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Hockey Wilderness

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

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The Wild Kept Their Future Intact At the Deadline

The Minnesota Wild navigated the 2026 trade deadline effectively by upgrading their roster depth without paying the massive premium it would have taken to land a true top-six center, preserving key prospects and draft capital for the long term. In a year where center prices were exorbitant, Bill Gue...

Bobby Brink Is A Wild Reclamation Project

The Minnesota Wild’s acquisition of Bobby Brink from the Philadelphia Flyers is more than a feel-good homecoming story. It’s a calculated bet that a crafty, play-driving winger entering his prime can push this team closer to a deep playoff run. Adding Brink's skill set into a lineup that already fea...

Checking In On the Bill Guerin Excuse-O-Meter

Bill Guerin entered the trade deadline with one goal: To put the finishing touches on a team that could get through the Dallas Stars, Colorado Avalanche, and punch their way to the franchise's first Stanley Cup appearance. It's important to understand that these aren't the outsized expectations...

The Wild Went From Big-Game Hunting To Punting At the Trade Deadline

As the dust settles on the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline, it's hard to say that the Minnesota Wild didn't get better. Just by virtue of shipping out David Jiříček and Vinnie Hinostroza, the Wild unloaded negative-1.4 Standings Points Above Replacement. Add in Bobby Brink, Nick Foligno, Jeff Petry, Robby F...

The Wild Can Get More From Bobby Brink Than David Jiricek

Bobby Brink helps the Minnesota Wild more than David Jiricek does right now. Before you type in the comments about how much of a hypocrite I am for saying that trading a 2028 second-round pick for Michael McCarron was irresponsible, and that McCarron helps the team now when that theoretical 14-...

The 2026 Tourney Wasted No Time Delivering Drama

Minnesota’s 2026 boys’ state hockey tournament wasted no time delivering drama with Day 1’s Class A quarterfinals and Day 2’s opening Class AA slate, showcasing everything from goalie duels to offensive explosions. The eight winners from those first two days all advanced by leaning into district ide...

Samuel Hlavaj's Olympic Play Spotlighted His Potential and Inconsistency

Samuel Hlavaj’s season with the Iowa Wild has been uneven. Still, his performance for Slovakia at the 2026 Winter Olympics has turned him into one of the most intriguing goalie stories in the Minnesota organization. The contrast between his AHL struggles and his brilliance on the international stage...

NHL

Where the Wild Sit On Trade Deadline Day

The Minnesota Wild were projected to be one of the biggest players at the trade deadline, filling up the holes on their roster as they set to truly contend for a Stanley Cup for the first time in franchise history. And they have been involved. Earlier in the week, they nabbed up center Michael...

Bobby McMann Is the Kind Of Scoring Wing the Wild Need

The Minnesota Wild don’t necessarily need another star; they need another reliable finisher. That's why Toronto Maple Leafs’ winger Bobby McMann is an intriguing target. McMann isn't a household name, but his production suggests he could be exactly the type of secondary scoring winger Minnesota need...

There Is Less Than Meets the Eye With Michael McCarron

You are not overthinking it. There is no mystery angle to the latest Minnesota Wild transaction. Trading a 2028 second-round pick for a “big” checking forward in Michael McCarron is not good asset management. Let’s do a little bit of an economics lesson. When many people are interested in the p...

NHL

There Is Less Than What Meets the Eye With Michael McCarron

You are not overthinking it. There is no mystery angle to the latest Minnesota Wild transaction. Trading a 2028 second-round pick for a “big” checking forward in Michael McCarron is not good asset management. Let’s do a little bit of an economics lesson. When many people are interested in the p...

NHL

Star-Studded Delano Has State Tournament Bloodlines

Nearly a decade after the Delano Tigers first surged onto the stage at the Minnesota State High School Boys Hockey Tournament, the current iteration of the West Metro program is back in a big way. And if their opening-round performance is any indication, this version of the Tigers might finally be t...

The Dallas Stars Got Worse With the Tyler Myers Trade

The Dallas Stars saw how much better the Minnesota Wild got after trading for a Vancouver Canucks defenseman, and decided to follow suit on Wednesday. Unfortunately for them, the Stars did not land Quinn Hughes, but instead have opted to re-home the Chaos Giraffe. Tyler Myers got that nickname...

NHL

Fortitude Defines Robby Fabbri's Career

Very soon, the Robby Fabbri waiver claim will be buried under the sands of history. Typically, that process takes hundreds or even thousands of years. In the NHL, a single trade deadline can strike a waiver claim from your memory. Turning back the sands of history, Fabbri’s story evokes a quot...

NHL

Ryan O'Reilly Isn't the Kind Of Center the Wild Need

The Minnesota Wild should avoid a Ryan O'Reilly trade because the timing of his age curve and the structure of his contract clash with where this roster and cap sheet are headed over the next few seasons. Ryan O’Reilly is 35 and is firmly in the back half of his career. Even for elite two-way c...

"The Tourney" Has All the Ingredients To Deliver Another Unforgettable Chapter

Minnesotans call it “The Tourney” for a reason. The 2026 Minnesota boys high school hockey state tournament is set to turn Grand Casino Arena in Saint Paul into the loudest building in the state from March 4-7, as 16 teams chase the dream of hoisting a championship trophy in front of a statewide aud...

NHL

Bill Guerin's Gritty Mistakes Are Getting Worse And Worse

There's no doubt that Bill Guerin is feeling himself right now. Coming off a Kirill Kaprizov extension, the Quinn Hughes trade, and a Gold Medal win with Team USA, he's maybe the strongest contender for GM of the Year. And especially with the gold medal, he did it his way. Guerin took criticism...

Wild Trade Valuable Draft Pick For Tall Fourth-Line Center

The Minnesota Wild have made their first trade in the week of the deadline! Boy, we hope it's someone cool and good and truly makes a massive impact on the team and the Wild didn't give up too much -- but we also understand if it was needed to give up a bunch of assets and... Wait, the Wild tra...

The Wild Should Steer Clear Of Charlie Coyle

The Minnesota Wild should resist the temptation to reunite with Charlie Coyle, even if he checks a few boxes they are desperate to fill down the middle. Coyle still brings size, versatility, and reliable two-way minutes. However, he’s 34, has a limited offensive ceiling, and timing concerns that don...

Which Off-the-Radar Trade Targets Make Sense For the Wild?

The Minnesota Wild are waiting it out as the trade deadline approaches, waiting for the New York Rangers to either accept or decline their standing offer for Vincent Trocheck. Trocheck has been tied to the Wild basically since the moment the Rangers announced their intention to rebuild. Bill G...

The Wild Must Proceed With Caution On Steven Stamkos

With the NHL trade deadline quickly approaching, reports are swirling about who Bill Guerin might acquire as his next big swing to contend this season. The Minnesota Wild are connected to players like Vincent Trochek and Robert Thomas. Still, everyone in Minnesota should be keeping an eye on Steven...

Vincent Trocheck Makes Most Sense As A Bridge To Danila Yurov

Bill Guerin was famously making his own meatballs when pulling off the Quinn Hughes trade, but it appears that this week, he's determined to import some gabagool from New York. As Friday's March 6 trade deadline approaches, it looks like the Minnesota Wild's No. 1 target is Italian-American cen...

Will the Wild Trade Ryan Hartman Before the Deadline?

We are now in the week of the NHL trade deadline and that means one thing: A whole lot of speculation about who will be moved after months of general inactivity across the league. Aside from the Minnesota Wild's blockbuster Quinn Hughes trade and the somewhat boring move of Artemi Panarin going to t...

Quinn Hughes' SNL Appearance Didn't Do Enough Damage Control

The US Men’s Hockey Team created some awful press for themselves in the aftermath of their gold medal win. While the NHL doesn’t seem to actually care about growing the game, despite repeatedly expressing a desire to do so, they decided to trot out two of the Hughes brothers to help fill the m...