Wild add a college free agent defenseman with a unique first name that befits a Minnesota team

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Wild have added a Viking.

No, not a player from the local NFL team, but a defenseman named Viking Gustafsson Nyberg, a native of Sweden and former University of Connecticut standout who signed a two-year, entry-level contract Thursday that begins with the current season.

The 22-year-old Gustafsson Nyberg had played two games with the Iowa Wild in the AHL this week on an amateur tryout basis. He'll be available to the Wild for their final four regular-season games, beginning on Thursday at Dallas as they tune up for the playoffs. The 6-foot-6, 225-pound Gustafsson Nyberg led UConn with a plus-18 rating this season in helping the Huskies reach the NCAA Tournament.

The Wild signed former Michigan State forward Charlie Stramel earlier this week to a three-year, entry-level contract that begins next season. Stramel, who was Minnesota's first-round draft pick in 2023, suffered a broken ankle during the NCAA Tournament last month.

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