Minnesota Wild GM Chuck Fletcher has apparently been a "very active" man on the NHL trade market, but there's a limit to what he's willing to do. According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, via Chris Nichols of Today's Slap Shot, Fletcher was willing to deal defenseman Jonas Brodin during his talks with the Columbus Blue Jackets regarding center Ryan Johansen. Of course, that deal never came to fruition as Johansen landed with the Nashville Predators, but Friedman gets the sense that Brodin remains on the market.
Charlie Coyle, Wild fans will be glad to know, is not.
Per Friedman, plenty of teams have been inquiring after the top-line right wing, but the Wild and Fletcher have been unwilling to talk shop.
Coyle, just 23, has blossomed this season despite being part of a Wild offense that can't seem to get out of its own way most nights. He's now got 15 goals and 28 points through 54 games, just seven points off his career mark of 35, posted last season.
It makes little sense for Fletcher to consider trading his best offensive piece in order to fix his flailing offense, so it's understandable he's turning away potential suitors for Coyle.
As for Brodin, he was placed on injured reserve earlier this month with a broken foot after blocking a shot against the New York Rangers. It was suggested then that he would miss the next 3 to 6 weeks, putting his return somewhere around the end of February at best, which, coincidentally, also happens to match up pretty well with the trade deadline.
Unfortunately, should Brodin be dealt, he likely wouldn't be able to hit the ice prior to the deadline, so any team that traded for him would do so, sight unseen. Of course, as a four-year NHL veteran and three-season regular in the Wild lineup, NHL teams probably know what they'd get out of the steady blueliner.
Brodin's a penalty killer and a consistent minutes-eater, averaging about 20:23 of ice time before he went down with his foot injury.
For the Wild, losers of their last seven in a row and in sixth in the Central, looking up, though not all that far, at the Avalanche and Predators, a deal to upgrade their offense could certainly improve their postseason outlook. Brodin seems a potential candidate, though his injury complicates things, as does 21-year-old Matt Dumba.
Dumba is a player the Lightning reportedly asked after in trade talks involving Jonathan Drouin earlier this season.
Drouin would upgrade the Wild's talent level on offense, but is he the answer to their playoff prayers? It seems unlikely, but then again, it's rare that teams are offering elite players without some kind of baggage at the deadline.
