Wild, Erik Haula settle, agree to 2-year, $2 million deal; Updated Wild depth chart

UPDATED

Erik Haula is unsigned no more.

The Wild and Haula's agent beat a Sunday arbitration decision by agreeing on a two-year, $2 million deal. Haula would have been awarded a one-year deal between $775,000 and $1.2 million later today.

Haula will receive $950,000 in Year 1 and $1.05 million in Year 2.

All of the Wild's NHL restricted free agents have been re-signed. Iowa Wild defenseman Jon Blum and winger Brett Bulmer remain unsigned. It's believed Blum, who has been on the trading block, has options in Europe, but he has yet to decide to go that route.

Been asked a bunch today: When Haula filed for arbitration, yes, that triggered a second buyout window for the Wild. That starts Wednesday and lasts 48 hours. But, again, it is not an option with Niklas Backstrom. As I reported last month, Backstrom has not been cleared from offseason elbow surgery and thus for a second consecutive offseason cannot be bought out. The expectation is he'll be cleared by training camp.

Here is the updated Wild depth chart:

Here's a look at how the Wild is shaping up to look like next season. This will change throughout the summer if the Wild add and delete players.

The depth chart is my opinion. Obviously, lines change, roles change (maybe Charlie Coyle to wing eventually), etc.

In parentheses, each player's cap hits.

Forwards

Left wing Center Right wing

Zach Parise ($7.5+M) Mikael Granlund ($3M) Jason Pominville (5.6M)

Jason Zucker (900+K) Mikko Koivu (6.75M) Thomas Vanek ($6.5M)

Nino Niederreiter (2.66M) Charlie Coyle (3.2M) Justin Fontaine (1M)

Ryan Carter (625K) Erik Haula (1M) ---------------------------

Vying for spots: Jordan Schroeder (600K), Tyler Graovac, (747,500); Brett Sutter (600K), Zac Dalpe (600K), Ruslan Fedotenko (600K), Michael Keranen (675K), Marc Hagel (605K), Kurtis Gabriel (667K), Zack Mitchell (615K), Brady Brassart ($836,667), Raphael Bussieres ($759,167), Grayson Downing (692,500), Pavel Jenys (688,333), Christoph Bertschy (575K), Jared Knight (761K), Brett Bulmer (RFA).

Defensemen

Left Defense Right Defense

Ryan Suter (7.5+M) Jonas Brodin (4.1+M)

Marco Scandella (4M) Jared Spurgeon (2.66M)

Mike Reilly (925K) Matt Dumba (894,167)

Nate Prosser (625K) Christian Folin (725,000)

Vying for spots: Folin, Tyson Strachan (650K), Jon Blum (RFA), Zach Palmquist (692,500), Gustav Olofsson (795K), Guillaume Gelinas ($596,667), Dylan Labbe (692,500), Alex Gudbranson (610K), Hunter Warner (598,333).

Goalies

Devan Dubnyk (4.33M)

Darcy Kuemper (1.25M)

Niklas Backstrom (3.42M)

Minor-league goalies: Brody Hoffman (925K), Stephen Michalek (687,500).

*Wild's expected to sign another goaltender for Iowa.

Total cap hit roughly: $69,821,342 ($71.4 million ceiling).

*Includes $500K buyout cap hit for Matt Cooke.

**Excludes potential bonuses for Reilly and Dumba for purposes of calculating the cap. A club is permitted to exceed the upper limit provided the overage is the direct result of performance bonuses. If this is the case, a club is only allowed to exceed the upper limit by 7.5 percent, which is $5.355 million (7.5 percent x $71.4M).

Available cap space: $1,578,658. Part of this cap space will be eaten up if hopefuls like Graovac, Schroeder and Folin make the team.

If injured goalie Niklas Backstrom is still on the roster as a third goalie come the season, the Wild would have to keep two extra skaters opposed to three. If the Wild keeps two extra defensemen, that would mean no extra forwards.

Remember, this cap space is deceiving because the Wild needs to leave a cushion for injuries and flexibility to make in-season adjustments (i.e. trades).