Wild and Flyers combine for a blockbuster trade on deadline day

The front office simply refuses to stand pat while their Stanley Cup window remains wide open. They want a parade in St. Paul.

Minnesota owns a dominant 35-15-10 record right now, but management clearly feels the roster requires a much deeper forward group to survive the Western Conference gauntlet.

Frank Seravalli broke the news that the Wild are shipping prized defenseman David Jiricek directly to the Philadelphia Flyers in this massive deadline day trade.

Brink carries a hefty $5.77 million cap hit this season. That massive number forced the Wild to send actual roster salary back to Pennsylvania to make the money work.

The 24-year-old winger tallied 13 goals and 13 assists through 54 appearances this year for Philadelphia. He brings legitimate scoring depth to a locker room that desperately needs it.

He is a highly skilled playmaker who consistently drives the transition game. He forces opposing defensemen to constantly back off the blue line.

His crisp passing and solid execution make him an absolutely perfect fit for a middle-six role in the State of Hockey. He rarely turns the puck over under heavy pressure.

Having 26 points already in the bank gives Minnesota extremely reliable secondary scoring behind their established heavy hitters on the top unit.

Moving out Jiricek is certainly a monumental price to pay for a deadline upgrade. But the stakes are incredibly high for this veteran roster right now.

The 22-year-old blue liner suited up for 25 games with the big club this year but was completely held scoreless. He struggled to find consistent ice time in a crowded rotation.

Jiricek owns a $2.75 million contract and still brings tremendous long-term upside to a rebuilding Flyers organization. He is exactly the type of player Philadelphia should target.

The Flyers desperately need a young, right-handed physical body to anchor their defensive structure for the next decade. They hit a home run by acquiring him today.

It is a ruthless business, and shipping out a top defensive prospect proves that Minnesota has absolutely zero interest in building for tomorrow. They are fully committed to the present.

They want to win a championship right now. Brink provides the immediate offensive output they crave for a deep and grueling playoff run.

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