The Minnesota Wild signed one of their best players to a huge contract in NHL Free Agency. Brock Faber inked an eight-year contract extension with the Wild ahead of the 2024-25 season. This new contract kicks in before the start of the 2025-26 campaign.
Faber called this new deal a “dream” for him, and it's easy to see why. He is set to make $8.5 million a season through the life of this contract. Despite having only one full NHL season under his belt, Wild general manager Bill Guerin felt comfortable investing this much financial capital into his young defenseman.
“This is a different game now, a different generation, a different way of doing business,” Guerin said, via The Athletic's Joe Smith. “It’s really important you have to do a lot of work to make sure who you’re identifying as your foundation guys.”
Brock Faber had an otherworldly performance for Wild
Brock Faber had some buzz around him before his trade from the Los Angeles Kings. However, the buzz reached a fever pitch after the deal that saw Kevin Fiala leave Minnesota. Faber completed his rookie season in the league in 2023-24, and what a season it was.
Faber played the fifth most minutes of any defenseman in the NHL, according to Evolving Hockey. His 1.8 WAR landed him in the top 30 defensemen in the NHL. Additionally, he ranked within the top 35 in the league for defensive goals above replacement.
Faber immediately came in and was a difference-maker. It's hard to deny the impact he had on the Wild, especially as they dealt with injuries on the backend. Guerin acknowledged that things are much different from when he played. And that factored into his decision to give Faber an eight-year contract.
“When I was going through (my playing career), I was going through 10 years and (at age) 31 you can sign your big deal. But your prime years are behind you. I’d much rather have a guy Brock’s age on an eight-year deal than a 31-year-old guy,” Guerin said, via Smith.
Faber turns 22 later this month. This contract will take him through his age 30 season. There is a lot of room for the Wild rearguard to get even better than he already is. And for Guerin, that helps offset any potential risk involved in this deal.
“He’s not even in his prime yet. He’s only played one year. But it was so good. He’s shown he’s mature enough to handle it. He’s shown he’s going to keep on getting better. So, yeah, he’s worth the risk,” the Minnesota general manager said, via Smith.
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