SAINT PAUL, Minn. - Minnesota Wild General Manager Chuck Fletcher today announced the National Hockey League (NHL) club has agreed to terms with captain Mikko Koivu on a two-year, $11 million contract extension ($6 million in 2018-19 and $5 million in 2019-20 for a $5.5 million average annual value).
Koivu, 34 (3/12/83), totaled 58 points (18-40=58) and 34 penalty minutes (PIM) in 80 games during the 2016-17 regular season, ranking T-8th in the NHL with a career-high plus-27 rating. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound center ranked fifth in the NHL in faceoff wins (938), sixth in faceoffs taken (1,699) and 16th in faceoff win percentage (55.2%). The Turku, Finland, native also ranked T-16th amongst NHL forwards with a career-high 65 blocked shots and was named a finalist for the 2017 Frank J. Selke Trophy, awarded annually to the NHL forward who demonstrates the most skill in the defensive component of the game.
Koivu led Wild forwards and ranked T-29th amongst NHL forwards in TOI/game (19:07). The Wild captain ranked second on the club in assists, third in scoring and multi-point games (12), and T-3rd in game-winning goals (4) in 2016-17. His 58 points were the third-highest single-season point total of his career, his most since 2010-11, and his 18 goals were his highest single-season total since 2009-10 and fourth-highest of his career.
Koivu ranks first on the Wild's all-time lists in games played, assists, points, shots on goal, power-play points, shorthanded points and multi-point games, second in goals, shorthanded goals, game-winning goals and plus/minus rating, and third in PIM. He is the only player in team history to win at least 20 faceoffs in a game, a feat he has accomplished in 11 regular-season games in his career. Koivu is also the franchise leader in career Stanley Cup Playoff games and ranks T-1st in goals, second in scoring and shots on goal, and fourth in playoffs assists. He ranks T-3rd in the NHL with 17 game-deciding shootout goals and fourth with 41 career shootout goals. Koivu has played in 14 international tournaments for Finland including serving as captain at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. He was named the first full-time team captain in franchise history on Oct. 20, 2009. Koivu was originally selected by the Wild in the first round (sixth overall) of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft.