Minnesota Wild: Chuck Fletcher had to go

Chuck Fletcher will not be brought back as Minnesota Wild General Manager, according to multiple reports and the search is now on for a new roster boss.

It’s safe to say that the Minnesota Wild are in a rut. They haven’t been able to get to get past the second round of the playoffs since 03-04, haven’t won a first round playoff series in their last three tries and are going to be forced to dance around their perennially tight salary cap situation due to the seven years remaining on the Ryan Suter and Zach Parise contracts and a salary cap that doesn’t move.

Chuck Fletcher was the odd man out because this team needs an overhaul and Wild owner Craig Leipold can’t bring the same group back next year. Bruce Boudreau has only been here for two seasons and to blame him for this mess make him the sacrificial lamb here would be a mistake that could turn other coaches off of this franchise in the future.

Given the way this roster performed this season, it’s clear there are moves that need to be made, which leaves them in a situation only their General Manager could fix. Meaning, it was either leave everything the same as it was in the 2017-18 season or let Fletcher go.

Next: Changes are coming for Minnesota Wild

This is a big project that the next GM is going to have to fix on the fly or risk testing the patience of the increasingly apathetic fans that fill the Xcel Energy Center. It will not be easy and it will take an impressive effort to revamp the roster in the offseason and simultaneously take a step forward as a franchise. It might not have been Chuck Fletcher’s fault this team became so stagnant but this was the right move for a franchise that can not afford to make the wrong one.