Mats Zuccarello Signs Five-Year, $30 Million Contract With Wild

Zuccarello scored 40 points between the Rangers and Stars last season, and notched another 11 in the postseason for Dallas.

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Mats Zuccarello is heading to Minnesota.

The 31-year-old winger signed a five-year, $30 million contract with the Wild, with a $6 million AAV, the team announced.

Zuccarello was a deadline acquisition for the Stars back in February when he was sent from the Rangers, a move that tugged at the heartstrings of many when goalie Henrik Lundqvist choked up discussing the trade that sent his longtime friend across the country. Zuccarello played for the Stars the next day, but was injured while blocking a shot in the second period and didn’t finish the game. He missed several weeks to close out the season, coming back once but again not finishing, but recorded four goals and 11 points in 11 playoff games for Dallas. The Norwegian has 114 goals and 355 points in 511 career games in the NHL.

Had Dallas re-signed Zuccarello this offseason, it would have lost a conditional first-round pick to the Rangers. With this being the first time the veteran winger has ever been able to test unrestricted free agency in his 10-season career, the move to not re-sign benefited both parties, with Dallas reportedly nabbing Joe Pavelski and Corey Perry instead.

Minnesota also signed winger Ryan Hartman to a two-year, $3.8 million dollar deal. Hartman was traded to the Stars last week from the Flyers, a move he may not have immediately known about after declaring on Twitter that he was going off the grid for a bit. Hartman tweeted an update a few days later saying he was in contact with his agent, but the Stars didn’t tender a qualifying offer to Hartman, making him a UFA.

It’s also rumored that the Wild could be trading Jason Zucker away sometime this offseason, with several teams interested in the 27-year-old winger.