The NHL trade deadline not only brought the Minnesota Wild Martin Hanzal and Ryan White, but also brought bounties of goodness to other Western Conference teams while other Western teams sold off some assets. Here’s a rundown of the top ten trades made before the deadline that will affect the rest of the season for the Wild.
- Drew Stafford to the Bruins
This trade is of no concern to Wild fans, but maybe a bit of relief that the Jets are throwing in the towel a bit on this season, finally. While they’re still a dangerous team, the Wild only face them one more time and they still have Patrik Laine, it’s nice to know Stafford won’t be running Mikael Granlund or anything in that game.
Future Meetings: If the Bruins make the Stanley Cup Final (It’s OK to laugh)
Concern level: “‘Cause I’m easy, easy like Sunday mornin.'”
- David Desharnais to the Oilers
Desharnais is nothing special, but the Oilers kind of are at this point in a solid spot to make a postseason berth. McJesus and Pals are just a few pieces away from being a formidable team, and while a depth forward probably isn’t one of those pieces, it certainly doesn’t hurt. The Wild are done playing the Oilers for this season, but a Western Conference Final matchup isn’t out of the question.
Future Meetings: A very exciting Western Conference Final
Concern Level: When you have to park your car between two other cars at the mall.
- PA Parenteau to the Predators
The Preds were supposedly the last team jousting with the Wild for Martin Hanzal, and it seems their consolation prize was Parenteau for a much more affordable price of a sixth-round pick. Parenteau was having a fine little season for the Devils, and the Preds needed to add some forward depth. The Wild are in Nashville on April Fool’s Day, and a playoff matchup is still very much in the equation here in the first or second round. While Parenteau isn’t as terrifying as PK Subban saying he’s finally feeling healthy and confident in his game, this trade wasn’t good news for the Wild, obviously.
Future Meetings: April 1 and possibly early in the postseason
Concern Level: Alfred E. Neuman
- Michael Stone to the Flames
Calgary adding any semblance of defense should be concerning to any team in the West, given their high-octane offense. Stone isn’t exactly a splashy household name, but he’s off to a decent start with the Flames, and even though the Wild don’t see the Flames again during the regular season, that’s the current first round matchups as it stands now.
Future Meetings: Playoffs? (Jim Mora voice)
Concern Level: When you see someone walk past your parked car at the mall.
- Patrick Eaves to the Ducks
This trade works both ways as the Ducks, a potential Western Conference Final opponent, gained a prolific scorer and also a bit of the South Stars throwing in the towel a bit. The Wild won’t reap the benefits of an Eaves-less Stars on their schedule, but also don’t have to worry about seeing him on the Ducks unless they meet in the Playoffs, which is sort of unlikely (See: Carlyle, Randy). But it is nice that the Stars won’t be making a postseason push.
Future Meetings: Very unlikely
Concern Level: Wild meeting the Ducks in the playoffs? What could go wrong?
- Ben Bishop to the Kings
This one was a weird one. The Kings get Jon Quick back and almost immediately trade away their backup and former workhorse for Bishop, one of the bigger names on the goaltending market. The Bolts get not much in return for Bishop’s expiring deal. The Kings are on the outside looking in, but obviously want to make a big playoff push and having a two Stanley Cup Final tested goaltenders for the stretch run doesn’t hurt. Nothing is certain, but the Kings could line up with the Wild in the first round as well, which would be a tough matchup for a theoretical 1 vs 8.
Future Meetings: The first round matchup of Michael Russo’s dreams.
Concern Level:
- Jannik Hansen to the Sharks
Hansen is a nice winger and wasn’t outrageously expensive for the Sharks. The Wild see the Sharks next week and again at the end of March, in addition to being the top team in the Pacific. So…this is a rough one for the Wild, as the Sharks with more scoring punch is just a tad scarier, and after their run to the Stanley Cup Final last season, seeing them in the Western Finals would be even scarier yet. Wild fans are a little fortunate the Sharks didn’t do even more.
Future Meetings: March 5 and 21, for now…
Concern Level: When you see someone walk past your parked car at the mall and grab your door handle.
- Kevin Shattenkirk to the Capitals
The Shatts sweepstakes was arguably the biggest prize at the deadline, and the Capitals won, supposedly outbidding the Penguins. The Wild get the pleasure of facing the Shattenkirk-less but Yeo-ful Blues next week, but also get to face the Capitals twice in March, seeing them more times during the rest of the regulars season than any team in the Central besides the Avalanche (hehe, Avalanche). In addition to seeing Shattenkirk twice as much as they were supposed to down the stretch, there’s also the remote, but possible chance that the Wild and Capitals meet in the Stanley Cup Final. Yikes.
Future Meetings: March 14 and 28.
Concern Level: Of course the Wild play the Caps more than the Blues after this. Of course they do.
- Jerome Iginla to the Kings
While he’s killed nearly everyone in the West for the last 16 years, the Wild are certainly high on that list. Luckily, the Wild don’t have to see him with the Avalanche in their two meetings in April. Even though they don’t face the Wild during the rest of the regular season, the Kings acquiring Bishop and Iginla is a bit scary. Hopefully, the Kings flop like they did two seasons ago, make a big deadline deal (for Andrej Sekera) and STILL miss the playoffs. While also hilarious, that would be a big relief to Wild fans, I would think.
Future Meetings: Pray.
Concern Level:
- Johnny Oduya to the Blackhawks
We’re gettin’ the band back together. The Hawks added old friend Oduya to the roster at the deadline, giving them some much needed defensive depth just in time to make a hard charge at the Central Division title, something they actually haven’t won since NHL realignment in 2013. The Wild and Hawks only square up one more times, but it’s feeling more and more likely that there’s yet another postseason tangle in store for these two franchises, which is great and terrible all at the same time.
Future Meetings: 3/12, and hopefully that’s it?
Concern Level: When someone walks past your parked car at the mall and grabs your door handle and you’re still inside the car.
