The Minnesota Wild made many moves to sure up the depth of their team. The team added two more players in Matt Bartkowski and Mike Liambas. Bartkowski agreed to a one-year, two-way contract that will pay him $650,000 in the NHL and $350,000 in the AHL.
Liambas agreed to a two-year, two-way contract that pays him $650,000/$125,000 in 2018-19 and $700,000/$150,000 in 2019-20
? #mnwild has agreed to terms with defenseman Matt Bartkowski on a one-year, two-way contract ($650,000/$350,000) → https://t.co/a0p8aOhi9w pic.twitter.com/vI3lXw8K8K
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) July 1, 2018
Wild Add Depth With Matt Bartkowski and Mike Liambas
A defenseman with 253 games of experience in the NHL, Bartkowski has not been able to establish himself as an impact player in the league. The Florida Panthers drafted him in the seventh round of the 2008 NHL Draft. He would not play a game in the organization, however.
Bartkowski has spent time between the Boston Bruins, Vancouver Canucks, and Calgary Flames organizations. In his NHL career, he has posted seven goals and 40 assists.
His best season came in 2015-16 when he posted six goals and 12 assists for the Flames. He also posted 18 points with the Bruins in 2013-14, in the form of 18 assists.
His puck possession numbers do him no favours, as well. Overall he has posted a 52.0 Corsi For along with a -2.0 relative Corsi For. While those numbers could be worse, his year-by-year numbers are where the numbers truly tell the story. Aside from 2012-13, his relative Corsi numbers have fallen into the negative range.
He posted his second worst relative Corsi number, -6.8 CF% rel this past season.
Bartkowski is almost certain to see time with the Iowa Wild of the AHL. In 209 career AHL games, he has posted 13 goals and 66 assists.
Liambas Adds Even More Depth
Liambas was an undrafted player who took an unusual path to the NHL. He was signed to an amateur try-out contract by the Toronto Maple Leafs during their training camp in 2010. He was released from the team at the end of September. After spending four seasons in the ECHL, Liambas played three seasons with the Milwaukee Admirals before signing his first NHL contract with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2015.
Only spending one season with the Rockford IceHogs of the AHL, Liambas agreed to a one-year contract with the Nashville Predators in 2016. He made his return to the Admirals, playing one more season with the team.
Liambas would join the Anaheim Ducks this season, but spent most of his time with the San Diego Gulls of the AHL.
#mnwild agrees to terms with Mike Liambas on a two-year, two-way contract $650,000/$125,000 in 2018-19 and $700,000/$150,000 in 2019-20) → https://t.co/pmPIee7gIo pic.twitter.com/he05J60SYe
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) July 1, 2018
Known as an enforcer, it is unlikely that Liambas will see much time at the NHL level with the Wild. In just eight NHL games, Liambas has recorded one assist. He has 16 goals and 20 assists in 270 career AHL games. He has amassed 866 penalty minutes in the minors as well.
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