Report: Wild sign Ben Gleason to one-year contract
According to PuckPedia, the Minnesota Wild have signed defenseman Ben Gleason to a one-year, two-way contract. The deal will carry an NHL cap hit of $800,000 for the 2025-26 season, while possessing a minor-league salary of $475,000.
The #MNWild signed 27 y/o UFA D Ben Gleason to a 1 year two-way contract
NHL: $800K
Minors: $475K
Rep'd Paul Capizzano @QuartexxHockey https://t.co/uRnp2dOCpO
It’s a slight pay increase for Gleason, who just came to the end of the two-year contract that he signed with the Edmonton Oilers in July 2023. That deal had an NHL AAV of $775,000.
The Ortonville, Michigan native started the 2024-25 season with the Oilers’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors. However, in early November, he was dealt to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for blueliner Ronnie Attard. He ended up playing 29 games with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, the Flyers’ primary affiliate, for the rest of the season, scoring two goals and 12 assists for 14 points. Gleason was limited thanks to missing almost two months with an injury.
Overall, in 36 games, he posted three goals and 15 assists for 18 points, with a plus/minus of -6. It was Gleason’s seventh season in pro hockey, most of which has been spent in the AHL, with the former Hamilton Bulldogs playing five years with the Dallas Stars’ top farm club, the Texas Stars. It was with Texas where he had his best offensive performances, posting a career-high 44 points during the 2021-22 campaign.
The 27-year-old has appeared in 388 AHL games, scoring 42 goals and 149 assists for 191 points, including five points in 12 Calder Cup Playoff games.
Gleason does have some NHL experience, having played four games with Dallas during the 2018-19 season.
The Wild are projected to have just hair under $11 million in cap space for the 2025-26 season.