You thought Bill Guerin was finished? Think again.
If you assumed the Minnesota Wild were going to rest on their laurels after the seismic acquisition of Quinn Hughes last month, you haven’t been paying attention to how this front office operates. According to Michael Russo of The Athletic, Guerin is actively hunting for a top-tier center to solidify a roster that is suddenly looking like a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.
The logic is simple but ruthless: You don’t trade Marco Rossi, Zeev Buium, Liam Ohgren, and a 2026 first-rounder just to be “good.” You make that move to win the whole thing. With an estimated $12.9 million in deadline cap space, the Wild have the financial ammunition to make one more massive splash. The primary target? Nashville Predators captain Ryan O’Reilly.
Why the Nashville Predators Might Move O’Reilly
From my perspective as an analyst, the fit is almost too perfect. The Wild have historically lacked that gritty, Conn Smythe-caliber pedigree down the middle. We are talking about a franchise that hasn’t won a playoff round since 2015. They have been stuck in the “mushy middle” of the NHL for a decade—good enough to make the playoffs, not dangerous enough to go deep.
Ryan O’Reilly changes the team’s DNA instantly. He is arguably the best defensive center of his generation, a faceoff machine, and a player who drags teammates into the fight. Putting O’Reilly on a roster that now features Quinn Hughes moving the puck creates a scary “heavy hockey” dynamic that flourishes in the Western Conference playoffs.
However, the hurdle here isn’t the salary cap—it’s the player. Reports indicate O’Reilly may be unwilling to waive his trade protection or leave Nashville. If that door closes, Guerin has to pivot. This brings us to the “Plan B” that might actually offer more offensive upside: Calgary’s Nazem Kadri. While he lacks O’Reilly’s defensive perfection, Kadri brings a snarl and scoring touch that Minnesota desperate needs.
My Insight: This is the most aggressive version of the Minnesota Wild we have ever seen. Guerin is effectively pushing his chips to the center of the table. Is it risky to deplete the prospect pool? absolutely. But when you have a window where your blue line is elite, you owe it to the fanbase to fix the center depth. If they can convince the Nashville Predators to part with O’Reilly, or pry Kadri out of Calgary, the Wild go from a “dark horse” to a top-three favorite for the Cup.
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