Brodziak braces for looming free agency

Kyle Brodziak enters the last year of his contract as a $3 million fourth-line forward on the Wild. This is a pivotal year in his career, but he also knows he'll have to endure the trade rumors that often come with pending free agents.

"I know it's a big year, and there's no getting around that," Brodziak said last week. "And it'll be tough to not think about that. But I think it'll be important to do my best not to think about the big picture.

"I understand [trade rumors are] part of the business. It was to a point where I probably expected something to happen this summer, but it didn't. I talked to [General Manager Chuck Fletcher] a little more than a month before camp, and he just said expect to come back here and to contribute, and that's what I'm focusing on now."

Two seasons ago, Brodziak suffered through a miserable lockout-shortened season, scoring eight goals in 48 games and being a minus-18. Last year, he rebounded defensively. Playing often against top lines, Brodziak's plus-minus was even. But he again scored eight goals, only in 81 games.

Brodziak is so positionally sound, he created oodles of offensive chances for himself. That made his missed chances even more glaring.

"Defensively, I was happy with the job we did as a line," Brodziak said. "Offensively is another story. I just couldn't seem to get over that confidence hurdle. I had a long summer to think about it. It's just something I have to improve. I feel it's starting to come, and I think it'll keep getting better.

"I wish I could have buried at least a handful more of the chances I had. It's tough to take when you sit back and think about it all summer and think, 'Why didn't I just take a second to relax and do it properly?' It's something I'll work on this year and try to get better every day."

"I don't want this idea that he's just slotted for that fourth hole," Yeo said. "We've seen him play some great hockey for us. We're talking about a guy that's got 20 goals in this league before and a guy who has played in every key situation for us against other team's top lines."

Asked how a player who clearly admits he lacks confidence offensively can improve, Yeo said, "That's the million-dollar question. All I know is the harder you work, the more confident you are, and I think he took care of step one by doing what he needed to do in the summer. I've seen superstars when things aren't going well go out and shoot 100 extra pucks after practice, so the more you do extra, the more you get into the game and feel like you're ready in those situations."

Newly-signed Ryan Carter is expected to debut Thursday on the right of Jason Zucker and Brodziak.

"He was awesome during that [2012] playoff run we had," said Wild winger Zach Parise, Carter's former teammate with the Devils. "Really competitive guy. Plays hard, plays gritty, the type of player you need to have in your bottom-six forwards. He's good on the PK. Just a responsible, solid all-around player.

"He's the type of player that sometimes when games are dull, your team's flat and you need a momentum shift, he's the type of guy who can give you a spark. He's going to fit in really well for what we need."

If he chooses to leave, the Wild can either assign him to Geneva with the ability to recall him or place him on unconditional waivers.