The second his name was on a contract for him to sign, Alex Goligoski was crowned as one of the Minnesota Wild’s top defensemen. Not in terms of actual ability on the ice, but with just a one-year, $5-million contract signed (and a somewhat lucrative verbal agreement to have a multi-year extension with less salary if everything works out) it seems that he’s going to take over the role next to captain Jared Spurgeon in the top four.
A predictable pairing if there ever was one, the two now veteran defenders can cooperate in a fresh version of the pairing with Spurgeon and Ryan Suter had together, before the latter was bought out of the final four years of his contract, alongside friend Zach Parise.