Minnesota Wild Secure Defenseman Marek Zidlicky With Three-Year Contract

The Minnesota Wild have signed defenseman Marek Zidlicky to a three-year deal worth $12 million, according to TSN. The 33-year-old has been the team's best offensive rearguard with five goals and 36 points in 60 games this year.

Buddha from Hockey Wilderness is satisfied with Zidlicky's re-signing:

My thoughts are as follows, and this may not be the popular opinion. Zidlicky is an excellent offensive d-man. He is no Mike Green, but he is the record setter for points by a defenseman in team history, with 21 games still to play. The $4 million per year cap hit is the current going rate for a player of his ilk. Fletcher signed a good player to a good deal. He did not over pay, and he did not over sign for term, either.

Russo says the no trade clause is for the first half of the deal, which is fair, I guess. I hate NTCs, but if it is what it took to get the deal done, so be it.

Let's face it. Zidlicky is a better offensive d-man than any other guy on the team, save for Barker, who is a relative unknown right now. Burns may come around, still, but I have my doubts. He fits the system perfectly. Sure, his defense is lacking, but so is every offensive d-man. Guess what though? He isn't Martin Skoula, and he is not making nearly $5 million per like Kim Johnsson was.

I was certainly hoping to see him get traded. Not because I don't like Zids, but because I wanted to see what Fletcher could get for him. With second round picks flying around for mediocre d-men, it would have been interesting to see what the package was.

Alas, we shall never know. Welcome back, Zids.