Minnesota Wild: Odds That Each Pending UFA Gets a Contract Extension

3 years ago  /  The Hockey Writers  /  Read Time: 4 minutes 57 seconds

• After an eventful offseason, it appeared the plan would be to flip the pending unrestricted free agents for draft capital to help bolster their prospect pool.
• This leaves the question as to what the odds are that each pending UFA gets a contract extension.
• Nick Bjugstad, Marcus Johansson, Nick Bonino, Ian Cole, and Brad Hunt are all on the last year of their respective deals which makes this situation very complex with the Seattle Expansion Draft looming and the Wild’s cap crunch due to a plethora of contract extensions for the youth.
• Contract Extension Odds: The Wild’s depth down the middle is thin which is the reason whyBjugstad most likely has the highest odds to re-sign with the team.
• The latter is important to note because if they acquire a center in return, it will significantly decrease the chance Bjugstad gets an extension.
• Cons: The biggest con – which isn’t against Bjugstad – is the fact that the Wild would have to move an additional player even taking into account the other pending unrestricted free agents go to free agency given they have to open a spot up for Rossi and Boldy.
• Contract Extension Odds: The other pending free agent that has a legitimate chance of re-signing is Cole.
• Elliotte Friedman mentioned the possibility of an extension for Cole and I highlighted that in one of the latest Wild News & Rumors.
• Contract Extension Odds: The Hunt situation is a tough one to gauge and how the Wild deal with it will be very interesting going forward.
• Contract Extension Odds: Bonino has the second-lowest odds among the Wild’s pending free agents to get an extension.
• Contract Extension Odds: There is basically zero chance – borderline impossible – Johansson gets an extension.
• There is no doubt that the Seattle Expansion Draftand the possibility of acquiring a top-six center will have a big impact on if any pending free agents get a new deal

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