Wild GM Guerin: 'There definitely have to be changes' this offseason

After failing to make it past the qualifying round, Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin knows that he will have work to do in his first full offseason at the helm.

"I think we’re a good team, but there definitely have to be changes,” Guerin said, according to The Athletic's Michael Russo. "We haven’t had success here. Things need to get better, that’s just the way it is."

The Wild have made the postseason four times in the last five years, but have failed to advance past Round 1 each time. Last week, they lost their qualifying round matchup against the Vancouver Canucks in four games.

In his first season as general manager, Guerin made several big moves, including trading out veteran Jason Zucker to bring in Alex Galchenyuk, Calen Adisson, and a first-round pick. He also fired head coach Bruce Boudreau in his fourth season with the team.

Guerin pointed to the fact that the team has been lacking a true No. 1 center, and says he will do what he can to fulfill that need this offseason.

“Teams don’t trade No. 1 centers. They just don’t,” Guerin said. “Usually it’s got to be done in the free-agent market or through the draft. It’s a position that I think this organization has needed for quite some time, and we’re going to try to address it. It’s not the easiest thing in the world.”

The Wild only have five players on their roster that need new contracts ahead of the 2020-21 season, so Guerin very well may have his hands full in the near future.