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New York Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
4 burning questions for the Wild as the Kaprizov, Rossi contract situations remain unresolved
ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Wild's two biggest offseason objectives were to extend the contract of superstar Kirill Kaprizov and resolve the Marco Rossi contract stalemate. As we near August, neither has been accomplished. The Wild and Rossi's camp haven't had talks since early June, per league sources. President of hockey operations and general manager Bill Guerin has said he likes Rossi and wants to re-sign the restricted free agent. But with no offer sheets coming, at least for now, this might be a waiting game until the next pressure point in negotiations — the start of training camp in mid-September. Advertisement The Wild and Kaprizov's camp are taking a breather, with the next step likely coming in a face-to-face meeting with Guerin when the Russian winger arrives in the Twin Cities next month. With a deal this big, you have to imagine the team wants to make sure nothing is being lost in translation while Kaprizov is in Moscow. Last week, NHL forward Vasily Podkolzin posted pictures of Kaprizov and himself at Marat Khusnutdinov's wedding reception, and Kaprizov has been training this offseason with Evgeni Malkin. He looks ready and motivated to put last season's injury-plagued year behind him. Last fall, owner Craig Leipold told The Athletic that the team was actually in Year 2 of a five-year plan. But make no mistake, there's no two-, three- or five-year plan that doesn't involve re-signing Kaprizov, the best player in franchise history. That's what makes this negotiation, as complicated as it might be, so important, despite the fact that Leipold made clear no team can or will be able to offer Kaprizov more money than the Wild. That said, there are burning questions involved that could impact what happens with Kaprizov and, frankly, Rossi. Kaprizov has offered no public statements to the contrary. In fact, at his exit interview with local media, he seemed happy to be here — expressing appreciation for his teammates and his role as a leader. When asked about negotiations, Kaprizov smiled and said, 'We'll see. I love everything here. It should be all good.' But until there's a contract signed, any public platitudes are just that. Guerin has often expressed confidence in getting a deal done with Kaprizov; Leipold has also voiced optimism. The Wild have an advantage, especially with the new CBA, that they can offer Kaprizov eight years. Advertisement Under the current CBA, unless he's traded, the other 31 teams would be able to sign him for a maximum of seven years. In the next CBA, the max term is six years for a player signed in free agency. That doesn't go into effect until September 2026, but a league source said Thursday that it is still being decided if the new rule (six vs. seven) will be implemented next July 1. If so, it could strengthen the Wild's position — if Kaprizov wants to sign long-term. The money, especially from the Wild's end, shouldn't be a big issue, with an eight-year, $15 million average-annual-value contract not something that would be out of the question. Leipold has also insinuated he'll break his long-standing policy when it comes to being willing to hand out signing bonuses. This is the only franchise Kaprizov has known, with the 2015 fifth-round steal playing the first five years of his career in Minnesota. Kaprizov conducting multiple calls with Vladimir Tarasenko late last month to help convince the fellow Russian to waive his no-trade clause is encouraging. But arguably the biggest factor is whether he's convinced Guerin and his staff can make the team a contender. 'It's always, every time — it's about winning,' Kaprizov said in May. The last time the Wild were in a contract dispute with Kaprizov was on the eve of training camp in 2021. Guerin flew to Miami to sit down face-to-face with Kaprizov and his agent, Paul Theofanous. They ironed out his five-year, $45 million contract, and Guerin and Kaprizov returned to the Twin Cities on a private jet in time for camp. Now, if Guerin sits down with Kaprizov and Theofanous again as camp gets close and gets the impression that Kaprizov isn't willing to sign now, it may be incumbent on the GM to inquire on teams Kaprizov would be willing to be traded to. Advertisement Kaprizov wields all the power here by virtue of a no-move clause. In the summer of 2008, Marian Gaborik turned down a 10-year, $80 million contract, immediately got hurt that season, became untradable and left as a free agent the following summer for nothing. That was devastating to the franchise, and Guerin can't let that happen again. Everyone assumes the Wild are going to sign Kaprizov to an eight-year deal, and to be sure, they want to sign him to an eight-year deal. But what if Kaprizov would prefer to go on a shorter term? With the cap set to rise in the coming years, star players might opt for deals in the three- to four-year range to maximize their value. In the case of Kaprizov, who will turn 29 at the start of his next contract, he could also be considering whether he's ready to commit the rest of his career to Minnesota. Why not sign a shorter-term deal, which would allow him to see what kind of moves Guerin makes with the shackles off in terms of the dead cap hits of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter? If winning is the most important thing to Kaprizov, a shorter deal could put more pressure on the organization to build a better roster around him. When asked before the NHL draft whether he'd be open to a shorter-term deal with Kaprizov if the star preferred it, Guerin said, 'I'm not going to comment on stuff like that. That's too much info.' Leipold set the bar high at the beginning of last season in his comments about re-signing Kaprizov: 'I will tell you nobody will offer more money than us, or longer. So all we have to do is prove to him that we want to win.' Leipold's point was mostly that Minnesota is the only team that can offer Kaprizov eight years. But the Wild won't penny-pinch when it comes to an offer with their franchise player, who currently carries a $9 million AAV. Kaprizov is arguably a top-10 player in the world. He's irreplaceable. So the price tag is going to be high. An eight-year, $120 million deal ($15 million AAV) would put Kaprizov in line to be the league's highest-paid player once the contract kicks in for 2026-27 — although Connor McDavid needs a new deal starting the same season and figures to come in even higher. Advertisement Now, what if Kaprizov wants McDavid money? McDavid, currently at $12.5 million AAV, is also heading into the final year of his contract. We don't know what McDavid will command, but $16 million-plus is not unreasonable. The max either would be able to sign for prior to July 1, 2026, is 20 percent of next year's $95.5 million salary cap ($19.1 million). Would there be a point where Guerin and Leipold aren't comfortable reaching, even for Kaprizov? As Guerin has repeated, especially during the Rossi contract stalemate, he's 'running a business,' too. Remember, Kaprizov was an early-season frontrunner for the Hart Trophy last season before injuries caused him to miss 41 games. Even though the Wild need Kaprizov more than Kaprizov needs the Wild (he's going to get paid in any scenario), the higher this AAV goes, the more it becomes a risk for the Wild, especially if they want to afford complementary players around him. Work ethic has never been an issue with Rossi, who scored 24 goals and 60 points in only his second full season in 2024-25. He's a gym rat, and if you follow him on social media, you've seen that he's putting in exhaustive work this offseason despite the stress of a contract squabble. The guy basically climbed a mountain last week, then afterward got to work with soon-to-be Hall of Famer Joe Thornton, who's helping him improve in the faceoff circle. Rossi wasn't eligible to elect salary arbitration earlier this month, but he can sign an offer sheet with another team. The Wild would then have seven days to decide whether to match or accept draft pick compensation and walk away. But we're 28 days into July, and that offer sheet hasn't come. It's almost like Guerin, who vowed to match any offer sheet, was playing a game of chicken to show Rossi's camp that he didn't buy that this threat was a real threat. And to this juncture, at least, he's been right. That means at this point Guerin could make Rossi sweat and slowplay this until we get closer to camp. Rossi obviously wants to play and must be signed to do that. Advertisement Of course, from Rossi's standpoint, he knows how thin the Wild are up the middle and how much they need him in the lineup by opening night as well. This is a huge season for the Wild, and Rossi's got to know his importance. The GM is entering his seventh year. They have yet to get past the first round during that tenure. Kaprizov and No. 1 goalie Filip Gustavsson are entering the final year of their contracts. And free agency was largely a whiff with Brock Nelson and other top centers re-signing with their current teams. So while the Wild may think they have all the leverage because Rossi has no 'rights,' Rossi's got significant leverage as well. But unless a trade or offer sheet materializes, the only solution is a compromise on a contract, which means bridging a chasm between the team's valuation and the player's. Rossi has already turned down a five-year, $25 million deal and a two-year deal at less than $5 million per. On a long-term deal, he wants in the $6 or $7 million range. On a short-term deal, he's hesitant to sign what he sees as an under-market-value contract, fearing it would make him easily tradeable (since he isn't yet eligible yet for no-trade protection) or leave him buried in the lineup if the Wild acquire a top-six center or a youngster like Danila Yurov emerges during the life of his contract. It feels like the only solution is a short-term deal in the $5 million range — unless Guerin changes his tune and suddenly accepts some of the recent comparables in this growing-cap world, signing him to a longer-term deal north of $6 million. That seems unlikely if the Wild aren't sold on committing to him long-term. Nothing appears imminent, but with both Kaprizov and Rossi, that can always change with one phone call. (Photo of Joel Eriksson Ek, Marco Rossi and Kirill Kaprizov: Dennis Schneidler / USA Today)
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
MN Wild's Latest Lowball Offer to Marco Rossi was Borderline Disrespectful
Finally, after years of being hogtied by the Zach Parise and Ryan Suter buyout penalties, the Minnesota Wild came into this spring/summer with legitimate salary cap dollars to spend for the first time since president of hockey operations Bill Guerin took over as head decision-maker. Unfortunately, the early part of the 2025 offseason has not gone as planned. Guerin was hoping that Minnesota native Brock Nelson would choose to come home and play for the Wild. He instead re-signed in Colorado, after the Avalanche made a deal for him at the trade deadline a few months ago. Advertisement Suddenly, the top-six centerman Guerin was determined to find this offseason is becoming quite elusive. But one thing remains clear, the Minnesota Wild have little interest in turning back to their 23-year-old former first round center, who's coming off of his first 60-point season in the NHL. Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images According to Michael Russo (The Athletic) Guerin and Rossi's agency have stepped away from the negotiating table, even though the NHL Draft is now just a week out. If you're wondering why the lack of urgency, look no further than the last time the two sides got together. Minnesota Wild lowballing Marco Rossi on purpose…? That's when, per Russo, the Minnesota low-balled Marco Rossi with a short-term (2 years) contract offer worth less than $5 million AAV. This, after talks earlier this season sprouted a long-term offer (5 years) from the Wild that would have been worth a total of $25 million, more in AAV than the more recent short-term offer. There could be an incentive to [trade Rossi] before July 1 because that's when the pending restricted free agent would be eligible to sign an offer sheet elsewhere. As of now, the Wild and Rossi have taken a break on negotiations. Earlier this season, the team offered Rossi a five-year, $25 million extension, which he rejected. His camp countered with a short-term deal with a high average annual value, which the Wild didn't accept. Minnesota recently offered a two-year deal with an AAV less than $5 million, and Rossi didn't accept that. Michael Russo – The Athletic In his perfect world, the Minnesota Wild would offer Marco Rossi — who scored 24 goals and assisted on 36 more last season — the same type of deal they did Matt Boldy ($7 million AAV). Of course, we know that isn't happening as long he is negotiating with Bill Guerin. Advertisement No doubt, however, Rossi's ask would be more than reasonable on the open-market. Which brings us back to these unserious contract negotiations. The MN Wild knew when they offered Marco Rossi a lower AAV on a short-term deal, than they did months earlier on a long-term contract, that he would reject it. Obviously, Guerin was trying to send some sort of message through his negotiating tactics. Will they payoff? We may not know the answer to that question until years down the road. But if the Minnesota Wild want to move Marco Rossi before the 2025 NHL Draft, then it'd be in their own best interest to do it sooner than later. Marco Rossi was hoping for Matt Boldy money Because unless something changes drastically in Bill Guerin's thinking, it sure doesn't seem like a Rossi contract extension is coming before that July 1 soft deadline. The way Russo writes, it sounds like the magic number on a short-term deal would be $6 million, a number that Guerin has no interest in offering… at least for now. [Rossi] had been looking for a long-term deal in the Matt Boldy range ($7 million) — an area the Wild have so far shown no appetite to go near. So unless the Wild change course and offer him a two- or three-year deal with a significantly higher AAV ($6 million?), the sides will remain in a stalemate. Michael Russo – The Athletic Related: Report: MN Wild Targeting Three Centers, Need One Bill Guerin may not think all that highly of Marco Rossi, but that doesn't mean he's willing to let him go on the cheap. In Russo's report, the longtime MN Wild insider notes that the president of hockey operations is determined to get a direct replacement for Rossi's production, in any trade. Advertisement So far, all of the offers he has gotten have been draft picks. In fact, it sounds like the Vancouver Canucks have put their No. 15 overall pick on the table, an offer that Guerin has thus far rejected. If he is going to deal Marco for a draft pick, he needs a decent player to come back, as well. Minnesota Wild determined to get good value in Rossi deal Given the vibes that Guerin & Co. have been putting out on their former 2020 No. 9 overall pick, I'm not sure how he gets on the phone and asks that much from other NHL decision-makers with a straight face. Nonetheless, that's exactly what he is doing. And from the sounds of it… he's been on the phone A LOT. …as far as we know, Guerin has so far been offered mostly futures for Rossi. While Guerin would likely take a player and a first-rounder and perhaps flip the first-rounder elsewhere, he definitely doesn't want just a first-rounder. That's the offer (the No. 15 pick) that the Vancouver Canucks likely made for Rossi. So we'll see where this goes this week, but the one thing, that's certain from talking to sources around the league, is Guerin has been on the phone a lot and seems very motivated to make trades. Michael Russo – The Athletic Related Headlines
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Minnesota Wild Getting Cold Feet on Marco Rossi Trade?
The Minnesota Wild and their president of hockey operations, Bill Guerin, have been shopping 23-year-old center Marco Rossi on the trade market, not for months, but years. For multiple offseasons now, Guerin has been actively taking offers on the 2020 No. 9 overall pick. But coming off of a postseason in which Rossi averaged just over 11 minutes of TOI per game, and with his restricted free agency looming on July 1, it appeared both sides were much more motivated to find a trade partner for Marco so everyone could move on from this fractured relationship. Advertisement By the way top insiders like Michael Russo (The Athletic) have been talking for the last six months, a Marco Rossi trade sometime before the end of this month was just a matter of when, not if. That was until the 2025 NHL offseason dominos started falling. Minnesota Wild already running out of center targets this offseason According to a new report out of The Athletic, Bill Guerin came into June with veteran Minnesotan, Brock Nelson, as the Minnesota Wild's plan A target. But then, he signed with Colorado, foiling the triumphant hometown return Billy had been hoping for. Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images From there, plan B, C and D fell through, as well. And now, a Wild team that has struck out in their swings for center help are pretty much out of high-end options. Meanwhile, that young, 60-point centerman they've been trying to kick out the door… still remains on roster, waiting for what's next. The problem is, the options for upgrading may not be there for the taking. And that could change the calculus for how they handle Marco Rossi. Brock Nelson re-signing with the Colorado Avalanche and a dwindling market of sellers puts the Wild in a tough spot when it comes to both dealing Rossi and upgrading at the center position. Nelson was believed to be Minnesota's top target…John Tavares would much rather stay in Toronto if it can work out. Jonathan Toews, 37 and trying to mount a career comeback, is considering three to four teams…Matt Duchene said he loved playing for John Hynes in Nashville, but he wants to return to Dallas and we're not sure Duchene is someone the Wild have interest in. Joe Smith and Michael Russo – The Athletic Russo and his colleague at The Athletic, Joe Smith, go on to write about why other rumored options for the Wild — like Sam Bennett (Panthers), Claude Giroux (Senators) and Jeff Skinner (Oilers) probably aren't the answer in Minnesota, either. Advertisement Bill Guerin getting cold feet on trading away Marco Rossi? And that leaves Marco Rossi, who it appears Guerin and the Minnesota Wild may be backtracking on their stubborn determination to trade their young Austrian and former 1st round draft pick. With the free agency cupboards looking bare up the middle, trading away Rossi for anything other than a top 6 center could end up making the Minnesota Wild worse, something Billy has publicly said he is sensitive to. …since trading Rossi would lead to a removal of at least a 20-goal, 60-point scorer, Guerin's words probably mean he wants a solid player back for Rossi, not futures. And there's the potential problem. League-wide, there are a lot of teams that seem to want to add this offseason but not subtract. And with the cap rising, several teams have the ability to do just that — which may put the Wild in a pickle. Joe Smith and Michael Russo – The Athletic Related: Bill Guerin Wants Some 'F*** You' in Marco Rossi's Game For whatever reason, Marco Rossi has never fully managed to work his way out of Billy's doghouse, even after he put up 24 goals and 36 assists in the 2024-25 regular season. His 60 points were good for second-most on the team, behind only Matt Boldy. The Minnesota Wild's impatience and apparent disdain for Marco Rossi has never really made sense, either. At first, we thought he might be soft or difficult to coach. Even early on, however, those questions were not backed up by any evidence. Advertisement Then, Rossi doubled down on his commitment to the Wild by making the Twin Cities his summer home, choosing training and development under Geurin's supervision, over traveling home AND playing for the Austrian national team. Still, it never really mattered. Marco Rossi could stay with Minnesota Wild after all… But now, we are getting into RFA crunch time negotiations and it appears a deal for Marco Rossi nowhere in sight. According to this latest report, that if something doesn't land in the Minnesota Wild's lap here in the next couple weeks, a Rossi extension could very well be back on the table. If Guerin doesn't get what he wants for Rossi, would he ever circle back and offer Rossi a two- or three-year deal at a high AAV north of $5.5 million or $6 million, similar to what the Carolina Hurricanes did with Martin Necas last summer? No doubt Guerin is kicking tires and is motivated to make trades sooner rather than later. But some teams may not get serious until closer to the draft later this month. And the Wild would probably want a resolution before July 1, when Rossi is eligible to sign an offer sheet elsewhere. Joe Smith and Michael Russo – The Athletic I wouldn't hate a Marco Rossi return, especially given the chip you'd expect to be on his shoulder. But it would be so Minnesota Wild for these trade negotiations to fall through and for Guerin to be forced into bringing him back. Advertisement Could Rossi be the new Matt Dumba, who entering every offseason for a half-decade, we were all convinced would be traded… just to see him back at training camp the next fall. Apparently, we could very well be heading in that direction. Related Headlines
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Schism Between MN Wild and Marco Rossi is Not Getting Better
July 1, 2025 came and went without any major moves from the Minnesota Wild. No Kirill Kaprizov extension, no golden ticket free agent signing, no blockbuster trade. Even after months years of shopping young centerman Marco Rossi, he too remains on the roster… and unhappy. This was supposed to be the offseason of fireworks. With the Parise/Suter cap penalties mostly off the books, the Wild are now loaded with $10 million in salary cap space. Yet, as of July 8, Minnesota's offseason fireworks remain unlit, in the box and all $10+ million of their cap space in Craig Leipold's bank account. Advertisement The Minnesota Wild are still confident that they'll spend a significant chunk of that money on a Kirill Kaprizov extension, at some point this summer. Of course, the same cannot be said on a new contract for Marco Rossi, who's never really been a huge part of Bill Guerin's future plans. Related Headlines Credit: Nick Wosika-Imagn Images Now, the 23-year-old is a restricted free agent and 31 other NHL teams are able to make him an offer. If that happens the Wild either have to match the competing offer sheet or agree to swap Rossi for draft pick compensation that would dictated by how big his new contract is. Is Bill Guerin serious about matching offer sheets for Marco Rossi? Recently, Guerin has threatened to match any and all offer sheets for Rossi. But we all know that's not true, just based on the hardball tactics he's used during contract negotiations. Advertisement In a mailbag article at The Athletic on Tuesday, Michael Russo reported that Guerin's most recent offer to Rossi was a measly two-year bridge deal worth less than $5 million per year. He then went on to doubt whether or not Billy would go over the top to match a Rossi offer sheet for a ton more than that. Rossi would 100 percent take [a high-AAV deal like Martin Necas' $6.5M/YR], but the Wild have offered a two-year deal at below $5 million. And Rossi doesn't really want to get traded, so he doesn't want to do them any favors by accepting an easily-movable AAV. Guerin's announcement [that he'd match a Rossi offer sheet] was designed to just scare off suitors. In the next breath, he said they have a pay structure they have Rossi falling in line at. If somebody called his bluff and offered Rossi $7 million-plus, I'm still not confident that the Wild match. Michael Russo – The Athletic Related: Minnesota Wild Offseason Gets Lukewarm Grade The MN Wild drafted Marco Rossi with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft. By the 2023 season, the 5'9″ Austrian was ready for a full-time role in the league. Rossi played in all 82 games his rookie year, averaging 16:44 TOI, he finished the 2023-24 season with 40 points (21 goals), which landed him on the NHL All-Rookie Team. Last season, the Wild were forced to rely more heavily on Rossi; not necessarily because they wanted to, but because injuries forced their hand. With his time on ice expanded to an average of 18:15 minutes per game, Marco's production jumped to 60 points (24 goals). Minnesota Wild have misplayed their Rossi trade hand Yet, when playoffs came around, Marco Rossi was designated to 3rd line duties, something that did not sit well with the youngster or his representation. Advertisement To this day, a wide schism remains between Rossi and the Wild, who haven't sat together at the negotiating table for some time. Per Russo, Guerin's treatment of Marco Rossi has hurt the Minnesota Wild's leverage in trade talks, too. I don't think the Wild helped their own cause by portraying to the league they didn't feel [Rossi] could function in the meat of a Stanley Cup playoff run. I guarantee you that was a red flag to a league that watched a guy like Bennett win the Conn Smythe Trophy as Florida's 2C. If [Rossi] doesn't sign an offer sheet to force the Wild's hand, I think this could be a long one right up until training camp or even beyond. The schism just remains wide and the two sides haven't been actively negotiating. Michael Russo – The Athletic Related: Why Did MN Wild Trade for Vladimir Tarasenko and What Should Fans Expect? We will see how the Marco Rossi trade talk era finishes out. But let's be real. As of today, you can't help but believe that Bill Guerin has misplayed his hand from the very beginning. Had he portrayed more of an appreciation for a top young forward in this league, he'd be much more likely to get that kind of return for him on the trade market. Instead, his constant shopping of Marco Rossi, combined with his 3rd line demotion in the 2024-25 NHL Playoffs, has made him worth much less than what he should be. And Guerin isn't willing to accept less than his real value. Thus, this schism remains until further notice. Advertisement Related Headlines
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Minnesota Wild Threatening to Leave St. Paul? Mayor Concerned…
The Minnesota Wild have a lot of decisions to make over the coming months and years. On the ice, with the Parise/Suter cap penalties mostly off the books, president of hockey operations Bill Guerin has no more excuses. He must now build a Stanley Cup roster around superstar Kirill Kaprizov, assuming the Wild are able to ink him to a long-term contract this offseason. Beyond roster management, a peak behind the curtain will reveal much more concerning problems inside the MN Wild organization. Advertisement Craig Leipold, who has owned the Wild since 2008, has spent the past year or two trying to convince local and state politicians to fund massive renovations of the newly renamed Grand Casino Arena (formerly Xcel Energy Center), which hasn't seen a lot of upgrades since it was built 25 years ago. Related Headlines Grand Casino Arena - St. Paul Unfortunately, Leipold's pleading with public officials has fallen on deaf government ears. As of now, neither the City of St. Paul nor the State of Minnesota appear interested in stepping up to support Craig's arena renovation dreams. Minnesota Wild 'irate' over lack of support for Grand Casino Arena renovations Publicly, the Minnesota Wild's owner has kept mostly to himself, regarding the lack of support he's received from his 'friends' in local government. Behind the scenes, however, Leipold is not happy, writes . Advertisement How mad is he? According to longtime Pioneer Press columnist, Charley Walters, Craig Leipold is 'livid'. In fact, the longer this drags out, the more likely it becomes that the Minnesota Wild move their home out of the capital city and out into a suburb, like Eagan or Bloomington. Don't think the Wild aren't livid about the State Legislature's recent rejection to fund a renovation of its 25-year-old arena. The NHL wouldn't allow owner Craig Leipold to move the Wild out of Minnesota, but probably wouldn't oppose a move to Bloomington — former home of the North Stars — or Eagan. Don't think a move isn't a possibility if St. Paul doesn't realize the value of the Wild enough to upgrade its arena. Charley Walters – Pioneer Press Related: Schism Between MN Wild and Marco Rossi is Not Getting Better I cannot blame Craig Leipold for holding a grudge against the current sports-hating bureaucracy calling shots for both metropolitan cities in Minnesota. We are talking about an arena that was built nearly three decades ago. And for those saying Leipold should pay for his own renovations, it's important to note that while he may own the Minnesota Wild, he does not own Grand Casino Arena. That is owned and operated by the City of St. Paul. Advertisement St. Paul Mayor worried the Wild could leave town Looking for answers, Charley Walters dialed up the Mayor of St. Paul, Melvin Carter, and asked him if he is concerned about the Wild leaving. His answer summed up: 'Yup, I sure am…' 'We're definitely concerned about that possibility. We don't take them for granted. So far, we've been working really closely with the team. It's not something we see as an acute threat right now.' St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter (via the Pioneer Press) If the Minnesota Wild wind up leaving St. Paul, there are a number of Twin Cities suburbs that would love to build an NHL arena for Craig Leipold, even beyond Eagan and Bloomington. Unlike the capital city, most surrounding towns know exactly what hosting an NHL venue means for the local economy. I'm not saying the Wild are a serious threat to leave St. Paul tomorrow, or anytime in the imminent future. But if local politicians do not get on board with funding the renovations Leipold is seeking… then it's very possible our capital won't have an NHL arena much longer. Advertisement Related Headlines
