The pipeline that supplies the Wild with reinforcements from the minors will have new options, including Tyler Pitlick, after the team made multiple depth additions in free agency.
Minnesota also brought in Cal Petersen as its third goaltender on a one-year, one-way deal for $775,000 and signed forward Bradley Marek to a one-year, entry-level contract.
Pitlick, who played at Centennial High School and Minnesota State Mankato, is coming off a 59-game season with Boston’s American Hockey League team, scoring 21 goals and assisting on 25 others. The 33-year-old signed a two-way deal for two years ($775,000/$300,000 in 2025-26 and $775,000/$350,000 in 2026-27).
In 10 NHL seasons with Edmonton, Dallas, Philadelphia, Arizona, Calgary, Montreal, St. Louis and the New York Rangers, Pitlick has 56 goals and 53 assists in 420 games. He was a second-round pick by the Oilers in 2010 and left MSU after his freshman season to play a year with Medicine Hat in the Western Hockey League before signing a pro contract.
Petersen, 30, went 13-15-3 with a 3.14 goals-against average and .885 save percentage in 31 games last season with Philadelphia’s AHL affiliate. He’s 92-98-30 in 215 career AHL games and 46-44-10 in the NHL with Los Angeles and Philadelphia. The Notre Dame alum has also represented the United States at three world championships, including in 2021 when Petersen was named the tournament’s best goaltender.
Marek was with Iowa last season on an AHL deal, the 24-year-old tallying eight goals and five assists in 50 games after stints with San Jose’s affiliate, in the ECHL and at Ferris State University.
Forward Nicolas Aube-Kubel ($775,000/$500,000) and defenseman Ben Gleason ($800,000/$475,000) signed one-year, two-way contracts, while Elk River defenseman Matt Kiersted is on a two-year, two-way deal ($775,000/$450,000).
Aube-Kubel split last season between Buffalo, the New York Rangers and each organization’s minor league team.
