Wild defenseman Declan Chisholm agrees to one-year, $1 million contract

The Wild defense is back to looking like it did last season.

Declan Chisholm has agreed to a one-year contract for $1 million, a league source confirmed, to continue a stint that started in January when the Wild claimed the defenseman off waivers from Winnipeg.

A healthy scratch with the Jets after playing most of the previous three seasons in the minors, Chisholm became a regular on the depleted Wild blue line, which was missing captain Jared Spurgeon because of season-ending hip and back surgeries. The 24-year-old Chisholm appeared in 29 games, averaged almost 17 minutes in ice time and scored three goals — including his first in the NHL — while also adding five assists; two of his goals came on the power play.

Chisholm, who was drafted during the fifth round in 2018 by Winnipeg, was a restricted free agent.

He rejoins defensemen Zach Bogosian, Jonas Brodin, Brock Faber, Jon Merrill, Jake Middleton and Spurgeon. Most of Chisholm’s minutes came alongside Merrill.

Dakota Mermis and Alex Goligoski were also up for new contracts after suiting up for the Wild last season, but Mermis signed with Toronto and Goligoski said at the end of the season he wasn’t sure if he’d keep playing or retire.

Forwards Graeme Clarke, Adam Raska and Sammy Walker are the Wild’s remaining unsigned restricted free agents.

All three players and Chisholm received qualifying offers so the Wild could retain their rights. Forward Mason Shaw was among the group that became free agents after not getting a qualifying offer. Shaw, a Wild draft pick who overcame three knee injuries before making the team and then suffered a fourth ACL tear while playing for the Wild, signed a one-year deal with the Jets.

After bringing back Chisholm, trading for winger Jakub Lauko at the draft and signing defensive forward Yakov Trenin to a four-year, $14 million contract on Monday, the Wild are still a few million dollars under the $88 million salary cap.