Minnesota Wild: Top Free Agent Forwards Left To Sign

The Minnesota Wild are a little bit under the salary cap as of now with around $1.5 million to work with. With room to get a bit better at forward and some respectable options left on the free agent market, at least one should be signed before the start of training camp.

The Wild still want to be competitive, but the massive buyout cap hits of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter drop from $14.7 million to $1.6 million after one more year. This will open up tons of space to sign and extend players to win. Until then, let's get into the forwards who can be signed to one-year deals for cheap this late in free agency who will help the Wild get better.

The most help needed for the Wild up front next season is on the third or fourth line, whether that be skill or just some more offense in general. If the team is looking for another veteran, James van Riemsdyk, Tyler Johnson, Max Pacioretty, and Blake Wheeler are all options. van Riemsdyk and Wheeler were both signed for $1 million or less last season, Pacioretty signed for $2 million with the Washington Capitals coming off an injury, and Johnson left Chicago to have a better chance at winning and after his contract signed in 2017 finally ended.

Wheeler and Pacioretty might be injury risks if the Wild sign one of them. Wheeler played just 54 games last season for the New York Rangers, scoring nine goals and 21 points, but is 37 and seemed to slow right down. Pacioretty on the other hand didn't show the same goal-scoring ability as he has throughout his career, scoring just four goals and 23 points in 47 games. He has also only played 91 games combined over the past three seasons.

van Riemsdyk and Johnson are the two free agents left with the most points from last season and they can fit into the bottom-6 as they did last season for their teams. Each would contribute more than what the Wild have as bottom of the lineup options and at the very least one of the veterans would provide more options for Minnesota.

As a final option with some upside, Kailer Yamamoto is still without a contract as well. The former first-round pick scored eight goals and 16 points in 59 games last season and scored a career high 20 goals and 41 points two seasons ago. There are options left for the Wild and I don't expect them to stay quiet for the remainder of the summer.