Wild sign Filip Růžička to three-year, entry-level contract

The Minnesota Wild signed 2026 draft pick Filip Růžička to a three-year, entry-level contract, PuckPedia reported Monday.

According to PuckPedia, Růžička will carry an annual cap hit of $987,500 through the 2028-29 season. At the NHL level, he will make $850,000 in year one, $900,000 in year two and $950,000 in year three. In the minors, he’ll earn $87,500 annually and receive a signing bonus of $87,500 each year.

The Wild selected Ruzicka with the 137th overall pick in the fifth round of June’s draft.

Růžička, a 6-foot-7, 230-pound netminder, spent the 2025-26 season with the Brandon Wheat Kings in the Western Hockey League. In 42 appearances, he went 26-14-1 with a .906 save percentage (SV%) and 3.19 goals against average (GAA).

He also appeared in four WHL playoff games, where he posted a .936 SV% and 2.47 GAA.

Last May, Daily Faceoff prospect analyst Steven Ellis put Růžička in his top “big guy” prospects for the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. He wrote that the goaltending prospect is capable of big-game performances.

“Růžička is extremely competitive and does a good job of keeping himself square to shooters. You won’t find many shots trickling in slowly past the Czech keeper – he seals holes as well as anyone,” Ellis wrote.

“But the one thing that concerns me is that he can be a bit too slow, both in his skating and in his general movement,” he added. “An NHL team can work with him on that, though.”