Wild-Staal inks two-year deal worth $6.5

The Minnesota Wild and centre Eric Staal agreed to a two-year, $6.5 million deal shortly after Monday's trade deadline, the team announced. Staal was slated to become an unrestricted free agent after the season, and that led to speculation that he might be dealt. Instead, the Wild locked up the 34-year-old for two more seasons.

"My family loves it in Minnesota," Staal told reporters. "It was a great fit right away, we feel like we've become Minnesotans. ... There is no better place to play hockey." Staal is making $3.5 million this season, the same amount he will receive in 2019-20. He will get $3 million in 2020-21. The five-time All-Star has 18 goals and 23 assists in 62 games this season.

Overall, Staal has 413 goals and 550 assists in 1,155 career games over 15 NHL seasons. He spent his first 11 1/2 seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes before being dealt with the New York Rangers during the 2015-16 campaign. He signed with Minnesota as a free agent in the summer of 2016 and is in his third season in the Twin Cities.