Wild Making Progress On Kevin Fiala's Contract; Jesper Wallstedt To Remain In SHL
The Wild have made some progress in discussions with RFA winger Kevin Fiala, reports Michael Russo of The Athletic (subscription link). While the 25-year-old didn’t file for arbitration, Minnesota opted to elect to take him to a hearing earlier this month, a move that teams don’t often make as it gives Fiala the right to elect an award that would walk him to unrestricted free agency if he wanted. However, it ensures that he’ll be signed long before training camp. Fiala is coming off a 20-goal, 40-point season that has him well-positioned to earn a sizable raise on the $3MM AAV he had on his bridge deal. Submissions to the arbitrator will be required on Sunday with the hearing scheduled for a week from today so they’ll need to work quickly to get something done.
- Still with Minnesota, Wild prospect Jesper Wallstedt has opted to stay with Lulea of the SHL, notes Aftonbladet’s Jonathan Nilsson. The 18-year-old was the 20th-overall pick in last month’s draft which gives them the right to assign him elsewhere as entry-level deals for first-round picks supersede existing contracts overseas. However, some more time in the SHL certainly makes sense for Wallstedt, who posted a 2.23 GAA with a .908 SV% in Sweden’s top division last season.
Latest On Kirill Kaprizov
Earlier this offseason, there were reports that CSKA Moscow was interested in bringing back Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov to the KHL if things didn’t go well in terms of negotiating a new contract with Minnesota. While it was widely viewed as posturing, it appears the threat could be a real one as Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reports (Twitter link) that CSKA has an agreement in place with the 24-year-old that would be announced on September 1st if an NHL deal can’t be reached by then. He adds that the value of the one-year contract would be in the eight-figure ($USD) range.
It’s worth noting that the KHL threat is the only leverage that Kaprizov has in negotiations. He doesn’t have enough service time to be eligible for an offer sheet nor was he arbitration-eligible. This basically was the only card that his camp can play.
Minnesota’s long-stated intention has been to lock up the Calder Trophy winner to a max-term deal or close to it but that type of term isn’t necessarily ideal for Kaprizov’s camp. Even if the Upper Limit of the salary cap only rises marginally over the next few years, that’s still a bit more money available then than there is now with the potential for more years to be in a cap environment where the escrow owed to owners has been paid off. From his standpoint, then, a short-term contract that takes him to UFA eligibility would be preferable though that clearly wouldn’t work for the Wild.
The end result would appear to be something in the middle as Seravalli notes that a medium-term deal is something that Minnesota is open to working out. Such a contract would buy out a year or two of UFA eligibility while still giving Kaprizov a shot at hitting the open market with a shot at a max-term deal in a financial landscape that projects to be considerably better than it is now.
With more than $19MM in cap room per CapFriendly, Wild GM Bill Guerin can easily afford the substantial raise that is coming Kaprizov’s way and the decision to take Kevin Fiala to arbitration sets up the potential for a cheaper short-term agreement there which would give them even more flexibility heading into next season. Of course, that flexibility will be short-lived with the buyout penalties for Ryan Suter and Zach Parise increasing sharply for 2022-23 through 2024-25.
Minnesota Wild Sign Will Bitten
Aug 8: Bitten’s contract has been announced by the Wild, confirming the reported details.
Aug 7: The Minnesota Wild have signed Will Bitten to a one-year, two-way contract, according to CapFriendly. The restricted free agent forward accepted his qualifying offer, meaning he’ll earn $840K in the NHL and $75K in the AHL next season.
Bitten, 23, was the 70th overall pick in the 2016 draft, selected by the Montreal Canadiens. He never played a single game (outside of exhibitions) for that organization though, as he was flipped to the Wild in a 2018 trade for Gustav Olofsson. With his new club, he has spent three seasons in the AHL, scoring 69 points in 145 games. Though not a big player, Bitten is a ball of energy, willing to chase down defenders with a relentless forecheck. His offensive ability wasn’t what got him drafted, but he was a pretty strong contributor this season with 19 points in 31 games for Iowa, numbers that obviously earned him a qualifying offer.
The fact that he doesn’t rely on high-skill plays to contribute may actually help Bitten in his quest to reach the NHL, given his ability to slot in on a fourth line without a problem. Minnesota doesn’t actually have a ton of NHL locks at the forward position compared to some other clubs, meaning there may actually be some competition in camp for the last few spots. While his ceiling isn’t as high as some of the team’s other prospects, Bitten may get a chance to play some games as an injury replacement in the near future, even if it is limited minutes available at the bottom of the lineup.
Wild Took Fiala To Arbitration To Ensure Deal Is Done Before Training Camp
- The Wild’s decision to elect salary arbitration for winger Kevin Fiala earlier this week raised some eyebrows as it’s a move that’s rarely made. Michael Russo of The Athletic posits (subscription link) that the team wants to ensure Fiala is at training camp at the start which wasn’t the case two years ago when talks dragged out longer than either side would have liked. While a deal will be done within the next two weeks – his hearing is August 17th – there is certainly some risk that Minnesota is taking as Fiala could simply elect for a two-year award to take him to UFA eligibility in 2023, a move that certainly would hurt his trade value as well if it gets to that point.
Marco Rossi To Play In Olympic Qualifiers
Last year was tough for many prospects, but perhaps none quite as much as Marco Rossi. Dealing with complications from COVID-19, Rossi was not only held off the ice but told he couldn’t even train, allowed on only short walks. His account of the situation is absolutely harrowing, as he told Michael Russo of The Athletic that “every time before I went to sleep, I was so scared that I won’t wake up anymore.” For a 19-year-old kid who was selected ninth overall and could have potentially made the jump immediately to the NHL, it was devastating.
Now, after a long recovery period, Rossi is ready to return to action. Russo and colleague Scott Wheeler both report that the young forward will take part in the Olympic qualifiers later this month, suiting up for Austria. The games take place between August 26-29, while the training camp will open on August 16 and include two exhibition matches.
It’s a huge deal for Rossi to get back on the ice in a game situation before Minnesota Wild training camp later this year. After posting 120 points in his draft year with the Ottawa 67’s, there were many who believed he could potentially step directly into the NHL for the 2020-21 season. A polished, two-way center, his upside for the Wild seemed limitless, even if there were still some concerns about his durability. Rossi stands just 5’9″ and will still have to show he can handle the grind of a professional season in North America.
Still, it’s incredible to hear that Rossi is back. Expectations may have to be lowered after missing an entire year—a crucial development one at that—but just getting him on the ice and playing is enough for excitement to build in Minnesota. Already signed to his entry-level contract, the first year slid forward, meaning he’s signed through 2023-24. It can actually slide again, depending on where he spends this season.
Wild Elect Salary Arbitration For Kevin Fiala
Minnesota and winger Kevin Fiala will be heading to salary arbitration after all. While he wasn’t among the players to file for a hearing yesterday, the Wild announced (Twitter link) that they have elected to take Fiala to a hearing.
The 25-year-old is coming off a strong season that saw him notch 20 goals and 20 assists in 50 games, good for second on the team in scoring behind fellow RFA winger Kirill Kaprizov. It was a strong follow up to his first full season with Minnesota in 2019-20 where he had 23 goals and 31 helpers in 64 games which has certainly bolstered Fiala’s value heading into these contract talks. He was qualified at $3.5MM but stands to earn considerably more on his next contract.
There are a handful of different rules in place for club-elected versus player-elected arbitration. The first is that no matter what the ruling is, Minnesota can’t walk away. As Fiala was filed on, he gets to determine the term of the contract. That’s certainly notable as he’s two years away from UFA eligibility and as a result of this decision from the Wild, he could simply opt to go to a hearing and elect the two-year term that would take him to the open market in 2023. Not that it would happen here but Minnesota cannot offer less than Fiala’s salary from last season; teams that are filed on can go slightly lower.
Fiala will now be added to the list of players that will have an arbitration hearing scheduled from August 11th through the 26th.
Toronto Maple Leafs Sign Brennan Menell
July 31: The Leafs have signed Menell to a one-year, two-way contract, per CapFriendly. It pays $750,000 at the NHL level and $400,000 at the AHL level.
July 28: The Toronto Maple Leafs have sent a conditional seventh-round pick to the Minnesota Wild for the rights to Brennan Menell, who spent last season in the KHL. Chris Johnston of Sportsnet reports that if Menell plays 30 games for the Maple Leafs in 2021-22, the Wild will receive the 2022 seventh-round pick.
Menell, 24, is an unsigned restricted free agent that the Maple Leafs will have to convince to return to North America. He scored 38 points in 47 games during his year in Minsk, continuing a history of elite production outside of the NHL. The right-handed defenseman led all AHL defensemen with 47 assists in 57 games during the 2019-20 season, resulting in a First All-Star Team selection.
Earlier this offseason, Michael Russo of The Athletic reported that the Wild were trying to sign Menell, but if they’ve traded him now perhaps those negotiations didn’t go anywhere. The Maple Leafs face the same challenge, especially given how much success he found in the KHL. There’s no guarantee of playing time in Toronto, though the team has been looking for an answer to their top powerplay. If they believe Menell could perhaps fill that role, it’s quite an incentive to return to North America.
Minnesota Wild Sign Jon Merrill
The Minnesota Wild have filled one of their last defensive spots, agreeing to terms with Jon Merrill on a one-year, $850K contract.
Merrill, 29, split this season between the Detroit Red Wings and Montreal Canadiens, joining the latter at the deadline only to end up on a deep playoff run. The 6’3″ defenseman has played 405 regular season games in the NHL, but always seems to be at the bottom of a depth chart. His career-high of 15 points was set in 2018-19 with the Vegas Golden Knights, but he actually averaged more ice time this season at 18:15.
In Minnesota, he becomes the sixth defenseman on a one-way contract, sliding in behind newcomers Alex Goligoski and Dmitry Kulikov. Though it seemed likely that prospect Calen Addison would receive a chance to crack the NHL lineup, the team now at least has an option if the 21-year-old is not quite ready. The fact that Merrill and Goligoski have experience on both the left and right side will be a bonus for the Wild, who can mix and match the bottom pairing this season.
There’s a connection in the Wild front office for Merrill, as Ray Shero now acts as a senior advisor. Shero was the general manager in New Jersey in the early part of Merrill’s career and when the Golden Knights plucked him through the expansion draft. The two are together again, though now it’s GM Bill Guerin and head coach Dean Evason that Merrill will have to impress to keep his place in the everyday lineup.
Minnesota Wild Sign Kevin Czuczman
The Minnesota Wild have added another AHL defenseman to the mix, signing Kevin Czuczman to a one-year, two-way contract. The contract will carry an NHL salary of $750K and pay Czuczman $200K at the minor league level.
Though he has just 15 career NHL games, Czuczman will help solidify the blueline for the Iowa Wild, bringing experience and defensive ability to the minor league club. Undrafted out of Lake Superior State, he has spent the last four seasons with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, even serving as an alternate captain. In more than 400 AHL contests, Czuczman has recorded 124 points but incredibly has made it to the playoffs just twice, never winning a round. For an Iowa team that made it to the postseason for the first time in 2019 and obviously hope to get back, he’ll hope to change that record.
Minnesota actually doesn’t have an extremely long depth chart on defense. The team has just five defensemen signed to one-way contracts for 2021-22 and now eight more on two-way deals. Two of those, Daemon Hunt and Ryan O’Rourke, would normally be ineligible for the AHL due to their age, though the latter could be allowed under the one-time exemption after suiting up 33 times last year. Either way, at this moment there aren’t a lot of names who could be called upon as injury insurance for the NHL team, meaning Czuczman may actually see a little bit of action this year.
Dmitry Kulikov Signs With Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild have added some defensive depth, signing Dmitry Kulikov to a two-year contract. The deal will carry an average annual value of $2.25MM.
Kulikov, 30, continues to secure healthy contracts despite a sharp offensive decline and a lack of any playoff success. The 6’1″ left-handed defenseman has registered just 36 points–four this year–in his last 265 NHL games. He brings some physicality and decent defensive awareness, but is really just a depth option at this point. Over his 12-year career, which includes 725 regular season games, Kulikov has only 27 postseason appearances and the only playoffs where his team even got out of the first round was when he played just a single game.
There are plenty of examples throughout NHL history of players that had no postseason success until they did, but this is a bit of an odd signing for a team that already has so much money tied up on defense. The Wild are also paying Alex Goligoski $5MM for the 2021-22 season, meaning the top-four combine for more than $24.5MM. The team has $20MM in cap space left, but a huge chunk of that (likely more than half) will be given out to Kirill Kaprizov and Kevin Fiala. If the team wants to make any other significant additions, the room is dwindling.
Still, Kulikov basically replaces the outgoing Carson Soucy, who was set to earn $2.75MM but was selected by the Seattle Kraken in the expansion draft. The veteran defenseman will not likely be asked to log anywhere close to 20 minutes a night but instead provides some depth in case of an injury in the top-four.