The Minnesota Wild have re-signed free agent forward Kevin Fiala to a 2-year contract worth $6 million, or $3 million per season. This contract carries him through the 2020-2021 season.
The Kevin Fiala saga is over…Re-signed with a $3M AAV (two years, $6 million). All #mnwild players are in the fold
— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) September 11, 2019
Kevin Fiala Re-signs With the Wild
Fiala has played for the Nashville Predators and the Minnesota Wild in his five-year NHL career. He has put up 48 goals and 56 assists for 104 career points in 223 career games. Nashville originally drafted him in the first round, 11th overall of the 2014 NHL Draft. The Swiss forward was traded at the deadline for Mikael Granlund.
Last season he scored 13 goals and 26 assists for 39 points in 83 games. He also added 36 minutes in penalties. His possession numbers were 52.7 percent Corsi and a relative Corsi of 1.5.
He had three goals and four assists after he came to the Wild. The 22-year-old was reunited with general manager Paul Fenton, who worked in the Predators’ front office.
His career-best in goals was 23 in the 2017-18 season with the Predators. He also netted three post-season goals in 12 playoff games.
The St. Gallen, Switzerland native has also represented his country twice at the World Junior Championships and four times at the IIHF World Championships.
What This Means for the Future
Fiala never really seemed to find his footing in Nashville. He showed glimpses of his great play at times, but never could sustain it. There were times he’d be in the top six, but he wasn’t a prolific scorer like Viktor Arvidsson or Filip Forsberg.
He still has the skills to be an effective and NHL player with great playmaking ability. Fiala is still a solid skater that competes for every puck. His lack of physical play may hold him back, but he is still useful to the Wild. Minnesota needs players that can put pucks in the net and he can do that.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 29: Kevin Fiala #22 of the Minnesota Wild celebrates with teammates on the bench after scoring a second-period power-play goal against the Vegas Golden Knights during their game at T-Mobile Arena on March 29, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Wild defeated the Golden Knights 3-2. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
