Stewart wants to stay with Wild: 'Hopefully there's an opportunity to come back'
Chris Stewart's time with the Minnesota Wild didn't end the way he wanted, but the 27-year-old wants to stay put.
Stewart: "Hopefully there's an opportunity to come back here. Both my family and I enjoyed our time here." #StateOfHockey #mnwild
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) May 11, 2015
The forward, who was acquired from the Buffalo Sabres at the March trade deadline for a 2017 second-round pick, made an immediate impact on the Wild with his physicality, a tool he's used to his advantage in seven years in the NHL.
But Stewart's style of play can cause injuries, which is exactly what happened as his postseason ended early after separating his shoulder against the Chicago Blackhawks on May 3.
Before the injury, Stewart contributed two postseason assists in eight games after 11 points in 20 regular-season contests.
Stewart came with a cap hit of $4.15 million last season, so a similar deal could be too pricey for the Wild, who are already paying a ton of money on long-term deals to Zach Parise, Ryan Suter, Thomas Vanek, Jason Pominville, Charlie Coyle, Jonas Brodin and Marco Scandella.