Minnesota Wild bring Finland's Mikael Granlund on board with entry-level deal -NHL Update
Making their first move to reorganise the struggling National Hockey League (NHL) franchise, the Minnesota Wild signed on their top pick of the 2010 entry draft, Mikael Granlund of Finland to a three-year, entry-level deal on Wednesday, May 23, 2012.
Granlund was picked up by Minnesota Wild as the ninth overall pick during round-one of the entry draft and has yet to play in a major league game. The 20-year-old centre player has shown exceptional abilities in his international platform with Finland for
the past few seasons.
Minnesota Wild general manager, Chuck Fletcher, made the announcement.
"Mikael is a world-class player," GM Chuck Fletcher said. "He's ready to play in the NHL, and our expectation is he'll play for our club next year and contribute."
Seeing the way Granlund has played on the international hockey stage, many observers are of the view that he will definitely be a front runner for the Calder Trophy for the major league rookie of the year, something which he is certainly enthusiastic about.
"The NHL is the best league in the world," said Granlund. "I don't really have any expectations. ... I'm never going to be the biggest or the fastest guy. I try to work hard and learn from the older guys. I'll just try to do all I can for the Wild."
Now I'm a member of the Minnesota Wild and it's a dream for me. I'm really excited. … I've improved a lot of things,” he added.
The financial terms and conditions of the entry-level deal between Minnesota Wild and Mikael Granlund were not released but according to sources, the contract is believed to have a worth of $2.7 million.
His NHL salary has been set at $900,000 along with $1.2 million in potential bonuses and $90,000 annually in a signing bonus. It will also make him a restricted free agent by the end of the contract, which will be in July of 2015.
At 5-feet-10, Granlund is believed to be super fast in his skating abilities and can control the puck at exceptional levels. Minnesota Wild will definitely be looking for him to guide the young group next season and hopefully move up in the rankings.
Tags: