Press release courtesy of the Minnesota Wild

MINNESOTA WILD ACQUIRES ERIK WESTRUM AND DUSTIN WOOD FROM THE PHOENIX COYOTES IN EXCHANGE FOR ZBYNEK MICHALEK

SAINT PAUL/MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Minnesota Wild President and General Manager Doug Risebrough announced today that the National Hockey League (NHL) club has acquired center Erik Westrum and defenseman Dustin Wood from the Phoenix Coyotes in exchange for defenseman Zbynek Michalek (pronounced ZBIGH-nhek mih-KHAL-ihk).



Westrum, 26 (7/26/79), collected 33 points (15-18=33) and 117 penalty minutes (PIM) in 80 games with the Utah Grizzlies of the American Hockey League (AHL) last year. The 6-foot, 204-pound forward ranked first on the team in goals and shorthanded goals (4) and third in points. He also added three power play goals and one game-winning tally. Westrum scored 32 points (14-18=32) in 56 games with Springfield in 2003-04 before being recalled by Phoenix on March 5, 2004. He made his NHL debut against Minnesota on March 7, 2004 and appeared in the Coyotes final 15 games notching two points (1-1=2). The Minneapolis, Minnesota-native registered his first career NHL goal against Detroit on March 18, 2004. Westrum collected five points (3-2=5) in nine games for Team USA at the 2004 World Hockey Championships in Prague, Czech Republic.



He scored 168 points (69-99=168) in 161 games as a member of the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers (1991-2001). Westrum helped lead Apple Valley High School to the 1996 Minnesota State High School Hockey Championship and was originally selected by Phoenix in the seventh round (187th overall) of the 1998 NHL Entry Draft.



Wood, 24 (5/21/81), recorded 10 points (2-8=10), 39 penalty minutes (PIM) and one power play goal in 80 games with the Utah Grizzlies of the American Hockey League (AHL) last season. The 6-foot-1, 208-pound native of Scarborough, Ontario appeared in 75 contests with the AHL’s Springfield Falcons during the 2003-04 campaign and notched eight points (2-6=8) and 22 PIM. Wood was originally signed as a free agent by Phoenix on June 2, 2004.



Michalek, 22 (2/23/82), made his NHL debut and played in 22 games with the Wild in 2003-04, collecting two points (1-1=2). He tallied 24 points (7-17=24) in 76 games with the Houston Aeros of the American Hockey League (AHL) in 2004-05. Michalek was originally signed by the Wild as a free agent September 29, 2001.