May 9, 2024 | 11:22am ET
TheFourthPeriod.com

WILD WILLING TO LISTEN ON GUSTAVSSON, ROSSI

Marco Rossi, centre

With the NHL Draft seven weeks away, teams not currently battling in the playoffs will soon shift their attention towards off-season moves. As we’ve seen regularly, the NHL Draft is a time in which teams often complete, or begin to complete, their summer dealings.

The Minnesota Wild are starting to map out their off-season and have started to make it known around the NHL that some of their players are available for trade.

Wild GM Bill Guerin is looking to get a head start on retooling his roster. With one more season of $14.743 million in dead cap space as a result of the buyouts of veterans Zach Parise and Ryan Suter, his options may be limited this summer, but that won’t stop Guerin from exploring the marketplace.

As TFP previous reported, Minnesota is willing to entertain trade inquiries on goaltender Filip Gustavsson, who has two more years remaining on his contract at a cap hit of $3.75 million.

Several teams are looking and will be looking to make changes between the pipes this off-season and Gustavsson could be a target for some.

It is unclear what the asking price for Gustavsson includes, though Minnesota may look for a package of prospects and draft picks in an attempt to clear out his full cap hit.

As TFP’s Anthony Di Marco reported Thursday, the Wild are also listening on young centre Marco Rossi, who has one year remaining on his entry-level contract. Guerin is not actively shopping Rossi, but he is willing to explore trade options and any move would likely be a talent-for-talent swap.

Rossi, 22, registered 21 goals and 40 points in 82 games with Minnesota this past season.

The Calgary Flames, Philadelphia Flyers and Washington Capitals are among the teams looking to upgrade their centre position this off-season.