LAS VEGAS >> With the Wild finally back on the clock after waiting more than an hour between picks on Saturday morning at the Sphere in Las Vegas, general manager Bill Guerin decided he could wait a little longer to make Minnesota’s next selection in the 2024 NHL Draft.

In a move designed to add some depth to the bottom half of the lineup, the Wild traded winger Vinni Lettieri and the No. 110 pick to the Boston Bruins in exchange for center Jakub Lauko and the No. 122 pick. Though the move involved draft picks, this is a hockey trade at its core for the Wild, who expect Lauko to be a regular for them this season.

“He fits exactly what we’re trying to do in that part of the lineup,” Guerin said. “He’s got some grit. He’s got speed. He’s tough.”

Those are things the Wild were lacking in the bottom half of the lineup at times last season. That shouldn’t be an issue with Lauko now in the mix. He played 60 games for the Bruins last season, posting 10 points (two goals, eight assists), and proving himself as a valuable player that understood his role.

“He brings a lot of energy,” Guerin said. “The ingredients that he brings are what we’re looking for.”

That said, Guerin promised that the addition of Lauko won’t block prospects like Marat Khusnutdinov, Liam Ohgren, or Riley Heidt, among others, from being given every opportunity to make the Wild out of training camp. The hope is that fostering a competitive environment for some of those young players will push them to make a name for themselves.

“You have to earn it,” Guerin said. “You have to beat guys out for spots.”

Meanwhile, this will be a fresh start for Lettieri, who enjoyed his homecoming in Minnesota, despite the fact that it was relatively brief. He played 46 games for the Wild last season almost exclusively because of injuries. He will face an uphill climb when it comes to making the Bruins out of camp.

The next step for the Wild is continuing to retool their roster after missing the playoffs last season. They will head into free agency next week looking to add an impact player to the top half of their lineup.

“We’re trying to make our team better,” Guerin said. “That’s really it.”

If the Wild indeed add another body in the next few days, whether that be via free agency or via trade, expect that person to come with a physical presence about him. There is a certain way that Guerin wants the Wild to play the game and he doesn’t appear willing to sacrifice that for anybody.

“I’m really more focused on the identity of the team,” Guerin said. “That’s something that we have to get back.”