"At first glance, the trade the Wild made Friday morning appears to be a minor move, acquiring center Erik Christensen and a 2013 conditional seventh-round draft pick from the New York Rangers for forward Casey Wellman.

After all, Christensen has played just 20 games this season, scoring only five points, and has topped 10 goals only once since the 2006-07 season.

Though the addition seems like a trivial one, the Wild are hoping it's worth more - because they might need Christensen to help plug a big hole.

The 28-year-old, who worked with both general manager Chuck Fletcher and coach Mike Yeo when all three were with the Pittsburgh organization, brings raw skills that match up with many of the Wild's needs. He is ninth in NHL history in shootout goals (the Wild are tied for fifth in the league in shootout losses this season) and has been strong on faceoffs and power plays throughout his career. "