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Wild: Jon Merrill Signs Extension, Pitlick Claimed By Montreal

By Brandon Quast

Oct 6, 2021; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Wild defenseman Jon Merrill (4) looks on before the start of the game against the St. Louis Blues at Xcel Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: David Berding-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 6, 2021; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Wild defenseman Jon Merrill (4) looks on before the start of the game against the St. Louis Blues at Xcel Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: David Berding-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Mullet is staying in the State of Hockey. On Tuesday, the Minnesota Wild announced that the team has signed defenseman Jon Merrill to a 3-year contract extension worth $3.6 million with a very team friendly AAV of $1.2 million.

What does this extension mean for the Wild? It means that the team has secured Merrill’s services and that means a very solid 5th/6th defenseman. Merrill was signed in the off-season as part of the Wild’s defensive rebuild. Minnesota is Merrill’s 5th NHL team since being drafted in the 2nd round of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft by the New Jersey Devils. The veteran of 438 NHL games has made stops in Vegas, Detroit and Montreal along with playing for the Devils. Currently this season, Merrill owns 3 goals and 8 assists.

Montreal Claims Rem Pitlick

A lot of Wild fans were probably refreshing their twitter feeds this afternoon to see if Rem Pitlick who the Wild placed on Waivers yesterday cleared. Unfortunately he was claimed by the Montreal Canadiens. It was an unexpected move by the team but Pitlick began to be outplayed by rookie Connor Dewar and became a casualty of not being a fit where the Wild and Dean Evason wanted him.

Dean Evason didn’t discredit Pitlick at all when asked about him, in fact, he showed praise for the young forward.

“Rem’s played well in spurts” “He’s competed. He’s tried. It’s just a situation where we’re going to go in another direction”  – Dean Evason on Rem Pitlick

Jan 8, 2022; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Wild center Connor Dewar (52) shoots the puck against Washington Capitals goalie Zach Fucale (60) in the first period at Xcel Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 8, 2022; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Wild center Connor Dewar (52) shoots the puck against Washington Capitals goalie Zach Fucale (60) in the first period at Xcel Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports /

That other direction? Meet Connor Dewar. When the Wild claimed Pitlick off waivers at the beginning of the season, it not only provided them temporary depth, but bought them time to have guys like Connor Dewar and Matt Boldy see games in Iowa and gain experience and as far as it’s concerned now, that has paid off for both Dewar and Boldy.

“Connor Dewar’s played extremely well since coming up” – Evason on Connor Dewar

It does appear that we’ll be seeing a lot more of Dewar and Boldy as Michael Russo reported that the Wild want both of them playing on the main roster.

“Connor Dewar’s played extremely well since coming up” – Evason on Connor Dewar

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