The Minnesota Wild will continue their search for a center
The Chris Johnston Show: Chris Johnston on the Minnesota Wild.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
“I mean, you take a team like the Minnesota Wild, you know, obviously, they’re looking for and were before the deadline. I mean, they had talks on (Vincent) Trocheck, for example, at the trade deadline, or before it. You know, how does Bill Guerin solve that problem? I think he’s gonna have to get pretty creative. It’s, you know, he’s, he’s been a GM who’s made a lot of big trades, so you know, I think there’s a path there for him to do that.
Seattle Kraken’s Shane Wright will get interest
The Chris Johnston Show: Chris Johnston on Seattle Kraken center Shane Wright being available.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
“But yeah, I mean, there is. That’s why there’s their centers, every third, basically every third position or something on this draft board is a player who can play center. Even, even someone younger like Shane Wright, who’s in the teens, you know, and still hasn’t, maybe it’s hard to say exactly what he’s going to be as an NHL player at this stage. He took a step back in his offensive game last season. But you know, the fact that he’s available, I think, could, it could attract interest. Because you know, it’s just hard, hard to find players to play those spots.”
NHL Rumors: Will the Detroit Red Wings Have an Active Offseason?
Everyone wants right-handed defensemen and centers, but two wingers sit atop the draft rankings
The Chris Johnston Show: Chris Johnston on the top two ranked players for the 2026 NHL draft are wingers. Teams are looking for centers and right-handed defensemen, so do you draft the best player or draft by position.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
“And you know, the weird thing, not to circle it all back and get us all twisted and knots, is the weird thing is that the two top forwards, you know, ranked in this, this draft are wingers, right? And, and I think that, that’s where some of the debate comes in, if you’re picking where Toronto is picking, or even if San Jose ends up making their selection at two.
Is it take the best player who might happen to be a winger? The person that’s viewed as the best player, or is it smarter to draft for one of these premier positions? Because getting a right shot defenseman, getting an effective centerman is just so hard in the league, or it’s, or it’s so costly if you end up making those kind of trades.
And so I’m sure that’s part of the discussion being had in the, in the amateur scouting meetings that are going on right now.”
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