Minnesota Wild news: RFA winger signs one-year extension

The Minnesota Wild have secured the services of winger Brandon Duhaime, signing him to a one-year contract worth $1.1 million. The 26-year-old Duhaime was a restricted free agent following the conclusion of his two-year contract, which carried a $750,000 cap hit. Prior to an arbitration hearing scheduled for July 20th, the two sides reached an agreement, avoiding the need for further negotiation.

This new deal represents a significant raise for Duhaime, marking the first time he will earn a seven-figure salary and also serving as his first one-way contract. It should be noted that Duhaime will become an unrestricted free agent once the contract expires next summer.

Head Coach Dean Evason said:

“I’ve tried to impress upon him that he’s a little bit of everything. Gritty, can kill penalties, can play a defensive game, can put pressure on the other team on the forecheck.”

While Duhaime's sophomore season may have been underwhelming, with just one assist and 10 points in 51 games, he did manage to set a career-high in goals, netting nine. In the playoffs, he appeared in six games but failed to register a point as the Wild were eliminated in the first round by the Dallas Stars.

Originally selected by the Wild in the fourth round of the 2016 NHL Draft, Duhaime spent three years in college before signing his entry-level contract. After two seasons in the AHL, he made the jump to the NHL in 2021 and has since remained on the Wild's roster for the past two seasons.

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More on Minnesota Wild's offseason moves

In terms of offseason moves, the Minnesota Wild have had a relatively quiet period. Duhaime's signing marks just their third acquisition since the start of free agency, joining Vinni Lettieri and Jacob Lucchini. They also made a trade, bringing in Patrick Maroon from the Tampa Bay Lightning.

With over $7 million in cap space remaining, the team still has restricted free agents Calen Addison and Filip Gustavsson to negotiate with. Gustavsson is also scheduled for an arbitration hearing on August 4, if a resolution cannot be reached prior.

As a team, the Minnesota Wild are aiming to progress further in the postseason. They have consistently been a strong playoff contender, making the postseason in 10 of the last 11 seasons. However, their last playoff series victory dates back to 2015. In the 2022-23 season, they finished third in the Central Division with a respectable 46-25-11 record.