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Way-too-early Minnesota Wild trade candidates in 2025-26 season

Originally posted on NHL on ClutchPoints
By Tristin McKinstry | Last updated Aug 22, 2025 11:32 PM ET

The Minnesota Wild made the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2025, successfully rebounding from a disappointing campaign. Minnesota was expected to compete for the postseason in 2024. However, they did not have a great season, and missed altogether. This changed in 2025, as players like Marco Rossi and Filip Gustavsson stepped up in a major way.

To be fair, the Wild were eliminated in the first round. They lost six games to the Vegas Golden Knights. However, they gave a fantastic account of themselves in this series. Minnesota tied the series 2-2 before the bottom fell out. There is some deserved optimism around this team heading into the 2025-26 campaign.

Minnesota was freed from nearly $15 million in dead salary cap this summer. However, the team did not make many splash moves. They used some money to bring back Nico Sturm in NHL Free Agency. And they used some more to take on the final year of Vladimir Tarasenko’s contract in a trade with the Detroit Red Wings.

It’s hard to gague what the ceiling is for this team. However, like the rest of the league, they have room to remain active on the trade front. With this in mind, here are two way-too-early trade candidates for the Wild as the 2025-26 season continues to draw near.

Wild could still trade Marco Rossi

Minnesota Wild forward Marco Rossi (23) pursues the play against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the second period at Scotiabank Arena. Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

The Wild recently signed Marco Rossi to a three-year contract extension. This move came after months of trade speculation around the young center. However, this is a very similar situation to the Buffalo Sabres and Bowen Byram. Minnesota is not prohibited from trading Rossi after signing this extension.

Rossi has emerged as a top-six pivot in the NHL. He followed up a 40-point season in 2023-24 with a more impressive performance this past season. The Austrian center scored 24 goals and 60 points in a full 82 games. He received a good amount of ice time, as well. Rossi averaged a career high 18:15 over the course of the 2024-25 campaign.

However, there was a bit of an issue with his ice time in the postseason. Rossi was demoted to the fourth line during the Golden Knights series. The Wild center was not pleased with this arrangement. Over the summer, general manager Bill Guerin did field trade offers.

The Wild could certainly pull the trigger on a move in 2025-26. Rossi is signed short-term and at a rather reasonable cap hit. If Minnesota is in Stanley Cup contention, using Rossi in a move for a superstar could be worth Guerin’s while. Swapping him in a deal for another high-potential young star is another option for the Wild.

Yakov Trenin is a name to watch

The Wild were rather cap-strapped over the last few years thanks to the aforementioned dead salary cap. Last summer, they only had a few million to work with in NHL Free Agency. They elected to spend nearly every penny on signing Yakov Trenin to a four-year contract.

Trenin is a bottom-six forward who provides value at both ends of the ice. While not an offensive dynamo, he did reach double-digit goals in four consecutive seasons before 2024-25. Unfortunately, he did not continue the streak, managing just seven goals this past season. It certainly didn’t help that he went the first two months of the year without scoring a goal.

Trenin could certainly bounce back in 2025-26. However, if he gets off to another slow start, a trade is certainly possible. There are teams that could use his defensive ability. And his $3.5 million cap hit is movable, even if the three remaining years aren’t ideal.

This article first appeared on NHL on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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