of t...

Vladimir Tarasenko Can Still Change A Game With One Shot

The Minnesota Wild should prioritize re-signing Vladimir Tarasenko this offseason because he still gives them something they desperately need: proven scoring talent. In a league where finishing chances is often the difference between a good offense and a dangerous one, Tarasenko remains one of...

Report: Wild Interested in Trading For Mat Barzal

The Minnesota Wild are clearly going to look to upgrade the center position this offseason. While there were other problems up against the Colorado Avalanche in the second round, their center depth got the better of them as Joel Eriksson Ek was out for the series and the lack of true star power down...

Can Riley Heidt Follow Hunter Haight's Blueprint Next Season?

I watched a lot of Iowa Wild games this year, took my annual road trip to catch a home series, and also went down to Des Moines to cover the team’s final two games of the season. Through it all, I was able to observe and document the growth, difficulties, and progress that players encountered as the...

Do the Wild Have What It Takes To Land Dylan Larkin?

The Minnesota Wild have arrived at the exact moment they've been waiting for: A star center is forcing their team's hand to move them. Three-time All-Star and Team USA gold medalist Dylan Larkin has reportedly requested a trade, and the Detroit Red Wings may have to move on from their captain this s...

Wild Have Another Chance to Land Top Center

Dylan Larkin (somewhat) shocked the hockey world when it was reported that he has requested a trade from the Detroit Red Wings. Eleven seasons in and he has played a total of five playoff games -- so it is actually understandable why he wants out of there. But considering he's a Michigan guy and a W...

Will Caedan Bankier Be Back Next Season?

I watched a lot of Iowa Wild games this year, took my annual road trip to catch a home series, and also went down to Des Moines to cover the team’s final two games of the season. Through it all, I was able to observe and document the growth, difficulties, and progress that players encountered as the...

NHL

5 Players Who Will Define Judd Brackett's Legacy In Minnesota

In the week since Judd Brackett, the Minnesota Wild's Director of Amateur Scouting, parted with the team to join the Toronto Maple Leafs as an Assistant GM, reactions have been mixed. Some have lamented the loss of the draft guru who picked Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes in Vancouver, then built...

Minnesota Wild Legend Joins the St. Louis Blues

That's Wild Is this betrayal? Are we now super mad? Minnesota Wild legend Mikko Koivu has joined division rival St. Louis Blues as a European Development Consultant, as he will work with the Blues' prospects drafted out of Europe and help them develop. Now, are we expecting the next Koivu to...