Minnesota fans worried: Kevin Fiala is playing too well

Minnesota fans worried

Fiala plays too well

Kevin Fiala’s contract expires at the end of the season. And the eastern Swiss is currently playing so well that the Minnesota Wild will soon no longer be able to afford it.

Published: 8:05 p.m

Updated: 8:06 p.m

Maybe the wedding with his Swedish partner Jessica in mid-January inspired him. Because after a discreet start to the season, Kevin Fiala has come up trumps ever since. In the last 15 games he has scored nine goals and registered ten assists and developed excellent chemistry with young US star Matt Boldy (20).

The Swiss NHL scorer list

1. Josi (Nashville) 50 Spiele/14 Tore/39 Assists/53 Punkte
2. Meier (San Jose) 46/23/29/52
3. Fiala (Minnesota) 49/17/26/43
4. Hischier (New Jersey) 45/14/19/33
5.Niederreiter (Carolina) 44/15/11/26
6. Suter (Detroit) 52/11/12/23
7. Kurashev (Chicago) 45/4/10/14
8. Siegenthaler (New Jersey) 51/0/10/10
9. Moser (Arizona) 24/3/6/9
10. Kukan (Columbus) 19/3/4/7
11. Hofmann (ex Columbus) 24/2/5/7
12. Bartschi (Las Vegas) 1/0/0/0
Stand: February 25, 2022

Swiss NHL top scorer: Roman Josi.

keystone-sda.ch

1. Josi (Nashville) 50 Spiele/14 Tore/39 Assists/53 Punkte
2. Meier (San Jose) 46/23/29/52
3. Fiala (Minnesota) 49/17/26/43
4. Hischier (New Jersey) 45/14/19/33
5.Niederreiter (Carolina) 44/15/11/26
6. Suter (Detroit) 52/11/12/23
7. Kurashev (Chicago) 45/4/10/14
8. Siegenthaler (New Jersey) 51/0/10/10
9. Moser (Arizona) 24/3/6/9
10. Kukan (Columbus) 19/3/4/7
11. Hofmann (ex Columbus) 24/2/5/7
12. Bartschi (Las Vegas) 1/0/0/0
Stand: February 25, 2022

As much as the Minnesota Wild fans are excited about Fiala’s performances, they are also concerned. Because with every goal, the market value of the eastern Swiss, who extended his contract last summer by just one year (for $ 5.1 million) and thus bet on himself, increases.

It could now take revenge that Minnesota did not want to bind Fiala in the long term because they were not completely convinced of him. Because the number foxes from “The Athletic” have calculated a market value of 8.7 million dollars per year in their models for Fiala. Minnesota, even with the best will in the world, cannot afford such an amount.

Past sins weigh heavily

Because the club from St. Paul pays for sins from the past. Prior to the season, veteran stars Ryan Suter and Zach Parise, who were brought in on pension contracts in 2012, were paid off. Still, the duo is charging the salary cap bill by over $12 million each for the next three seasons. In addition, the gifted Russian Kirill Kaprissow (9 million annually until 2026) had to be paid what he earned.

That’s why the wild fans are worried about Fiala. Although the 25-year-old cannot sign as a restricted free agent with any other NHL club, he can win a contract with Minnesota that is in line with the market before an arbitral tribunal. Bill Guerin, the general manager of the Wild, cannot take that risk. That’s why he should have to swap Fiala or another star by summer at the latest. According to “The Athletic”, the Ottawa Senators had been interested in Fiala several times in the past.

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