The Minnesota Wild, only days after signing forward Charlie Coyle to a five-year contract extension and defenseman Jonas Brodin for 6-years, may now be taking care of another bit of in-house business by resigning center Mikael Grandlund, according to Michael Russo of The Star Tribune.
22-year-old Granlund is on the final year of his three-year entry-level deal and would be a restricted free agent next season was he to see the end of it. He is currently on the books for $2.1 million this season.
Granlund's agent, Todd Diamond confirmed that, while there is serious interest on both sides to get a deal done, the eventual extension won't be nearly as long as Coyle's or Brodin's.
"We feel a shorter term works in favor of both sides in a completely respectful manner," Diamond told me. "Now we're just trying to plug in the right numbers that satisfy both sides. Right now we're both searching for the right answer. Eventually we'll get there.
"I can't tell you if it's going to be Monday or one week or one month or six months, but eventually we will get there."
The shorter pact - a so-called "bridge deal" - would allow the team to monitor Grandlund's growth and health - he has a history of concussions - while simultaneously allowing the player to cash in in the not-too-distant future, should he continue on his current pace of production.
"I love this organization. I've been really enjoying my time here. I think this team is going to just get better. We're going to have great years ahead of us," Granlund told Russo earlier in the week.
Granlund also notes that there is almost no chance of negotiations turning contentious, a la Ryan Johansen and the Columbus Blue Jackets.
"But this is hardly a contentious negotiation," writes Granlund. "It's just going to be a bridge deal because if Granlund piles up the points in a short-term new deal, the bigger deal will come in the third contract. It'll also allow the Wild to monitor his health."
"The only deadline would be next training camp, but Mikael is not the type of person that would want to use that as leverage at all," Diamond said. "That position would be uncomfortable and painful for him and wouldn't really serve any purpose, so we obviously intend and hope to have it done well before then."
