Despite the Stanley Cup playoffs still underway, this offseason has had its fair share of fireworks. Two teams in particular have led the way in that regard with the Arizona Coyotes and Toronto Maple Leafs. Meanwhile, there are teams that are aiming to lock up their in house talent. One of those teams is the Minnesota Wild. Today’s rumours surround a Filip Gustavsson contract.
A Filip Gustavsson Contract To Keep Him In Minnesota
Rumour: Michael Russo from The Athletic discusses a Filip Gustavsson Contract
There is a ton of buzz surrounding this franchise. Bill Guerin is having to eat and swallow the $14.6 million in dead money from the Zach Parise and Ryan Suter buyouts. This will see him be smart and creative with forming a competitive roster. Matt Dumba is more than likely to test free agency. He is a capable top-four defenseman and can get a higher pay check elsewhere. But there is one crucial move that Guerin needs to make. That is giving Filip Gustavsson a new contract.
Why He Deserves This Contract
After opting to keep Marc-Andre Fleury, that spurned an exit for Cam Talbot. In a one-for-one deal, they received rookie goaltender Filip Gustavsson. In hindsight, that was a gamble, but the dividends paid off. Gustavsson was extraordinary for the Wild and even took over in the blue paint. He had a record of 22-9-7 with a 2.10 goals against average and a .931 save percentage. In addition, his 24.2 goals saved above expected was seventh in the league. Aside from not getting the nod in Game Two, Gustavsson was great in the playoffs. He went 2-3 with a 2.33 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage. He may be young, but he was strong in the net for the team.
Can It Work
It will be tough, but a Filip Gustavsson contract can work. The team will have to do its due diligence financially, but getting him locked up shouldn’t be tough. Bill Guerin had this to say on the matter, “There’s always challenges. If it’s not one of those things, it’s the other. I’m very confident we’ll get something done. I feel like Gus, I know he’s very happy here, he wants to be in a Minnesota Wild jersey. We’re going to get on it very, very soon, and I’m confident we’ll get it done. There’s always challenges, if it’s not money, it’s term. If it’s not term, it’s money. We’ll see how the Vezina voting and all that stuff goes. He had a great year”.
Gustavsson is due a significant raise, but should not break the bank entirely. A comparable contract could be Vitek Vanecek for the New Jersey Devils.
Main Photo: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
