July 1, 2008 | 12:45am ET
Wild looking to improve TheFourthPeriod.com
Wild GM Doug Risebrough will be looking for ways to improve his roster once the clock strikes noon ET, reports the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
"We're willing to do whatever it takes to improve, to make it better, but it's got to be within reason of what's potentially out there," Risebrough told the paper. "So, it's no use spending more money on a guy trying to replace [Brian] Rolston if we don't think he can replace him.
"This is a thin market. So, I can't tell you what's going to happen. I think we have to improve and we have to look at specific opportunities. We have good flexibility with salary. It can be all ranges. It just has to be the right value."
The Wild will target Marian Hossa, according to the Star-Tribune, but he doesn't appear interested in Minnesota. As a result, the club will like focus on trying to add a top-six forward and a top-four defenseman.
"There's no certainty. If the right deal is there for us, we'll do it," Risebrough said. "But we're not going to do the wrong deal because as soon as that doesn't work, we'll have to find something else with a lot less flexibility."
The Wild is expected to pitch an offer to Avalanche forward Andrew Brunette, and the paper suggests they could go after the likes of Kristian Huselius, Michael Ryder, Darcy Tucker, Markus Naslund and Radim Vrbata.
On the blueline, the Wild could pursue Wade Redden, Michal Rozsival, Brad Stuart, Martk Streit, Dmitri Kalinin and Ron Hainsey.
