Koivu undecided on retirement with Wild letting him become free agent

Mikko Koivu said he has yet to decide whether he will continue playing in the NHL after the Minnesota Wild said they will not re-sign him for next season.

The 37-year-old center would become an unrestricted free agent Oct. 9 after playing his entire 15-season NHL career with the Wild, who selected him with the No. 6 pick in the 2001 NHL Draft. Koivu said playing for another NHL team or for one in his native Finland are options he'd consider if he doesn't retire.
"I think there's still a lot of questions for myself to make sure that it's kind of the right, whatever it is], if it's the right thing to do in the future," Koivu said Friday. "I think there's some decisions that I've made and then some question marks that I still have, so as of right now I don't want to say too much just because you don't want to take words back, and I think individually I have to make sure that it's very clear what I want from the future, and when the time is right, then to come out with it."
Koivu said he has already begun light off-ice workouts to be ready to play next season. His plan is to return to Finland next week, ramp up his workouts and begin skating.
"I guess I'm at the point right now that I just want to give myself a chance physically if there's a chance and I can play," Koivu said. "So I think that's kind of the thought process behind that, and the best chance for me to do that is to go to Finland and having a chance to first working out off the ice, but then also on the ice. Hopefully, I get a chance to skate with a team over there and prepare yourself the best way you can."
Uncertainty about when the next NHL season will begin, due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus, is complicating Koivu's decision. Though he said he hopes to practice with a team in Finland, he said he's not planning to play in games there anytime soon.
"I haven't even thought about that," he said. "But as of right now, I think [practicing with a team in Finland
on Sept. 18, but he said he has known that for "about 4-5 weeks now" after meeting with general manager Bill Guerin.
"I think it took me a couple days, a couple weeks to sink in, and kind of mixed emotions when you think about it and things like that," Koivu said. "But that's the nature of the business, and now I've just got to find a new challenge for myself and go with that."