Can the Minnesota Wild Sign Two of Their Best Players to Long Term Deals This Offseason?

Can the Minnesota Wild Sign Two of Their Best Players to Long Term Deals This Offseason?

The Minnesota Wild made some interesting moves over the off seasonason, but they’re one of the few NHL teams that still has some unfinished business. Seth Tupel of Locked on Wild joins us to discuss that and a lot more coming up next on today’s Locked On NHL podcast. You’re Locked on NHL, your daily podcast on the National Hockey League, part of the Locked On podcast network, your team every day. Gil Martin here and welcome everybody to the Monday episode of the Locked On NHL podcast. We are part of the Locked On podcast network, your team every day. I want to thank everyone who makes Locked on NHL your first listen every day. Don’t forget to hit the subscribe button and like our videos so you never miss an episode. This episode is brought to you by Monarch Money. Take control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code locked on NHL at monarchmoney.com for 50% off your first year. It is great to welcome back to the show a familiar voice and face to locked on NHL listeners, Seth Tupel. And uh Seth, the Minnesota Wild. It’s been an interesting off season. Let’s let’s start with the additions. How do you feel about Vladimir Terasenko and and Sturm joining this team and are they better than they were last year as a result? You know, it it’s interesting because I really like bringing Nico Sturm back because I think he helped solidify an area that has been a problem the uh the last couple of seasons. Now, not directly because of the players that were pencileled in to play on the fourth line, but because of all the injury issues that this team has uh has had to deal with and all the players that have been called up from Iowa um or have been picked up via waiverss to uh to try to complete the roster. uh you end up with at various points you’ve got guys like Travis Boyd, Brendan Gaunt that have uh have stepped in to play fourthline minutes and it has led to over the last couple of seasons you’re talking single digits in points for the guys that have played a majority of the games in that spot which you know you’re not expecting a ton of production from your fourth line but I I think there’s something to be said about having guys that are tried and trueue NHLers, which is what Nico Sturm is. And depending on how the roster plays out with uh some young players that I would imagine will make the team or be the first call uh you’re looking at at least according to Daily Face Off a fourth line that consists of Marcus Felino, Nico Sturm, and Yakov Trenan, which is way better than what they have had over the last few seasons. It gives a presence and guys that just know when they’re in that role, they know what they need to do. And Sturm’s a great faceoff guy. He has really turned it into an area of study, which I think is going to help because the the Wilds, they haven’t been great in the DOT like ever other than maybe Mo Ku. Um, so having a guy that really studies the art of winning faceoffs as Nico Sturm does, I think will help. um everybody else. And he brings some good speed, but he also has been he’s been right in the thick of two Stanley Cup playoff wins. So, he he got there with Colorado and won. Uh he got there with Florida this past year and won. So, he knows what it takes to get to that ultimate prize. So, I think that can certainly add as well. The biggest one is Vladimir Terosenko. And you look at the numbers at the surface, 11 goals and uh 22 assists in 80 games. Not great. Not great. But Detroit was terrible last year. Like they they got off to the awful start. They fire their coach. They bring in Todd Mlelen and they were good for like two weeks and then they fizzled again. Um, and I think he was playing more of a third line role with them and wasn’t because he he is an offensive guy. Like Terasenko is an offenseoriented player and so having him on a third line role and asking him maybe to do a few other things other than just shoot the puck, uh, probably not putting him in a good position to succeed. So, he comes here, he’ll be at least initially on the second line, and he’s going to be asked to shoot the puck and score. And I think he can help in that aspect. Uh that that has been one of the biggest black holes on this team was the uh the second line rightwing spot. So, I think there’s a chance that this definitely could work out. It will either be that or it’s just a continued kind of slide down the mountain. But this year, I think the Wild are more equipped to be able to handle that. If if he doesn’t pan out, they have prospects and young players that can certainly work themselves into that spot. So, they’ve got good options. And if these guys pan out, then this team is going to be very it’s going to be much deeper than it has been in previous years. And even if in the case of Terasenko, even if he doesn’t, um it feels like they’ve got players that can step up and uh and fill that spot as needed. We opened with a mention of unfinished business. Capri Ov and Rossi. It’s not a law firm. It is uh you know the the to-do list right now for the Minnesota Wild. Two of their best players. Where do we stand and how do you see these two scenarios playing out? Well, um, not close is the word on I guess both players, but I’ll start with the context on Capri off because I don’t want people to, you know, sound the panic alarms or uh or hit the panic button or anything. Uh Michael Russo did report um the the latest update was that things between Capri off and the Wild are not close, but we should keep in mind Capri off has been on vacation, so he’s been in Europe. Bill Garin was in Europe for a while as well. The expectation is that once he gets into min once he gets into the United States into Minnesota that both sides will come face to face and hammer this out. Um that that is I think where a lot of the the back and forth is going to come from. And honestly the biggest issue Gil in this negotiation I think is the term. I don’t think the money is is a problem at all. Uh Craig Leupold has been very adamant that nobody is going to allow uh nobody’s going to offer more money than the Wild can and he’s right. Uh and honestly that just leads me down the path that they there really is not a number that they’re uncomfortable with. The Wild want him for eight. I feel like Capri off wants to go like four just because, you know, you’re not sure. um you want to see how this team plays out and and if they’re going to build a legitimate contender before you uh you up here for a lengthy contract. So I think that’s the biggest sticking point. But for Capri offside, you know, he’s got to keep in mind his his injuries as well. Like he played 41 games this past season. If he were to say, “Yeah, we’re going to table this until after the season.” and he gets hurt, he loses a lot of uh a lot of leverage uh that he could potentially have in the negotiation. So, I I think this will get I think it will get done. I think it’s going to be a very high number, probably highest in the league as far as uh AAV goes, but he’s 10th in the league in goals since he came into the league back in 2021. and he’s played 264 games compared to some guys that have played in the 300s. You know, William Knander has played 327 games in that same span. So, you think about adding, you know, 60 games to that and maybe another 40 goals. Well, let’s say let’s say he has 40 goals in those 60 games or 30 goals even. That would put him to fourth on the list behind David Posternok, Leon Dryidle, and Austin Matthews. So, good company. Yeah, he’s he’s scoring at a pace that warrants him being one of, if not the highest paid player in the league. And I just I think the hit of not giving him what he’s asking is far worse than just paying a little bit more than you kind of are comfortable with. So, ultimately, I think that’ll get done. Now on the Rossi side, I mean, where do you start? Like it the the sides are not close because Rossi wants a deal similar to what Matt Baldi’s getting. The Wild just do not view M uh Marco Rossi as the same type of player as Matt Baldi. So they are far apart on term. They’re far apart on AAV. Ultimately, I think they will maybe try to do something similar to what Bow and Byum got, uh, where it’s just let’s get you a deal that will get you to free agency and we’ll try to find a a trade partner, but nobody else seems willing to pay that price either. Like, he’s been on the block all off season and nobody else seems comfortable paying that sort of a price for uh for Rossi. So, I this this could certainly drag through the rest of the month of August, but I I don’t think a hold out really favors Rossi. I don’t think that gives him any sort of leverage in this situation. So, ultimately, I think it’ll be a shorter term deal. Um maybe one or two years just to to get to UFA status so that if this happens again, he can just walk. Um but I uh I guess we’ll wait and see. Going to be interesting. We’ll see how it all plays out. Seth, why don’t you tell our viewers and our listeners where they could find the podcast and where they could find you on social media. You can find Locked on Wild at Locked on Wild on all of your favorite social media platforms. We lucked out uh in uh in getting all those socials. So, just locked on wild. Uh you can also uh follow the show on your favorite audio platforms, YouTube, you name it, we’ve got it. And you can also follow me for uh expert Minnesota sports takes and grilling technique uh grilling analysis uh seths. All right, Seth. Thanks so much. Thanks, Gil. Today’s episode is brought to you by Monarch Money. Ever wish managing your money felt easier? With Monarch Money, it can. Whether you’re growing your savings or planning a big purchase, Monarch puts you in the driver’s seat. It’s like having your own personal CFO, giving you full visibility and control over your finances. 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The Minnesota Wild made some key moves during the offseason but still have more work to do as two of their best players in Kirill Kaprizov and Marco Rossi need to be signed long term.

Seth Toupal of Locked On Wild join us to discuss the status of the Wild and of negotiations with their best players and the odds they stay in Minnesota beyond the coming season.

All this and more on today’s Locked On NHL Podcast with Gil Martin.

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