3 Wild Entering Their Final Year With Minnesota

The Minnesota Wild are looking to build off of last season where they were once again hampered by the big dead cap hits the team has been carrying for years. There is some youth injected into the lineup and some solid and sneaky veterans that will contribute as well. But this is a team that will upgrade further by next offseason and likely at the trade deadline to go on a run.

Vladimir Tarasenko

The Wild took in Vladimir Tarasenko's contract that has one year left on it to add a middle-six forward who can score. Tarasenko doesn't exactly have the same scoring touch as he did earlier in his career as he put up 11 goals and 33 points last season. He should be in a good spot to at least match that, but he is overpaid for what he accomplished last season and the Wild didn't have the Detroit Red Wings retain any of his contract. Tarasenko will stay with Minnesota the entire season, but will be cleared out to make room in the offseason.

Zach Bogosian

Jonas Brodin is starting the season on the injured reserve and the Wild have six capable defenseman available. When Brodin returns, it makes the most sense for Minnesota to take Zach Bogosian out of the lineup. With three strong veterans in Brodin, Jared Spurgeon, and Jacob Middleton as well as three young talents in Brock Faber, Zeev Buium, and David Jiricek, Bogosian just doesn't have a spot anymore. He is in the final year of his contract, and even though he is good enough to be an everyday defenseman, that role will have to come elsewhere.

Nicolas Aube-Kubel

Nicolas Aube-Kubel will be seen as a buffer this season and should play very limited games in the NHL, if any at all. He is on a league-minimum contract that was signed this offseason, only played 22 games last season split between two teams, and isn't productive at all. He is organizational depth and the Wild have signed a handful of players to PTOs, so they could look more impressive than him. The team also has plenty of young talent coming, so there will be less of a need for a player like Aube-Kubel next season.