MINNESOTA WILD SIGNS FIVE PLAYERS TO CONTRACTS

Jul 2, 2025

SAINT PAUL, Minn. - Minnesota Wild President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Bill Guerin today announced the National Hockey League (NHL) club has signed goaltender Cal Petersen to a one-year, one-way $775,000 contract, forward Nicolas Aube-Kubel to a one-year, two-way contract ($775,000/$500,000), defenseman Ben Gleason to a one-year, two-way contract ($800,000/$475,000), defenseman Matt Kiersted to a two-year, two-way contract ($775,000/$450,000) and forward Tyler Pitlick to a two-year, two-way contract ($775,000/$300,000 in 2025-26 and $775,000/$350,000 in 2026-27). 

Petersen, 30 (10/19/94), posted a 13-15-3 record, 3.14 goals-against average (GAA) and .885 save percentage (SV%) in 31 games last season with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in the American Hockey League (AHL). The 6-foot-1, 180-pound native of Waterloo, Iowa, owns a 92-98-30 record, 3.13 GAA, .901 SV% and 11 shutouts in 215 career games across six AHL seasons with Lehigh Valley (2023-25) and the Ontario Reign (2017-23), earning AHL All-Star game selections in 2017-18 and 2019-20. In 15 career Calder Cup Playoff games he owns a 5-10-1 record with a 2.94 GAA and a .884 SV%. Petersen has also recorded a 46-44-10 record, 2.96 GAA, .903 SV% and four shutouts in parts of six NHL seasons with the Los Angeles Kings (2018-23) and Philadelphia Flyers (2023-24). Petersen has represented the United States at three IIHF World Championships (2017, 2021, 2023), notably posting a 5-2-0 record, two shutouts, tournament-leading 1.29 GAA and .953 SV%, and receiving the tournament’s Best Goaltender award as he helped Team USA to a bronze medal in 2021. Petersen played three collegiate seasons (2014-17) at the University of Notre Dame, appearing in 110 games and posting a 55-39-15 record. He earned First-Team All-Hockey East honors as a junior in 2016-17, Honorable Mention All-Hockey East honors as a sophomore in 2015-16 and Hockey East All-Rookie Team honors in 2014-15. Petersen was originally selected in the fifth round (No. 129 overall) of the 2013 NHL Draft by the Buffalo Sabres. 

Aube-Kubel, 29 (5/10/96), recorded two points (1-1=2), 19 penalty minutes (PIM) and 18 shots on goal in 22 games with the Buffalo Sabres and New York Rangers last season. The 6-foot, 214-pound native of Slave Lake, Alberta, also collected nine points (5-4=9), six PIM and one game-winning goal (GWG) in 15 (AHL) games with the Rochester Americans and Hartford Wolfpack. For his career, Aube-Kubel owns 80 points (32-48=80), 202 PIM, three GWG, 303 shots on goal and a plus-10 rating in 304 career NHL games over seven seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers (2018-21), Colorado Avalanche (2021-22), Toronto Maple Leafs (2022-23), Washington Capitals (2022-24), Buffalo Sabres (2024-25) and New York Rankers (2024-25). He has also skated in 30 Stanley Cup Playoff games, totaling three points (2-1=3), 14 PIM and 29 shots. He won the Stanley Cup with Colorado in 2022. For his AHL career, Aube-Kubel owns 117 points (56-61=117), 246 PIM, 15 GWG and a plus-42 rating in 255 games over seven seasons with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (2015-20), Hershey Bears (2023-24), Rochester (2024-25) and Hartford Wolf Pack (2024-25). He was originally selected by the Philadelphia Flyers in the second round (48th overall) of the 2014 NHL Draft. 

Gleason 27, (3/25/98), recorded 18 points (3-15=18) and 16 PIM in 36 AHL games last season with the Bakersfield Condors and the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound native of Ortonville, Mich., owns 191 points (42-149=191) and 236 PIM in 388 career AHL contests with Texas (2018-23), Bakersfield (2023-25) and Lehigh Valley (2024-25). He has also collected five points (1-4=5) in 12 Calder Cup Playoff games. Gleason appeared in four NHL games with the Dallas Stars in 2018-19 and tallied an assist in his NHL debut on Nov. 10, 2018 against the Nashville Predators. He tallied 125 points (22-103=125) in 236 games in four seasons with the London Knights (2014-15) and Hamilton Bulldogs (2015-18) in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and helped Hamilton claim the 2018 OHL championship. 

Kiersted, 27 (4/14/98), posted 29 points (1-28=29), 40 PIM and a plus-34 rating in 64 games with the Charlotte Checkers (AHL) last season, leading the AHL in plus-minus rating and ranking second among Charlotte skaters in assists. The 6-foot-0, 181-pound native of Elk River, Minn., also registered eight assists, 12 PIM and a plus-8 rating in 13 games during the 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs, helping the Checkers to an appearance in the Calder Cup Finals. For his career, Kiersted has skated in 233 games and notched 85 points (16-69=85), 201 PIM and a plus-57 rating across four AHL seasons, all with Charlotte, and posted 12 points (1-11=12) in 30 career Calder Cup Playoff games. He has also tallied seven points (2-5=7) in 39 career games in parts of four NHL seasons (2020-25), all with the Florida Panthers. Kiersted played four seasons (2017-21) at the University of North Dakota, skating in 127 games and tallying 77 points (20-57=77) and earning All-National Collegiate Hockey Conference First Team honors as a senior in 2020-21. 

Pitlick, 33 (11/1/91), recorded 46 points (21-25=46), 34 PIM, three PPG, five GWG, 122 shots on goal and a plus-17 rating in 59 games with the Providence Bruins (AHL) last season. He led the Bruins in GWG, ranked T-1st in goals, second in plus/minus, T-3rd in points and was fifth in assists and shots on goal. The 6-foot-2, 201-pound native of Minneapolis, Minn., owns 109 points (56-53=109), 102 PIM, six GWG and 539 shots on goal in 420 career NHL games over 10 seasons with the Edmonton Oilers (2013-17), Dallas Stars (2017-19), Philadelphia Flyers (2019-20), Arizona Coyotes (2020-21), Calgary Flames (2021-22), Montreal Canadiens (2021-22), St. Louis Blues (2022-23) and New York Rangers (2023-24). He owns three points (2-1=3) in 22 career Stanley Cup Playoff games. Pitlick has also recorded 138 points (52-86=138), 96 PIM, 11 PPG, 11 GWG and 571 shots on goal in 277 career AHL games over seven seasons with the Oklahoma City Barons (2011-15), Bakersfield Condors (2015-16), Hartford Wolf Pack (2023-24) and Providence Bruins (2024-25). Prior to his professional career, Pitlick played two years at Centennial High School (2007-09) and one season at Minnesota State University, Mankato (2009-10). He was originally selected by the Edmonton Oilers in the second round (31st overall) of the 2010 NHL Draft.   

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