The Minnesota Wild are actively shopping forward Yakov Trenin to create salary cap flexibility ahead of July 1. Their goal is to pursue Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin, whose $8.7 million cap hit necessitates moving some higher-priced depth players. Trenin, who has an annual average value (AAV) of $3.5 million, has played a predominantly bottom-six role, contributing 38 points over 158 games while proving to be an effective penalty killer. Despite his physical play, his offensive output has declined significantly, prompting the Wild to reconsider his place on the roster amid ambitions for roster improvements.

By the Numbers
  • Trenin registered 654 hits across two seasons with the Wild.
  • He has only scored 13 goals in the last two seasons (7 and 6 goals, respectively).
State of Play
  • The Wild are focused on adding top-tier talent, which requires salary cap adjustments.
  • Trenin's contract is slightly front-loaded, costing $3 million in salary for the next two seasons.
What's Next

As the Wild pursue roster changes, Trenin is likely to be traded if they secure a big-name player like Larkin. Teams with available cap space might find him an appealing addition to enhance their fourth line. His lack of trade protection also facilitates a potential move.

Bottom Line

The Wild are at a critical juncture, needing to make roster changes to free up cap space for strategic signings. Moving Trenin could be essential in reshaping their lineup to align with their higher aspirations while allowing other teams to benefit from his physical play.