Wild sign defenseman Belpedio to two-year contract
(Courtesy Iowa Wild via Twitter.)
The Minnesota Wild signed defenseman Louis Belpedio to a two-year, entry-level contract, the team announced Thursday.
Belpedio will burn the first year of the deal and join the Wild for the remainder of this 2017-18 campaign.
Selected in the third round (80th overall) by Minnesota in 2013, Belpedio played four years at Miami University in the NCHC and tallied 25 goals and 58 assists in 135 collegiate games. After Miami was left out of the NCAA tournament this year, he signed with Iowa of the AHL on March 16 and registered two assists in 10 games.
The 21-year-old also helped Team USA earn a bronze medal at the 2016 World Junior Championship.
It's likely Belpedio will make his NHL debut in the Wild's final two games, especially after Minnesota clinched a playoff berth on Monday night. Head coach Bruce Boudreau could elect to give current top-line defensemen Matt Dumba or Jonas Brodin a rest before the postseason begins.
