I have mixed feelings about this:

Wild trade Rolston to Lightning for future pick

What I'll miss most about Rolston is that he was one of the Wild's best scorers and he was one of the team's veteran leaders.  On the other hand I don't think he was always a very consistent player - there were many times last year where Nikki and I would say "what is he doing?!" - after making a mistake with the puck.  But scoring is scoring, and the Wild have always hurt in that department.

It's too bad Rolston and the Wild couldn't get a deal done.  No word from Rolston yet on his side of the story, but the Wild are saying that they and Rolston had a difference of opinion on what his "fair market value" was.  Evidently Rolston never counter-offered the three offers that the Wild sent him.

Overall, this will really hurt the Wild.  They need tough players who can score, and that's what Rolston was.  Unless the Wild dip into the Unrestricted Free Agent (UFA) market tomorrow on July 1, all they can hope for is their young talent to grow and develop to become effective this next 2008-2009 season.  Not only is Rolston out, but Pavol Demitra will not likely re-sign with the team either.  I don't believe the Wild's younger players will improve enough in the off-season to make up for the voids that Demitra and Rolston will leave behind. 

And what to make of Marian Gaborik - will he be alienated that two of his most talented teammates will be gone?  The Wild certainly can't afford to lose him, and he'll be a UFA after 2008-2009.  The Wild will either need to go deep in the playoffs next season (unlikely) or sign some big talent to keep Gaborik around.

The Wild's history is relatively short, but this just seems like the darkest hour for the team right now.  They're losing or have lost the best talent they've ever had.  Such is the world of professional sports.  The upside though is that the Wild are still young and still building from their expansion origins.  Koivu, Bouchard, Sheppart, Pouliot, and Harding are all still developing - and Koivu and Bouchard are already very talented.  The future is bright even if things appear dark right now.  It's too bad to see Rolston (and Demitra) go, but I'd rather make sure the Wild can hang on to Gaborik.