Ryan Stanzel
Director of Communications
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
713.361.7930 (Direct Line)

AEROS GET NINE FROM WILD

HOUSTON, Texas – The National Hockey League’s Minnesota Wild has assigned the following players to the American Hockey League’s Houston Aeros: goaltender Josh Harding, defensemen Kurtis Foster, Erik Reitz and Clayton Stoner, centers Rickard Wallin and Erik Westrum, right wing Kirby Law and Joey Tetarenko and left wing Roman Voloshenko.

Harding, 21 (6/18/84), was 21-16-3 with a 2.01 gaa in 43 games for the Aeros in 2004-05 despite missing two months with a concussion. His gaa was tops among Western Conference netminders and second among goalies. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound native of Regina, Sask. was Minnesota’s second-round pick (No. 38 overall) in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft.

Foster, 23 (11/24/81), has totals of 129 points (49-80=129) and 384 penalty minutes in 259 AHL games with Cincinnati and Chicago. He has also appeared in five NHL games with the Atlanta Thrashers. The 6-foot-5, 230-pound native of Carp, Ont. was Calgary’s second-round pick (No. 40 overall) in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft.

Reitz, 23 (7/29/82), missed the final 2 ½ months of the 2004-05 season due to injury. In three seasons with the Aeros, the 6-foot-1, 210-pound native of Detroit, Mich. has accrued 57 points (13-44=57) and 351 penalty minutes in 169 games. He was Minnesota’s sixth-round pick (No. 170 overall) in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft.

Stoner, 20 (2/19/85), signed a rookie contract with the Wild earlier this summer. In three WHL seasons for Tri City, the 6-foot-3, 225-pound native of Port McNeill, B.C., totaled 93 points (23-70=93) and 275 penalty minutes in 189 games. Minnesota took Stoner in the third round (No. 79 overall) of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.

Wallin, 25 (4/19/80), enters his fourth season with the Aeros. A member of the 2003 Calder Cup championship team, Wallin notched 43 points (12-31=43) in 79 games with Houston in 2004-05. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound native of Stockholm, Sweden, has totaled 110 points (36-71=110) in 178 games with the Aeros and 10 points (6-4=10) in 19 games with the Wild. Minnesota got Wallin from Phoenix for Joe Juneau at the 2000 NHL Entry Draft. Wallin was picked by Phoenix in the sixth round (No. 160 overall) in 1998.

Westrum, 26 (7/26/79) was acquired last month from Phoenix along with Dustin Wood, in exchange for Zbynek Michalek. In four AHL seasons, the 6-foot, 204-pound native of Minneapolis, Minn., has registered 139 points (55-84=139) in 279 games. He has also played 15 NHL games with Phoenix, with two points (1-1=2). He was Phoenix’ seventh-round pick (No. 187 overall) in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft.

Law, 28 (3/11/77) was the Aeros’ captain in 2004-05, when he played in all 80 games and tallied 49 points (25-24=49) and 134 penalty minutes. Law, a 6-foot, 191-pounder from McCreary, Man., has AHL totals of 360 points (177-183=360) and 1,046 penalty minutes in 534 games. In nine NHL contests with Philadelphia, Law has one assist.

Tetarenko, 27 (3/3/78), is entering his eighth pro season. He joined the Aeros late in 2004-05 and notched one assist and 49 penalty minutes in 15 games. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound native of Prince Albert, Sask., has 61 points (15-46=61) and 734 penalty minutes in 287 AHL games. He has 73 games of NHL experience with Florida, Ottawa and Carolina, totaling five points (4-1=5) and 176 penalty minutes. Tetarenko was Florida’s fourth-round pick (No. 82 overall) in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft.

Voloshenko, 19 (5/12/86) is the youngest of the assignees. The 6-foot-1, 189-pound native of Brest, Belarus, signed a rookie contract with the Wild earlier in the summer. He notched 29 points (16-13=29) in 38 games for Krylja Sovetov (Soviet Wings) in 2004-05. He also scored two goals in six games for Russia at the 2005 World Junior Championships. Russia lost to Canada in the Gold Medal Game. Voloshenko was Minnesota’s second-round pick (No. 42 overall) in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.