The Minnesota Wild have been playing well lately, climbing the standings and finding consistency since early December. Their offense has been strong, and the team has won multiple games in a row, including a seven-game streak.
As the season continues, Minnesota is now linked to potential moves that could make the team even stronger. One name in particular has caught attention in trade rumors.
Wild Are Interested in the Veteran Conn Smythe Winner Ryan O’Reilly
Minnesota enters 2026 with a 24-10-7 record, sitting third in the Central Division. Matt Boldy and Kirill Kaprizov lead the scoring, and the team has shown it can win consistently. The Wild score efficiently each night, but defense and penalty killing still need attention. Goaltending and structured play help keep them competitive, and management seems open to making moves to improve the roster.
The team has already made major trades this season. On Dec. 12, Minnesota acquired defenseman Quinn Hughes from Vancouver, sending Marco Rossi, Liam Ohgren, Zeev Buium, and a 2026 first-round pick in return. This added a top puck-moving defenseman to the lineup.
On Dec. 28, the Wild acquired forward Boris Katchouk from Tampa Bay for Michael Milne, giving the team more depth at forward. Other smaller moves, including recalling and reassigning players from the AHL, helped manage injuries and player development.
Now, trade rumors are focusing on Ryan O’Reilly, the 34-year-old center and alternate captain for the Nashville Predators. O’Reilly won the Stanley Cup in 2019 with St. Louis and earned the Conn Smythe Trophy. He is signed through 2026-27 with a $4.5 million cap hit per season on a $18 million contract.
Michael Russo and Joe Smith of The Athletic reported, “What the Wild could really use – if they do make the big swing that Guerin is open to – is finding a center who can play on the top line with Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello. Ryan O’Reilly is someone the Wild are likely to at least pursue, if the Predators consider moving the 2019 Conn Smythe winner. O’Reilly would help one of the Wild’s never-ending weaknesses – faceoffs, where they rank 28th in the league with a 46.6 percent success rate.”
Despite the speculation, O’Reilly has said he is not looking for a trade right now. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic wrote on Dec. 19, “Some teams interested in Ryan O’Reilly were informed this week that the veteran center isn’t ready to entertain the idea of a trade at this time. He likes Nashville and would rather be part of the solution rather than abandon ship.”
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This season, O’Reilly continues to play a key role for Nashville. He has 11 goals and 24 assists for 35 points, with a plus-minus of +2. He logs nearly 20 minutes per game, plays on special teams, and brings veteran stability to the team.
For Minnesota, the combination of hot form, depth, and the possibility of adding a veteran like O’Reilly shows the team is serious about competing. Whether a trade happens or not, it shows the Wild’s goal to strengthen their top line and improve faceoffs as they push deeper into the season.
