The Minnesota Wild are watching the Stanley Cup Finals from home after another playoff elimination, but the team is still making headlines. The offseason rumor mill is going strong, and the Wild are in the middle of a puzzling story. 

Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen recently reported that if the Wild were to trade Jesper Wallstedt to the Ottawa Senators, their asking price would be astronomical.

Jesper Wallstedt of the Minnesota Wild is a fan favourite amongst the Ottawa base. If the Wild are going to deal him — and it’s doubtful after the club’s playoff performance — then 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. You’re not paying that price for a No. 2 goalie.

The biggest takeaway, of course, is that he linked Brady Tkachuk to Minnesota. Still, there’s a lot to digest in the way Garrioch worded his report.

First, it’s fascinating to work through the logistics of how this trade could work. The Senators already have Linus Ullmark signed through the 2028-29 season at an average annual value of $8.25 million. As Garrioch’s report states, it’s difficult to imagine the Senators spending significant assets to acquire a backup.

That leads to the natural conclusion that Ottawa may also be looking to make a change in goal, but then they’d have to find a trade partner for Ullmark. Minnesota doesn’t seem like a fit. They’ll need to shed salary to afford a Quinn Hughes extension, not add it. 

Another interesting note is that the Wild trading Wallstedt is “doubtful” after the club’s playoff performance. Is that something Garrioch has heard from sources? Or is that speculation? 

Perhaps Bill Guerin’s asking price, like Tkachuk plus a package, is a sign they have no interest in trading Wallstedt but are open to an offer so significant they couldn’t refuse. That sticker price for Wallstedt seems more like an “I don’t want to sell him” tag. 

That strategy would make sense given Guerin’s recent comments about “nobody” being untouchable. Anything can happen, but only if another team comes through with a gargantuan offer.

While the machinations of this trade rumor don’t really make sense from either side, it’s the offseason. Therefore, it’s fun to speculate, especially on a blockbuster deal. Let’s entertain the possibility. 

Brady Tkachuk has been the subject of so many trade rumors that even he is tired of hearing about it. Fanbases and pundits across the NHL have made it a pastime to speculate that Brady Tkachuk is the final piece needed for a championship run.

The fever around Tkachuk is partially due to his family pedigree. Brady and his brother Matthew (and their notable father) are among the faces of the league right now. Still, it isn’t all just hype. Brady Tkachuk is a legitimately impactful player.

The bruising winger is a massive physical presence and puts up solid numbers. He’s scored 463 points in 572 games. Tkachuk has also scored 30 goals 3 times in his 8-year career and was a key cog in the United States’ 2026 Olympic Games victory.

Tkachuk brings a lot to the table. Still, is his value so great that it outweighs the fact that he isn’t really a natural fit for Minnesota’s current roster needs?

Let’s start with his roster fit. The Wild need an impactful center, full stop. Tkachuk occasionally draws faceoffs but is not a centerman. It’s unlikely he’ll convert to center full-time after eight NHL seasons. 

Trading for Tkachuk wouldn’t address Minnesota’s glaring need, and parting with the assets needed to acquire Tkachuk would make it even more difficult to acquire an impact center in the future.

It also doesn’t make sense for the Wild to trade Wallstedt. Filip Gustavsson is injured for an undisclosed period, and Wallstedt has done enough to earn his way out of trade discussions. Trading him now seems short-sighted.

It’s also vital to note that Tkachuk had one of the most disappointing postseasons of any player in this year’s Stanley Cup playoffs. The Carolina Hurricanes swept the Senators in the first round, and Tkachuk didn’t register a point. The Athletic recently named him to their 2026 NHL playoffs all-bust team.

Any time there’s a sweep, the responsibility lies on more than just one player, but seeing a player with a “playoff hockey” profile held off the scoresheet completely isn’t encouraging. 

Tkachuk has been to the playoffs twice in his career, previously in the 2024-25 season. The Senators lost to the Toronto Maple Leafs that year, but Tkachuk performed better with seven points in six games.

If the Wild are going to go all-in to get over the playoff hump, it’s a big risk to go all-in on a player who hasn’t gotten out of the first round.

None of that is to say that Tkachuk isn’t a great player. If he ends up leaving Ottawa, he’ll make an impact wherever he goes. The Wild would improve with him on the roster, but that isn’t what’s at issue. The problem of a Brady Tkachuk deal for Minnesota is that it would cost one of the team’s most valuable assets for a player they don’t really need.

Frankly, there’s more sizzle than steak to adding Tkachuk.

The Wild need a goalie with Gustavsson injured, and Wallstedt proved he can be the team’s goalie of the future. They should not part with him unless it’s to land a franchise-altering center like Auston Matthews. 

Trade speculation like this is sure to swirl all offseason long, but this one should probably stay in the rumor mill.