Report: Minnesota Wild Offering Ryan Hartman In Trade Talks

The Minnesota Wild are trying to make another splash, and this time it's down the middle of the ice.

General manager Bill Guerin has made it loud and clear to other executives around the league that his team will be in the market for a top-line center this summer. They've been linked to some big names already, including Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Evgeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins, and New York Rangers' Vincent Trocheck.

Guerin isn't shy when it comes to big offers, as the first trade offer he sent to the Vancouver Canucks for defenceman Quinn Hughes, they accepted. Guerin has some trade assets to dangle in trade talks, and there's multiple reports stating Ryan Hartman is going to be the odd man out, and also don't be surprised to see one of the goaltenders moved.

Daily Faceoff's Matt Larkin zoned in on Hartman as a prime offseason trade candidate:

The Wild want a top-end No. 1 center and to extend all-world blueliner Quinn Hughes. They thus need to move money out. Trading goaltender Filip Gustavsson, relegated to $6.8-million 1B status this postseason, would’ve been the logical play, but his hip surgery puts his status for the start of next season – and trade value – in flux. Plan B could be unloading Hartman’s cap hit, which would clear space for immediate help, though it wouldn’t impact any cap space for a Hughes extension in 2027-28. Hartman’s 15-team no-trade clause shrinks to a 10-teamer for the final season of his deal. He’s not the No. 1 scoring-line pivot he’s too often asked to be in Minnesota, but his blend of skill and agitation make him plenty useful. Averaging 23 goals and 49 points per 82 games over his past five seasons, he’s not overpaid at his AAV and thus shouldn’t be an overly difficult player to move with just a year left on his deal.

Hartman is signed through next season at $4 million AAV and owns a 10-team no-trade clause. He was involved in trade talks leading up to March's trade deadline, so it shouldn't come to anyone's surprise Hartman's likely on the way out.

Photo credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images