The Minnesota Wild have completed a trade sending forward Kevin Fiala to the Los Angeles Kings. The return that the Wild received includes 2020 NHL Entry Draft second-rounder Brock Faber and the 19th overall pick in the upcoming 2022 NHL Draft.
Forward Kevin Fiala Traded
Fiala was mentioned in NHL rumors for some time. The Wild announced that they have completed the trade today. He completed a very successful season last year, collecting 33 goals and 52 assists while participating in all 82 games.
His reasonable one-year deal worth $5.1 million was expiring, and with his excellent statistics, he will be getting a good raise — Los Angeles gave Fiala a brand new seven-year, $55.3 million deal shortly after the trade was announced. The Wild were in a cap space nightmare due to $12.74 million dead cap hits. They had to buy out two contracts given out to Zach Parise and Ryan Suter, both worth $98 million over 13 years.
That left Minnesota just $6.59 million in cap space, and not enough to pay Fiala a well deserved new contract. Obviously, the dead cap contracts have hurt the Wild, and losing a key player was the result.
Around Full Press Hockey
MLB: Is Steph Curry An All-Time Top 10 Player?
Teams Were Pursuing Fiala
Several teams (including the Ottawa Senators, New York Islanders, and Detroit Red Wings) were interested in adding Fiala’s talents to their roster. In the end, the Kings won the sweepstakes. He will definitely be a good addition with his offensive abilities.
His 52 assists this past season show his playmaking is a valuable asset for his new team. His rewards have certainly been noticed, as he gets a well-deserved, elevated contract with the Kings.
More must-reads: