### Wild and Lightning Complete AHL Forward Trade: Katchouk for Milne On December 28, 2025, the Minnesota Wild and Tampa Bay Lightning executed a trade involving two AHL forwards: Boris Katchouk and Michael Milne. The Wild acquired Katchouk, a 27-year-old winger, while sending the 23-year-old Milne to the Lightning. This trade reflects both teams' strategies to enhance their minor league rosters, with Katchouk bringing experience and a more established presence to the Wild's struggling affiliate, the Iowa Wild, and Milne adding potential to the Lightning's prospect pool with the Syracuse Crunch. *Both players had been primarily playing in the AHL, making this a swap of minor-league talent rather than a blockbuster NHL deal* [https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/wild-trade-prospect-michael-milne-195358954.html, https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/wild-acquire-f-katchouk-in-trade-with-lightning]. ### Breakdown of the Trade Dynamics 1. **Player Profiles**: - **Boris Katchouk**: - Age: 27 - NHL Experience: 179 games across multiple teams - AHL Performance: 4 goals and 10 points in 21 games this season - Role: More established depth option for the Wild [https://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/wild_lightning_swap_ahl_forwards_in_minor_development_trade/s1_16454_43257287]. - **Michael Milne**: - Age: 23 - NHL Experience: Limited, primarily an AHL player - Role: Younger prospect with potential for development [https://www.rawcharge.com/tampa-bay-lightning-add-to-prospect-pool-with-trade-minnesota-wild-michael-milne-syracuse-crunch-boris-katchouk]. 2. **Trade Rationale**: - The Wild aim to bolster their AHL affiliate's competitiveness, as Iowa has struggled in recent seasons. Katchouk's experience is expected to provide immediate support [https://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/wild_acquire_boris_katchouk/s1_14825_43257197]. - The Lightning are looking to enhance their prospect pool with Milne, who has the potential to develop into a more impactful player in the future [https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/lightning-acquire-forward-michael-milne-165202573.html]. 3. **Contractual Details**: - Katchouk is on a one-year, two-way contract with an NHL cap hit of $775,000 and a minor-league salary of $250,000 [https://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/lightning_acquire_michael_milne_from_wild_for_boris_katchouk/s1_16958_43257511]. - Milne's contract details were not specified, but he is considered a developing player with room for growth [https://www.nhl.com/lightning/news/tampa-bay-lightning-acquire-forward-michael-milne-from-minnesota-wild]. ### Summary of the Trade's Implications **Key Findings**: 1. **Strategic Moves**: The trade is a strategic move for both teams, focusing on enhancing their AHL rosters and addressing specific needs. 2. **Experience vs. Potential**: Katchouk offers immediate experience and depth for the Wild, while Milne represents a long-term investment for the Lightning. 3. **Future Outlook**: This trade could impact both teams' future performance, with Katchouk potentially stabilizing the Wild's AHL team and Milne providing upside for the Lightning's prospect development. In conclusion, the trade between the Minnesota Wild and Tampa Bay Lightning serves as a calculated exchange of AHL forwards, with each team aiming to fulfill its respective organizational goals. The Wild's acquisition of Katchouk may help improve their minor league competitiveness, while the Lightning's addition of Milne could bolster their future talent pool [https://kstp.com/minnesota-sports/wild-aquire-boris-katchouk-from-tampa-bay-in-exchange-for-forward-michael-milne].