The Minnesota Wild has added seven more years of security at its blue line.
Defenseman Jared Spurgeon signed a seven-year contract extension Saturday afternoon worth $53,025,000. The contract, with a $7,575,000 million average annual value, will begin with the 2020-21 season and last through 2026-27.
Spurgeon signed as a free agent with the Wild nearly 10 years ago and has come a long way since then. The Edmonton native set career highs last season, scoring 14 goals and adding 29 assists while also tallying 91 hits. He also lead the team in blocked shots with 145.
At 5-foot-9 and 166 pounds, Spurgeon has flown under the radar ever since he was drafted in the sixth round (156th overall) by the Islanders in 2008. He is tied for 14th among NHL defenseman in power-play goals since the start of the 2015-16 season with 13 and tied for 17th in goals with 44 in the same time-frame. Since his NHL debut in 2010, he has 70 goals and 178 assists in his nine season career with the Wild.
Minnesota’s training camp started on Friday at TRIA Rink and will begin its preseason schedule at the Xcel Energy Center on Tuesday against the Dallas Stars. The 7:00 PM game can be heard on KFAN FM 100.3 and on iHeartRadio.