Risebrough: Wild is unlikely to try to move up in draft

The team historically has been quite active at draft time, and it's possible it could do a little bit of tinkering to tweak the roster.

By MICHAEL RUSSO, Star Tribune

Last update: June 12, 2008 - 8:12 PM

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The NHL draft is the second-most active trading period after the in-season trade deadline, so a lot of Wild General Manager Doug Risebrough's time these days is spent talking with colleagues.

The Wild has a history of trades at the draft -- setting up the Manny Fernandez trade to Boston last June, acquiring Pavol Demitra in 2006, Todd White in '05 and Cliff Ronning in '02.

Will this year's draft, which begins next Friday in Ottawa, be any different?

Risebrough won't tip his hand other than to say he doesn't believe the Wild will trade up from the 24th pick in the first round.

"Talking to GMs, to move significantly is a significant price, and that usually creates volatility in your lineup," Risebrough said. "We have enough holes we have to cover without trying to create more holes."

That doesn't mean Risebrough isn't looking to tinker or even potentially add something of substance. One intriguing name out there again is Florida Panthers captain Olli Jokinen, whom the Wild inquired about at the trade deadline last season.

The Panthers again are using Jokinen as trade bait. Reportedly, a dozen teams have inquired and the Panthers would want a first-round pick in any package.

"We haven't made the playoffs here, so bottom line is we're looking to improve our hockey club," Panthers GM Jacques Martin told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. "Is that with Olli back here or Olli not back here?"

It's believed Risebrough has been shopping veteran winger Mark Parrish, 31, who fell out of favor with coach Jacques Lemaire during last season's 16-goal, injury-plagued campaign.

While there's been speculation that the Wild would buy out Parrish's contract if it can't trade him -- he has three years left at $8.35 million -- that's doubtful.

It would cost the Wild two-thirds of Parrish's contract to buy him out, and that would count against its salary cap. If Parrish isn't in the Wild's long-term plans, there are smarter ways to drop him.

For instance, after training camp in September, if it looks like Parrish is going to again have a peripheral role on the roster, the Wild could place him on waivers, and then if he clears, call him back up on re-entry waivers. If another team takes him, it would cost the Wild 50 percent of Parrish's contract rather than two-thirds now.

If Parrish, who could not be reached for comment, is back with Minnesota, Risebrough wants to have a talk with him.

"There were circumstances for Mark's year being the way it was last year," Risebrough said. "But if players want to be in a certain place and they're at a certain age, they have to find ways to make adjustments in their game to be a productive player. ... In Mark's case, that's something we have to think about together."

As for core players, the Wild might be dangling Pierre-Marc Bouchard, a restricted free agent. The Wild has to decide this summer whether the team is willing to commit a lucrative long-term contract to Bouchard. As of now, it has not had any discussions with Bouchard's agent.

Bouchard can become an unrestricted free agent next summer, so if the Wild isn't going to sign him beyond one year, trading him makes sense.

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