The Minnesota Wild made their first big move of the offseason on Tuesday when they agreed to a six-year, $20 million contract extension with Michael McCarron. Re-signing the 6-foot-6 center was a top priority for the Wild, but it could come with ramifications, especially when it comes to Ryan Hartman’s future.
Hartman is entering the final year of his contract and has been a serviceable member of the Wild. But with the team looking to acquire a top-line center, he may have to be moved in order to make a deal happen.
It appeared that trading Hartman would be the precursor to such a blockbuster trade. But McCarron’s return may have complicated things and thrown him into the trade package that could help Minnesota acquire Dylan Larkin from the Detroit Red Wings.
Ryan Hartman could become important piece to Wild’s offer for Dylan Larkin
Many have speculated that Larkin would be a perfect fit for the Wild. But few have come up with a trade package that would actually benefit the Red Wings. Larkin’s request is a signal of failure of general manager Steve Yzerman’s return to Detroit and after holding the job since April 2019 he hasn’t been able to bring the Red Wings back to the playoffs.
Some of that may be on Larkin, but it also paints the picture. Future assets aren’t going to do much in this deal and if Yzerman pulls the trigger on a deal, it’s going to have to include some NHL-ready players.
The Athletic’s Max Bultman and Corey Pronman speculated that the Wild could offer goalie Jesper Wallstedt and centers Danila Yurov and Charlie Stramel in exchange for Larkin and Sebastian Cossa. Wallstedt for Cossa could wind up being a wash as Cossa was selected five picks ahead of Wallstedt in the 2021 NHL Draft but having Yurov and Stramel as the other key pieces may not be enough to push the trade through.
Yurov has age on his side as a player who won’t turn 23 until December. But while he has upside, it may be similar to Marco Rossi, who maxed out as a No. 2 center. Stramel’s stock is also on the rise, but he was a heavily criticized first-round pick in the 2023 draft before revitalizing his stock and making a run for the Hobey Baker Award last season at Michigan State.
If Yurov and Stramel turn out to be second-and-third line centers, that’s a problem. It’s an even bigger issue as that outcome could be multiple years down the road and Yzerman could be watching another team reap the benefits unless an immediate return.
This is where Hartman comes into play. While the Wild have used Hartman on the top line, he ideally slots into the third line. The Red Wings could use some bottom-six scoring, and Hartman has a ceiling as a 20-goal scorer if we dismiss a career-high 34 goals during the 2021-22 season. Set to turn 32 in September, Hartman is on the older side. But if the Red Wings aren’t on his 10-team no-trade list, which will be submitted on July 1, or the Wild reach a deal before then, he could be one way to soften the blow of losing Larkin.
The Red Wings would still have work to do as a core of J.T. Compher, Andrew Copp, Marco Kasper and Hartman would be an underwhelming group overall. But Detroit could also have that be the first step to replacing Larkin, potentially using other assets, including the Wild’s 2027 first-round pick that could further sweeten the deal to get their eventual replacement.
There’s also the fact the Wild have to clear room for Larkin if they are able to make the trade. McCarron’s return gives Minnesota a core of Joel Eriksson Ek, McCarron, Hartman and Yurov, meaning someone has to go. Trading Hartman, Yurov and Stramel could open the door for Hunter Haight or Nico Sturm as the fourth line center, but standing pat isn’t an option considering McCarron is locked in for the next six years.
Basically, the Red Wings are in a situation where they have to stay afloat and the Wild got rid of most of their young, promising players when they traded for Quinn Hughes. Throwing in Hartman may not make or break the deal, but McCarron’s return makes it far more likely he’ll be thrown into the offer, which could mark the end of his time in Minnesota.
