ST. PAUL, Minn. — Thanks so much for your hundreds of submissions for this first Wild mailbag of the season. There were so many good ones, we split it into two parts with the second mailbag scheduled to be published Tuesday.

For now, enjoy Part 1 as the Wild improved to 6-1-1 in their past eight with a 3-2 overtime win Sunday night over the Vegas Golden Knights.

Questions have been lightly edited for clarity and style.

What three NHL forwards do you think should be on Bill Guerin’s radar between now and the trade deadline? – Jim H

I’d be interested in Alex Tuch, assuming his reported $12 million asking price comes down significantly and you knew he’d re-sign. (The Wild have a great relationship with his agents, the Bartlett brothers and pops.) I’d be all over Tage Thompson, but I’m not convinced Buffalo would do that. Plus, remember, the Sabres weren’t interested in the Wild’s offers for Jack Eichel and JJ Peterka, so there may be no match.

I’d go after Brayden Schenn, but he’d have to waive to come here (though the Wild have a great relationship with his agent Ben Hankinson) and Doug Armstrong would want something the Wild may not be willing to give up. When Schenn was on the market at last year’s trade deadline, it sounded like Armstrong wanted a first-round pick plus more. But Schenn could really help the Wild and he’s only got two years left on his deal.

I’d probably avoid Nazem Kadri just because he has four years left at $7 million per, at age 35. As for Artemi Panarin, if the Wild have interest, why give up any assets before the trade deadline if you can just sign him as a free agent? All I can tell you is Bill Guerin is scouring the market and trying to do something significant. But it’s hard. There’s been no significant trades in the NHL in months. – Russo

You indicated that Jordan Kyrou could be a target for the Wild and others around the league given St Louis’ struggle. What do you think is a realistic package for the Wild to give up? – Bill P.

I’d think they’d have to get offense in return for Kyrou, so I’m not even going to try to guess what the package would entail. Kyrou may frustrate St. Louis at times with his two-way game or lack of grit, but he’s got 40-goal potential that few if any other Blues have. The Wild don’t have high-end prospects with that potential that we can see right now and I don’t think the Wild would love to give up a center like currently injured Marco Rossi for a winger — ironically, given the past offseason of trade chatter. So I’m not sure they have what it would take. – Russo

Any chance the Wild could land Bo Horvat? And what would the Wild have to give up? – Chase B.

The Wild called on Horvat and Mathew Barzal in the offseason and were told neither was available then, so I can’t imagine Horvat’s available now that he has 12 goals and 23 points in 19 games and should be on Team Canada’s Olympic radar. – Russo

If the Wild add Artemi Panarin next year as everyone is expecting, does it even move the needle on this team becoming a true contender? – MR Steve S

We don’t think the Wild are an Artemi Panarin away from being a true contender. Maybe the Panarin from like five years ago. But Panarin’s age (34) and desired cap hit (he’s reportedly shown no interest in taking less than his current $11.6 million deal) should be some warning signs. Yes, Panarin can still score and when at his best, is an impact player. But it doesn’t feel worth it at this stage. – Smith

How realistic would a ‘Stammer’ trade be? Not to add another aging vet, but I swear it could be a reset like when Eric Staal came. – Brandon F. 

The Wild have been canvassing the market for help scoring up front, and Steven Stamkos is one of the best goal scorers of this generation. The transition to Nashville from a playing standpoint has been tough for Stamkos, but we understand he and his family do enjoy their life there, especially considering how entrenched they were in Tampa for so long. It’s hard to imagine Stamkos moving his family again unless it’s a special opportunity, like winning another Stanley Cup. For it to work in Minnesota, Stamkos would have to waive his no-move clause and the Predators would have to eat a chunk of his $8 million AAV. So it’s hard to see it happening. – Smith

I can’t see him waiving his no-move clause after already having the pleasure of being covered by Joe for years. – Russo

Bill Guerin recently said that he is not afraid to make major changes to the roster. In your humble opinions, do you actually believe that he is willing to part ways with veterans who have been our “core” that has topped out as perennial first-round exits? Jared Spurgeon, Marcus Foligno and Ryan Hartman to name a few. – Mister Pin K

Of the names you mention, Foligno is the only player I’d see him reluctant to move. Guerin gets calls about him all the time and that’s the message he tells everyone, and it’s not just because Foligno has a full no-move and controls his destiny. Guerin feels he’s too important to the fabric of the locker room in terms of leadership, and when he’s playing well, he has a huge impact on the ice from a toughness and defensive standpoint.

I do believe Guerin would trade Hartman and has actually been trying to ascertain his value around the league. Hartman does have a 15-team no-trade that changes to 10 after July 1. I think Rossi’s injury may slow that down because it’d be hard to trade a center right now without getting one back. Personally, I do think the Wild would consider trading Spurgeon or Jonas Brodin if the return made sense. Spurgeon has a 10-team no-trade and I don’t believe Brodin has protection anymore. – Russo

What’s the sentiment around last year’s trade for David Jiricek? A pretty massive swing-and-miss? – Derek J.

It’s hard to make a full judgment just one year later, but Jiricek’s growing pains have to be at least a little concerning. We get why the Wild took a swing considering how rare right-shot defensemen with that size and offensive skill are. The team has drafted in the top 10 just once in the last nine years, so this was a chance to recoup a top prospect. We should give Jiricek a little more time and perhaps some seasoning in AHL Iowa when Zach Bogosian is back. Skating is not an issue for Jiricek — it’s more of his decision-making/hockey sense. Even in some of Jiricek’s best games, there’s a frustrating mistake or penalty. The good news out of this trade, though, is the Wild got Daemon Hunt back by claiming him off waivers and he appears to be a player. – Smith

Has Charlie Stramel improved to such a degree that we could see him in St. Paul this spring? – Michael J.

I cannot imagine. I’d think his contract would start next season and he’d start with an amateur tryout in Iowa. But he is on the rise. – Russo

Do you think young players, like the Sharks’ Collin Graf, have a strong bias against “Becoming Wild” because of the way the Wild park young players behind veteran players? – Nic B.

Not necessarily a strong bias, but we do feel free agents like that go to places where they see a quicker path to an NHL career. The Wild were a runner-up to Graf, the former Quinnipiac star who signed with the San Jose Sharks (then scored the OT winner against Minnesota last week). It makes sense for younger players to pick a place where there’s no logjam of veterans and prospects already in the mix, but there are many factors in their decision.

For another example, Minnesota was in on Western Michigan’s Tim Washe during last year’s Frozen Four. Washe’s camp was complimentary of the Wild, but he signed with the Anaheim Ducks. – Smith

What are your thoughts on how Marat Khusnutdinov is playing in Boston? I understand he’s still not putting up major points and has been scratched, but it seems as if the Wild gave him up for nothing and he is relatively quickly thereafter playing useful minutes in Boston. Was it too early to deem him not a part of our future in any capacity, or were there other issues with him behind the scenes? – Andrew M.

I don’t think there were issues beyond the fact he needed a new contract and the Wild brass didn’t see a top-six future (no history of scoring, and he has six points in 15 games this season playing largely next to David Pastrnak) but also didn’t feel he contributed enough in the bottom six. But you’re right, we mostly saw him in a fourth-line role and even though he was struggling on the penalty kill and the faceoff circle, trading somebody with that mush speed and so young seems premature. Especially when one considers they traded him for Justin Brazeau, a player with a history of scoring and not checking, yet put him in a miscast fourth-line role. Sure doesn’t look like a good trade when Brazeau wasn’t re-signed and the Wild gave Jakub Lauko back in the trade because he was chronically injured.

Still, there was no chance Khusnutdinov would be getting this type of opportunity in Minnesota. He is in Boston because the Bruins did a quasi fire-sale last season and opened up myriad lineup spots. Let’s see where this goes. I like Khusnutdinov, but I’d be surprised if he’s a longtime first-line fixture in Boston. – Russo

How likely is a Liam Ohgren trade? It seems that he has issues breaking through the figurative floor into the clubhouse or at least enough to stay. I don’t want to be one to give up on him but it seems like he would be the main trade bait we have to acquire a player. – Preston C.

Assuming Zeev Buium is untouchable, I’d agree with you that he likely would be the one forward prospect asked about the most beyond Danila Yurov, Hunter Haight and Riley Heidt. Because of what I just said with Khusnutdinov, I’d be hesitant to give him up unless it’s for a no-brainer player, simply because of Ohgren’s NHL shot and size. But at some point we have to start to see that at the NHL level. He had a disappointing camp and start to the season, there’s no question about that. – Russo

While it may be tough/impossible to make good one-for-one ‘hockey trades’ with our vets, do you think it’s time for the Wild to fully embrace the youth movement and have prospects cycle in and play ahead of vets? – Joe O. 

As we wrote in a recent Wild insider, it’s not as simple as just ‘play the kids.’ The team is caught in the balance of being in ‘win-now’ mode, as Guerin put it. They haven’t been able to stomach a rebuild, which is what the Sharks, Ducks, Blackhawks, Mammoth have done. John Hynes has pressure on him to win, so he’s going to play the guys he trusts the most. And frankly, not all of the Wild’s prospects are ready. We do think Buium should get three-on-three overtime reps and Yurov can play up the lineup, but they entered Sunday in a 5-1-1 stretch with vets like Marcus Johansson playing well. Don’t see them fully turning it over to Jiricek, Haight, Heidt, Ohgren, etc. – Smith

What would the Oilers give up for Filip Gustavsson at the deadline? – Sandybagger G.

He has a full no-move clause after signing below market value at $6.8 million. He’s not getting traded at the deadline. That said, had he not been signed, probably a ton considering the state of the Edmonton Oilers’ goaltending. But it’s not illegal to have two good goalies, and just because Jesper Wallstedt has outperformed Gustavsson in the first five weeks of the season doesn’t mean they’d want to trade him nor that they made a mistake. – Russo

Is there any way to incorporate more stories about Iowa? Also, what is going on with Iowa? I know GM Matt Hendricks mentioned he prioritizes development over winning. But how are players developing when they’re constantly losing? – Brandon H.

Yes, we plan on writing stories on Iowa, and I’ll make my annual trip there. We’ve done bigger pieces on them each year, like the one you referenced from last season. As of Sunday, the Iowa Wild were 4-9-1 and near the bottom of the standings again. The idea was to bring in an experienced coach like Greg Cronin, someone who could bring accountability and establish an identity. Sometimes, that takes time. The roster needed a boost scoring-wise, which is why they brought back Gerry Mayhew and acquired Oskar Olausson. It sure would help to have this year’s version of Wallstedt playing for them now. Both goalies there, including veteran Cal Petersen, have save percentages below .900.

We do maintain that winning and playing meaningful games in the spring is important for development, so Iowa should be a top priority. – Smith

OT is painful to watch. Any chance the NHL sees how bad it is and makes changes? Maybe it is just the Wild play style in OT that’s killing it for me. – @cnobes82

Everybody plays this way because puck possession is so paramount. But I’ve long been a proponent of blowing the play dead if a team retreats with the puck out of their zone. There needs to be a “backcourt” violation to stop this madness. – Russo

What are the chances that Guerin re-signs Mats Zuccarello and Johansson to one-year, team-friendly extensions? – Walt B.

Better than you’d think. As Zuccarello recently told Russo, he’s going to see how he feels after this season whether he wants to play another year. But Zuccarello is still playing at a high level at 38 and has terrific chemistry and a relationship with their best player in Kirill Kaprizov, so we can see Guerin re-signing the veteran winger. We don’t think Zuccarello, soon to be a father of three, wants to play elsewhere.

Johansson, one of the best bargains in the league at 800K, told me he still feels like he has a lot of hockey left and he wants to stay, so another one-year deal could be in the cards. – Smith

Just so everyone knows, Zuccarello is eligible to extend at any time because he’s in the final year of a multi-year deal. Johansson can’t sign until after July 1 because he signed a one-year deal. – Russo

Where does the Starbucks v. Diet Coke tracking stand? – Scott H.

We dropped the, eh, puck on tracking because our busy editor, Jake, never sent us an Excel doc despite repeated requests and Anthony LaPanta claimed he did create one for us but doesn’t seem to know how to work his email. But we can tell you Joe’s “winning” in terms of quantity because nobody in the world drinks as many Diet Cokes as he does in a day, and I’m “winning” in terms of heart palpitations because nobody in the world ingests as many milligrams of caffeine in Americanos. There’s 46 milligrams in a Diet Coke vs. 300 milligrams in a Venti Americano, which I’m typically drinking two a day plus my five or six other coffees. I’m a picture of health. – Russo