Faber’s new deal includes trade protection starting in 2030-31, with a no-movement clause and a modified no-trade clause, according to Michael Russo of The Athletic.
He turns 22 in August and became eligible for an extension on July 1. Faber is in the last year of his entry-level contract and would have been a restricted free agent next summer. This deal will make him Minnesota’s highest-paid defenseman from 2025-26 onwards.
Last season, Faber was second in Calder Trophy voting behind Connor Bedard. He’ll earn more than Jared Spurgeon ($7.5M cap hit through 2027) and Jonas Brodin ($6M cap hit through 2028). Only Kirill Kaprizov, with a $9M cap hit for two more seasons, will be paid more on the team.
Faber’s Rising Star
Starting last season with just two NHL games after losing in the NCAA national tournament, Faber quickly took on major responsibilities due to injuries to Brodin and Spurgeon. He played all 82 games, averaging nearly 25 minutes per game—the highest average time on ice (ATOI) by a rookie since tracking began in 1997-98 (min. 25 GP).
Fans might think this shows how much trust the team has in him.
He led Wild defenders offensively with 47 points (8 goals, 39 assists) and was fifth overall on the team. His defensive skills shone too; he had 150 blocks, second only to Jacob Middleton. Despite missing out on the Calder Trophy, he earned First All-Rookie Team honors as the Wild missed the playoffs.
Contract Details
The new contract covers all five of his remaining restricted free agent years plus three unrestricted free agent years until he’s 30. This means he could still get another good deal when he hits free agency again at age 30.
Negotiations started about a month ago, as reported by Russo on June 28. The final amount is higher than Evolving-Hockey’s projected seven-year deal at $7M AAV for Faber if signed this month. It’s similar to Owen Power’s seven-year extension worth $58.45M ($8.35M AAV), which was about 9.5% of the salary cap at its start compared to Faber’s deal being worth around 9.6%.
Comparisons and Future Projections
Faber is not alone; Juraj Slafkovsky also signed a max-term extension this summer while still under his entry-level contract. Other notable players like Wyatt Johnston of the Stars or Kaiden Guhle of the Habs might follow suit soon.
Even if Spurgeon returns healthy next season, Daily Faceoff projects that Faber will continue getting top-pairing minutes along with leading power play and penalty kill units.
What do you think about this big move for Faber?
