NHL teams are less than 24 hours away from a five-day, league-wide trade freeze ahead of the Expansion Draft for the Las Vegas Golden Knights.
Pierre LeBrun tweeted out on Friday evening that Wild GM Chuck Fletcher is in talks with many teams, including Las Vegas.
Wild GM Chuck Fletcher still in talks with Vegas as well as several other teams. Many options. Could go to the wire tomorrow.
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) June 16, 2017
And on Thursday, the Montreal Canadiens acquired talented 23-year-old forward Jonathan Drouin from Tampa Bay.
With Drouin headed to Montreal, there’s been speculation that the Canadiens may end up moving a talented playmaker: Alex Galchenyuk, who is also just 23 and a year removed from a 30-goal season.
According to TSN Hockey reporter Frank Seravalli, Montreal is looking for defensemen. And the Wild obviously have a few players they could move instead of losing one to Las Vegas for nothing.
Both Jonas Brodin and Matt Dumba are in Seravalli’s Top 40 Trade bait list. Michael Russo of the Star Tribune also reported on Thursday the Wild are receiving offers for both players.
Fellow TSN insider Bob McKenzie tweeted Thursday Brodin is the exact kind of player Montreal is targeting.
Team to watch now is MIN. Lots of Jonas Brodin trade talk coming out of Twin Cities. I don't doubt Brodin would type of D MTL is targeting.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) June 15, 2017
However it’s worth nothing that if the Wild acquired Galchenyuk he’d have to be protected from the Expansion Draft.
Which means there would be just three spots available for: Charlie Coyle, Nino Niederrieter, Mikael Granlund, Jason Zucker, Eric Staal and Erik Haula – because Mikko Koivu, Zach Parise and Jason Pominville have to be protected due to their no-move clauses.
With the fear of losing a forward, it wouldn’t too surprising to see Haula or possibly Coyle attached in a trade too.
Galchenyuk earned $2.5 million last season but he’s currently a restricted-free agent, so Minnesota would obtain his rights to negotiate a contract.
