By Luke Sims -
Big David Jiricek comes with a small cap hit this season. However, if the defender hits like the Minnesota Wild thinks he can, his salary will soon match his size. Can the Wild afford it with the recent extensions they’ve given to Brock Faber and Jake Middleton, in addition to the expensive veterans already on the roster in Jared Spurgeon and Jonas Brodin?
Minnesota must answer that question after acquiring Jiricek. If the offensively-inclined defenseman performs in the way that Bill Guerin and the Wild hope, he will demand a large contract extension. As it stands, Jiricek is in Year 2 of his entry-level contract, which will pay him $918,333 for this season and the next. After the conclusion of the 2025-26 season, Jiricek will become a restricted free agent.
Jiricek’s salary isn’t a cap issue for the Wild. He’s also on a two-way contract, meaning he can freely move from Minnesota to Iowa without being subjected to waivers.
Minnesota’s top four are all signed for at least the next two seasons after this. Spurgeon’s deal ends after the 2026-27 season, one before Jiricek needs a new deal. So the Wild will not need to pay out big money to their defenders besides the small sum Declan Chisholm will get for his impressive play this season.
Zeev Buium may eventually squeeze Chisholm out of the left side of Minnesota’s defense, but that won’t affect Jiricek.
In the meantime, Minnesota must sign star winger Kirill Kaprizov and young center Marco Rossi. The Wild have their young core locked into long-term contracts, and the rest of the roster shouldn’t be expensive. Veterans like Mats Zuccarello, Marcus Johansson, and Zach Bogosian’s contracts will expire. However, due to their age and declining production, they won’t be back with the team or will sign a team-friendly contract.
Speedy youngsters Marat Khusnutdinov and Jakub Lauko are restricted free agents, and neither will demand hefty raises if the Wild decide to bring them back.
Guerin could trade for or sign expensive players. However, aside from that, goaltending is the only significant cost the Wild must account for on their current roster.
Filip Gustavsson is playing at a Vezina level, and the Wild must extend him if they want to keep Gustavsson and Jesper Wallstedt in net long-term. Gus has been a Jekyll and Hyde player, so who knows how he’ll play next season before his contract expires. However, if he plays like he has this season, that number will certainly be more than $3.75 million.
The NHL salary cap should rise as much as $9 million next season, giving the Wild more wiggle room to sign Kaprizov to an extension next summer. Minnesota could also use that money to extend Rossi and Gustavsson.
Add it all up, and the Wild should have about $74 million of their $97 million in cap space committed to 15 players, including most of their defensive core and both starting goalies (assuming Fleury retires). Rossi and Kaprizov take up $20 million of that, and Minnesota must fill out its roster, which leaves them with around $3 million to sign Jiricek to an extension.
Suppose the team waits to give him an extension until after his rookie deal expires. Then, they’ll have more wiggle room with nearly $6 million combined from Zuccarello and Bogosian coming off the books.
If Jiricek costs the Wild nearly $9 million, the team will be in great hands with the young Czechnian. However, if Jiricek flames out and does not live up to his potential, the Wild won’t have to worry about how much he’ll cost, just the big price they paid to acquire him.
Jircek’s cost also depends on his development. If he comes along slowly, he may not get a hefty contract like Faber’s. If the most likely scenario occurs, and Jiricek gets used to the defensive system, and his offensive game can also come along, he’ll get a bridge deal.
Jiricek reminds me a ton of St. Louis Blues defenseman Colton Parayko, and I see his time in Minnesota going similarly to Parayko’s early development. After his first two full seasons in the NHL, Parayko recorded 33 and 35 points, respectively, in back-to-back seasons. That led Blues general manager Doug Armstrong to offer his young 6’6” right-shot defender a five-year deal at $5.5 million AAV.
If the Wild's investment in Jiricek pays off and he becomes the dominating, physical, two-way, offensive force they hope he can be, they should have the money for him.
All stats and data via HockeyDB, Evolving Hockey, and Cap Wages unless otherwise noted.
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