Sheppard has moved out of former Wild center Darby Hendrickson's basement, having moved in with teammate Josh Harding while he looks for his own place. He's begun playing the guitar -- well, sort of -- and he's even landed his first endorsement deal with Under Armour.

At Harding's Minneapolis pad, Sheppard has been sleeping on a futon, and his closet is Harding's breakfast table.

"He's a messy kid," Harding said, laughing, before Wednesday's game. "My house has never been dirtier than it is right now."

Last year, when Sheppard lived with Hendrickson and his family, he immediately dented Hendrickson's pickup.

"I pulled into a Holiday Inn parking lot and tried to squeeze in between an 18-wheeler that shouldn't have been there," Sheppard said, grinning. "I got to Hards', and the first night I was there, I broke his TV remote. Then I took his car out and the 'check engine' light went on. I mean, I'm trying to behave myself. I've learned how to use the George Foreman grill."

Today's lines:

Boogaard - Pouliot - Kolanos
Brunette - Koivu - Miettinen
Veilleux - Belanger - Nolan
Weller - Sheppard - Gillies

Zidlicky - Skoula
Schultz - Burns
Bergeron - Reitz
Johnsson - Mojzis

It’s Harding and Backstrom in net.

Ice hockey is a form of disorderly conduct in which the score is kept. ~Doug Larson

My cell phone's going to die. I'm so sorry.

"Pierre-Marc is just 24 years old and the best years of his career are ahead of him. He is a good example of how drafting and developing your own players leads to team success. This is why the Wild was willing to make such a substantial and long-term commitment to him."

"The way I've played the game since I was very young is an aggressive style. I love the hitting side of the game. Goals are fun, but I love the physical play. It's the Irish blood coming out of me."

"The six NHL players the Wild have acquired — Marek Zidlicky, Andrew Brunette, Craig Weller, Antti Miettinen, Owen Nolan and Marc-Andre Bergeron — through free agency and trades this summer last season had a cumulative 198 points last season.

That's one more point than the Wild's 10 unrestricted free agents — Pavol Demitra, Brian Rolston, Keith Carney, Sean Hill, Petteri Nummelin, Chris Simon, Todd Fedoruk, Branko Radivojevic, Matt Foy and Aaron Voros — totaled last season."

"I'm very happy to come there. It's a good hockey town. Minnesota is a great hockey area. It's a playoff atmosphere with every game sold out. And Jacques Lemaire plays a defensive style."

"Our priority now is to get Rolston signed," Doug Risebrough said. "We want him back. Again, it's a scenario. I feel it's a good place for him and he's got to feel the same way for all the right reasons, and hopefully it works out.

"I have to be careful what I spend there because I've got other issues."

Let's Play Hockey!!