From Friday's St. Paul Pioneer Press -
 
Among the four free agents the expansion Minnesota Wild have signed, the
highest paid will be goal-scoring forward Kai Nurminen of Finland. Nurminen,
insiders say, received a $200,000 signing bonus and first-year guaranteed
salary of $550,000. He has an $800,000 second-year salary at the team's
option.
 
The Wild gave Brendan Walsh of the University of Maine a $300,000 salary if
he plays in the NHL, a $40,000 salary if he plays in the minors, and a
$50,000 signing bonus. Cory Larose of Maine received a $400,000 base-pay NHL
contract from the Wild, with a $275,000 bonus and $50,000 salary in the
minors. University of St. Thomas star Steve Aronson ended up with a $200,000
signing bonus to be paid over two years, a $350,000 NHL salary and a $50,000
minor league salary.
 
While the Wild have signed four free agents, their expansion counterpart, the
Columbus Blue Jackets, have signed nine.
 
 
It's a decent bet the Wild, who will pick No. 3 overall in the June 23 NHL
amateur draft, will end up with wing Dany Heatley of the University of
Wisconsin, forward Marian Gaborik of Slovakia, goaltender Rick DiPietro of
Boston University or defenseman Rostislav Klesla of Brampton Battalion. Look
for the Wild to take Heatley if he is available.
 
 
 
 
Marc Kagan