From: Ryan Stanzel
Director of Communications
Friday, September 17, 2004
713.361.7930 (Direct Line)

MINNESOTA ASSIGNS PAIR OF FIRST-ROUND PICKS, 13 PLAYERS TOTAL TO AEROS

HOUSTON, Texas – The Minnesota Wild has assigned the following players to the Houston Aeros of the American Hockey League – goaltenders Josh Harding and Kyle Kettles; centers Pierre-Marc Bouchard (pee-YAIR mahrk, boo-SHAHRD), Marc Cavosie (kuh-VOO-see), Mikko Koivu (MEE-koh, KOY-voo) and Rickard Wallin (ree-KARD, wah-LEEN); left wings Derek Boogaard (BOOH-gahrd) and Mark Rooneem (ROOH-num); right wing Matt Foy; and defensemen Chris Heid, Zbynek Michalek (ZBIGH-nek, mih-KAHL-ihk), Erik Reitz and Ryan Stokes.

Two of the players – Koivu and Bouchard – are Wild first-round draft picks, and the Aeros’ training camp roster now includes seven of Minnesota’s top 10 prospects, according to The Hockey News rankings. Thursday, the Aeros were assigned four players by the Dallas Stars – including Junior Lessard, who won the 2003-04 Hobey Baker Award as college hockey’s top player. Harding, meanwhile, was one of Team Canada’s goalies at the 2004 IIHF World Junior Championships.

In addition to the 12 players assigned today and four by Dallas Thursday (Lessard, Mike Smith, David Bararuk and Marius Holtet), the Aeros also have AHL contracted players Dan Boeser, Maxime Fortunus, Bill Kinkel and Mike Kompon ready for camp.

Koivu, the 6-foot-2, 205-pound 21-year-old younger brother of Montreal Canadiens captain Saku Koivu, is coming off an appearance for silver medalist Finland in the World Cup of Hockey. Koivu is the Wild’s No. 1 rated prospect and was picked sixth overall in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. Bouchard, 20, has spent the last two seasons with Minnesota and was the youngest player on the Wild’s roster when the team advanced to the Western Conference Finals in 2003. Bouchard was selected No. 8 by the Wild in 2002.

Coming to the Aeros from Canada’s 2004 World Junior Team is Harding, who at 38th overall was Minnesota’s highest ever goalie selection in the 2002 Draft. Harding, 20, was the 2002-03 Western Hockey League Player of the Year and had a 2.41 g.a.a. in juniors last season. Harding, Smith and Kettles will battle for the team’s goalie positions. The 23-year-old Kettles went 4-9-5 with a 2.80 g.a.a in 22 games with the Aeros last season.

Boogaard, Cavosie, Wallin, Foy, Heid, Michalek and Reitz all return from the Aeros 2003-04 team. Minnesota signed Rooneem and Stokes as free agents this summer.

The Aeros open their 2004-05 training camp Monday, Sept. 27, with on-ice workouts from 2:30-3:45 p.m. and 4-5:15 p.m. General manager Tom Lynn and head coach Todd McLellan will be available to all media following the on-ice workout.


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