Wild interested in centre Thomas — The Fourth Period
The Minnesota Wild will soon shift into off-season mode officially, following their second-round playoff exit, and GM Bill Guerin will be looking to bolster his roster even more over the summer.
With star defenceman Quinn Hughes already voicing his interest in signing an extension with the Wild, something he will be eligible to do starting July 1, Minnesota will try to add more ammunition to its roster for next season as they aim to capture a Stanley Cup championship.
One area the Wild have tried to upgrade is up the middle. Guerin tried to acquire a top-two centre prior to the trade deadline in March, but came up empty.
It had been widely reported that the Wild had interest such players as Vincent Trocheck of the New York Rangers, Ryan O’Reilly of the Nashville Predators and Jesperi Kotkaniemi of the Carolina Hurricanes during the season, and it’s possible they examine those possibilities again now that their season has come to a close.
One other player the Wild expressed interest in this season, according to Michael Russo of The Athletic, was St. Louis Blues star Robert Thomas.
According to Russo, the Wild offered goaltender Jesper Wallstedt and forward Danila Yurov in exchange for Thomas, but that deal was rejected by the Blues.
“With Alexander Steen taking over for Doug Armstrong as GM on July 1, you can bet Guerin will try again for the high-end offensive, right-shot centerman who can win draws,” Russo wrote. “Plus, Thomas is another one of Hughes’ plethora of childhood pals.”
Thomas, who turns 27 on July 2, is about to enter the fourth season of an eight-year, $65 million contract. He also owns a full no-movement clause and would have to approve any deal the Blues try to make.
Several teams tried to acquire Thomas this season, including the Utah Mammoth, Detroit Red Wings and Buffalo Sabres, among others, which means the Wild will have competition if they try again this summer.
