Feud erupts between Wild GM Guerin and free agent Kevin Fiala

Earlier this week, Minnesota GM Bill Guerin spilled the beans on what he thinks about certain players on his roster during an interview with KFAN’s Dan Barriero. It is no secret that trades must happen in Minnesota this summer, and Guerin was adamant that about wanting to keep defenseman Matt Dumba. The blue liner often lands in trade chatter, and Guerin explained how the Wild could instead easily depart with Kevin Fiala because he has only “had three good months.”

“Why is it always Dumba? Dumba plays a lot of minutes for us,” Guerin said. “There are a lot of things that Matt Dumba does really well. Everybody has their shortcomings. Kevin didn’t do well in the playoffs but we’re all dying to keep him.”

“If I sound a little pissed off or annoyed, I am. Because all I hear is Matt getting kind of dumped on and you know what, it’s not easy doing what he did, playing in the condition he did. I like Matt Dumba. I think he’s a damn good defenseman and people want to write him out of town just because Kevin had three good months.”

Fiala was acquired in a trade with the Nashville Predators during the 2018-19 season, spending the past three seasons with the Wild. Seeing that he put up 85 points in 82 games this season, Fiala deserves a pay raise. However, Minnesota has just $5.6 million in cap space entering this offseason. With Fiala set to hit restricted free agency, a trade is likely to happen. And Guerin’s comments kind of confirms it…

Then, on Sunday, Fiala himself hinted at a pending departure as he posted a photo, in which he is celebrating a goal with Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello, with the caption “Thank you Minnesota.” While it doesn’t signal an official ending, it could that he knows he’s on his way out.

Especially now that he knows what his GM is thinking about when it comes to trades…