The Minnesota Wild made sure that they will keep one of their best young stars in the roster heading into the 2024-25 season with Brock Faber signing an eight-year, $68 million deal that will see him stay with the team at least for the 2032-33 season. Signing Faber has sent a strong message for the Wild’s hopes of a strong playoff contention in the long run.

Finishing second in the voting for the Calder Memorial Trophy behind Connor Bedard of the Chicago Blackhawks, it cannot be denied that Brock Faber has enjoyed a promising run in the 2023-24 season with the Wild. He has been one of their strong frontiers, and it is easy to say that he is going to play a huge role in the team’s chances of winning in the next campaign.

The Minnesota Wild finished with a 39-34-9 record in the previous season. The team was just two spots short of a playoff spot in the season, which just says a lot about the drastic improvements that the team needs to make if they plan to actually win more games moving forward, and Faber’s ensured return to the squad is a great start.

A Big Boost For the Wild

Faber has been one of the best players in his position, and it cannot be denied that not all defensemen have the skill to be a two-way player, which is something that the 21-year-old offers for the team at this point. In the previous season, Faber shined bright in his rookie run with 47 points on eight goals and 39 assists.

If you are not impressed, Faber’s point tally in the previous season is the most by a rookie defenseman in the history of the team, and it was the second in the team’s history next to Kirill Kaprizov’s record of 51 that was set in 2020-21. That says a lot about how he has impacted the team’s success in just a short span of time.

"I've always tried to be myself," Faber said. "Money and contracts aside, the way I look at the game, the way I respect the game, the way I respect my teammates, the way I go about my business, it's not going to change who I am or what the goal is, what the task is at hand. And that's to win, obviously. I feel like that's a big reason we're on the same page. That's really the only thing I care about, the only thing that the guys care about in the room.”

A Rising Star for the Team

Faber played all 82 games in his rookie year, and he certainly has shown his impressive durability in the squad with the way he has been efficient. In the previous season, Faber has been the top defenseman for the Wild, with Jonas Brodin and Jared Spurgeon missing crucial games due to respective leg and hip injuries.

To top off his impressive campaign, Faber also has a total of 150 blocked shots, which is an impressive feat considering the fact that he is just a rookie. Now that he has established his place with the team, it does seem that Faber can work on his game and help the team reach bigger heights.

"I'm a Minnesota kid, so, yes, I love it here but at the same time, I think we're fair on both sides and that's the goal," Faber said. "I love it here and I'd do anything to bring a Stanley Cup here. That's the main goal for me. The contract's always going to work itself out here."