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Bruce Kluckhohn\/NHLI via Getty Images<\/p>\n
The Minnesota Wild are open to trading emerging star goaltender Jesper Wallstedt if the right deal comes along. The Athletic\u2019s Michael Russo and Sportsnet\u2019s Elliotte Friedman have echoed this over the past few days.<\/p>\n
Michael Russo reported the possibility, and he indicated that the right deal would have to meet the Wild\u2019s needs of a player with the ceiling or immediately able to fill the number one center role in the organization.<\/p>\n
It goes without saying that the Minnesota Wild are aggressive in their approach to acquire a top-six center and make another big splash this season, trade-wise.<\/p>\n
Wallstedt is having an excellent season in Minnesota, no doubt, and in the breakout season he\u2019s having, he\u2019s a great possibility for a buy-low, sell-high scenario. That\u2019s also assuming the Wild are able to facilitate any trade.<\/p>\n
As Chris and I talked about on the latest Inside The Rink podcast, if teams are able to meet the price, it\u2019s a buyer\u2019s market, and the Wild are buying what teams might be selling. He\u2019s got a $2.2 million cap hit until the end of next season, and he\u2019s emerging as a starting goaltender.<\/p>\n
Buffalo is a team that I immediately think of, given they\u2019re a little thin in net and not having a true number one goaltender right now, but that\u2019s dependent on whether they\u2019re willing to meet Minnesota\u2019s asks.<\/p>\n
On the other side of things, Filip Gustavsson has been a great primary option for Minnesota, and it would be a mistake if the Wild traded him.<\/p>\n
Chris and I had talked about it earlier in the season, around November, I believe that Minnesota has a wonderful 1A\/1B scenario, but this report now gives me the sense they\u2019re looking at upgrading by utilizing the assets they do have to better position themselves long-term.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s not a knock on Wallstedt; he\u2019ll fetch a decent return, and as I said before, if teams are willing to pay up, it\u2019s a buyer\u2019s market, but now it entirely depends on who\u2019s buying.<\/p>\n
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