The 2025 NHL Trade Deadline is near —just a few days away, on Friday, Mar. 7—and the Minnesota Wild have already made what would be considered a small move around the NHL but big in terms of Minnesota. They acquired Gustav Nyquist on Saturday, Mar. 1, in exchange for a 2026 second-round draft pick. Again, it was not a huge move, but it may prove impactful for the Wild.
With just a few days until the deadline, it’s unclear if the Wild will make any more moves or if they’ll stay quiet. They are a bit limited in terms of space regarding money and roster spots, so it’ll be interesting to see how they approach this deadline. General Manager Bill Guerin has always proven to be very methodical, and he doesn’t jump at the first big name he can afford, so the Wild are in good hands.
In this article, we’ll examine what the Wild need to do ahead of the trade deadline, and these needs will affect how they approach these final days. The first need concerns Ryan Hartman and his recent suspension.
Wild’s Hartman Needs to Behave
While the Wild have been dealing with many injuries, their roster has also been a man down due to a suspension. Hartman has always played with an edge to his game; he walks a fine line between being too aggressive and, at other times, not enough. He struggles to stay on the right side of that line, which was clear in his most recent suspension for roughing against Tim Stützle. Hartman used his elbow against the back of Stützle’s head and knocked him down to the ice as he fell on top of him.
It was an odd play but suspension-worthy because it did not appear accidental, and it was dangerous. He did get his suspension reduced from 10 games to eight, so he’s eligible to return against the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday, Mar. 4. The Wild need him to be on his best behavior, and while they need the edge he brings, he has to keep it in control. There is no need for him to lose control like he has these last few seasons, where he’s accumulated four suspensions.
The Wild appear to be giving him a second chance as the trade deadline approaches, but should they? With this most recent suspension, the Wild should’ve been making a few calls to see what they could get if they were to make a trade just to have options. Having a player who is consistently getting suspended and not reeling himself in is not someone the Wild need to have. They only have one game to see him in action before the deadline hits, and hopefully, he’ll keep himself in line not only in that game but the rest of the season so the Wild can keep him.
“We need Ryan (Hartman) to come back in and play really well for us. Obviously, he’s had some time off. I do think he’s done a good job of putting some work in on the schedule and the program that we established for him. He put some work into it, but now we need him to play; we need him to come in, and he needs to be an impact. He’s had some time off; he’s had some time to recalibrate, I think himself. I don’t want to say his game because he didn’t play, but conditioning and some skill work now we need him to commit and be a factor for us,” said head coach John Hynes about how Hartman needs to step up when he returns.
Wild Need Nyquist to Fill a Void
With the recent injuries to the Wild’s offensive core, Guerin made the move to acquire Nyquist and hopefully help fill that void. He was with the team for a short stint a couple of seasons ago and made an impression. Unfortunately, they couldn’t hold onto him due to cap constraints but found a way to get him back now.
While Nyquist expressed his excitement about returning to Minnesota, his teammates and coach were just as happy to have him. They all talked about his skills and spoke even more about his hands. Hopefully, he’ll be able to showcase those abilities and make a difference on the Wild’s roster, making this trade worth its while and a chance to re-sign him if they want.
“The poise, the puck pursuit, things like that where you know he gets pucks in the neutral zone you saw. I saw him just wheel; he skates with it, right? He’s really good, he’s good in tight areas, and that’s the thing. He can find guys late, hit some guys around, and he’s smart. He’s almost like a little bit of a Zuccy (Zuccarello) and, for the most part, provides some more offensive spark,” said Marcus Foligno about having Nyquist on the team.
Wild Need Injured Back
The biggest issue with the Wild’s trade deadline is their injuries. Of course, they want to find players who can fill that void, but since it’s planned to only be temporary, they can’t. They don’t want to go out and pick up guys who won’t have roster spots once their injured return.
This is one of the reasons Guerin has stated he doesn’t know his exact plans. They are taking it day by day because, with these injuries, there’s no concrete timetable. They believe in their players and that they’ll return healthy and ready to go. The Wild’s hands are tied when it comes to the trade deadline mainly because of this, and it’ll be interesting to see how they go about it.
Related: Minnesota Wild’s Injuries Force Their Hand in Nyquist Trade
“We gotta keep playing for the guys that are out and get them back in. That’s the biggest thing. We’ll see what happens in the next week or so, but honestly, it’s going to be huge when we get Kirill (Kaprizov), Ekkie (Eriksson Ek), and Jimmy (Brodin) back. They make such a difference, so you’re going to see, give credit to all the guys that are coming up, but it’s a different dynamic, and having a team like that when you have both players in,” said Foligno about the push they could make in the playoffs with the current team they have.
Wild Have Faith
Regardless of what happens at this trade deadline, the players have stated throughout this season that they believe in each other and their staff. They not only believe in their teammates but in their general manager making all the decisions as well. Hopefully, the Wild will analyze this last game against the Kraken before the deadline and do what they feel necessary to make a team capable of winning now and in the postseason.
