Wild GM Fletcher might be done dealing despite history at deadline
The phone calls start picking up in December when Minnesota Wild general manager Chuck Fletcher says he begins to speak with fellow NHL general managers on an almost-daily basis. The talks are sometimes substantive and don't lead anywhere in other cases.
For Fletcher, talks led to one key acquisition, goaltender Devan Dubnyk, to spark Minnesota's playoff push this year. After acquiring forward Sean Bergenheim last week, Fletcher said he had talked with Florida general manager Dale Tallon as far back as last season about Bergenheim.
Discussions among teams grow more significant as Monday's trade deadline approaches. Led in part by Fletcher this year, many teams haven't waited until the deadline. Activity continued over the weekend after Fletcher made his moves in getting Dubnyk and Bergenheim.
Fletcher could withhold a major move at the trade deadline because of Dubnyk, Bergenheim and the prices on rental players so far this year. He doesn't sound like a general manager pressed to make a deal in the final hours.
"If we can find something that makes sense, we'll do it," Fletcher said after acquiring Bergenheim last week. "You always want to make sure you have enough depth. But we'll see. We're not interested in trading our first-round pick or our top prospects. But if we can move lesser assets to improve our depth we'll continue to look at it. Obviously Sean was a significant acquisition for us and certainly takes a little pressure off up front."
Fletcher sent a 2015 third-round draft pick to Arizona for Dubnyk in January. Bergenheim came to Minnesota with a 2016 seventh-round draft pick in exchange for a 2016 third-rounder. Two moves made to fortify the Wild lineup without giving up valuable first- or second-round picks or top prospects.
Fletcher hasn't been one to usually sit out a trade deadline without a major move. He has been a willing trade partner, seen often in his time as the Wild's chief decision-maker since 2009.
Here's a look at Fletcher's other trade deadline deals:
2014: Fletcher was busy in the days leading up to the deadline, swinging a major deal a day before and then adding depth on the day of the deadline.
A day before the deadline, Fletcher was focused on goaltending. Fletcher sent a fourth-round draft pick to the Edmonton Oilers for Ilya Bryzgalov. Bryzgalov had a 3.01 goals-against average and .908 save percentage for Edmonton and was known for his peculiar character. Bryzgalov went 7-1 for Minnesota with a 2.12 goals-against average and .911 save percentage as the Wild thrived with an ever-changing goaltender spot.
A day later, Fletcher added depth for Minnesota. He added forwards Matt Moulson and Cody McCormick from the Buffalo Sabres for forward Torrey Mitchell and second-round picks in the 2014 and 2016 drafts. Moulson scored six goals and had seven assists in 20 regular-season games with the Wild and had three points (one goal) in 10 playoff games. McCormick was a physical presence and had one regular-season goal and another tally in the playoffs.
2013: With Minnesota trying to end its playoff drought in 2013, Fletcher added forward Jason Pominville. Zach Parise and Ryan Suter were high-profile additions in the offseason and Fletcher swung a deal for another high-scoring forward to add to the lineup.
Pominville was a former 30-goal scorer, who had 10 goals and 15 assists for Buffalo in the strike-shortened seasons. Fletcher paid a hefty price to acquire Pominville. Fletcher sent two prospects, goaltender Matt Hackett and forward Johan Larsson, to the Sabres along with a 2013 first- and 2014 second-round draft picks in exchange for Pominville and a 2014 fourth-rounder, which was eventually sent to Edmonton for Bryzgalov.
Pominville had four goals and five assists in 10 regular-season games but was limited because of a concussion and he went on to play in just two playoff games. Pominville eventually re-signed in Minnesota and has been a fixture on the top two lines. He scored 30 goals last season and has 13 in 62 games this year.
2012: A "hockey trade" was one of Fletcher's deadline deals in 2012. Out of the playoff picture, Fletcher traded stay-at-home defenseman Nick Schultz to the Oilers in exchange for Tom Gilbert, who was considered to be more of a puck-moving defenseman.
Before signing Ryan Suter and the development of defenseman like Jonas Brodin, Jared Spurgeon and Marco Scandella, the Wild needed more ability to get the puck out of their own zone with passing and a add a bit more offense from the blue line.
Gilbert didn't supply the offense expected, particularly in his first year. A tough transition saw the Minnesota native go scoreless and tally just five assists in 20 games for the Wild after the trade. He had three goals and 10 assists in 43 games the following season before he was a compliance buyout by the team.
Three days before though, Fletcher was in more of a selling mode by sending defenseman Marek Zidlicky to the New Jersey Devils. In exchange, Minnesota brought back two former players in Kurtis Foster and Stephane Veilleux, and young forward Nick Palmeiri. Zidlicky had been unhappy with the Wild and wanted a change.
Foster played out the season in Minnesota and then had one more year in the NHL with Philadelphia. Veilleux re-signed with the Wild and has spent parts of the past two season in the NHL with the organization. Palmeiri played nine games with Minnesota and was later traded to the New York Rangers in exchange for Mike Rupp.
If the Wild sit out Monday's deadline action, it will be the first time in four years Fletcher has not been a player among teams at the deadline.
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