Tuesday the Wild signed G Niklas Backstrom to a 4-year contract extension, reportedly worth $24 M. I have mixed feelings. I thought that Backstrom was really the only asset the Wild have at the trade deadline and that they could deal him for some offense in return. Add Marian Gaborik back from injury to that offense, and you might have a new force for a playoff run. You can read my great GM mind published here in a guest bit on Cycle Like the Sedins. But given that Wild GM Doug Reisbrough would never pull the trigger on a deal like that, I guess the next best scenario is signing Backstrom to a contract that keeps him here for a few years. At least he will not be leaving for nothing.

Initially after seeing the terms I thought that’s actually not a bad price to pay…it’s not an overly-aggressive deal. Then I read that it makes him the fourth-highest paid goaltender in the NHL. His stats certainly put him in that category. Pretty good for a guy signed two years ago as a nobody from Finland to be Manny Fernandez’s backup.