The Minnesota Wild made the right decision by allowing Ryan Reaves to test the free agent market on July 1. The tough, hard-hitting Reaves had reportedly been searching for a multi-year deal and eventually found a home in Toronto when he signed a three-year deal worth $1.35 million annually with the Leafs on July 1.
The problem is that Reaves is already 36, doesn't fight as much as he used to and has become less effective on the ice. Although he still proved to be an asset at times after the Wild acquired him from the New York Rangers on Nov. 25 for a fifth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, Reaves didn't bring as much of a physical presence as originally hoped.
Yes, the term and AAV likely proved too rich for the cap-strapped Wild, but they could have still found a way to fit him in if they wanted to. Wisely, they chose not to because signing Reaves for three more years at his age would have likely became an issue for the Wild. A multi-year contract also would have potentially taken a valuable roster spot away from one of Minnesota's younger players. And by avoiding Reaves, the Wild were rewarded with an even better replacement.
The Wild made their first trade of the offseason on Sunday when they acquired Pat Maroon (20 percent of his $1 million contract was retained) who now has a cap hit of $800K and 22-year-old forward prospect Max Cajkovic from the Tampa Bay Lighting for a seventh-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.
“Not many guys have won more Cups than (Maroon). Like, he knows. He knows what winning looks like," Wild GM Bill Guerin told the media. He knows what the process is and the mentality is. That experience will be invaluable to our guys.“He is tough. He is abrasive, and he’s a gamer. He’s a good player, too. He’s heavy down low in the offensive end. He’s got good hands. He’s got the ability to make a play, and that combined with all the intangibles, he’s a valuable guy for us.”
For starters, Maroon is a 3-time Stanley Cup Champion (one with St. Louis in 2019 and twice with Tampa in 2020 and 2021) with a significant pedigree. He also brings experience and another leadership voice, which is something the Wild needed after losing Reaves and longtime defenseman Matt Dumba.
Maroon, a responsible defensive player, finished with 14 points in 80 games with 150 penalty minutes, while averaging 10:21 of ice time per game last season in Tampa. The Lightning controlled 51.33% of the Corsi share and 50.63% of the expected goal share at five-on-five last season with Maroon on the ice, according to Natural Stat Trick.
Sending only a seventh-round pick for Maroon is a bargain when you consider everything he brings.
While Maroon is 35 years old, the Wild needed another physical veteran forward that can protect Minnesota's top players after Reaves departed. Not only does Maroon do that at 6 foot-3 and 234 pounds, but he arguably does it better than Reaves.
Maroon, who registered 172 hits last season, finished second to former Wild forward Nicolas Deslauriers with 12 fights during the 2022-23 season. Maroon's physical presence should also take some weight off Marcus Foligno's shoulder. Foligno can have more of a balance between contributing both physically/offensively and not feeling like he always has to fight.
And what's especially important about this trade is that Maroon is on the final season of the two-year deal that he signed in February of 2022. So the Wild have options next summer and won't be restricted with another player on their books in 2024-25.
Maroon, who kept the Wild off his 16-team no-trade list, is excited for next season and likes the talent on the team.
“It’s all about Minnesota for me right now,” Maroon told the media. “I’m excited. I think we have a chance to win a Stanley Cup, and bringing a Stanley Cup to Minnesota would be unbelievable. They have the players on the team. They have to build it, and I’m just gonna start to focus on Minnesota.”
What the Wild accomplished by not handing out a multi-year deal to Reaves and bringing in a presence like Maroon for a cheap price shouldn't go unnoticed.
The Lightning drafted Cajkovic, a right winger, at No. 89 in the third round of the 2019 NHL Draft. The 6-foot, 201-pound forward notched six points in 22 games with the Syracuse Crunch and 39 points over 66 games with the Orlando Solar Bears during the past two years in the Tampa organization.
The Wild now have about $6.49 million in cap space — with the assumption that Marco Rossi and Brock Faber make the team — according to Puckpedia after acquiring Maroon. The Wild still have three RFA's in goaltender Filip Gustavsson, defenseman Calen Addison and forward Brandon Duhaime who need to be re-signed this summer.