Minnesota Wild Not Done Adding This Offseason

Despite the $14.7 million in cap space being taken up this season by past buyouts, the Minnesota Wild still have just over $8 million to spend. They first have to worry about RFAs Filip Gustavsson, Calen Addison, and Brandon Duhaime, but that should only cost them $4 million AAV at the most in the short term. That leaves a potential playoff-bound team with $4 million to spend this season, either through free agency or a trade.

Unless the Wild can get someone for cheap and at a reduced salary, I think they stick to the free agent market that still has some talent left on it. What they should be looking for is to upgrade their forward group. While the top-six is average and usable, the third line needs a boost which can be bolstered through free agency. The Wild should be comfortable playing Connor Dewar on the fourth line like he did last season for at least 2023-24, and that's where some scoring could be used.

While it might be a tight fit to try to bring Vladimir Tarasenko or Patrick Kane in if they even want to, the more likely and solid additions could come from Tomas Tatar, Phil Kessel, Zach Parise, Pius Suter, or Max Comtois. Dewar only scored six goals and 18 points last season, so if one of these cheap options are brought in, the Wild will have money left over to easily sign their free agents (if not done yet) or add at the trade deadline.