The Minnesota Wild start their season against the Florida Panthers on Thursday. Minnesota looks to improve on their 46-25-11 record from last year. They anticipate it will be the 5th year in a row in the postseason. Minnesota agreed to a contract extension with forward Ryan Hartman.
Hartman has been in the NHL since the 2014-2015 season. Minnesota has been Hartman’s home since 2019. He has become one of their better forwards on the ice with the Wild. Hartman scored a career-high 34 goals in the 2021-2022 season. That year he also added 31 assists for a total of 65 points.
Last season Hartman’s stats were down. He scored 15 goals and added 22 assists for 37 points. The Wild earned a playoff spot but it was another first round exit. In the 6-game series loss against the Dallas Stars, Hartman dressed in 5 of those games. He scored 2 goals while adding 3 assists for 5 points.
Going into this season, Hartman was in the last year of his current contract. It could have been a make or break year for Hartman. Hartman could play well this season and may have earned a new deal. The Wild could have risked letting him go for nothing. In the end, the Wild kept him.
Hartman’s new agreement is 3 years worth $12 million, or paying him $4 million per year. This keeps Hartman locked up until the end of the 2027 season. Hartman’s focus should be helping the Minnesota Wild win hockey games. On paper, they are expected to be a playoff team. For them though, getting to the playoffs isn’t enough. They have been beaten in the 1st round the past 3 years. The last time they advanced past the 1st round was in 2015. Minnesota has never appeared in a Stanley Cup Final. Hartman has his chance to do so with the team.
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