Quick
Facts Feature: Breaking down the NHL trade
deadline deals.
Recently
acquired Wild forward Mattias Weinhandl is a prospect
with great upside who has never reached his full potential.
Weinhandl played on a line with the Sedin Twins for
Sweden in the juniors and with Henrik Zetterberg
in the World Championships. He has been one
of the top players in the Swedish Elite League and
did so with only 10% vision in one eye.
In the 1999 Four Nations Cup Weinhandl was the victim
of a vicious stick swining incident by Michal
Travnichek, suffering a severe injury to the eye.
Travinchek was suspended from International play for
a full year but was still allowed to join the
Maple Leafs' system later. The
Wild are hoping to see the forward regain his offensive
touch. Weinhandl's three year deal ends at the
end of this season.
Tim
Jackman was traded on NHL deadline day from Phoenix
to the LA Kings. He gets to move from bottom-dwelling
AHl club San Antonio to contender Manchester Monarchs
with Adam Hauser as goalie. He is reportedly
very happy with the move.
Former
Wild forward Jim Dowd becomes the fourth former Wild
player from the 2003 Stanley Cup run to play for the
Colorado Avalanche. He was traded from Chicago
on NHL deadline day. He took the morning pre-game
skate with the Blackhawks and came back that night
and played against Chicago in an Avalanche uniform.
The move reunited Dowd with former Wild teammates
Andrew Brunette and Antti Laaksonen. Darby Hendrickson
was the first player to join the Avs after being traded
from the Wild.
The
Griffins Nate DiCasmirro has recorded an even or better
rating in 50 of his 59 games played this season, and
is tied with teammate Bryan Helmer for third in the
AHL at plus-21.
Mark
Cullen was recalled to the Chicago Blackhawks and
is likely to remain with the NHL club the remainder
of the season.
Mark
Hartigan continues to steal the headlines, with points
in 13 straight and 31 of his last 32 games (29g, 29a)
with the Syracuse Crunch and earned himself another
recall to parent Columbus Blue Jackets.
On
Tuesday, Patrick OSullivan tallied his third hat trick
of the season to help Houston to a 5-4 shootout win
over Chicago With 41 goals on the season, O'Sullivan
leads all AHL rookies in goal scoring. Teammate Roman
Voloshenko, is second with 29.
An
anonymous donor is pledging $300 per goal and $100
per assist by Houston Aeros defenseman and former
Fighting Sioux Curtis Murphy for the I Have a Dream
program at www.ihad.org.
After
missing nine games due to injury, leading scorer John
Pohl returned to the Toronto Marlies on Friday, and
set a career high with his 27th goal of the season
on Sunday.
On
Tuesday, 2005 AHL All-Rookie forward Thomas Vanek
scored his 20th goal of the season to help Buffalo
past Boston, 3-2.
Darby
Hendrickson consulted former Gopher teammate Craig
Johnson about his hernia surgery and ended up selecting
the same Munich surgeon. Johnson has the same
operation earlier in the season.
Quick Speculation:
Hill
Murray's Nick Larson has already received two offers
from WCHA schools and the University of Minnesota
is also reportedly very interested in the prospect.
Don't be surprised to see an announcement of a Larson
commitment to the Gophers during following the High
School Tournament.
Should the Gophers find success against the Alaska
Seawolves this weekend, look for a special moment
involving the teams' seniors following the last game,
their last at Mariucci.
Quick Quote:
"It's
exciting to be back in the playoff hunt. Where
we were in New York, we were struggling and fighting
all year. We weren't really in the thick of
things at all. There's a lot of excitement that
I'm feeling right now, getting right back into the
thick of things. Hopefully I can just contribute
in any way that Andy (Murray) feels necessary.
Whether it's on the power play or whatnot, whatever
form he feels I can contribute to this team.
At this point in my career all I care about is winning.
Anything I can do to help...that what I'm up for."
- Mark Parrish on being
traded from the NY Islanders to LA Kings.
