MINNESOTA WILD SELECTS EIGHT IN 2009 NHL ENTRY DRAFT

MONTREAL, Quebec– The National Hockey League’s (NHL) Minnesota Wild selected eight players in the two-day 2009 NHL Entry Draft at Belle Centre in Montreal, Quebec on June 26 and 27.

The Wild selected defenseman Nick Leddy with the 16th overall pick in the first round. The Wild acquired the 16th pick along with the 77th and 182nd picks in this year’s draft from the New York Islanders in exchange for the 12th overall pick.

On day two of the draft Minnesota selected goalie Matthew Hackett in the third round (#77), left wing Kristopher Foucault (#103) and right wing Alexander Fallstrom (#116) in the fourth round, goalie Darcy Kuemper (#161) and forward Jere Sallinen (#163) in the sixth round, left wing Erik Haula (#182) and center Anthony Hamburg (#193) in the seventh round.

The Wild also acquired center Kyle Brodziak (brohd-ZEE-ak) and the Edmonton Oilers sixth round pick (#161), Kuemper, in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft Saturday in exchange for the Wild’s fourth round pick (#99) and fifth round pick (#133) in this year’s draft.

Leddy, 18 (3/20/91), was named the 2009 Mr. Hockey Award winner given annually to the most outstanding senior high school hockey player in the state of Minnesota. The 5-foot-11 ½ , 185-pound defenseman was also named to the Class AA Minnesota State Boys’ Hockey All-Tournament team and will attend the University of Minnesota this fall.

For more information about these draft picks and the trade visit WILD.com.