It is a difficult season to be a Minnesota Wild fan. The team was coming off back-to-back seasons where they had over 100 points in the regular season and looked like they were primed to make an even better run. Yet, that has not been the case. Poor play, a coaching change, and injuries have been the theme of the season, and despite their best efforts to cling to the hope of another postseason berth, time is running out.
The March 8 trade deadline is closing in rapidly as the Wild continue to flounder just about every opportunity they are given to get back in the playoff race. Losing to the Nashville Predators on Jan. 25 was a major blow. One that may force the Wild into being sellers at the deadline for the first time in a while. Let’s look at the Wild players who could possibly find themselves on a new team in the coming weeks.
Brandon Duhaime
This is likely the unfortunate end for Brandon Duhaime’s time with the Wild. Drafted back in 2016 in the fourth round, Duhaime has done well to find himself a consistent spot on the roster for the last three seasons. The Coral Springs native brings toughness and size at 6-foot-2 and over 200 pounds but still manages to be one of the fastest players on the team. He can blow past unsuspecting opponents with ease and has a deceptively precise shot that he can place just about anywhere while still in motion.
He peaked back in 2021-22 when he had 17 points in 80 games in his first full season in the NHL, and it looked like he had some serious potential to become a strong two-way power forward that also kills penalties. Unfortunately, he has dropped off hard lately and has just five points in 48 games this season. He is an unrestricted free agent (UFA) at the end of this season, and it just feels like it is time to give Duhaime a fresh start with another team.
Connor Dewar
It is rare that you ever see or talk about Duhaime without mentioning Connor Dewar, and that unfortunately stays true for this list. Dewar has made himself a home as the Wild’s fourth-line center for a couple of seasons now with some decent defensive play and an effective penalty killer, but he hasn’t shown the ability to be much more than that. The currently injured 24-year-old is a restricted free agent (RFA) at the end of the season, but without a bump in play, he will likely lose his job to one of the Wild’s prospects pushing their way in.
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