The Minnesota Wild and goaltender Filip Gustavsson have reached an agreement on a multi-year contract, the team announced on Monday. The deal, which is for three years, has an average annual value of $3.75 million. Gustavsson’s contract also includes a five-team no-trade clause that will go into effect on July 1, 2025. The signing of Gustavsson avoids an arbitration hearing that was scheduled for Friday.
Gustavsson had an impressive season in 2022-23, posting a record of 22-9-7 with a 2.10 goals against average and a .931 save percentage. His strong performance played a significant role in the Wild’s success last season.
The signing of Gustavsson has implications for the Wild’s salary cap space. With the inclusion of the team’s $14.7 million in dead cap space, the Wild currently have only $1.643 million in cap space remaining. This leaves little room for maneuvering, especially considering that restricted free agent Calen Addison is still unsigned. Even if Addison accepts his qualifying offer of $787,500, the Wild will have limited flexibility heading into the upcoming season.
For Gustavsson, this contract represents a significant milestone in his career. Just a year ago, he was uncertain about his future and considered playing in Sweden for the rest of his career. However, after an outstanding season with the Wild, Gustavsson has proven his worth and earned a lucrative contract extension. He set career highs in wins, games played, shutouts, and goals-against average. All eyes will be on Gustavsson next season to see if he can replicate his success, take on a larger workload from Marc-Andre Fleury, and improve his performance in the playoffs.
The negotiation process for Gustavsson’s contract took longer than expected due to several factors. One of the main challenges was the limited sample size of Gustavsson’s NHL starts, with only 60 games under his belt. Additionally, there aren’t many examples of goalies going through arbitration hearings, making it difficult to establish comparables. However, the recent arbitration process involving goaltender Ilya Samsonov and the Toronto Maple Leafs provided some fresh comparables for both sides. Gustavsson’s camp aimed high during negotiations, considering his breakout season, while the Wild held firm on their projection due to their tight salary cap situation.
Ultimately, the agreement reached is a compromise that provides both sides with some security. Gustavsson will assume the role of the Wild’s starting goaltender this season, with Fleury serving as the backup. However, this contract also allows time for highly regarded prospect Jesper Wallstedt, who recently completed his first year in the AHL. If Gustavsson continues to excel, the Wild will face a difficult decision in the future but will also possess a valuable trade asset.
In conclusion, the Minnesota Wild and Filip Gustavsson have agreed to a three-year contract with an average annual value of $3.75 million. This signing secures Gustavsson’s position as the team’s starting goaltender and provides the Wild with stability in net. However, it also presents challenges for the team’s salary cap management, as they have limited cap space remaining. The coming season will be crucial for Gustavsson as he looks to build on his breakout performance and establish himself as one of the league’s top goaltenders.