Never one to shy away from making a big splash, the Minnesota Wild surprised many with a quiet front office at the trade deadline. Before the deadline, the Wild were linked to standout New York Rangers forward Vincent Trocheck.
However, when the time arrived, Bill Guerin decided against pursuing the veteran center or any other big talent. As we have learned only now, the Wild general manager’s decision to remain unobtrusive at the deadline was not without good reason.
Why Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin Stayed Quiet at the NHL Trade Deadline
Going into the deadline, the Wild were reportedly in contention for a star center. Consequently, the team was aggressively linked to Trocheck.
The 32-year-old forward has stood out despite the Rangers’ utter no-show this season and has a surprisingly modest cap hit of $5.625 million. Speculation surrounding Trocheck’s future was extensive, and the Wild were identified as potential suitors.
However, Guerin ultimately did not put his plan into action. According to Wild insiders Michael Russo and Joe Smith, the general manager prioritized saving assets for the summer over giving up resources for Trocheck.
Guerin was apprehensive that making moves at the deadline could put him at a disadvantage in pursuing bigger names down the line.
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“Guerin was anxious to make a big move at this deadline but stayed patient, knowing it wasn’t sensible to give up [assets] for somebody like Vincent Trocheck if it took him out of the potential big names this summer,” Russo and Smith stated, as shared by the NHL Rumour Report on X.
Trocheck, too, was retained by the franchise, much to the relief of Rangers fans.
Despite not making any blockbuster moves, Guerin made a few intelligent additions at the deadline, such as Nick Foligno, who joined his brother, Marcus Foligno, to play on the same team. Bobby Brink, Jeff Petry, and Michael McCarron are among the other moves made by the Wild general manager.
Guerin made his most significant move back in mid-December by acquiring Hughes in a plum deal with the Vancouver Canucks. Having the core of his team in place, Guerin did not feel the urgency to give up significant assets for a top center right at the moment, despite the trade market being flooded with options like Trocheck, Robert Thomas, and Ryan O’Reilly.
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“But with the price points too high, Guerin elected to punt until the summer, saving his precious few trade chips to potentially land a bigger fish. Meanwhile, he added depth to make the roster thicker,” Russo and Smith wrote in a contribution to The Athletic, reflecting on Guerin’s trade deadline moves.
Guerin believes that the current roster has what it takes to make a deep postseason run. With 90 points so far, Minnesota sits third in the Central Division standings.
