The Minnesota Wild made some news after being quiet for a few weeks in terms of player movement, and it was the same day PWHL Minnesota made signing news. The Wild announced earlier on Friday, June 21, that they had traded Adam Beckman, one of their forwards who spent most of his time in the American Hockey League, to the New Jersey Devils for Graeme Clarke.
This wasn’t a huge move by any means, but with how Beckman did the last few seasons when he was called up, it was time for a change. So Beckman went to the Devils, and they received Clarke, a Minnesota native with some great potential. In this article, we’ll take a look at what the Wild let go in trading Beckman, what they gain in receiving Clarke, and what other moves they have to consider. We’ll start with what the Wild are losing in letting go of Beckman.
Wild Move on From Beckman
Initially, it looked like the Wild were getting everything they hoped for when they brought Beckman up to the NHL. He was a speedy, quick-witted forward who could move the puck and had some size. He showed some confidence each time he came up, but this season, when he was called up, he struggled.
That confidence he showed in the past disappeared, and while he had two assists in 11 games played, he also had 12 minutes in penalties. It can be hard to judge a player when they only play a handful of games a season, but he’s had plenty of opportunities to show what he can do when in the lineup. It was the first season he had two points, but it wasn’t enough to convince them to keep him in the lineup.
The Wild aren’t losing points by trading Beckman, but they are losing a young, speedy forward who could eventually find his game. However, they don’t know how long it could take for him to find his game, hence the trade. This could be exactly what Beckman and the Wild need: a fresh start for both sides.
Wild Gain Clarke
While Beckman has had a few seasons to get his legs under him, Clarke, on the other hand, has only played three games in the NHL. In those games, he hasn’t found his scoring stride yet, but three games aren’t enough to really get a feel for the style of the game other than one penalty he did take. He is the same age as Beckman, but the Devils weren’t able to give him much time in the NHL. However, his AHL game looks very promising, and he’s from Minnesota, so he’ll get to play in front of the crowd in his hometown.
This season and last, he had over 45 points, including 25 goals each season. If he can figure out how to translate into an NHL game, he could be a huge asset in the Wild’s scoring department. They have a lot of depth but also a lot of struggles with that depth, and having a player like Clarke, who has strong stick skills, could help improve that area.
He is slightly smaller than Beckman, but he is comfortable throwing his body around; in his 3 NHL level games, he had six hits plus a takeaway. Watching some highlight reels of his play, I see that he’s a speedy player who can score goals and plus the added physicality is a bonus if he keeps it under control. Hopefully, he can find a way to translate his play into the NHL when he gets his chance in a Wild jersey.
Wild Likely Aren’t Finished with Moves
This is likely just the start of some offseason moves the Wild will make. A number of people, including The Athletic’s Michael Russo, rumored in articles and a podcast that the team still plans to add a top-six forward this offseason. Plus, with the recent extension of Marc-André Fleury, they have to figure out their goaltending plans with Filip Gustavsson and Jesper Wallstedt.
Related: Devils & Wild Swap Clarke, Beckman in Trade
It may seem early to jump ship on Beckman, but he had chances over three seasons to show his potential. He’s not a bad player by any means, but he didn’t fit into the Wild’s ultimate plan, so they elected to move on. Hopefully, this works out for both teams, and the Wild can have more scoring depth on their roster.
