The Minnesota Wild have finally come to terms with Daniel Winnik, signing him to a one-year, $660K contract ahead of the team’s season opener on Thursday night. Winnik had spent training camp with the Wild on a professional tryout, after being unable to find a contract anywhere in the league.
Winnik actually ranked #36 among our Top 50 Free Agents for this summer, after putting up a solid 12 goal, 25 point season a year ago. His contributions are really felt on the penalty kill and defensive side of the game though, where he ranks among the league’s best. All of that didn’t secure him a deal anywhere though, as the 32-year old had to settle for a “prove it” tryout with the Wild.
A relic of the old draft structure, Winnik was selected in the ninth and final round (265th-overall) of the 2004 draft. Immediately he exploded at the NCAA level and wouldn’t take long before debuting with the Phoenix Coyotes in 2007. Since then, he’s played 717 NHL contests and recorded 228 points, while suiting up for 58 playoff contests. He’ll continue that run in Minnesota, where he’s expected to suit up as part of a rotating bottom-six.
Minnesota has always put a high value on defense from their forwards, and head coach Bruce Boudreau knows Winnik from their time in Anaheim together. Winnik received some of the most ice-time of his career while playing for the Ducks, and obviously has a trust in the coach who put him in those situations. While he won’t be asked to play the same role, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him first over the boards on almost every penalty kill this season, even with the outstanding options the team already has.
Michael Russo of The Athletic broke the news just minutes before the team announced the deal.