Wild defenseman Nick Schultz was hoping to land a long-term contract this summer, but he settled for a one-year deal worth $1.85 million Monday.
Schultz, a steady and durable defenseman, signed three days before his scheduled arbitration hearing and can become an unrestricted free agent next summer. Schultz made $1.1875 million last season.
The fact that Schultz signed only a one-year deal raises the possibility that this could be his final season with the Wild. Schultz, who turns 25 next month, said he enjoys playing in Minnesota but said "the ball is in their court" with regards to his future beyond this season.
"When it comes time for them to show whether they want to keep me or not, the ball is in their court now," Schultz said. "They just wanted me for one year this year instead of signing me long-term. That was their decision. I guess we'll see come next year what their plans are."
Assistant General Manager Tom Lynn said a one-year deal made more sense for the team right now because the price for defensemen jumped considerably this offseason. Lynn indicated the team likely will pursue a long-term deal with Schultz after the season.
"It was probably reflective of the current market," Lynn said. "This summer, a lot of defensemen were getting a lot of the extra money in the market with the [salary] cap going up, so it wasn't the right time for the team to look at it. It doesn't mean we wouldn't next year. I'm sure we'll try to next year."
Schultz, the team's second-round pick in 2000, became the first Wild defenseman to appear in all 82 games last season and led the team in blocked shots (141). He ranks third in team history in plus-minus rating (plus-25).
"It's been awesome for me in Minnesota, and it does seem like I've been there a long time," Schultz said. "Minnesota is a great place to play. If I can play there my whole career. I would love to. ... Obviously they weren't interested in doing something long-term, so we'll go with the one year."
Chip Scoggins • ascoggins@startribune.com
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