Wild places Zac Dalpe on waivers as opening night lineup becomes clearer

UPDATED

The Wild has placed center/right wing Zac Dalpe on waivers this morning.

If he clears waivers at 11 a.m. Monday, he can either be assigned to Iowa by Tuesday's 4 p.m. opening night lineup or stick around. If he is assigned, that technically gets the Wild to the maximum 23-man roster assuming injured Ryan Carter is going to be released.

As of right now, Dalpe practiced with the other 12 forwards, eight defensemen and three goalies.

Bruce Boudreau said that Dalpe won't necessarily be sent to Iowa. He said it just gives the Wild roster flexibility in the next few days if there's a trade to be make or waiver pickup out there.

What this also means: Looks like Joel Eriksson Ek will make his NHL debut in St. Louis and Christoph Bertschy would play his fourth career game, barring any moves before the opener, and it looks like the Wild wants to avoid putting Christian Folin or Nate Prosser on waivers after the longterm injury to Victor Bartley.

If the Wild opts to go with seven defensemen in the near future, I could see the Wild shuttling Mike Reilly back and forth to Iowa based on whether or not Boudreau wants to play him in a certain game.

Just a reminder, the opening night lineup is just that. GM Chuck Fletcher has asked Boudreau whom he wants in the lineup Thursday in St. Louis, and then so on.

"We could adjust against Winnipeg," Fletcher says.

He plans to do this all season to save cap space and if young kids are sitting. So if all of a sudden a Bertschy or Reilly or somebody were sitting or playing eight minutes a game, he'd rather them in Iowa.

Most interesting so far is goalie Alex Stalock is still on the team. Perhaps he'll still be put on waivers Monday to get to Iowa, perhaps the Wild's sticking with three goalies because Fletcher believes Stalock may be taken by somebody else off waivers or perhaps Fletcher's still trying to trade Darcy Kuemper.

There are rumblings around the league that Kuemper remains on the trading block.

Also, based on the reaction by somebody in the organization when it was revealed Carolina claimed Detroit's Martin Frk off waivers, I have a suspicion the Wild put in a claim. The Hurricanes had waiver priority on much of the league based on last year's standings.

Also, last call for Wild fans to sign up for the Star Tribune preview Monday with Wes Walz, Anthony LaPanta and me. Here's the link. Please come on down.