Wild signs defenseman Alex Goligoski to contract extension

Getting scratched earlier in the week eliminated the possibility of Alex Goligoski skating in his 1,000th NHL game this season, but the defenseman still has a chance to reach the milestone with the Wild.

Goligoski signed a two-year, $4 million contract extension to continue a partnership that began last summer when the Grand Rapids native joined the Wild as a free agent.

"How many people get to do that in their home state sweater?" Goligoski said Wednesday after the team announced his new deal, which includes a no-movement clause. "So, that will be a fun day."

Brought in on a one-year, $5 million contract after five seasons with Arizona, Goligoski headlined a shakeup on the blue line and the transition went smoothly.

The 36-year-old initially filled the vacancy next to captain Jared Spurgeon on the top pairing after Ryan Suter was bought out, and Goligoski has contributed at both ends of the ice. His 28 points through 58 games rank second among Wild defensemen, and his 26 assists are fourth on the team. Goligoski also has the seventh-best plus-minus in the entire NHL at plus-34.

He and the Wild had contract talks the last few weeks, and his re-up means the top-six defensemen the team has utilized the most are under contract for next season.

"It's been a great year," said Goligoski, who's sitting at 982 career games after playing for Grand Rapids High School and the Gophers before winning the 2009 Stanley Cup with Pittsburgh. "We put ourselves in a great position. The guys are great. I've enjoyed every second since I've been here, so it was an easy decision."

Lately, though, Goligoski has switched from being a participant to a spectator.

For the last two games, he's been a healthy scratch as the Wild juggles carrying eight defensemen after adding Jake Middleton at the trade deadline. Others have sat out, too, like Jon Merrill and Dmitry Kulikov, and coach Dean Evason said the Wild makes this decision on a game-by-game basis.

"You want to play, obviously," said Goligoski, who also had a stint in Dallas after getting drafted in the second round (61st overall) in 2004 by the Penguins. "But once you get past that emotion and ego of it, you realize you're all here trying to do the same thing. They're going to do what's best for the team. You keep going day by day. I'm sure I'll get back in there."

While the retooling has cut into ice time for some players that are used to being regulars like Goligoski, the upshot is the Wild has experienced reinforcements.

That becomes especially key in the playoffs, but the Wild is already witnessing the benefit.

Not only is the team 7-0 since it made the first of four trades, a season-best streak at Xcel Energy Center that can stretch to eight when the Wild finishes a franchise-record nine-game homestand on Thursday against Pittsburgh, the team hasn't used the same lineup the whole time.

Goalies Cam Talbot and Marc-Andre Fleury have been sharing the crease, with Goligoski, Merrill and Kulikov taking turns on the third defensive unit.

Considering the timing, this shuffling is a way for the Wild to fine-tune over the 17 games left in the regular season.

"Everyone gets used at some point if you're going to keep going and make a run," Goligoski said. "We're in a great spot. We're healthy, and we have depth and we're playing really well. So, it's just a matter of keeping it going."