Wild sign forward Frederick Gaudreau to five-year extension

With sniper Matt Boldy held out on Thursday, Gaudreau became the only Minnesota player to dress for all 82 regular season games, no small achievement given the intensity of the Central Division.

Gaudreau has not quite replicated the scoring volume he provided in 2021-22, but the right-handed shot remains a slick operator who can provide supplementary offense (19G, 38P in 82GP).

A testament to Gaudreau’s smooth stick handling comes from his shootout record. His eight shootout tallies in 2022-23 led the league. He posted a 61.5 percent success rate.

Gaudreau only got his first full-time NHL look last season after years of big numbers in the minors and abridged big league stints with the Nashville Predators and Pittsburgh Penguins.

Wild coach Dean Evason convinced the team to take a chance on his longtime pupil with the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals. In long minutes with studs like Boldy, Kevin Fiala and Kirill Kaprizov, the veteran did not look out of place, notching 44 points in 76 games.

Gaudreau’s new contract should lift his spirits as the Wild prepare for a showdown with either the red-hot Dallas Stars or the defending champion Colorado Avalanche.

The Wild took a skeleton crew into a meaningless contest in Nashville as they steel themselves for the postseason, where Gaudreau celebrated with a pair of goals.