Marcus Foligno Signs Four-Year Contract With Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild have signed their final restricted free agent of the summer, inking Marcus Foligno to a four-year contract worth $11.5MM. The deal will pay him $2.875MM per season, only a slight raise over his 2016-17 salary of $2.25MM. Foligno had been skating with teammates prior to the start of training camp today, showing his confidence that a deal would eventually be signed. The 26-year old forward is new to Minnesota, having come over from the Buffalo Sabres along with Tyler Ennis in a trade for Marco Scandella and Jason Pominville, but should be an interesting addition to their deep forward group. The breakdown of the deal is as follows:
- 2017-18: $2.0MM
- 2018-19: $3.0MM
- 2019-20: $3.5MM
- 2020-21: $3.0MM
The Wild have always held defensive play in high regards for their forwards, with players like Mikko Koivu and Nino Niederreiter among the league’s best two-way performers. Foligno’s game brings some of that defense as well, along with an incredibly physical style that should give the team a new look in their bottom-six. He’s been penciled into the third line alongside Joel Eriksson Ek and Charlie Coyle, though that could obviously change at any moment during training camp. That line would be difficult to handle physically, as all three players stand at least 6’2″, with Coyle and Foligno some of the odds-on favorites to lead the team in hits (Nieddereiter edged out Coyle last year).
Still, Foligno has some warts to his game. Thought at times he’s shown he can contribute offensively, that touch in the offensive zone has never been very consistent and he’s finished with no more than 23 points in a single season of his career. In his mid-twenties he could still improve in that area, but more likely he’ll still struggle to produce more than 10-15 goals in a year. Part of that is why the contract likely took so long, as both sides were trying to project what he can do surrounded by better players and on a winning team.
Though the contract took a while, Minnesota fans should be happy with it. Foligno is giving up two unrestricted free agent seasons but still making a relatively low amount that fits nicely into their salary structure. He’ll have to be more than a fourth-line player for them, but with the deal expiring before Foligno turns 30, Minnesota has bought out his prime for a reasonable amount. It does however get them awfully close to the cap, and probably means they won’t be able to sign Daniel Winnik to a deal any more than the league minimum despite inviting him to camp.
Michael Russo of The Athletic was first to report the deal and its details.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Wild, Foligno Continue Contract Talks
- The Wild and RFA winger Marcus Foligno continued contract talks today, reports Michael Russo of The Athletic (Twitter link). While it appears that talks are progressing, the two sides have yet to agree on a contract. Earlier this week, it was reported that a three-or-four-year deal is in the works which would buy out multiple years of UFA eligibility.
Daniel Winnik Signs PTO With Minnesota
The Minnesota Wild have always held defensive responsibility in high regard. All of their forwards are expected to contribute in their own end, with leaders like Mikko Koivu and Nino Niederreiter being among the best two-way players in the game. Now they’ve brought in another winger known for his defensive prowess in Daniel Winnik, who will attend Wild camp on a PTO.
Winnik was listed 36th on our Top 50 Free Agent rankings earlier this summer, but will have to settle instead just for a camp tryout. The 32-year old put up another solid season a year ago, registering 25 points while once again being a solid defensive presence at even strength and on the penalty kill. Winnik is one of the more consistent bottom-six wingers in the league, recording between 19 and 34 points in each of the past eight seasons (including the shortened 2012-13 season).
Minnesota will also be bringing a no longer retired Ryan Malone to camp, with his main goal to earn an AHL contract and Olympic spot. Alex Prewitt of Sports Illustrated goes in depth on Malone’s comeback attempt, and perhaps he’ll be writing a similar story about Winnik in the near future. If he can’t find an NHL job, Winnik would almost certainly be considered for Team Canada at the upcoming Olympics, something that would have seemed far-fetched four years ago. Winnik has never represented Canada at a major international tournament, but is clearly still good enough to make an impact.
Marcus Foligno Close To Signing With Minnesota Wild
Monday: Russo again writes that the contract should be done by Thursday at the start of camp, and that it will likely be either three or four years in length. Despite what CapFriendly says about the team’s current projected cap hit, Russo writes that the team has “roughly $3.7MM” in space before signing Foligno. There is some grey area depending on who the Wild keep out of training camp, but if the team carries any extra skaters (which they assuredly will) that room becomes even more constricted.
Friday: The last few restricted free agents are starting to sign around the league, with Bo Horvat going off the board today with the Vancouver Canucks. One of the remaining RFAs, Marcus Foligno told Michael Russo of The Athletic that he’s “very close” to signing, and that it would be done by the start of training camp.
Foligno was acquired from the Buffalo Sabres earlier this offseason in the Marco Scandella and Jason Pominville trade, and could be a solid addition to the Wild’s bottom-six. His game is based mostly around physicality and defense, and with the forward depth Minnesota already has in terms of skill, Foligno should fit in alongside Joel Eriksson Ek and Charlie Coyle as an impressive third line. The former Sabre set a career-high in goals with 13 last season, and could eclipse that this year depending on how much playing time he receives.
Interestingly, Foligno is coming off a salary of $2.25MM, which if matched would put the Wild over the salary cap at the time being. The additions of Kyle Quincey, Matt Cullen and the pair of Buffalo forwards, combined with extensions for Nino Niederreiter and Mikael Granlund has put the team right up against the cap to start the year.
Salary Cap Deep Dive: Minnesota Wild
Navigating the Salary Cap is probably one of the more important tasks for any general manager to have. Teams that can avert total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful. Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.
PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation heading into the 2017-18 season. This will focus more on those players who are integral parts of the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL. All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.
Minnesota Wild
Current Cap Hit: $72,858,591 (under the $75MM Upper Limit)
Entry-Level Contracts
F Joel Eriksson Ek (Two years remaining, $925K)
F Luke Kunin (Three years remaining, $925K)
Eriksson Ek made the team out of training camp last season but was sent back before he triggered the first year of his entry-level deal. However, the team decided to go ahead and burn that first season later on and brought him back for the end of the year and playoffs. He likely slides in as a third line center to start the season. Kunin is only a year from being drafted 15th overall but the fact that Minnesota had him turn pro already would suggest that they plan to use him with the big club before too long.
One Year Remaining, Non-Entry-Level
F Matt Cullen ($1MM, UFA)
D Mathew Dumba ($2.55MM, RFA)
F Mikko Koivu ($6.75MM, UFA)
D Kyle Quincey ($1.25MM, UFA)
F Chris Stewart ($1.15MM, UFA)
F Jason Zucker ($2MM, RFA)
Koivu is the most notable name of the group. He has been with the team since they drafted him back in 2001 and has been the captain for the past six seasons. He also has collected at least 48 points in each of the last four seasons and has provided them with some consistency at that end while being a responsible two-way player. However, he’ll be 35 when his next contract kicks in and given that he hasn’t reached the 20 goal mark since 2009-10, it stands to reason that he’ll be looking at a lower cap hit next season whether that’s with Minnesota or elsewhere.
Zucker took a bridge deal last summer and responded with almost as many points as the previous two seasons combined. He has set himself up to easily double that on his next contract if he hovers around the 45 point plateau once again. Stewart fit in well in a fourth line role last season but won’t likely command a big raise on the open market next summer. Cullen returns for another stint with the Wild and while he’ll likely play on the fourth line, his bonuses aren’t tied to points but rather playoff series.
Dumba has made steady progress since being drafted and has established himself as a top-four defenseman. Considering he’ll have arbitration rights in the offseason, he is positioned to earn a notable pay increase on his next deal. Quincey adds some depth with the trade of Marco Scandella to Buffalo but considering how he has bounced around in recent years, he probably won’t be able to command a much bigger contract a year from now.
Potential Bonuses
Cullen: $700K
Eriksson Ek: $213K
Kunin: $400K
Total: $1.313MM
Ryan Malone Seeking AHL Deal To Push For Olympic Spot
- Ryan Malone’s PTO deal with the Wild came as somewhat of a surprise considering he hasn’t played professionally since 2014-15. However, it doesn’t appear as if the focus is on landing a spot with Minnesota but rather an AHL deal in the hopes of earning an Olympic spot. Michael Russo of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune notes that Malone has been in contact with USA Hockey officials about that in recent days and that Pittsburgh and New Jersey had also expressed an interest in inking him to a minor league deal.
Ryan Malone Signs PTO With Minnesota Wild
Just moments after the Florida Panthers announced their latest professional tryout, the Minnesota Wild got in on the action, signing Ryan Malone to a PTO. Malone has been out of professional hockey for two seasons, but perhaps his player-coach role in Da Beauty League this summer has made him yearn for the rigors of an NHL training camp.
While it remains extremely unlikely that Malone would make the Wild out of camp, perhaps he’s after an AHL contract to resume his playing career. Last suiting up for the Hartford Wolf Pack after a buyout by the Tampa Bay Lightning, Malone could also potentially be an option for Team USA at the upcoming Olympic Games. While that isn’t a very exciting proposition given his absence from professional hockey, he does have Olympic experience from the 2010 Games—where he won a silver medal—and was once a very effective power forward in the NHL.
With six seasons of 20 or more goals and 44 NHL fights to his name, Malone toed the line between sniper and enforcer for Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay. He also has strong ties to Minnesota, where he spent four years playing for St. Cloud State and still lives with his family.
Vancouver Canucks Sign Ryan White To PTO
A busy day for PTO’s continues, as the Vancouver Canucks have joined the fray. The team announced this afternoon that they have come to terms on a professional tryout agreement with veteran forward Ryan White. There has been little discussion of the 29-year-old this off-season, but it appears as if he’ll at least be given a chance to continue his NHL career in Vancouver.
White quietly tied his career high in scoring in 2016-17, recording 16 points between the Arizona Coyotes and Minnesota Wild. He notched a career-best seven assists over the campaign, with all but one coming in his first 46 games with the Coyotes. Somewhat of a “throw in” as part of the Martin Hanzal trade, White only added three points in 19 games with the Wild and was shutout in three postseason contests. However, he did manage to match his -8 rating in Arizona in 27 less games in Minnesota. For a player that has built his career off of physical, two-way play, a career-worst -16 rating was a disappointing total. Consider a drop-off in hits, blocked shots, and face-off success from his time with the Philadelphia Flyers in 2015-16 and it makes more sense that there has been a lack of interest in a once-prominent checking forward, despite better offensive production.
Luckily for White, the Canucks have shown a willingness to bring in veteran players, in contrast to the opinion of many that they should be focused on re-building. Although Vancouver welcomes back Derek Dorsett for the 2017-18 season, it would not be a surprise to see White turn his PTO into an affordable contract as a depth option for the Canucks. Alternatives such as Jayson Megna and Michael Chaput struggled greatly last season and the team could use an upgrade if they aren’t comfortable giving those checking roles to younger players. Vancouver often lacked an edge last season and if White brings anything to a team, it’s toughness and grit.
Snapshots: Coyotes, Granlund, Horvat, Heeter
The Arizona Coyotes are excited about their offseason moves, and perhaps none more than Oliver Ekman-Larsson. The Coyotes star defenseman has gained a friend and pairing in Niklas Hjalmarsson, who has played with him on the international stage in the past. The two Swedes will team up on Arizona’s first pair this season and try to make some noise in the Western Conference. Speaking with Dave Vest of NHL.com, Ekman-Larsson spoke about his new teammate:
I’m super excited about [playing with Hjalmarsson]. He’s super easy to play with. He talks a lot and he’s a good skater and moves the puck. I would say he’s underrated.
While Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook got a lot of the national press out of Chicago, any Blackhawks fan will tell you that Hjalmarsson was an integral piece to the three Stanley Cup teams. He was a defensive rock for the club for many years, and will try to allow Ekman-Larsson to open up his game a little bit while still taking on the tough matchups.
- Michael Russo of the Star Tribune reports that Mikael Granlund rolled his ankle in Finland and has been seen on crutches, but is still expected to be ready for training camp. It will slow down the young forward’s offseason training, but luckily he seems to have escaped serious injury. Granlund will be relied upon heavily for the Minnesota Wild this season after signing a three-year, $17.25MM contract this summer.
- In other Granlund news, Rick Dhaliwal of NEWS 1130 reports that Markus Granlund‘s wrist is fully healthy and the Vancouver Canucks forward is already skating. Granlund underwent surgery in March to correct an ongoing issue, but is “100%” and ready for training camp. Coming off a 19-goal season, he could jump onto a top-line role once again for the Canucks.
- Granlund also told Dhaliwal that he thinks Bo Horvat‘s new contract will be done soon. Horvat is still sitting as a restricted free agent even though Canucks’ GM Jim Benning has been clear he wants to lock him up long-term. The young center will likely be the new face of the franchise in Vancouver once the Sedin twins leave town, and will be looking for a contract which adequately compensates him for that.
- The Toronto Marlies have signed a goaltender to work with Garret Sparks this year. The team announced they’ve signed Cal Heeter to a one-year AHL deal, bringing him in after a solid end of the season with the Calder Cup champion Grand Rapids Griffins. Antoine Bibeau, the previous goaltender for the Marlies was not given a qualifying offer this spring and signed with the San Jose Sharks.
Matt Cullen Signs With Minnesota Wild
Matt Cullen has agreed to a one-year contract with the Minnesota Wild. The deal is worth $1MM in salary, with an additional $700K in potential performance bonuses. Cullen had been reportedly deciding between the Wild and Penguins, but eventually decided to return home to Minnesota and forego his shot at a “three-peat” with Pittsburgh. Cullen himself told Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that leaving the Penguins was “probably the hardest decision I ever had to make.”
“Dad” as many Penguins fans (and media) like to call Cullen was beloved in Pittsburgh, and you could hear the entire team chanting “ONE MORE YEAR!” as they celebrated their latest Stanley Cup victory. 2017-18 will mark his 20th season in the NHL, and he remains a very effective two-way center. Despite playing some of the lowest minutes of his career, he registered more than 30 points for the 13th time, and continued his career-long streak of winning more than 50% of his draws. He’ll likely slot into the fourth-line role in Minnesota, but will provide ample depth behind the star-studded forward group.
[Updated: Minnesota Wild Depth Chart]
In 1,366 career regular season games, Cullen has 689 points but has always been relied upon for more than scoring. His penalty killing ability and leadership on and off the ice will add a new dimension the a Wild team that struggled in the playoffs last season. Cullen has three Stanley Cup victories under his belt, including one from 2005-06 with Carolina, a team that was led by a young superstar named Eric Staal. The two will be reunited in Minnesota where Staal has re-energized his career, and try to bring some playoff success to a team that desperately thirsts for it.
Michael Russo of the Star Tribune was first to break the deal.