Here’s a word to the wise for NHL front offices.
If ever Wild general manager Bill Guerin calls, it might be best to send him straight to voicemail.
After all, he has made a habit of winning trades ever since he took over in Minnesota, and doesn’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon
This past trade deadline was a perfect example of that. Not only did Guerin decide to be a buyer when some thought he should be a seller, he managed to build a Stanley Cup contender in the process.
Never mind that the Wild weren’t in on the Ryan O’Reilly sweepstakes, the Patrick Kane sweepstakes or the Timo Meier sweepstakes, among others. Instead, they made a number of shrewd moves that supplied them with the depth needed to win it all.
Just look at the list of players Guerin acquired last month.
Marcus Johansson has been arguably the most productive player in the NHL who was moved at the trade deadline. Gus Nyquist recently returned from a shoulder injury and has scored a point in every single game he has played. Oskar Sundqvist scored a goal a couple of games ago and brings playoff experience to the locker room. John Klingberg tallied an assist last time out and provides the blue line with a valuable scoring threat
Who knows where the Wild would be in their opening-round playoff series with Dallas Stars without those additions? Most likely not in possession of a 2-1 lead with a chance to take complete control in Game 4 on Sunday with puck drop set for 5:50 p.m. at Xcel Energy Center.
Though the Wild have the star power needed to win in the playoffs — Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy have both taken big steps forward this season — they needed more role players to make some noise.
That’s exactly what the Wild got at the trade deadline. The funniest thing about Guerin so flawlessly wheeling and dealing, however, is that virtually none of his decisions did anything to move the needle at that time.
It was hard to picture Johansson being effective after he couldn’t stay healthy during his first stint with the Wild. It was tough to get excited about Nyquist when there was some concern that he might not be able to play at all. It was challenging to envision where Sundqvist fit into the lineup. It was difficult to overlook how much Klingberg had struggled to that point.
No matter. Like he always does, Guerin trusted his gut, and it’s worked perhaps even better than he could have imagined. Not only has every player who arrived last month contributed in the playoffs so far, their presence has been imperative with the Wild currently battling through injuries in the first round.
Though the trade deadline was a masterclass by Guerin, school has been in session since last offseason.
When he felt he wouldn’t be able to give Kevin Fiala enough money, Guerin managed to get Brock Faber back in the blockbuster deal. When he felt he needed to move on from an unhappy Cam Talbot, Guerin flipped him for Filip Gustavsson straight up. When he felt he needed to inject some life into the team earlier this season, Guerin immediately went out and traded for Ryan Reaves.
Maybe it shouldn’t come as a surprise that every player brought in before trade deadline played a big role in the regular season and has continued that production in the playoffs.
All the pieces matter in the pursuit of a Stanley Cup. There’s no doubt Guerin knows more than most as someone who has hoisted the hardware twice as a player and twice as an executive. He has proven his knowledge with nearly every move he has made over the past few seasons.
Which is why the rest of the GMs might want to go ahead and block his number.
