Wild working on new deal for GM

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Wild are one of the 14 teams that missed the NHL playoffs. Again.

But owner Craig Leipold is adamantly optimistic that he won’t be watching the postseason on television again next year.

Leipold said he’s working on a contract extension for general manager Chuck Fletcher, who has one more year left on his original deal.

“Chuck’s team is coming in next year. The guys who his people have scouted, who his people have drafted, who he has developed are these great, young prospects,” Leipold said, “the next couple of years are going to be really proud years.”

Leipold bought the team midway through the 2007-08 season. That was the last time the Wild made the playoffs. But there is a heralded group of forwards turning pro this year, recent high draft picks like Mikael Granlund, Charlie Coyle, Zack Phillips, Jason Zucker, Brett Bulmer and Johan Larsson who should significantly upgrade the talent pool in the system.

“We’re selling the excitement of these young guys and hopefully this summer we’ll make some moves and we’ll sell the moves that we make this summer,” Leipold said.

The Wild’s season-ticket base is down to the equivalent of around 12,000 seats, but Leipold said he’s confident that number will be moving back toward an ideal 16,000.

“We aren’t going to sit still this summer. We’ll do something, whether it’s playing in the free agency market or talking to some other teams about doing some trades,” Leipold said.

Tags: sports, wild, hockey, nhl