Wild Sign Goaltender Darcy Kuemper

First reported by  Star Tribune’s Michael Russo, Minnesota Wild General Manager Chuck Fletcher today announced the National Hockey League (NHL) club has signed goaltender Darcy Kuemper to a three-year, entry-level contract.

Kuemper was named 2010-11 WHL player of the year.

Wilds official release is below….

SAINT PAUL/MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Minnesota Wild General Manager Chuck Fletcher today announced the National Hockey League (NHL) club has signed goaltender Darcy Kuemper to a three-year, entry-level contract.

“We’re very excited to add Darcy to our goaltending mix,” said Fletcher. “He had an outstanding season with Red Deer and we’re looking forward to watching him continue his progression toward becoming an NHL goaltender.”

Kuemper, 21 (5/5/90), was named the 2010-11 Western Hockey League (WHL) Player of the Year and the WHL Goaltender of the Year. The 6-foot-5, 203-poound native of Saskatoon, Sask., appeared in 62 games for the Red Deer Rebels and posted a 45-12-5 record with a 1.86 goals-against average (GAA), a .933 save percentage and 13 shutouts as the Rebels finished with 104 points in the standings and their first Central Division title since 2003-04.

He led all WHL goaltenders in wins, GAA, save percentage and shutouts during the regular season, helping the Rebels to the WHL’s best defensive record. In addition, Kuemper tied a WHL single-season record by posting 13 shutouts. During the regular season, he maintained a high level of consistency, losing back-to-back decisions on only two occasions. Kuemper was named the Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week on three different occasions during the regular season – the only goalie in the CHL to win the award three times this year – and was named the Vaughn WHL Goaltender of the Month for January. He is the WHL’s nominee for the CHL Player of the Year at the Canadian Hockey League Awards, which will be handed out during the 2011 MasterCard Memorial in Mississauga, Ont.

Kuemper was drafted by Minnesota in the sixth round (No. 161 overall) of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.