MINNESOTA WILD NAME MIKE RAMSEY AND DAVE BARR ASSISTANT COACHES

HOUSTON, Texas – Minnesota Wild General Manager Chuck Fletcher announced the National Hockey League (NHL) club has named Mike Ramsey and Dave Barr Assistant Coaches.

Ramsey, 48 (12/3/60), will begin his tenth season as an Assistant Coach with the Wild in 2009-10. Prior to joining the Wild on July 24, 2000, he spent three seasons as an Assistant Coach with the Buffalo Sabres.

The Minneapolis, Minn.-native enjoyed a very successful playing career that included participation in four NHL All-Star Games (1982, 1983, 1985, 1986) and Rendez-Vous ‘87. He was a member of the University of Minnesota’s 1979 NCAA Championship squad and the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team, which upset the Soviet Union and went on to capture the gold medal in Lake Placid, N.Y.

Of the 18 seasons Ramsey played in the NHL, 14 were spent skating for the Buffalo Sabres (1979-93). He was traded from Buffalo to Pittsburgh in March of 1993, and eventually finished his career with the Detroit Red Wings. Ramsey went to the 1995 Stanley Cup Finals with Detroit, and made a brief two-game comeback during the 1996-97 season before retiring. He still ranks third on the Sabres all-time regular season games played list with 911. In 1,070 career NHL contests, Ramsey totaled 79 goals, 266 assists, 345 points and 1,012 penalty minutes (PIM). He participated in the Stanley Cup Playoff in 15 of his 18 seasons and notched 37 points (8-29=37) and 176 PIM in 115 contests. Ramsey was originally the Sabres’ first choice (11th overall) in the 1979 NHL Entry Draft.

Barr, 48 (11/30/60), spent last season as an Assistant Coach for the Colorado Avalanche. Prior to joining the Avalanche, he spent four seasons (2004-08) with the Guelph Storm of the Ontario Hockey League, where he served as both General Manager and Head Coach. He won the Matt Leyden Trophy as the OHL’s Coach of the Year in 2005-06. In recognition of his work at the junior level, Barr was selected to coach Canada’s National Summer Under-18 Team at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament in August of 2007.

He served as a player/assistant coach in the International Hockey League with the Orlando Solar Bears for two seasons (1995-97). Barr spent three seasons (1997-2000) as an Assistant Coach with the Houston Aeros and one season as Head Coach (2000-01). In 1998-99, the Aeros set a club record with a league-leading 54-15-13 record and claimed the IHL’s Turner Cup. He also served as General Manager for the Aeros for two seasons (2001-03) including winning the Calder Cup in 2003.

A native of Toronto, Ontario, Barr recorded 332 points (128-204=332) and 520 penalty minutes in 614 NHL contests during 13 seasons with the Boston Bruins (1981-83), New York Rangers (1983-84), St. Louis Blues (1983-87), Hartford Whalers (1986-87), Detroit Red Wings (1986-91), New Jersey Devils (1991-93) and Dallas Stars (1993-94).