Minnesota Wild Make Flurry of Moves
By Dakota Case
Mar 11, 2012; St. Paul, MN, USA; Minnesota Wild forward Stephane Veilleux (19) against the Calgary Flames at the Xcel Energy Center. The Flames defeated the Wild 4-3. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
According to the team website, the Minnesota Wild have recalled role-playing forwards Jake Dowell and Stephane Veilleux along with goaltender Josh Harding from the Houston Aeros. In turn, rookies Mikael Granlund, Jason Zucker and Darcy Kuemper have all been reassigned.
Dowell, signed as an unrestricted free agent this past summer by Minnesota, will likely make his Minnesota Wild debut tomorrow night against the Los Angeles Kings, wearing sweater No. 18. He recorded four goals and five assists for nine points and 34 penalty minutes in 37 games with Houston this season. Veilleux, Minnesota’s 3rd round pick in 2001, will be making his season debut for Minnesota after recording three goals and five assists for eight points and 45 penalty minutes in 33 games with the Aeros this season. Veilleux will don his familiar No. 19 sweater.
Harding was sent down last week on a brief conditioning stint as he looks to come back from medication issues regarding the treatment of his MS. A Wild and Aeros fan favorite throughout his pro career, Harding posted a 1-1-0 record while stopping 56 of 61 shots for a 3.00 goals against average and .918 save percentage in two starts for Houston after being sent down on April 16th. With Minnesota this season, Harding is 1-1-0 with a 2.92 goals against average, .885 save percentage and one shutout in four games.
The Aeros receive much needed support with the reassignment of Granlund, Zucker and Kuemper. Granlund (2-6=8 in 27 NHL games) scored 28 points in 29 games with the Aeros before being called up and Zucker (4-1=5 in 19 NHL games) is ranked second in scoring with 50 points in 55 games for Houston.
Kuemper returns to Houston as the undisputed No. 1 netminder for Minnesota’s farm team as Matt Hackett was traded to Buffalo in the deadline deal that saw the Wild acquire Jason Pominville. The 6’5” 207-pound goaltending giant is 13-8-0 with a 1.88 goals against average, .934 save percentage and four shutouts in 24 games with Houston this season. He posted a 1-2-0 record with an impressive 2.08 goals against average and .916 save percentage in six games (three starts) during his short stint with the big club.