Ryan Hartman signed a three-year, $12 million contract with the Minnesota Wild on Saturday. It has an average annual value of $4 million.
"It was exciting to get that over with and know where I might be for the next four years, this year then three more," Hartman said. "It was kind of a typical negotiation where you kind of go back and forth on certain things. I think at the end of the day we both agreed we were pretty happy with it."
Hartman is entering the final season of a three-year, $5.1 million contract ($1.7 million AAV) he signed with the Wild on April 22, 2021, and could have become an unrestricted free agent after the season.
"Sometimes you get drafted to the wrong team, or you just don't get the opportunity," Wild general manager Bill Guerin said. "Sometimes it just doesn't work. And I think it worked here. Ryan took a pay cut last time, was a little more term, but he did what he had to do to put himself in a really good position, and he's performed. I really have a lot of respect for Ryan in doing that because, it's not easy to say 'Yes' when the general manager comes to you and asks you to take a little less. You always want more, but I think he was smart and kept himself in a really good position with guys that he really wants to be around. His teammates love him."
The Wild previously signed forward Mats Zuccarello to a two-year, $8.25 million contract ($4.125 million AAV) and forward Marcus Foligno to a four-year, $16 million contract ($4 million AAV) on Sept. 29. That same day, Guerin said signing Hartman, who plays on the top line with Zuccarello and Kirill Kaprizov, was a priority. Kaprizov signed a five-year, $45 million contract ($9 million AAV) on Sept. 21, 2021, that runs through the 2025-26 season.
"I was able to get an opportunity to play with Zuccarello and Kaprizov and it [kind of] started clicking right away," Hartman said. "First order of business is bringing those two to dinner."
The 29-year-old forward had 37 points (15 goals, 22 assists) in 59 regular-season games last season, and five points (two goals, three assists) in five Stanley Cup Playoff games. In four seasons with the Wild, Hartman has 144 points (65 goals, 79 assists) in 261 regular-season games, and 12 points (four goals, eight assists) in 22 playoff games.
"[Hartman has] got great versatility," Guerin said. "He can play center. He can play wing. He can play in between Kirill and 'Zuccy'. He can play with anybody. And the fact, too, him and Marcus play a much different game than Zuccy. But that's part of our identity in which they bring every night. I like what they bring to the table. Specifically with 'Hartzy,' yeah, there's a lot of good things that he does. I'm just glad we were able to get it done."
Selected by the Chicago Blackhawks with the No. 30 pick in the 2013 NHL Draft, Hartman has 233 points (107 goals, 126 assists) in 506 regular-season games with the Wild, Nashville Predators and Blackhawks, and 15 points (six goals, nine assists) in 35 playoff games.
"Just the whole organization in general, it's so tight between staff, between families," Hartman said. "My wife's from here. Just everything about it, I fell in love with it right away, and I'm really, really excited to stay here."
Following a 4-0 win against the Dallas Stars in Minnesota's preseason finale Saturday, Hartman said of the new contract, "I haven't really changed much. I think I've played up and down the lineup my whole career, everywhere. And I was able to get an opportunity to play with these two guys, and it started clicking right away. I think the first order of business is bringing those two to dinner."
NHL.com independent correspondent Jessi Pierce contributed to this report
