With the NHL trade deadline past for over a week now, players are starting to settle into their new surroundings and adapt to new systems and teammates. The Minnesota Wild weren’t so much buyers but sellers this season, and while it was assumed they’d let go of at least one player, it was a little surprising to see the entire fourth line go.
Brandon Duhaime and Patrick Maroon were the players most talked about leading up to the trade deadline, but once Maroon was injured, talk subsided a bit. Most knew the Wild could get something for Duhaime and Connor Dewar, but they elected to trade all three. Duhaime went to the Colorado Avalanche, Dewar went to the Toronto Maple Leafs, and Maroon went to the Boston Bruins.
Of course, the Wild got some draft picks in return, and that’s what general manager Bill Guerin loves to collect. They also received a couple of players in Dmitry Ovchinnikov as part of the Dewar package and Luke Toporowski in the Maroon deal. Those players will need some time in juniors before they make their way to the NHL, but overall, the Wild did decently in terms of selling. In this article, we’ll look at how the Wild have done without these players since the trade deadline has passed.
Wild’s Offense Looks Good
The fourth line of Dewar, Duhaime, and Maroon, or whoever filled that final spot on the fourth line, weren’t the top scorers, but they could provide a spark when needed. They were the line that would bring the energy when everyone else was flat, however, the current fourth liners are still worthy in Mason Shaw, Jake Lucchini, and Adam Beckman. Again, that line rotates players often, and only Shaw is really a guarantee at this point.
Letting Duhaime, Dewar, and Maroon go didn’t impede their offense much, as most of the Wild’s scoring has come from the top two lines. The occasional goal from the fourth line was a great bonus, but it didn’t happen a lot. It was hoped that Duhaime and Dewar would both start to score more goals as they both showed a lot of potential, but they couldn’t get it going. Maroon, while a factor at times, won’t be missed much on the roster because while he did well, he didn’t exactly stand out. However, they will miss his locker room presence just as they have with Matt Dumba’s absence.
Thankfully, the Wild had offense from other areas, so trading these three for future picks wasn’t the worst option, and it was much better than letting them walk for nothing in free agency this summer. The Wild likely were moving on from them anyway, so it made sense to do this despite their great chemistry. While the offense is going well, their new fourth line hopefully can provide a spark when needed, especially with Shaw back.
Wild’s Penalty Kill Struggles
The biggest area the Wild needed Duhaime and Dewar for was their ability to kill off penalties, especially Dewar. They both got in the passing lanes and got their sticks in the way to pick off or deflect the puck. Several times, Dewar was able to create a turnover in his favor and head the other way on a breakaway. He was successful last season on that front but hadn’t quite gotten there this season, with just one shorthanded goal so far compared to three in 2022-23.
The Wild will need others to step up and fill the void the pair leaves behind, which will be challenging. Again, Shaw is a worthy fill-in, but the other forward may take some time to figure out. Marcus Foligno and Frédérick Gaudreau are a strong pair already. With Eriksson Ek currently out, that makes it even harder. Ryan Hartman would likely be the next choice but he’s not quite as aggressive as Dewar and Duhaime were.
I know one of #mnwild best penalty killers in Eriksson Ek is injured, but Johansson and Lucchni were forwards on that part of PK on goal by Blues. PK depth has taken a hit with trades of Duhaime/Dewar
— Joe Smith (@JoeSmithNHL) March 17, 2024
Watching the Wild penalty kill after those players were traded, they’re clearly missing them on the penalty kill. There isn’t the same energy or forcefulness that those two could bring to the ice. Hopefully, the Wild can find a way to recreate that as they near the postseason.
Wild’s Physicality Ups & Downs
The fourth line is known as the most physical line, typically depending on the team, and that could be said for the Wild most nights. Obviously, their most physical player, Foligno, wasn’t on that line, but all three players could hold their own and liked to throw hits that contributed to the play.
Duhaime was the more physical player, second in hits with 155 before his trade to the Avalanche. Dewar was a little further down the line in sixth with 94 hits, which is impressive for a guy who is 5-foot-10 and weighs 183 pounds. He’s not the biggest player by any means, but he can hit with the best of them.
Related: Wild Have to Give Mason Shaw Another Chance to Shine
The fourth line is still full of players who can be physical, but they have to have the right timing. This area isn’t exactly a loss or a gain, but it’ll be interesting to see how the fourth line plays regarding physicality. They have to be careful because an ill-timed hit can cost them just as much as a well-timed one.
Wild’s Postseason Hopes
The Wild are still clinging to hopes of the postseason, and they’ve still got a chance, but they have to make every game count. With the trades of Dewar and Duhaime, they lost some strong penalty-killers, and players who could provide a physical offense. With Maroon’s trade, they lost a physical player who was also a big character guy. They’ll need others to step up in their place, and thankfully, some players already have.
Shaw is the first who comes to mind after returning from his fourth ACL tear. He’s got the heart and soul that can give that fourth line the spark they need to play hard. He’s not an experienced veteran just yet so he can’t be the exact same character guy as Maroon but he can lift their spirits just as well. Hopefully, the Wild can keep this strong play going and have their fourth line continue to contribute in different ways.