Wild trade rumors and speculation:
http://www.startribune.com/for-wild-...gun/377054871/
Quote:
He will have to decide whether to buy out Vanek, who is due $7.5 million next season. Making that move would create more salary-cap breathing room by turning his $6.5 million cap hit next season into $1.5 million next season and $2.5 million the following year.
Vanek ended the season with broken ribs, but as long as he’s medically cleared by June 15 or 48 hours after the Stanley Cup Final — whichever is later — a buyout is permissible.
A buyout could enable the Wild to sign a Kyle Okposo or a David Backes in free agency, although Backes is 31 and signing vets to long-term deals has backfired on Fletcher in the past.
He will have to investigate trades. Kuemper is a likely candidate to be dealt. The moment Devan Dubnyk re-signed for six years last summer, Kuemper’s fate was sealed. Zucker, who finished the season with two goals and four assists in his final 37 games (including the playoffs) and was minus-3 in the Wild’s Game 6 loss to Dallas; and Dumba, who struggled dramatically down the stretch and in the playoffs, are trade candidates, too.
Will Fletcher dangle defensemen Jonas Brodin or Marco Scandella in the hope of acquiring a scorer or a top center? He also will soon need to decide whether to commit to Mikael Granlund and Nino Niederreiter long-term or potentially use them as trade bait. They each have a year left on their contracts before they become restricted free agents.
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If Brodin, Scandella, and Dumba are on the table, have to imagine the Oilers would make a good trade partner with RNH and/or Eberle as main pieces.