Casey Wellman and four others reassigned

by nathaneide on Oct 11, 2010 8:53 AM CDT in News

SAINT PAUL/MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - Minnesota Wild General Manager Chuck Fletcher today announced the National Hockey League (NHL) club has reassigned defenseman Drew Bagnall, left wing Matt Kassian, goalie Anton Khudobin and forward Casey Wellman to the Houston Aeros of the American Hockey League (AHL). The Wild also reassigned goalie Dennis Endras to the Augsburger Panthers in the German League.

The Endras move was not surprising at all since it was already done, just needed to be finalized. The Wellman move was a bit surprising, but it will likely mean he will see top line minutes and special teams play also.

Forwards
Pierre-Marc Bouchard (Injured Reserve)
Kyle Brodziak
Andrew Brunette
Cal Clutterbuck
Matt Cullen
Martin Havlat
Chuck Kobasew
Mikko Koivu
Guillaume Latendresse
John Madden
Antti Miettinen
Eric Nystrom
Brad Staubitz

Defensemen
Cam Barker
Brent Burns
Justin Falk
Nick Schultz
Clayton Stoner
Greg Zanon
Marek Zidlicky

Goalies
Niklas Backstrom
Josh Harding (Injured Reserve)
Jose Theodore

What do you think?

Poll

Was sending Wellman to Houston a good move?

Yes - It gives him experience

141 votes

No - He should be on the top 2 lines here anyway

43 votes

Who cares? The team is terrible. It doen't matter

36 votes

220 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

There isn't a game until Thursday...

This is first and foremost a money saving move. Almost everyone who could be moved was moved… this saves some fractional dollars that might be available later if a move needs to be made.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Wellman gets called back up rather quickly as the Wild didn’t keep any extra forward skaters. Of course, the Wild might choose to call someone else up to give them a shot, but I still expect Wellman back up if PMB isn’t ready to go.

by Krotz the Wall on Oct 11, 2010 10:01 AM CDT reply actions

I think Old time hockey guy voted 4 times with 4 different accounts for the last option haha ;)

by Call of the Wild on Oct 11, 2010 10:09 AM CDT reply actions

I'm a little disappointed about Wellman and Bagnall

This team badly needs offense, and Wellman has shown that he’s willing to drive the net and get pucks on goal. I’m disappointed in this team where Miettinen is on the 1st line with Koivu and Wellman is sent down to Houston.

Barker is starting to look a bit better, which isn’t really saying much. I still don’t like him at $3m, but maybe he’ll start to turn his game around over the next few weeks. With his contract I understand why we need him playing for the team.

Keeping Stoner up playing with the big club and sending Bagnall down seems short sighted though. We already have enough problems on the blue line, allowing Stoner to continue to contribute to those problems is only going to dig us into the same hole we started last year.

by SpaethCo on Oct 11, 2010 1:41 PM CDT reply actions

I still think these particular moves are about money against the cap

Wellman and Bagnall could be sent to the minors right away, their immediate salary removed from the team salary toward the salary cap. The players being sent down on Saturday means the team saved 5 days worth of player salaries that could help if a move is needed down the road. Stoner would have had to be put on waivers, being paid his salary until he clears, or is claimed which he probably would… so the team would lose probably 2 days worth of salary savings or a prospect d-man who really isn’t making all that much money this season.

Expect a call up or two prior to the game on Thursday. Wellman doesn’t come back, only if the team plans on him skating the number 1 line on the Aeros, getting power play time, and getting 20 mins a night on the ice for a month or two. I would really love to see him get some of those minutes with the Wild, especially before PMB is back, but I don’t think Wellman is going to get a chance to get acclimated to the NHL on the first line.

by Krotz the Wall on Oct 12, 2010 8:15 AM CDT up reply actions

I believe it’s more than just cap savings. As long as they’re reassigned they’re not up here for practices.

by SpaethCo on Oct 12, 2010 2:24 PM CDT up reply actions

Part of the problem....

is that we really only have 5 players on the roster that can play offense. leaving 7 pluggers. Dont get me wrong, Pluggers are needed, but offense is needed more. it also doesnt help we dont have a scorer, we have 5 play makers, and 1 scorer.

by wild32384 on Oct 11, 2010 11:21 PM CDT reply actions