The latest Wild rumors as they allegedly are looking to add another forward

An old expression is the 'Dog days of August' where time seems to bog down as sweltering heat forces many to seek refuge to areas that have nice cool air conditioning. I know for myself, August means the start of football practice (High School) and many hours of coaching and working through offensive and defensive schemes. It is not the NFL, but still requires lots of study and patience as you try to get teenagers to execute complicated blocking schemes and blitzes in what ends up really being a short amount of time. High School football is always a blur whether your coaching or playing and as it always seems it starts and then suddenly its over and your planning for next season. During the offseason coaches talk about players who followed the prescribed weight lifting program and how that affects the lineup, possible changes to the practice schedule, as well as more mundane issues as acquiring equipment. With the summer's heat finally upon us throughout the State of Hockey and its hinterlands, albeit in August this year we are getting closer and closer to when NHL training camps open in September and thus the rumors are starting to intensify as teams finalize their rosters. With around $4 million (according to nhlnumbers.com) in cap space left, the Minnesota Wild are looking for another forward to round out its Top 6 and serve as an upgrade for the team. Who that 'next' player could be has been the subject of much speculation. Multiple players have rumored to be in the teams' sights if you frequent places like Twitter site NHLSourcesSay (which is allegedly a site run by a person who used to work in an NHL front office), the more reasonable thefourthperiod.com and the rather unreliable hockeybuzz.com. Here are some of the latest rumors as well as my take on how likely it will happen or not. Center - Mike ComrieSource: Twitter - NHLSourcesSayThe Rumor: According to this Twitter site the former University of Michigan star is mulling over possible offers by the Anaheim Ducks, Buffalo Sabres, Dallas Stars and the Minnesota Wild. Comrie is a proven playmaker who can be effective if you wish to add supplemental scoring. The State of Hockey News' take: Mike Comrie would add a little more offense, but not in the most important area of goal scoring. In addition, Comrie is a smallish player who plays a finesse style game that will not be effective in an up-tempo aggressive forechecking type of system. I do not think Comrie fits in very well for this new identity and though he'd add speed and some offensive creativity the most pressing need is for a goal scorer and that isn't his best skill. While the Wild would likely be able to afford Comrie's salary, he made $4 million last season I do not think he's the best solution to the team's scoring issues. C - Phil KesselSource: Twitter - NHLSourcesSay The Rumor: According to the same Twitter site that gave us the Mike Comrie rumor, NHLSourcesSay the Wild, San Jose Sharks, and New York Islanders to the growing list of teams hoping to acquire the speedy former Minnesota Golden Gopher Phil Kessel since it is a well-known fact the Bruins would like to give themselves some more space under the salary cap. The State of Hockey News' take: This is a rumor that is difficult to simply cast off as fiction. Phil Kessel has demonstrated he can be an effective goal scoring centerman as well as being a great skater who would flourish in an up-tempo style. The catch is the fact that Kessel is a restricted free agent whose asking price is naturally high which would require the Wild to part with draft picks. Shortly after arriving with the Wild, new General Manager Chuck Fletcher talked about the team's past of trading picks for the here and now depleted the team's prospect pool and it would seem very unlikely he'd deal a few first rounders to add Kessel even if he would fit in rather nicely. Kessel would add goal scoring and provide speed but I think his price is simply too steep in terms of potential prospects by the draft picks we'd have to lose. Center - Alex TanguaySource: Thefourthperiod.com - Alex TanguayThe Rumor: According to thefourthperiod.com the Wild and the Tampa Bay Lightning are in discussions with Alex Tanguay. Tanguay told Montreal's Le Presse he has had some talks with the Wild and the Lightning. The State of Hockey News' take: This is a rumor I am actually taking pretty seriously. The 29-year old has proven in the past he can be a very effective goal scorer, but it has been a few seasons since he's demonstrated an ability to stay healthy and score 25+ goals. His pricetag from last year, an expensive $5.3 million is too rich for the Wild's tastes, but if the team can get him to take less money like $3.5 million per season then Minnesota could add a quality Top 6 forward to its current group. Last year the Wild used perennial 3rd liner Antti Miettinen in that capacity and while he had a career year the team still could use an upgrade. While it will be easier said than done to get Tanguay to take a paycut, he would fit in rather nicely in an uptempo system which he proved he could thrive in when he was with the Colorado Avalanche. It should be noted that the Twitter site, NHLSourcesSay has indicated that they believe that Tanguay will sign with the Phoenix Coyotes but no matter what this appears to be a rumor that has actual truth as opposed to pure speculation as its driving force. LW - Dany HeatleySource: Hockeybuzz.com - Dany HeatleyThe Rumor: Brad Ratgen of hockeybuzz.com is reporting the Wild have offered up veteran defenseman, Nick Schultz as well as the team's heart and soul Mikko Koivu along with promising young blueliner Tyler Cuma for unhappy Senators' sniper Dany Heatley. The State of Hockey News' take: I think this rumor is almost pure speculative garbage. While I have little doubt the Senators are going to be asking a very heavy price to any team that eventually takes Dany Heatley off of their hands I do not think the Wild are going to pay such an exorbitant price, dealing away their leader Mikko Koivu for possible lockerroom headache in Heatley. As Ratgen's article points out, Heatley has control over where he is dealt and he may not wish to come to Minnesota. You might think since Heatley's revelation that he is unhappy in Ottawa would see the Senators' eager to deal him, the Sens' General Manager Bryan Murray has been steadfast saying that if they do not get a deal that they want they will be more than happy to keep him, problems or not. Sure, its a nice thought to have a consistent 40-goal scorer in Heatley on the Wild but I do not think Minnesota has enough to deal to get him here.