- The Wild signed goalie prospect Filip Ruzicka to a three-year, entry-level contract
- The 6-foot-7 netminder went 26-14-1 with a .906 save percentage for WHL Brandon last season
- Read below for the full terms and where Ruzicka fits in Minnesota’s crease
The Wild just added some serious size to their goaltending pipeline.
Minnesota signed Filip Ruzicka to a three-year, entry-level contract. The 6-foot-7, 230-pound netminder is one of the biggest goalies anywhere in the organization, and the Wild grabbed him 137th overall in the fifth round of last month’s draft.
Ruzicka spent this past season with the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL. He went 26-14-1 with a .906 save percentage and a 3.19 goals-against average across 42 appearances, solid numbers for a raw project that late in the draft.
The contract carries a $987,500 cap hit through 2028-29. At the NHL level Ruzicka would earn $850,000 next season, $900,000 the year after and $950,000 in the final year. Down in the minors he makes $87,500 with a matching signing bonus.
Locking up a fifth-round pick this quickly is a development play, not a depth-chart shakeup. Filip Gustavsson still anchors the crease in St. Paul, and Ruzicka is years away from pushing anyone for NHL starts.
This is a low-risk swing for a Wild club that has been chasing much bigger names this summer, including a run at a record-setting extension. Ruzicka heads to Minnesota’s development track with plenty of runway to grow into that frame.
