Spin the wheel!
With an offseason of definite change upon us, Wild fans may be asking themselves which players will be wearing the forest and rust next season. Or you may be excitedly hoping that your least favorite Wild player will be gone. Probably the latter.
Either way, the winds of change are blowing, and who better to handicap the likelihood of a player leaving the team than the experts in Las Vegas? Since none were readily available, I determined my own odds of each player leaving the Wild this summer.
#3 Charlie Coyle – +1000
The Big Omelette is here to stay, folks. The Wild brass are big fans of him, hence the long-term extension a few years back, and this season, he showed enough promise to make that team-friendly extension look good.
Same odds as: Actually getting the girl that you saw on the flier (thwackthwackthwack)
#4 Mike Reilly – +125
Reilly is a lukewarm name this summer, given his relative opportunity to snag an NHL job from whomever the Golden Knights poach from the Wild. At the same time, he’s also lukewarm on the trade front, as the Wild are still deep at defense, and could use him as an asset to ‘shake things up a bit.’
Same odds as: Winning a small sum of money, and subsequently blowing it.
#5 Christian Folin – +150
While not nearly as exciting as Reilly in any facet besides perhaps his shot or his nickname, Folin is a restricted free agent who the Wild would probably like to bring back, but don’t rule him out for trade fodder, either. He could assist in dumping a contract, or recouping some draft picks while making way for some other defense prospects.
Same odds as: Leaving Vegas with *half* the money you brought there.
#6 Marco Scandella – minus-200
Hoo boy, this is where it gets interesting. Scandella may just be the most likely name to not be in a Wild sweater next season, thanks to his solid playoff showing and Jonas Brodin’s milquetoast appeal. Scandella will, in all odds, be exposed to VGK, and from there, it’s up to them if they want him or not. If I’m Vegas, I take him over Brodin, but not Dumba, depending on who the Wild protect.
Same odds as: Hearing someone quote ‘The Hangover’ in Caesar’s Palace
#7 Chris Stewart – +800
It really doesn’t make much sense to get rid of Stewart at this point, as he’s got a cheap year remaining on his deal, Boudreau likes him, Fletcher likes him and Wild social media really likes him. Don’t tell the bloggers, but he’s probably sticking around.
Same odds as: Buster Douglas knocking out Mike Tyson. This weekend.
#9 Mikko Koivu – +500
With a year left on his deal, it’d be easier than ever to dump The Kaptain than ever before. However, it really doesn’t make much sense to do so after the season he had last year and the fact that he’ll likely be re-signing here for less to stay next summer, or earlier.
Same odds as: Not hearing a Sinatra song at the Bellagio fountains for an hour
#10 Jordan Schroeder – +200
I would like to see Schroeder back, and why not? He’s a restricted free agent who I’m fairly sure won’t get an offer sheet, and the Wild seem to like him in that 13/14th forward role, and he’s probably exceeded expectations at it. Not to mention he should be cheap.
Same odds as: Overstuffing yourself at a Vegas buffet. If you haven’t, shame on you.
#11 Zach Parise – +46616943226267275168
Does it look like I mashed my ten key? Good, because I did.
Same odds as: Getting a sentient point out of a sports radio station caller
#12 Eric Staal – +250
The dark horse to be exposed and taken by Vegas is Staal, who put up a heck of a season while playing on a pretty team friendly deal for the Wild last season. The Wild would probably rather lose him than one of Zucker, Granlund or Nino, but the restricted free agent contract negotiations for the latter two may factor heavily into that equation. I still don’t think Staal is gone, but it is a possibility.
Same odds as: The Wild being the Stanley Cup favorites after this summer.
#14 Joel Eriksson Ek – +750
While it is possible the Wild deal Eriksson Ek in a deal to move things around a bit, I just don’t see it, no matter how much they like Luke Kunin. They like Eazy Es just as much, if not more, and they’ve already burned that first ELC year, so it would have to be a mighty enticing deal to ship him out now.
Same odds as: A successful Ronda Rousey comeback.
#16 Jason Zucker – +105
One very interesting storyline to follow with the expansion draft obviously is Jason Zucker. He’s literally the only Vegas native in the NHL and he’s a fine young player to boot, coming off a decent season. Is Vegas bananas for him? Are they willing to give up too much to get him? That’d be the only way he’d end up unprotected or traded, in my estimation, but it may be a savvy PR move for the expansion franchise in the desert.
Same odds as: A tweet directed at Carly Aplin being idiotic
#19 Martin Hanzal – minus-500
Martin Hanzal will cash in on a very thin free agency crop this summer. As much as I’d like to see the Wild keep him, it’s just not happening.
Same odds as: Mike Milbury saying something stupid on a nightly basis
#20 Ryan Suter – +a bajillionty
As much as some may pine for it, the Parise and Suter contracts just aren’t being moved this offseason, barring the second coming of Christ. Whether we’re #blessed to have them or stuck with them is subject to your opinion, but that doesn’t change the fact that they’ll be here next year.
Same odds as: Retiring off your Las Vegas winnings
#21 Ryan White – minus-300
It is slightly more likely the Wild re-sign White than Hanzal, yes, but please God, no.
Same odds as: Getting a free drink while gambling. If you’re not, what’s the point?
#22 Nino Niederreiter – minus-150
Nino’s name has become a hot topic recently, with the rumor that Chuck Fletcher has been getting multiple calls on him, and his candid admission of such. His pending restricted free agent status and the Wild’s proximity to the yet-undetermined salary cap might be the biggest factor here, as Nino is probably looking to get paid well, at some point in his promising career. While most of us would hate to see it, it might be more likely than not this summer.
Same odds as: Winning at blackjack, but eventually losing most of it.
#24 Matt Dumba – minus-250
Dumba’s an interesting name this offseason because he could be gone in a number of ways instead of guys who will likely only be drafted (Staal) or guys who would only be traded (Nino). Dumba could very well be left to the wolves in the expansion draft for whatever reason we may never know, or he very well could be dealt, as Chuck Fletcher looks to get value from Dumba instead of losing him and getting bupkis. Another polarizing figure, Dumba’s departure or continued employment is up for debate, but hopefully, the team somehow benefits either way.
Same odds as: Being impressed by The Venetian.
#25 Jonas Brodin- minus-150
In nearly the exact same boat as Dumba or Scandella, it seems Brodin could be the odd man out of the Wild’s top-four defensive pairing this summer. Brodin might be the least likely to go, in many eyes, because of the Wild’s affinity for him, and his lack of respect elsewhere at the same time. While he’s one-dimensional at best, it will be interesting to see if he’s exposed along with Scandella or Dumba and who is selected.
Same odds as: Seeing someone puke on The Strip
#29 Jason Pominville – minus-300
We’re here! Like finally landing at the McCarran Airport/Casino, we’ve gotten to the part you’ve been waiting for. Pominville is nearly universally despised among Wild fans for various reasons, and it’s been well documented how much his game outside of his lack of goals is underappreciated. So it makes for a very interesting case study, and a test of Fletcher’s fortitude, as to whether he keeps Pommer around for another season and buys him out next summer, or finds a way to deal him now. The concern with dealing him now is the cost that it will take to do so. Fletcher would almost definitely have to attach a very good young NHL player or prospect to Pominville to dump him off, and that may be tough to do, even with a tight salary cap. However, it sounds like Fletcher may be motivated to do so, making Pominville perhaps the most likely player to be traded, since he almost definitely won’t be drafted by Vegas.
Same odds as: Seeing a rascal scooter somewhere in a casino
#32 Alex Stalock – +475
Alex Stalock will be in the Wild organization next season, that much is for sure. Whether he’s the primary backup to Dubnyk or not remains to be seen, but either way, he’ll make an appearance in St. Paul next season, if only in preseason.
Same odds as: Not getting upset over ‘Resort Fees’
#35 Darcy Kuemper – minus-1000
Bye, Darcy. It’s been real.
Same odds as: Hearing someone crying on a redeye flight home from Vegas.
#39 Nate Prosser – minus-105
I don’t mind Prosser sticking around to be the seventh defenseman. Someone has to hold down the fort in the Al Shaver Press Box. Might as well be the local guy.
Same odds as: Flipping a coin.
#40 Devan Dubnyk +900
Let’s not get silly here.
Same odds as- Seeing an MGM lion actually awake.
#46 Jared Spurgeon – +1000
The Wild brass have apparently very much warmed up to our little friend Spurge recently, and that’s a good thing, because he may have been the best player on the team this season, all things considered. Getting rid of him would be beyond puzzling now.
Same odds as: Not seeing a panhandler in Las Vegas.
#56 Erik Haula – minus-105
Haula will have an interesting offseason, because he’s not necessarily going to be a top priority for the Wild to sign this summer, but at the same time, he very could be a dark horse for Vegas to select in the expansion draft, given his potential. In the end, I think the restricted free agent Haula sticks with the Wild for a team friendly bridge deal, but you never know.
Same odds as: Doing something regrettable while staying in Downtown.
#64 Mikael Granlund – +175
Granlund is an interesting case much like Nino, and he’s very due for a payday as well, which could lead to his departure here. Alec Schmidt of Hockey Wilderness made the argument on Twitter recently that it may behoove the Wild to deal Granlund now, when his value has never been higher, rather than pay him against the tight cap, and I’m very intrigued by the possibility. However, I doubt the Wild would do such a thing, and a long-term extension that everyone will hate soon is more likely.
Same odds as: Regretting your decision to go cheap and stay at The Stratosphere.
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