Minnesota Wild 2025 NHL free agency grades for every signing

The Wild also brought back one of their major prospects this offseason. He is currently the 12th-ranked prospect in their system, and will be back on a one-year two-way contract paying him $775,000 when he is with the NHL club. The Abbotsford, British Columbia, native played four years in the WHL before being drafted in 2022 by the Wild.

He has spent three seasons with the Iowa Wild, improving each year. The Canadian forward is coming off his best season, playing 60 games, with 15 goals and 11 assists. He would also make his NHL debut this year, playing one game in Minnesota.

He has turned into a solid contributor for the AHL squad, playing on both the penalty kill and powerplay. If he can continue to develop, he will get another contract next summer.

Michael Milne contract grade: B-

Goaltender Cal Petersen joins the Wild

With the retirement of Fleury, the Wild need a new backup netminder. One option is Jesper Wallstedt. He struggled in his two games at the NHL level this year, and also was not great in the AHL this past season. Still, he has shown promise in the AHL since being drafted 20th overall in 2021 by the Wild. If he does not pan out, Minnesota has brought in insurance with Petersen.

After playing his college career at Notre Dame, he would join the Los Angeles Kings organization. The Iowa native would make his NHL debut with the Kings in the 2018-19 season, going 5-4-1 with a 2.60 goals-against average and a .924 save percentage. He would become LA’s backup goaltender for two years before returning to the AHL in the 2022-23 season.

That summer, he would be traded to the Philadelphia Flyers, and he last played in the NHL in 2023-24, playing five games.

While he showed promise early in his career, he has not been great in recent years. Still, at a cost of just $775,000, he is a solid insurance plan if Wallstedt does not work out.

Cal Petersen contract grade: B-

Minnesota signs Nicolas Aube-Kubel to a one-year deal

Aube-Kubel joins the squad after finishing the year with the New York Rangers last season. He broke into the NHL with the Flyers, and would also be with the Colorado Avalanche when they won the Cup in 2022. The Canadian forward may be best known for denting the Stanley Cup during the celebration. He has not been able to carve out consistent playing time at the NHL level. Still, he has 304 games of experience, with 32 goals and 48 assists.

At nearly 30 years old, he is no longer a prospect, but with the NHL experience he has, and on a two-way contract worth league minimum, the forward is a solid depth piece to have on the AHL roster.

Nicolas Aube-Kubel contract grade: B-

Matt Kiersted gets a two-year contract from the Wild

Kiersted got a two-year, two-way contract from the Wild worth $775,000 at the NHL level. After playing at the University of North Dakota, he has been with the Florida Panthers organization. He has been a solid defender at the AHL level, but has not seen a lot of NHL time. He has played 39 games for the Panthers and is seen as a bottom-six defender overall. The blue liner is another solid depth piece, but doesn’t move the needle much.

Matt Kiersted contact grade: C

Forward Tyler Pitlick joins the franchise

Pitlick was once regarded as a top 20 prospect in the Edmonton Oilers system, but he has not turned into that level of player. He has spent time with eight different NHL teams, playing 420 NHL games with 109 points.  Still, he has not played in the NHL since the end of the 2023-24 season with the Rangers. He is a physical player who brings good size and effort to his game. Overall, this is an inexpensive call-up player if the Wild need someone in a bind.

Tyler Pitlick contract grade: C+

Ben Gleason looks to break into the NHL with the Wild

Gleason joined the Dallas Stars organization as an undrafted free agent in the summer of 2018. That season, he would play four games with the Stars, registering an assist. That was the last time that the defender saw NHL ice. He has been in the AHL since, being part of both the Oilers and Flyers organizations. The Michigan native is coming in under a one-year deal with a two-way contract. He moves the puck well and is a solid skater.

Still, this is most likely one of his last shots to make an NHL roster. His offensive ability makes him attractive, but he struggles to take command of the defensive zone and will get pulled out of position at times. With just six defenders under contract at the NHL level, he could see some time on the Wild roster this year.

Ben Gleason contract grade: C

The Wild sign a former Stanley Cup champion

Nico Sturm is returning to the team that brought him into the NHL. The German forward began his career with the Wild in the 2018-19 season. He has never been an overly productive player, with his best season being with the San Jose Sharks in 2022-23. That year, he had 14 goals with 12 assists. He would be traded to the Panthers during the season this year, winning his second Cup, after winning with the Avalanche in 2022. At a cost of $2 million per season, he does not bring the production that warrants that type of contract. While he brings playoff experience, this was still a steep price to pay.

Nico Sturm contract grade: D

Final grade on the Minnesota Wild’s 2025 free agency signings

This offseason may be more about what the Wild did not do than what they did. Bringing back Johansson was a solid move. Further, if Wallstedt does not pan out at the NHL level, Petersen will need to step up to be Gustavsson’s backup, something he has been hit-and-miss at in his career.

The team has yet to find a solution to the Rossi situation, and there is little end in sight there. The Wild were in a position to build on last season, but fell flat this summer. If the signings do work out, and the Wild win the Cup, just keep it away from Aube-Kubel.

Overall grade for the Wild’s 2025 free agency Class: C+