Wild lock up Faber with 8-year, $68M extension

The Minnesota Wild signed defenseman Brock Faber to an eight-year contract extension with an average annual value of $8.5 million, the team announced Monday.

Faber is entering the final year of his entry-level contract and the extension kicks in for the 2025-26 campaign.

The extension contains a no-movement clause and a 15-team no-trade clause after the fourth year, according to The Athletic's Michael Russo.

Faber was the Calder Trophy runner-up in 2023-24, tallying 47 points in 82 games while averaging 24:58 per contest - the sixth-highest mark among all NHL skaters. He had previously played eight NHL games, including playoffs.

His underlying numbers started strong but declined as the season wore on. His workload may have been a factor, as he had never played more than 56 games in a campaign entering 2023-24.

The Wild acquired Faber in the June 2022 trade that sent Kevin Fiala to Los Angeles. The Kings drafted Faber 45th overall in 2020.

Faber is a native of Maple Grove, Minnesota, and played his college hockey at the University of Minnesota.

The Wild's top four on defense are now locked in for the foreseeable future. Captain Jared Spurgeon ($7.575 million AAV), Jonas Brodin ($6 million), and Jake Middleton ($4.35 million) are each signed for at least the next three seasons.

Faber's extension coincides with the Wild gaining cap space. The Zach Parise and Ryan Suter buyouts count for $14.7 million combined against the cap this coming season before dropping to $1.66 million in the three following campaigns.