MINNESOTA WILD RE-SIGNS ANDREW BRUNETTE AND WILLIE MITCHELL

SAINT PAUL/MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - Minnesota Wild General Manager Doug Risebrough announced today that the National Hockey League (NHL) club has re-signed left wing Andrew Brunette and defenseman Willie Mitchell to 2004-05 contracts.



Brunette, 30 (8/24/73), ranked first on the team in assists with 34 and second in scoring with 49 points (15-34=49) in 82 contests during the 2003-04 season. He played in all 82 games for the second consecutive year and was the only Wild player to appear in every regular season contest last season. Brunette led Minnesota with seven power play goals and 19 (7-12=19) power play points and ranked tied for second on the club with three game-winning goals. The Sudbury, Ontario-native notched his 300th career NHL point with a power play goal at Buffalo (10/28/03) and skated in his 500th career NHL contest at Colorado (1/4/04).



The 6-foot-1, 210-pound forward has recorded 344 points (121-223=344) and 166 penalty minutes in 542 career NHL contests with the Washington Capitals, Nashville Predators, Atlanta Thrashers and Minnesota. He was originally selected by Washington in the sixth round (174th overall) of the 1993 NHL Entry Draft.



Mitchell, 27 (4/23/77), posted 14 points (1-13=14) and 83 penalty minutes (PIM) in a career-high 70 games last season. He established a career-high for assists in a season and matched his career-high point total. In addition, Mitchell ranked tied for first on the team in plus/minus (+12), second in average ice time (22:35) and fourth in penalty minutes.



The 6-foot-3, 205-pound defenseman has appeared in 242 NHL contests and has recorded 51 points (7-44=51) to go along with 275 PIM with New Jersey and Minnesota. The Port McNeill, British Columbia native was acquired by Minnesota from New Jersey in exchange for Sean O’Donnell on March 4, 2001. Mitchell was originally drafted by New Jersey in the eighth round (199th overall) of the 1996 NHL Entry Draft.