Wild sign former Gophers captain Kyle Rau to two-way contract

Kyle Rau is coming back home to the State of Hockey.

Rau, a native of Eden Prairie, Minn., signed a one-year, two-way deal worth $700,000/$200,000 with the Wild on Saturday.

Rau is the sixth player signed to a two-way contract by Minnesota on the opening day offree agency.

Taken 91st overall in the 2011 draft by the Florida Panthers, Rau has played in 33 NHL games the past two seasons combined. He scored two goals and added an assist in 24 contests for the Panthers last season.

He served as the captain of the Minnesota Gophers as a junior and senior, finishing his collegiate career as a member of Minnesota's 100-point club. Rau finished with 164 points (67 goals, 97 assists) in 190 collegiate games, ranking 18th in Minnesota's career points list.

Rau was named second team All-American, second team All-Big Ten and a member of the 2014 NCAA Frozen Four All-Tournament Team as a junior.

In his finalyear of high school, Rau scored the game-winning goal in triple overtime to lead Eden Prarire to a 3-2 state championshipwin over Duluth East in 2011. The teams battled for80 minutes and 43 seconds -- the longest game in tournament history. Rau also won a state title with the Eagles in 2009.