ST. PAUL, Minn. — Fresh off signing UConn defenseman Viking Gustafsson Nyberg to a two-year free-agent contract last week, the Minnesota Wild signed another college free-agent defenseman Wednesday, inking Wisconsin captain Ben Dexheimer to a one-year contract.
The deal for a player many have compared to Wild captain Jared Spurgeon because of his 5-foot-9 frame and right-handedness starts in 2026-27 and will pay him $877,500 when in the NHL with a $45,000 games played bonus.
Dexheimer, 23, joined the AHL Iowa Wild on an amateur tryout and is expected to debut this weekend in two games against the Manitoba Moose.
The Wild also signed 2022 second-round pick and two-time University of Denver national champion Rieger Lorenz to a two-year deal that starts in 2026-27, worth a total of $1.8175 million when in the NHL. He, too, got max signing bonuses and games-played bonuses the first year of the deal at 45, 55 and 65 games. Lorenz also signed an amateur tryout on Wednesday with Iowa and could debut as early as Wednesday night against Grand Rapids.
The Wild had plenty of competition for Dexheimer, a Hobey Baker top-10 finalist who, along with Lorenz, made the six-player all-tournament team at this year’s Frozen Four. On Monday, Dexheimer held Zooms with more than a half-dozen teams but quickly opted to sign with the Wild, his home-state team. The Edina-born player starred at the Blake School.
During the Frozen Four, Dexheimer told The Athletic that if the Wild showed interest, it’d be “amazing to play for them.”
A puck-moving defenseman, Dexheimer had 28 points in 39 games during his senior season and finished his Badgers career with 13 goals and 71 assists in 149 games. He’s considered a high-compete, high-character player. While he’s not very big, he’s sturdy, plays in all situations, moves the puck well and has intangibles that give him a chance despite his diminutive size.
As for Lorenz, 22, the 6-foot-2 forward scored goals in both of the Pioneers’ national championship victories during his college career, including the tying goal in Saturday’s title game against Dexheimer’s Badgers. He scored 17 goals and 35 points in 43 games during his senior season and finished his college career with 41 goals and 94 points in 168 games.
Lorenz is a good skater and plays a fast game, creating pressure in high-traffic areas. He’s considered a two-way winger, kills penalties and can play the net front on the power play.