The Minnesota Wild announced late Monday that Mikko Koivu has agreed to a contract extension that will all but certainly keep in him a Wild sweater his entire career.
Koivu, 34, inked a two-year, $11 million extension. He was already signed through the 2017-18 season, so the new deal locks him up for 2018-19 ($6 million) and 2019-20 ($5 million).
The Wild drafted Koivu sixth overall in 2001 and he’s since racked up enough ice time to become the team’s all-time leader in games played, assists, points, shots on goal, power-play points, shorthanded points and multi-point games.
A key part of Koivu’s new deal is that it includes a no-move clause, according to Michael Russo, which means the Wild can’t trade him without his approval.
No-move clause in the Koivu extension
— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) September 19, 2017
Giving a mid-30s center a contract extension might come as a shock to some, but Koivu is coming off his best season in five years. He finished last season with 18 goals and 58 points while providing first-class defense while helping Mikael Granlund and Jason Zucker, among others, put up career seasons.
Minnesota plays six more preseason games between now and Sept. 30, then they get a handful of days to prepare for the regular season opener Oct. 5 at Detroit.
