The Minnesota Wild have not had the most active of off-seasons. They saw the departure of high-scoring winger Kevin Fiala in a major trade with the Los Angeles Kings. They were again busy in the trade department, this time shipping veteran defenseman Dmitry Kulikov to the Anaheim Ducks.
There was not much said about the Kulikov deal in the wake of the move. Given the return (future considerations), it is at best a minor deal that is barely on the radar of most fans. But what Minnesota Wild fans want to know is whether or not it was a good move and if it can affect their future odds in the NHL.
Kulikov the Player
Before we can get into whether or not it was a good deal, it helps to know what kind of player Kulikov was. In a pretty stacked Minnesota backend, Kulikov was a veteran presence that could contribute to the bottom pairing.
He is not overly big – just 6’0”, 200 lbs – but he plays a decent all-around game. The offense was never his strong suit, but he managed to put up some of the best numbers of his career in his only year in the State of Hockey.
His 6 goals were his best since 2013-14 (8), and his 17 assists and 24 points were also the best since 2011-12 (24 and 28 respectively). For a guy not known for his offense, that is a solid output. He was also decent defensively, not a clear liability at any time.
🚨TRADE🚨
We have traded Dmitry Kulikov ➡️ Anaheim Ducks for future considerations. #mnwild
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) August 31, 2022
Kulikov’s Fit
The real question became his fit within the Wild organization. As stated in the previous section, he wasn’t exactly a standout in a lot of ways. He could be solid when needed but playing bottom-pairing minutes largely means that you are interchangeable.
Given that the Wild have one of the best top-three defensive groups in the game – Matthew Dumba, Jared Spurgeon, and Jonas Brodin – there is only so much upward mobility a defender in their system can enjoy.
Though he isn’t old even by NHL standards (he is just 31 years old), he has been in the league for a long, long time. He started with the Florida Panthers in 2009-10, spending 7 seasons with the franchise. Still, compared to his competition, there was only so much room.
TRADE:
We have acquired defenseman Dmitry Kulikov from the Minnesota Wild in exchange for future considerations.➡️ https://t.co/Sl7BuEsGDY pic.twitter.com/GtZloaB5MI
— Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) August 31, 2022
Pending Free Agency
There is also the matter of Kulikov’s contract status to consider. Prior to the start of the 2021-22 season, Kulikov signed a two-year, $4.5 million contract with the Wild. Given that he is set to test the waters of free agency again in the summer of 2023, the Wild knew that he was on borrowed time anyway.
Moving Kulikov with a year left on his deal to a team that could use a veteran defender seemed like the clear move. They don’t have to contend with another expiring deal, clearing his $2 million and change from the books.
For a team like the Wild, who feel that they may be a move or two away from a championship, that cap space can be invaluable come trade deadline time.
Dmitry Kulikov, traded to ANA, is a chance-suppressing defensive defenceman who likes to join the rush on occasion. Solid short-term band-aid for the Ducks' blueline. pic.twitter.com/xnheeuBLVD
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) August 31, 2022
Was the Trade a Good One?
This brings us to the trade. Whenever the deal involves “future considerations,” it largely means that nothing of note is coming back. In general, it is a move meant to either clear cap space or to clear roster space.
In the case of the Wild, it definitely fits into the latter. As we know, Dumba, Spurgeon, and Brodin have locked down spots on the team so long as they are healthy. There are also veterans Alex Goligoski and Jon Merrill, who deliver specific skill sets that can be valuable to a team like the Wild.
It means that there really wasn’t much room left for a guy like Kulikov. He’s fine as a defenseman, but the Wild are not the kind of team that has room for players that are “fine.” They are in contender territory, meaning they are looking to make the tweaks that will take them over the hill and put them into the Stanley Cup Final.
Moving Kulikov was meant as a move to clear room. They have promising defenseman Calen Addison waiting in the wings. He is coming off of an outstanding season with the Iowa Wild of the AHL and definitely did not look out of place during a call-up stint in Minnesota during 2021-22.
With the season rapidly approaching, the Minnesota Wild no doubt want to see if Addison can become a permanent fixture on their defensive line. That means someone had to go and Kulikov became the odd-man out.
I really really like this pick up for the Ducks. Kulikov is good at suppressing both quality and quantity of chances against, while also not being horrible offensively. pic.twitter.com/W0d9Wbvwpo
— Jake Rudolph (@ReindeerGames91) August 31, 2022
Final Thoughts
Though it is a minor deal in nature, it looks as though the trade of Kulikov was a positive one. It creates a little bit of cap space. More importantly, it frees the way for Addison to take his place in the Minnesota lineup.
Kulikov will likely continue his path in the NHL even after the coming season. It will just have to be with Anaheim or another club.
A new number for Kulikov 👀#FlyTogether pic.twitter.com/rDmKQjxngK
— Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) September 6, 2022
Credits on Featured Image: TwinCities/John Autey/Pioneer Press
