The Wild have made some progress in discussions with RFA winger Kevin Fiala, reports Michael Russo of The Athletic (subscription link). While the 25-year-old didn’t file for arbitration, Minnesota opted to elect to take him to a hearing earlier this month, a move that teams don’t often make as it gives Fiala the right to elect an award that would walk him to unrestricted free agency if he wanted. However, it ensures that he’ll be signed long before training camp. Fiala is coming off a 20-goal, 40-point season that has him well-positioned to earn a sizable raise on the $3 million average annual value he had on his bridge deal. Submissions to the arbitrator will be required on Sunday with the hearing scheduled for Aug. 17, so they’ll need to work quickly to get something done.
More from the Central:
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!