The season for the Minnesota Wild came to a disappointing conclusion earlier this week, as they were eliminated by the divisional rival Colorado Avalanche in five games.
Defenseman Brett Kulak, who is playing on his third team this season, scored the overtime game-winning goal for the Avalanche at Ball Arena, completing a stunning comeback. The Wild took a 3-0 lead into the first intermission after the opening 20 minutes of play, but weren’t able to protect it and ultimately lost in devastating fashion.
The Wild, who pulled off one of the biggest blockbuster trades of the season by acquiring former Vancouver Canucks captain and Norris Trophy winner Quinn Hughes in December, also were close to yet another massive move at the NHL Trade Deadline in March.
The Minnesota Wild Were Reportedly Close To Acquiring Robert Thomas From The St. Louis Blues
According to Michael Russo of The Athletic, the Wild were prepared to acquire forward Robert Thomas from the St. Louis Blues, and offered a package that included goaltender Jesper Wallstedt and Danila Yurov in return.
“The Wild made a pitch for Thomas at the deadline, per league sources, dangling Wallstedt and Yurov as part of a package,” Russo wrote. “The St. Louis Blues said no. With Alexander Steen taking over for Doug Armstrong as GM on July 1, you can bet Guerin will try again for the high-end offensive, right-shot centerman who can win draws. Plus, Thomas is another one of Hughes’ plethora of childhood pals. He has five years left on a deal that pays him $8.125 million.”
Thomas was one of the most talked-about names in NHL trade circles in the days and weeks leading up to the NHL Trade Deadline. While he was linked to multiple teams, he remained with the Blues, who ultimately missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the second time in three years.
Thomas would have come with a considerable financial commitment, as he’s under contract through 2031 with a hefty salary cap hit of $8.125 million. He’s played in 530 career NHL games with the Blues, who selected him in the first round (20th overall) of the 2017 Draft, and has scored 132 goals with 328 assists.
He’s also tallied six goals with 20 assists in 52 career Stanley Cup Playoff games, helping the Blues win the Stanley Cup in 2019 for the first and only time to date in franchise history.
Jesper Wallstedt Took Over The Starting Job For The Wild
While the Wild entered the season with Filip Gustavsson as the first name on their goaltending depth chart following the departure of veteran Marc-Andre Fleury, Wallstedt soon took over the starting duties.
He would finish his rookie season in the NHL posting a record of 18-9-6 with a 2.61 goals-against average, a .916 save percentage, and four shutouts. He was a major reason why the Wild were able to eliminate the rival Dallas Stars from the opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but his stats began to slip against the Colorado Avalanche in round two.
He allowed eight goals in Game 1, and was replaced by Gustavsson for Game 2 before eventually returning to the crease for Game 3.
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