The Minnesota Wild, stuck without a playoff series win since 2014-15, were eliminated in the first round by the Vegas Golden Knights in 2024-25. To improve, they need to make strategic trades to strengthen their roster.
This offseason, the Wild missed out on several trade targets, including Brock Boeser, who stayed with Vancouver. They re-signed Marcus Johansson, added Nico Sturm, and acquired Vladimir Tarasenko from Detroit while trading Frederick Gaudreau to Seattle. While Sturm and Tarasenko bolster the center and top-six forward spots, Minnesota still needs more forward depth. With $14 million in cap space, they have flexibility. A key factor is Marco Rossi, a restricted free agent (RFA) who could be traded. Rossi, a former first-round pick, had 60 points (24 goals, 36 assists) last season, and trading him would require a significant return for a team aiming to contend.
The Wild have explored trade talks with the Buffalo Sabres, particularly involving Rossi, after missing out on Sabres’ winger JJ Peterka, now with the Utah Mammoth. Buffalo’s active offseason, including trading Dylan Cozens for Josh Norris and re-signing Ryan McLeod, opens possibilities for deals involving Alex Tuch or Tage Thompson.
Alex Tuch, a Minnesota native and the Wild’s 2014 first-round pick, is a realistic target. Now a top-six forward with Buffalo, Tuch scored 36 goals and 67 points in 2024-25. At 29, with a $4.75 million cap hit for 2025-26, his ability to play wing or center makes him a potential Rossi replacement. A trade could involve Rossi and draft picks, aligning with Buffalo’s future-focused strategy.
Tage Thompson, a 27-year-old star center, is a less likely but high-impact target. With 44 goals in 2024-25 and a 94-point season in 2022-23, Thompson could elevate Minnesota’s top line alongside Kirill Kaprizov. His $7.14 million cap hit through 2029-30 is manageable, but acquiring him would require Rossi plus significant assets, like a first-round pick. Buffalo’s reluctance to trade a cornerstone player makes this challenging.
Rossi, 23, is central to trade talks due to stalled contract negotiations (he seeks $49 million over seven years; Minnesota offers $25 million over five). The Sabres might value Rossi as a young center, but prefer to keep Tuch or Thompson unless the return is substantial. Other Sabres, like defenseman Bowen Byram, are less appealing given Minnesota’s defensive depth.
Trading for Tuch is more feasible than Thompson due to Tuch’s shorter contract and Buffalo’s potential openness to a deal. With Minnesota’s cap space and urgency to improve, a Rossi-for-Tuch trade could work, giving the Wild a proven scorer and Buffalo a young center. Talks may heat up around July 2025 free agency, with a Tuch deal being the more realistic path to upgrade Minnesota’s roster.
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