The Wild will have much more flexibility salary-wise next offseason than they did this past one, and they’ve already begun to use it.
They re-signed Mats Zuccarello to a two-year, $8.25 million extension on Friday, a deal that begins after his current five-year, $30 million contract expires following the season.
Zuccarello, 36, signed that original deal as a free agent in 2019, and he’s only played better the longer he’s been with the Wild.
Last season, Zuccarello had 22 goals to go along with 45 assists while averaging a career-best 20 minutes, 12 seconds in ice time per game — this after he set a career-high in assists (55) and points (79) in 2021-22.
With this extension, Zuccarello is now signed for the same length as his longtime linemate Kirill Kaprizov, who’s embarking on the third season of a five-year, $45 million deal.
Zuccarello’s new contract includes a no-movement clause for both years.