Using NHL Edge to see where the Wild rank and some Minnesota players

First reported by Kevin Weekes and followed up by Michael Russo, the Wild have traded Calen Addison to the San Jose Sharks for a 2026 fifth-round pick and forward Adam Raska.

The Sharks have been the worst team in the NHL with a 1-10-1 record to start the season but have just added a young defender with a lot of upside.

Sure Addison struggled a bit last year which led to him being a healthy scratch for over 20 games to end the season and into the playoffs but the message was clear to him that he has to be better this season.

In fact, he has. Addison ranks fourth on the Wild in xGA/60, third in CA/60, EVD, DEF, GAR, WAR, and SPAR, and ranks second in EVO, and OFF behind Brock Faber among all Wild defenders, according to Evolving Hockey.

You could argue, that Addison has been the Wild's third-best defenseman on the team behind Faber and Jonas Brodin. Also, Faber leads the entire NHL in GAR and WAR with Brodin ranking 11th in GAR.

But the writing has been on the wall for a bit now after the Wild traded for John Klingberg at the deadline last year which knocked Addison out of the lineup. Now Addison is dealt to the San Jose Sharks for a 2026 fifth-round pick and Adam Raska.

It's good value for the Sharks considering how well Addison has played this season, can he continue to play this well throughout the full season is the biggest question. But with Jared Spurgeon coming back real soon, the Wild feel comfortable enough to deal Addison to the Sharks.

Dakota Mermis and Daemon Hunt have been playing some big minutes for the Wild this season and have stepped in nicely in the absence of Spurgeon and Alex Goligoski.

Both will likely continue to do that with Addison gone. Spurgeon and Faber are now the only two right-shot defenders on the Wild right now unless there is a move to follow which it seems like there could be.

Required reading

Wild trade Calen Addison to the San Jose Sharks