FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2010
Contact: Rich Bocchini
(713-361-7920)

WILD REASSIGNS SPURGEON; AEROS ADD MCBRIDE, MORENCY

HOUSTON --- Minnesota Wild General Manager Chuck Fletcher announced the National Hockey League (NHL) club has reassigned defenseman Jared Spurgeon to the Houston Aeros of the American Hockey League (AHL). Aeros General Manager Jim Mill also signed F Brock McBride to a professional tryout contact (PTO) and recalled F Pascal Morency from Bakersfield of the ECHL.

Spurgeon, 21 (11/29/89), skated in 12 games with the Wild since his Nov. 28 recall, averaging 12:09 time on ice (TOI) while accruing two penalty minutes (PIM). He made his NHL debut on his 21st birthday, Nov. 29 in Calgary. Spurgeon has nine points (2-7=9) and 10 PIM in 21 games with the Aeros this season. The 5-foot-9, 185-pound native of Edmonton, Alta., tallied 51 points (8-43=51) in 54 games for Spokane of the Western Hockey League (WHL) last season. He won a Memorial Cup with Spokane in 2008. Spurgeon was the New York Islanders’ sixth-round pick (No. 156 overall) in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. He was signed by the Wild as a free agent on September 22, 2010.

McBride, 24 (10/18/86), has appeared in 18 games with the Aeros and registered six points (3-3=6) along with a plus-5 rating and 12 penalty minutes (PIM). He scored the game-winning goal Nov. 17 vs. Chicago. He has also played in eight games with the Elmira Jackals (ECHL) this season, registering 11 points (3-8=11) and four PIM. The Cornwall, Ontario, native is in his second pro season after a four year career at St. Lawrence University (NCAA).

Morency, 28, has played 12 games for Bakersfield. He is tied for third on the club with eight goals and is second with 57 PIM. Highlights this season include a pair of multi-goal goal games, including a hat trick on Nov. 3 vs. Alaska.

The Aeros also released forwards Aaron Lewicki and Sean Muncy from their PTO contracts. Both played in Monday’s 2-1 win at San Antonio.

Houston visits Milwaukee this Wednesday (7 p.m. CST) and then travels to Rockford for a game on Thursday (6:35 CST). The team returns home on New Year’s Day for a 7:35 p.m. game vs. San Antonio at Toyota Center. The game features the annual Miss Aeros Contest. Visit AEROS.COM or call 713-974-7825 for tickets or info on Aeros promotions.