The Wild has agreed to terms with center/winger Ryan Carter on a one-year, two-way contract.
Carter, who hails from White Bear Lake and played at Mankato, will be paid $725,000 in the NHL or $350,000 in the minors. But he was signed to play with the big club. It's clear the Wild look at him as a better fourth-line option than Cody Almond or Stephane Veilleux, who were both placed on waivers today.
The Wild actually offered Carter a one-way contract, I'm told, but Carter chose the two-way for slightly more money because if it doesn't pan out here, he can be placed on waivers and potentially picked up by somebody. One other team wanted to sign Carter, and so did Jersey, but the Devils don't have the room.
Here is a feature I wrote on Carter, a hero in the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals, a few years back.
He'll practice the next two days and likely make his Wild debut Thursday against the Colorado Avalanche. He has gone through an entire training camp with the Devils.
Carter, who had 10 points in 62 games last season with New Jersey, has scored 31 goals and 68 points in 360 games with Anaheim, Carolina, Florida and New Jersey.
He can play both center and wing and is a hard-working, good-skating checking role player. He finishes checks, can kill penalties and plays a responsible game. And as you can see in that feature, he has been good in the playoffs before.
When Justin Fontaine comes off IR, the Wild will have to make another roster move now.
