The Minnesota Wild are 5-2-1 after Thursday night’s 5-4 win over the St. Louis Blues at Grand Casino Arena, a game most will remember for Blues goalie Joel Hofer laying out Kirill Kaprizov with a hit that Wild goalie Jesper Wallstedt called “a dirty play.”
After the victory, Minnesota head coach John Hynes said that Kaprizov was “okay.” At least for now, he’s expected to play Sunday against the Columbus Blue Jackets, but we’ll find out more today when the team practices at TRIA Rink in St. Paul.
Kaprizov’s status will dominate the conversation this weekend. The Wild need him in the lineup, especially given his torrid start (9 goals and 5 assists in his first eight games). In fact, all of Minnesota’s stars have officially shown up this season, after Matt Boldy’s slump ended with a hat trick Thursday against the Blues.
Good thing too, because down the lineup, it’s been a mess of injuries and inconsistent play. Faber, Spurgeon, Maatta, Gustavsson, Sturm and both Foligno brothers are on injured reserve or out.
MN Wild’s most under-the-radar trade candidate
Others, like Ryan Hartman, are riding the struggle bus. One year after he scored 23 goals, Hartman is currently a -7 with zero goals and 1 assist in 13.4 minutes of average ice time. For context, that’s the worst +/- of any skater on the team through 8 games.
And now, Hartman might be a trade candidate.
In a piece that dropped at The Athletic Saturday, beat writers across the league listed their team’s most under-the-radar trade candidate. Hartman, who’s in the final year of his deal in Minnesota, was Michael Russo’s selection for the Wild.
Hartman could become an intriguing trade chip. The 32-year-old is entering the final season of his contract ($4 million average annual value) and has a modified no-trade clause. With Danila Yurov emerging and Minnesota boasting several veterans who provide grit and versatility similar to Hartman’s, Hartman could become expendable. That doesn’t mean general manager Bill Guerin would shop him, though, because Hartman historically has been a good playoff performer. But that’s also why a Stanley Cup contender could covet him.
Michael Russo, via The Athletic
Related: Big Time NHL Insiders Now Wondering if Jack Hughes Ultimately Lands in Minnesota
Russo isn’t guaranteeing Hartman gets moved by the March 1 NHL trade deadline, especially given his postseason acumen. Nonetheless, the longtime MN Wild insider can absolutely see a future where the 32-year-old veteran becomes expendable at the deadline, especially given his free agency status at the end of the season.
Not only is Ryan Hartman’s three-year, $12 million deal expiring, but his actual salary dropped to $3 million in 2026-27 (PuckPedia), making him even easier to move since an acquiring team would owe just a fraction of that, come February.
The limited no-trade clause won’t stop Guerin from moving him, either. This season, it’s down to only 10 teams, which leaves 21 destinations the Minnesota Wild can send him to without his permission.
Danila Yurov’s emergence could make Ryan Hartman expendable
Meanwhile, 22-year-old center Danila Yurov has three goals and four points while handling mostly third-line duties behind Hartman, getting nearly the exact same amount of ice time, at 13.3 minutes per night.
#Blues 1 @ #Wild 2 [P1-8:43]: Goal: Danila Yurov (3) 30’ Deep Lead-Taking Wrister Assists: M.Shabanov (3), Y.Trenin (1) #STLBlues #MNWild #NHL https://t.co/cpslDQ7sCR
— NHL Goal Videos (@NHLGoalsVideo) October 16, 2026
The last two games, Hartman has centered Blake Coleman and Maxim Shabanov on Minnesota’s second line. If Yurov keeps producing and Hartman can’t get off the struggle bus, he could take his second line spot. Then… what happens to Hartman when the team gets healthier?
Trading Hartman would be risky for a team that struggles to win in the playoffs. In 17 postseason games the last two years, he has 13 points (five goals, eight assists). In 11 playoff games last year, Hartman scored three goals and totaled seven points.
In other words, the interest will be there if Bill Guerin decides to move his aging center at any point over the next four or five months. But will Billy ultimately pull the trigger? That might depend on whether or not Ryan Hartman can turn things around.