Could the Minnesota Wild Become Trade Deadline Buyers?

The Minnesota Wild extended Matt Boldy long-term, and they're currently third in the Central Division. How could this affect their trade deadline plans?

The Minnesota Wild made a major long-term investment in Matt Boldy on Monday, signing the 21-year-old playmaking winger to a seven-year, $49-million contract extension. While that move doesn't affect their salary cap for this season, it will be felt on next season's payroll.

Cap Friendly shows the Wild now have $74.1 million invested in 14 players for 2023-24. Matt Dumba and Frederick Gaudreau are their notable unrestricted free agents while Calen Addison, Sam Steel and Filip Gustavsson become restricted free agents this summer.

With $14.7 million in dead cap space from buying out Zach Parise and Ryan Suter in 2021, the Wild won't have much wiggle room to complete their 2023-'24 roster. This season is likely Dumba's last in Minnesota, as he's surfaced of late in the rumor mill. GM Bill Guerin recently indicated he's not actively shopping him and would want a defenseman in return.

Following Boldy's signing, The Athletic's Joe Smith reported Guerin doesn't know yet if he'll be able to re-sign all of his remaining RFAs. He couldn't say if he'd end up trading certain players but didn't rule it out.

With $16.5 million in trade deadline cap space and his club jockeying for playoff position in the Western Conference, Guerin could become a buyer by the March 3 trade deadline.

Smith said Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun and Vancouver Canucks center Bo Horvat aren't on the Wild's radar but wouldn't be surprising if they kicked tires on Chicago's Jonathan Toews or Patrick Kane. He also suggested winger Jordan Greenway and his $3-million cap hit could become a trade candidate or perhaps Addison if he prices himself out of the Wild's plans.