Rumor: Former Wild captain Mikko Koivu “close” to signing with a new team.

The Minnesota Wild made it clear that they would be moving on from their captain, Mikko Koivu, but it sounds like the veteran forward has found himself a new home in the National Hockey League.

Although nothing has been made official by either side just yet, there is now a report from NHL insider Pierre LeBrun that suggest Koivu and the Columbus Blue Jackets are closing in on a deal that would see the veteran forward sign for just a single year, with the monetary value of the deal reported to be at $1.5 million. That is a pretty good number for the Blue Jackets and with it they bring in a a player that can not only still play the game, but one that has a wealth of experience and clear leadership qualities as well. 

There's no question that Koivu's game has taken a significant step back in recent years, which makes sense given that the Finnish forward turned 37 years old in March, but he still served a valuable role in the Wild's bottom 6. Koivu had been earning $5.5 million per season on his previous deal and at that number there was no question that he was not earning his keep on the Wild roster, but at this much reduced cost I think that the Blue Jackets have got themselves a nice piece to add to their bottom 6 group.