5 Free Agents the Minnesota Wild Should Target in 2015 NHL Offseason

5 Free Agents the Minnesota Wild Should Target in 2015 NHL Offseason

By Nick Villano

5 Free Agents the Minnesota Wild Should Target in 2015 NHL Offseason

Zach Parise Ryan Suter
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The Minnesota Wild have been thwarted by the Chicago Blackhawks every year since the Zach Parise-Ryan Suter era started. Three years in a row they lost to this team in the playoffs. They need to find a way to get past this one team, and this offseason could be the key to that. These five free agents could help the Wild move on in terms of becoming true contenders in the Western Conference.

5. Mike Green

Mike Green
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5. Mike Green

Mike Green
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The Wild need help on the power play in a bad way. They were ranked 27th in the NHL this season in power play percentage. Mike Green really knows how to set people up for easy goals. He had 16 assists this season on the PP alone. They could really use his offensive mind coming from the blue line. His 163 PP points is nothing to laugh at over his career.

4. Michael Ryder

Michael Ryder
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4. Michael Ryder

Michael Ryder
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To be a true contender, you need some educated luck. Michael Ryder is at the lowest point in his career. He wasn't able to crack the Devils' lineup, a team that couldn't score on an empty net. He is going to come to a team on a deal that will make him earn his money. The Wild have the roster spots to take a chance on Ryder. He could end up finding his groove again and be a 20-goal scorer.

3. Devan Dubnyk

Devan Dubnyk
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3. Devan Dubnyk

Devan Dubnyk
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Devan Dubnyk is probably the scariest free agent on the market. He went from a player who wasn't worthy of a backup goalie position to being in the top three in Vezina Trophy voting. It is one of the best stories in recent memory. Can he do it again? The Wild cannot afford to worry about that. They need to pay Dubnyk for his services and have a good backup plan in place.

2. Antti Niemi

Antti Niemi
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2. Antti Niemi

Antti Niemi
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This is the backup plan. Antti Niemi is a Stanley Cup-winning goalie. He is coming towards the downside of his career, but he can definitely be a crutch in case Dubnyk cannot keep the starting job.

1. Justin Williams

Justin Williams
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1. Justin Williams

Justin Williams
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The Wild need to find a way to beat the Blackhawks. Justin Williams learned how to do that last year as part of the Los Angeles Kings. He would bring the kind of intangibles that this team needs to see. He knows what it's like to play your best hockey when the lights shine brightest. The Wild need this guy, maybe more than any other team in the league.

Nick Villano is the NHL feature writer for Rant Sports. He also adds to the site’s NBA, MLB and NFL content. You can follow him on Twitter or add him to your Google circle.

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