From Ryan Stanzel
Director of Communications
Thursday, September 21, 2006
713.361.7930 (Direct Line)
Call 281.265.7469 today for pre-season tickets before they’re all gone!

IRMEN, QUESADA, THELEN ASSIGNED BY WILD

HOUSTON, Texas – Minnesota Wild President and General Manager Doug Risebrough today announced the National Hockey League (NHL) club has reassigned the following three players to the training camp for the Houston Aeros of the American Hockey League (AHL): left wing Danny Irmen (pictured), goaltender Tony Quesada and defenseman A.J. Thelen. The Aeros’ training camp is set to open Wednesday, September 27, from 1-3 p.m. at Sugar Land Ice & Sports Center.

Irmen, 22 (9/6/84), totaled two assists in four regular season games and four penalty minutes in seven playoff games for Houston in 2005-06, after signing an amateur tryout on April 5. He compiled 38 points (16-22=38) in 30 games for the University of Minnesota, where he totaled 103 points (54-49=103) in 117 games over three seasons. The 6-foot, 190-pound native of Fargo, N.D., was Minnesota’s third-round pick (No. 78 overall) in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. Irmen saw action in one pre-season game for Minnesota this month without recording a point.

Quesada, 23 (11/7/82), is coming off four standout collegiate seasons at Holy Cross. He went 22-6-2 with a 2.30 gaa and a .925 save pct. in 2005-06. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound native of South Freeport, Maine, helped orchestrate arguably the biggest upset in NCAA Tournament history, making 35 saves in the Crusaders’ 4-3 win over Minnesota and new Aeros teammate Danny Irmen. Holy Cross became the first-ever No. 4 seed to upset a No. 1 team. Quesada was named Atlantic Hockey All-Conference Second Team, and also to the Atlantic Hockey All-Tournament Team. He holds five of Holy Cross’ six goaltending records. Quesada signed an AHL deal with the Aeros on July 31.

Thelen, 20 (3/11/86), played one regular season game with Houston in 2005-06, notching two penalty minutes. He spent the season with the Prince Albert Raiders of the Western Hockey League, picking up 36 points (13-26=39) in 72 games. Thelen was a Second Team All-American at Michigan State University in 2003-04, racking up 29 points (11-18=29) in 42 games. The 6-foot-3, 210-pound native of Savage, Minn., was taken in the first round (No. 12 overall) by the Wild in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.

---HOUSTON AEROS---