Wild Inks Granlund to Three-Year Contract

ST. PAUL -- Minnesota Wild General Manager Chuck Fletcher today announced the National Hockey League (NHL) club has agreed to terms with restricted free-agent forward Mikael Granlund on a three-year, $17.25 million contract ($5.25 million in 2017-18, $5.5 million in 2018-19 and $6.5 million in 2019-20 for a $5.75 million average annual value).

"Mikael has been an important part of our club for the last five years, and he showed a great amount of growth with an impressive performance last season," said Fletcher. "People across the League are now surely aware of what our management group has always known: Mikael has a tremendous level of talent and skill. Coupled with his excellent work ethic and tremendous character, we know he'll play a large role in the future success of our team, and we're thrilled to have him under contract moving forward."

Granlund, 25, totaled 69 points (26-43=69) and 12 penalty minutes (PIM) in 81 games with Minnesota in 2016-17, ranking T-4th in franchise history for most points by a Wild player in a single season. The 5-foot-10, 184-pound native of Oulu, Finland, led the Wild in points, assists and multi-point games (16), ranked T-1st in power-play points (20), second in goals and power-play goals (7), T-3rd in game-winning goals (4), fourth in shots on goal (177) and fifth in plus/minus rating (+23). The winger set career highs in goals, assists, points, plus/minus rating, power-play goals, power-play assists, power-play points, shorthanded goals (3), shots on goal, TOI/game (18:49), and multi-point games. He also totaled 17 points (5-12=17) in a 12-game point streak from Jan. 12 through Feb. 4 - the longest point streak in Wild history and T-2nd for the longest point streak in the NHL in 2016-17.

Granlund ranked T-5th in the NHL in shorthanded goals, T-16th in plus/minus rating, T-20th in points and T-22nd in assists in 2016-17. He totaled a two-minute minor penalty in just six of his 81 games and was a finalist for the 2017 Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, finishing third in voting for the annual award honoring the NHL played adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability.
Granlund has totaled 201 points (57-144=201) and 80 PIM in 321 games with the Wild since being selected by Minnesota in the first round (ninth overall) of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.