Wild Sign RFA Jordan Schroeder

July 25: The Wild have officially announced the signing.  Schroeder will make $650K in the NHL ($25K less than originally reported) and $275K in the AHL.

July 23: The Minnesota Wild have reportedly signed RFA Jordan Schroeder to a one-year, two-way deal, according to CBC’s Tim Wharnsby. Schroeder will get $675K at the NHL level, $275K in the AHL, and $300K in guaranteed salary.  Schroeder and the Wild were set to go to salary arbitration on July 27th.

Schroeder has yet to produce at the NHL level, amassing only 11G and 16A in 107 games with the Vancouver Canucks and the Wild. The homegrown forward has, however, put up decent production in the AHL. Last season Schroeder put up 14G and 20A in 40 Games with the Iowa Wild, Minnesota’s AHL Affiliate.

The core of the dispute between parties centered around whether Schroeder deserves a one-way contract. A one-way contract ensures that Schroeder receives full NHL pay if he is sent down to the minors, whereas a two-way contract significantly decreases his pay if the Wild demote him.

The Wild put Schroeder on waivers last week as a bargaining tool to show both a future arbitrator and Schroeder’s camp how much the forward is worth on the open market. Any team could claim Schroeder for a $15,000 waiver fee, and if he goes unclaimed—the fourth time in one year—it significantly weakens Schroeder’s position that he deserves a one-way contract. And as Michael Russo points out, the Wild did this in 2008 with RFA Stephane Veilleux. The Wild may have started a trend as the Maple Leafs waived Peter Holland yesterday in an attempt to achieve a similar result.