Minnesota Wild Trades Calen Addison to Sharks, Acquires Zach Bogosian from Lightning in Defense Shuffle

Minnesota Wild seeks size and defensive depth with acquisition of veteran Zach Bogosian from Tampa Bay, trades young powerplay specialist Calen Addison to San Jose Sharks in motive to improve team's defensive performance.

The Minnesota Wild has traded defenseman Calen Addison to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for forward Adam Raska and a 2026 fifth-round draft pick. This was done in an effort by the Wild's management to increase their size and defensive depth.
To further help with their defensive issues, the Wild also acquired 16-year veteran Zach Bogosian from the Tampa Bay Lightning, in exchange for a 2025 seventh-round draft pick. It's believed Bogosian's rugged, right-shot defense and championship experience is exactly what the Wild's back end requires.
While Addison was known for his work on the power play and had shown some improvements, Wild's management believed it could be replaced internally. Thus, his decreasing involvement in the games and the perception of a diminishing role in the team's plans, led to his trade.
Despite Bogosian having had some struggles in his time with the Lightning, he is expected to fit well into the Wild's defensive unit. His defensive capabilities, size, and championship experience should provide a timely boost to the team's defensive performance.
With these changes, and the return of captain Jared Spurgeon from an injury, the Wild's blue line is expected to show a clear and improved formation for the remainder of the season. It's also hoped that the new members will help improve the team's bottom pairing and penalty kill, which ranks last in the NHL.