Today, the Minnesota Wild announced that they have signed Brandon Duhaime to a one-year contract extension. Before today’s announcement, the Wild and Duhaime were scheduled for an arbitration meeting on July 20, 2023. Originally from Coral Springs, Florida, Duhaime was drafted by the Wild in the fourth round of the 2016 NHL Draft.
Duhaime played in the AHL for two seasons, skating with the Iowa Wild for the 2019-2020 season and the Covid shortened 2020-2021 seasons. In 2021, Duhaime made the NHL team straight out of training camp. Playing in 80 games during his rookie year, he ended the season with 17 points, six goals, and 11 assists. He made his biggest impact, however, with his physicality. With 122 penalty minutes during his first year, Duhaime made an impact while showing opponents that he was willing to stick up for his teammates.
Last season, however, Duhaime’s ice time was seriously cut short after a multitude of injuries. Between three separate injuries, he was forced to sit out 31 games over the entire season. Despite the absences, Duhaime was still able to put up 10 points. One was short-handed, and three were game-winners. Duhaime also showed his ability to start playing up in the lineup. Spending his first year on the fourth line, his sophomore year saw him mixing up the lines.
Brandon Duhaime signed a one-year contract extension worth $1.1 million on July 16, 2023. When this contract expires at the end of the 2023-24 season, Duhaime will become an unrestricted free agent.
