Brock Faber contract extension Minnesota Wild
(Photo by Bailey Hillesheim/Icon Sportswire)

HIGHLIGHTS

  • The Minnesota Wild have signed Brock Faber to an 8-year-contract extension
  • Faber’s long-term deal is worth $68 million, carrying an AAV of $8.5M
  • Read below for Faber’s full contract details, plus signing analysis

 

The Minnesota Wild have made a bold statement about their future by signing defenseman Brock Faber to an eight-year, $68 million contract extension.

The deal starts in the 2025-26 season and has an average annual value (AAV) of $8.5 million. It will keep the rising star in Minnesota through the 2032-33 campaign.

Faber’s Stellar Rookie Season

Faber, a native of Maple Grove, Minnesota, had a remarkable rookie season. He finished second in Calder Trophy voting behind Chicago Blackhawks star Connor Bedard. Many argue he deserved the trophy more than the Chicago phenom.

The 21-year-old defenseman led all rookies in average ice time (24:58) and total ice time (2,047:53), the most by an NHL rookie since 2000-01. Additionally, he tied for second among rookies with 47 points (8 goals, 39 assists) in 82 games.

Faber’s 47 points were the most by a rookie defenseman in Wild history and second among all Wild rookies behind Kirill Kaprizov’s 51 in 2020-2

Learning from the Past

The move is a savvy one for the Wild, who are looking to avoid a repeat of the Ryan Suter situation. In 2012, the team signed Suter and Zach Parise to huge 13-year, $98 million contracts that hindered their salary cap flexibility.

With Faber’s extension, the Wild are investing in a young, homegrown talent who has already proven he can handle the challenges of the big leagues.

Faber’s Path to Minnesota

The Los Angeles Kings drafted Faber 45th overall in 2020. However, in June 2022, he was traded to his hometown Wild along with a first-round pick for Kevin Fiala.

The University of Minnesota product made his NHL debut in April 2023 and quickly became a top-pairing defenseman and power-play quarterback.

During his three seasons with the Golden Gophers, Faber served as team captain, earned First Team All-America honors, and led the team to back-to-back Frozen Four appearances.

Building a Contender

As the Wild look to build a Stanley Cup contender, Faber is expected to be a key player. His skating, hockey sense, and two-way game are similar to some of the league’s best defensemen.

Moreover, his leadership skills were clear when he was captain of the Golden Gophers. The Wild hope Faber can bring that same leadership and determination to their locker room.

A Bright Future Ahead

With Faber’s future in Minnesota secure, Wild fans have reason to be excited about the team’s outlook. The rising star will aim to improve on his impressive rookie season and help lead the franchise to success in the coming years.

With Minnesota enduring a current NHL Playoff drought, Wild supporters hope Faber can bring some of that postseason magic to the State of Hockey.