Wild's Marcus Johansson: Staying in State of Hockey
Rotowire
Johansson signed a one-year, $800,000 contract with Minnesota on Monday.
Johansson was set to hit free agency this offseason but instead will be sticking around for another year. The 34-year-old forward will be taking a significant pay cut compared to his $2 million cap hit last year, despite having put together a third straight 30-point campaign. Johansson figures to slot into a middle-six role for Minnesota next year and could push up higher depending on injuries.
Yurov signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Wild, the team announced Friday.
The 24th overall pick in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, Yurov has spent the last five seasons in the KHL, finishing with 13 goals and 12 assists in 46 regular-season games in 2024-25. His best output was two years ago, when he had 21 goals and 28 assists in 62 regular-season games, the most points by a player under 20 years old in KHL history. He figures to make an instant impact with the Wild's forward group in 2025-26.
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Wild's Samuel Hlavaj: Headed for Worlds
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Hlavaj will join Slovakia for the 2025 IIHF World Championship.
Hlavaj outplayed Jesper Wallstedt at the AHL level and is expected to battle Wallstedt for the backup role behind Filip Gustavsson with the Wild in 2025-26 as Marc-Andre Fleury has retired. Hlavaj went 14-14-3 with a 2.85 GAA and a .904 save percentage across 36 regular-season appearances at AHL Iowa in 2024-25 and will gain extra experience with Slovakia and is expected to be their No. 1 goaltender as he will vie with Adam Huska and Patrik Rybar for the top job.
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Wild's David Spacek: Joining Czechia at Worlds
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Spacek will take part in the 2025 IIHF World Championship with Czechia.
Spacek has yet to make his NHL debut after two full seasons in the minors with AHL Iowa. During the 2024-25 campaign, the 22-year-old blueliner notched four goals and 27 helpers in 72 regular-season contests. With a strong performance at Worlds, Spacek could start building his case for a roster spot with Minnesota ahead of the 2025-26 campaign.
Eriksson Ek (abdomen) will have core muscle surgery this offseason but expects to be ready for the beginning of the 2025-26 campaign, Michael Russo of The Athletic reports Sunday.
Eriksson Ek had been playing through the injury during the first round of the postseason, and he sustained a broken nose in Game 2 of Minnesota's six-game series loss to Vegas. The 28-year-old forward accumulated 14 goals, 29 points, 140 shots on net and 82 hits across 46 regular-season appearances before adding three assists in six playoff outings.
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Wild's Marc-Andre Fleury: Makes retirement official
Rotowire
Fleury announced his retirement from playing hockey Saturday, per NHL Alumni.
Fleury played 21 seasons in the NHL, winning three Stanley Cups. He finishes his career with 575 wins -- second all-time to Martin Brodeur -- a 2.60 GAA and a .912 save percentage across 1,051 regular-season appearances. Fleury started his career in Pittsburgh (where he won all three of his Cups) before moving on to Vegas, Chicago and Minnesota.
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Wild's Ryan Hartman: Lights lamp twice in loss
Rotowire
Hartman scored two goals Thursday in the Wild's 3-2 loss to the Golden Knights in Game 6 of their first-round series.
Minnesota's campaign came to an end with the loss, but not through lack of effort on Hartman's part. The veteran forward scored his first goals this postseason, beating Adin Hill late in the first and third periods, but none of his teammates could solve the Vegas netminder. Hartman had a surprisingly productive playoffs with six points in six games, but his 11 goals and 26 points in 69 regular-season contests better reflects his role and skill level.
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Wild's Filip Gustavsson: Falls to Knights in Game 6
Rotowire
Gustavsson stopped 21 shots Thursday in the Wild's 3-2 loss to the Golden Knights in Game 6 of their first-round series.
After being unable to finish Game 5 due to an illness, Gustavsson was back between the pipes Thursday with Minnesota's season on the line, but he didn't get enough help from his defense to force a Game 7. The 26-year-old netminder re-established himself as the Wild's top option in the crease with a regular season that saw him record a career-high 31 wins, along with a 2.56 GAA and .914 save percentage in 58 outings. Gustavsson has one more year remaining on his current contract, worth $3.75 million.
Wild's Filip Gustavsson: Expected to start Thursday
Rotowire
Gustavsson (illness) is set to start at home against Vegas for Game 6 on Thursday, per Michael Russo of The Athletic.
Gustavsson exited Game 5 due to the illness, but it seems he won't miss a full outing. He's 2-2 with a 2.63 GAA and a .919 save percentage across five starts in the Wild's first-round series. Minnesota needs a win Thursday to advance to Game 7 in Vegas on Saturday. The Golden Knights are likely to put plenty of pressure on Gustavsson in this potentially series-clinching game -- Vegas ranks third in the playoffs with 33.8 shots per game.
Gustavsson (illness) is likely to play at home versus the Golden Knights in Game 6 on Thursday after exiting Tuesday's Game 5 after two periods, Sarah McLellan of The Minnesota Star Tribune reports Wednesday.
Gustavsson has a 2-2 record, 2.63 GAA and .919 save percentage across five appearances in Minnesota's first-round series against Vegas. The Wild were down 2-1 when he exited Tuesday's game, and although Minnesota was able to tie things up, his replacement, Marc-Andre Fleury, conceded the deciding goal in overtime. That puts the Wild down 3-2 in the series, so they need a victory Thursday to force a Game 7 on Saturday.
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