Wild re-sign Daemon Hunt to one-year contract

The Minnesota Wild and Daemon Hunt have agreed on a one-year, $900,000 deal on Sunday, just hours ahead of the defenseman having to decide whether to file for arbitration, according to The Athletic’s Michael Russo.

According to PuckPedia, if Hunt plays 35 NHL games next season, he’ll be a restricted free agent in July 2027. If not, he’ll be a Group 6 unrestricted free agent (must be 25 years old or older when the contract is expired; play less than 80 NHL games, at least three professional seasons).

Hunt is coming off a one-year, $775,000 RFA deal he signed in August 2025.

Hunt, 24, appeared in 32 games with the Wild in 2025-26, where he recorded six assists and averaged 12:26 of ice time. He also played in 48 games with the American Hockey League’s Cleveland Monsters, where he had two goals and 12 assists for 14 points.

In parts of three NHL seasons, Hunt, a native of Brandon, Man., has seven assists in 45 career games. In four AHL games, they had eight goals and 51 assists for 59 points in 173 career games.

Hunt was taken by Minnesota in the third round of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. He spent parts of five seasons in the Western Hockey League, where he scored 33 goals and recorded 61 assists for 94 points in 163 career regular-season games with the Moose Jaw Warriors. He served as captain for his final two WHL seasons.