The Minnesota Wild have extended former Chicago Blackhawks first-round pick, Ryan Hartman. The contract carries the 26-year-old centre through the summer of 2024. He will be paid $1.7 million each season, slightly less than his current deal.
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Ryan Hartman Signs Extension with Minnesota
The former Blackhawk has appeared in 40 games with Minnesota this season. Hartman has found himself a home on the team’s penalty kill. Although he’s only a third-line centre for the team, he has fit really well in the current scheme. This year he’s scored six goals and 12 assists for 18 points. He is on pace to surpass last season’s totals. Currently, the centre is on a 36 point pace, a marker he hasn’t come close to since his time in Chicago.
A Hilton Head, South Carolina native, Hartman was drafted 30th overall in the 2013 NHL entry draft by the Chicago Blackhawks. In his first full season in the NHL, he scored 19 goals and 12 assists for 31 total points. The following season he reached the same marker. Since 2018 he has bounced around the league, having played for the Nashville Predators, Philadelphia Flyers, and has finally found consistency in Minnesota.
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What This Means for the Future
Hartman is still a few years before he hits his prime. Recently he has established himself as a reliable depth, checking centre for the Wild these past two seasons. He’s been known to throw around his body fairly well and is pretty reliable in the defensive end of the ice. However, he has the capability to play up and down the lineup. Even with his limited role in Minnesota, Hartman has plenty of offensive skill to play as a scoring forward or play second-line minutes in replacement of an injured player. With the young roster that Minnesota has it could provide Hartman with the pieces necessary to break out offensively.
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