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Minnesota Wild Sign “Monster” 2026 Draft Pick
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- Minnesota Wild Sign “Monster” 2026 Draft Pick
Allan Walsh (@walsha - X)
The Minnesota Wild selected only three players during the 2026 NHL Draft, and the first one did not come until round three, when they selected center Adam Andersson (Leksands IF – Sweden) with No. 83 overall pick.
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They drafted another forward in the fourth round, Kaden Lemire (Prince George Cougars – WHL), before taking massive 6'8″ Czechian goalie Filip Ruzicka in the fifth round with pick No. 137.
Minnesota Wild sign 5th Rd draft pick Filip Ruzicka
While Ruzicka may have been the last of the three 2026 Minnesota Wild draft picks selected on day two of the NHL Draft last week, he became the first to sign a contract Tuesday, a three-year entry-level deal.
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We have signed goaltender Filip Ruzicka to a three-year, entry-level contract starting with the 2026-27 season
More details » https://t.co/8KtgGZ7eNO pic.twitter.com/p8pmgY1fy1— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) July 14, 2026
The #MNWild signed '26 #137 Filip Ruzicka to a three year ELC
$987.5K Cap Hit/AAV
Yr 1: $850K NHL, $87.5K Signing Bonus, $87.5K Minors
Yr 2: $900K/$87.5K/$87.5K
Yr 3: $950K/$87.5K/$87.5K
Rep'd by Allan Walsh @OctagonHockey https://t.co/Kj8QZiTaVb— PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) July 14, 2026
Related: Minnesota Wild Ink Remaining RFA's
Ruzicka, 18, played in 42 games last year with the Brandon Wheat Kings , of the Western Hockey League (WHL), where he posted a 3.19 GAA and .906 save %.
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In four playoff games last year, Filip Ruzicka stepped up for the What Kings in a big way, holding opponents to 2.47 goals per game while posting an impressive .936 save percentage.
In 2026, the 5th round pick will return to Brandon for his second season in net for the Wheat Kings, according to Michael Russo (The Athletic) before he and the MN Wild discuss the youngster's next steps as a professional hockey player.
The @mnwild just got a little taller…6'7" Filip Ruzicka is ready to guard the crease ❌ #mnwild | @bdnwheatkings | #NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/YJ5RDcTBI1
— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) June 27, 2026
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