Minnesota Wild

The Minnesota Wild signed goaltender Josh Harding to a 3-year $5.7 Million contract extension Tuesday. Harding would have become a unrestricted free agent next month. The 28-year old Harding has been a backup throughout his NHL career behind 34-year old Niklas Backstrom. Backstrom is entering the final year of his contract and will turn 35 in February.

The Minnesota Wild signed goaltender Johan Gustafsson to a 3-year entry level contract. The Wild made that announcement Thursday giving them 5 picks from the 2010 draft under contract. The 20-year old Gustafsson had a 1.68 goals against average and a .932 save percentage in the Swedish Elite League this season.

The Minnesota Wild have signed top prospect Mikael Granlund to a 3-year $2.7 Million contract. The contract includes $90,000 in bonus money annually. He is ranked as the #2 overall prospect in the Hockey News Future Watch. Granlund scored 40 points in 43 games as a 17-year old in the Finnish Elite League. As a 19-year old last season he led the HIFK in regular season scoring.

The Minnesota Wild signed defenseman Clayton Stoner to a 2-year contract extension worth $2.1 Million. The 27-year old had 1 goal and 4 assists in 51 games with the Wild in 2011-2012. Stoner was a 3rd round pick by the Wild in 2004.

The Minnesota Wild have announced that current Wild players Nate Prosser and Jason Zucker will be coming to St. Cloud Wednesday June 27 as part of the Minnesota Wild road tour. Prosser is a defenseman from Elk River, Minnesota and Zucker is a rookie from Denver. The Wild road tour will stop at the MAC for a meet and greet, an oppportunity for fans to receive autographs and for fans participate in pedal cart races.

The Minnesota Wild did not win the NHL draft lottery Tuesday night. Edmonton won the lottery for a 3rd straight season. The Wild had a 4.7% chance of moving up to as high as #3 in the NHL draft. The draft is considered defenseman heavy in the top ten of the first round.

The Minnesota Wild gave up 2 first period goals and lost 4-1 at home to Phoenix Saturday night to close the 2011-2012 season. Dany Heatley scored the lone Minnesota goal and Niklas Backstrom had 24 saves. Heatley's goal is his 24th.

The Minnesota Wild won 2-1 in an overtime shootout Thursday night. Devin Setoguchi scored the lone goal in the shootout and Cal Clutterbuck scored the lone Minnesota goal in regulation. Josh Harding had 22 saves for Minnesota. Shots were even at 23.

The Wild lost 2-1 in an overtime shootout at Nashville Tuesday night. Dany Heatley scored the lone Minnesota goal and Niklas Backstrom had 23 saves. The loss ends a 3-game win streak for the Wild. Minnesota outshot Nashville 26-24. The Wild are 34-35-11 and they have 2 games left.

The Minnesota Wild beat Chicago 5-4 in an overtime shootout Sunday night in Chicago. Devin Setoguchi scored the game-winning goal in the shootout and finished with a goal and 2 assists in regulation. Clayton Stoner, Dany Heatley and Kyle Brodziak each scored a goal in regulation. Josh Harding had 31 saves for Minnesota.