NHL Rumors: Minnesota Wild’s Forward Pursuit & Top Trade Targets

The Minnesota Wild are reportedly aiming to make a significant acquisition, having previously made a substantial offer for Brady Tkachuk and being linked to speculation surrounding Dylan Larkin. Their prospect pool, once deeper, has seen some depletion due to trades and prospects graduating to the NHL. The team is actively seeking a second-line center or a top-six winger.

If the Detroit Red Wings are open to trading Dylan Larkin for assets beyond just future prospects, the Wild could potentially offer players like Ryan Hartman or Yakov Trenin. However, according to analyst Craig Button, other teams may possess more enticing prospects than the Wild’s Charlie Stramel and Danila Yurov. Here’s a breakdown of the Wild’s prospect tiers:

• Top Tier: Charlie Stramel, Adam Benak
• Second Tier: David Spacek, Hunter Haight, Riley Heidt
• Other Prospects: Carson Lambos, Ben Dexhaimer, Viking Gustavsson Nyberg

Updated NHL Trade Board

Chris Johnston of The Athletic has released an updated NHL trade board, ranking the top 34 players who could be moved. The list includes their contract details and any trade protection they may possess:

1. Dylan Larkin – Detroit Red Wings – Center
   Contract: $8.7 million AAV through 2031; no-trade clause becomes 10-team no-trade list in 2028-29
2. Bowen Byram – Buffalo Sabres – Left-handed defenseman
   Contract: $6.25 million AAV through 2027
3. Vincent Trocheck – New York Rangers – Center
   Contract: $5.625 million AAV through 2029; 12-team no-trade list becomes 10-team in 2026-27
4. Ottawa Senators’ No. 9 pick
5. Darnell Nurse – Edmonton Oilers – Left-handed defenseman
   Contract: $9.25 million AAV through 2030; no-movement clause
6. Morgan Rielly – Toronto Maple Leafs – Left-handed defenseman
   Contract: $7.5 million AAV through 2030; no-movement clause
7. Mason McTavish – Anaheim Ducks – Center
   Contract: $7 million AAV through 2031
8. Jordan Kyrou – St. Louis Blues – Winger
   Contract: $8.125 million AAV through 2031; no-trade clause
9. Matthew Knies – Toronto Maple Leafs – Winger
   Contract: $7.75 million AAV through 2031
10. Connor Hellebuyck – Winnipeg Jets – Goaltender
    Contract: $8.5 million through 2031; no-movement clause becomes 10-team no-trade list in 2027-28
11. Adin Hill – Vegas Golden Knights – Goaltender
    Contract: $6.25 million through 2031; 10-team no-trade list
12. Jason Robertson – Dallas Stars – Winger
    Contract: Restricted free agent
13. Pavel Zacha – Boston Bruins – Center
    Contract: $4.75 million through 2027; 8-team no-trade list
14. Danila Yurov – Minnesota Wild – Center
    Contract: $2.95 million through 2028 (RFA)
15. Valeri Nichushkin – Colorado Avalanche – Winger
    Contract: $6.125 million through 2030; 12-team no-trade list
16. San Jose Sharks’ No. 2 pick
17. Colton Parayko – St. Louis Blues – Right-handed defenseman
    Contract: $6.5 million AAV through 2030; no-trade clause
18. Šimon Nemec – New Jersey Devils – Right-handed defenseman
    Contract: Restricted free agent
19. Dougie Hamilton – New Jersey Devils – Right-handed defenseman
    Contract: $9 million AAV through 2028; 10-team trade list
20. Jake DeBrusk – Vancouver Canucks – Winger
    Contract: $5.5 million AAV through 2031; no-movement clause
21. Rickard Rakell – Pittsburgh Penguins – Winger
    Contract: $5 million AAV through 2028; 8-team no-trade list
22. Bryan Rust – Pittsburgh Penguins – Winger
    Contract: $5.125 million AAV through 2028
23. Jordan Binnington – St. Louis Blues – Goaltender
    Contract: $6 million AAV through 2027; 14-team no-trade list becomes 10-team in 2026-27
24. Shane Wright – Seattle Kraken – Center
    Contract: $886,666 AAV through 2027
25. Tomáš Hertl – Vegas Golden Knights – Center
    Contract: $8.1375 million AAV through 2030; 3-team trade list becomes 15-team trade list in 2028
26. Mason Lohrei – Boston Bruins – Left-handed defenseman
    Contract: $3.2 million AAV through 2027
27. Blake Coleman – Calgary Flames – Winger
    Contract: $4.9 million AAV through 2027; 10-team trade list
28. Elias Pettersson – Vancouver Canucks – Center
    Contract: $11.6 million AAV through 2032; no-movement clause
29. Devon Levi – Buffalo Sabres – Goaltender
    Contract: $812,500 AAV through 2027
30. Sebastian Cossa – Detroit Red Wings – Goaltender
    Contract: Restricted free agent
31. Chicago Blackhawks’ No. 4 pick
32. Ryan Hartman – Minnesota Wild – Center
    Contract: $4 million AAV through 2027; 15-team no-trade list becomes 10-team in 2026-27
33. Jesperi Kotkaniemi – Carolina Hurricanes – Center
    Contract: $4.82 million AAV through 2030; modified no-trade list
34. Robert Thomas – St. Louis Blues – Center
    Contract: $8.125 million AAV through 2031; no-trade clause