Wild sign Jared Spurgeon to 7-year, $53.025-million extension

The Minnesota Wild have signed defenceman Jared Spurgeon to a seven-year, contract extension worth upwards of $53 million, the team announced Saturday.

Spurgeon’s career in Minnesota began as a free agent when he accepted a training-camp invite before the 2010-11 season. He’s since played 591 regular season games with the club, netting 70 goals and 248 points, adding another 17 in the post-season.

He is entering the final year of a four-year, $20.75 million contract coming off a record-setting 2018-19 campaign that paved the way for his massive extension. Spurgeon set career-highs in goals, assists, points, hits and shots on goal last year.

The Athletic’s Michael Russo spoke to new Wild general manager Bill Guerin before he made his first big signing in office.

“These are the type of people we want to play for the Minnesota Wild. Character is huge to me, and this guy epitomizes that and you just don’t let guys like that go.” Guerin said.

Fellow defenceman Ryan Suter echoed the character that Spurgeon adds.

“Spurge is just a good person. Obviously he’s a good player, a good skater, but even more important, he’s a good guy.” Suter told Russo on Saturday. “It’s exciting to see for him and it couldn’t happen to a better guy.”

Spurgeon’s $7,575,000 million average annual value is the highest in Wild history.

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