Kevin Fiala has signed a new contract with the Minnesota Wild.

Great cap hit for this guy, expires as an RFA too

1 year… Ouch that’s gotta hurt, and the Wild’s cap situation will only get worse. Solid cap hit though.

Do the Wild just overpay everybody?

Good deal. They still have some leverage next season since he will expire as an RFA again. Now lets add Svech to the Fiala and Saros signings today. Crazy to think that Fiala got more than Saros

What is wrong with one year?
He will be an RFA again anyway

They'd have to give him a raise next year when the buyouts are even more expensive.

^

My guess is that they trade Fiala for a cost controlled center after this year

Why are people saying this is good?

This was like worst case scenario. Now it's either a bigger contract next year or just go to arbitration and walk in 2023.

I guess this isn’t the best contract
I will change my vote to no

I mean it gives them another season to figure it out,not the worst outcome

Should've locked him down for a lot longer. This just puts the Wild in the exact same position in a years time with 8 million less to work with.

Yup, not good for the team.

It's not like he's going to be cheaper with one year left before free agency and a 30G season in his back pocket like he will probably do.

It's not like MIN didn't have the capspace. I guess it's Fiala who didn't want to sign long term...

They pretty much met in the middle for now and are going to take more time to come to a long term agreement. This was just to avoid arbitration which can get messy and create a rift.

hopefully they sign kaprizov now

Looking at the contract only, it's a good signing. He's been on 65p pace the last 2 seasons, and finished 1st and 2nd for points on the team. The deal avoids arbitration and keeps him a RFA, so his trade value shouldn't take a hit.

What happens after this season/contract is another matter. MN's self-inflicted cap problems makes him prime trade bait for the TDL/offseason.

I think this is a good deal.
With the upcoming cap restrictions it gives Fiala and MN a chance to see where the team is after next season.

Fiala needs to perform to secure himself a good contract and MN keeps the control over the negotiations.

If MN is able to remain competitive with young players pitching in on ELCs (Rossi, Boldy, Addison) Fiala will be willing to resign longterm.

I remember Minnesota fans trying to say this guy was worth Nylander 1 for 1.

Should have had term.

Well, I must be in the minority here because the math makes sense to me.

First of all, the cap issue is moot if Kaprizov goes back to Russia, so let's assume that doesn't happen.

Yes, it's true that next year, Minnesota's dead cap hit rises by $8 million, but with the expiration of Rask's and Goligoski's contracts, that leaves $1 million for a minimum-level contract to replace one of them, so that's not as serious a problem as everyone makes out.

Right now, Minnesota has $13 million in cap space, with a 14th forward and a seventh defenseman to sign or promote plus Kaprizov. So round it off to $11 million for Kaprizov and hang-over. That would allow $8 million for KK (on more than a one-year deal) and roughly $1.5 million raises to Fiala and Kahkonen. That doesn't seem extreme. And that's without any cap-positive roster adjustments during this season or the next off-season.

I think the Wild are in fine shape. I voted Yes.

It’s good money for Fiala and he’s worth it but 1 year, ouch

Once Fiala becomes a UFA, I guarantee he's going to bounce.

Who said that? I've never seen a Wild fan say that. lol



It's actually the opposite. Fiala wanted long-term, Guerin wanted something 4-5 years.

The same people criticizing their cap situation are the same people who conveniently forget Guerin inherited a timebomb ticking down of Parise and/or Suter retiring and completely screwing their cap situation up. Guerin can at least plan around their dead cap now and it's going to end up being something like what you said: some league minimum depth and little room for depth that costs anything more than that. They weren't winning a Cup anytime soon, so this is all fine. Keep building through the draft

As for the contact, it's fine. His days have likely been numbered in Minnesota ever since his name came up in Eichel rumors so he's likely the guy Guerin plans to move in a package for a center. It avoids arbitration and he's still a RFA when it's over so nothing catastrophic here.

Last summer a bunch of Wild fans were saying Fiala has more value than Nylander cause of his 3M contract.