FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Saturday, Jan. 15, 2011

MINNESOTA WILD REASSIGNS HACKETT TO HOUSTON; AEROS RELEASE BROWN

HOUSTON --- Minnesota Wild General Manager Chuck Fletcher today announced the National Hockey League (NHL) club has reassigned goaltender Matt Hackett to the Houston Aeros of the American Hockey League (AHL). The Aeros also released goaltender David Brown from his professional tryout contract.
 
Hackett, 20 (3/7/90), was recalled yesterday and backed up Anton Khudobin during last night’s game against Colorado. Hackett is 10-10-1 with a 2.55 goals against average (GAA), a .910 SV% and one shutout in 23 games with the Aeros in his first professional season. He went 33-18-3 with a 2.62 GAA and a .925 SV% in 56 games with the Plymouth Whalers of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) in 2009-10. Hackett ranked second in the OHL in SV%, third in wins, tied for fourth in shutouts (four) and fifth in GAA. The 6-foot-2, 179-pound native of London, Ont., was Minnesota’s third-round pick (No. 77 overall) in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. He was signed to a three-year entry level contract by the Wild on March 16, 2010. Hackett is the nephew of former NHL goaltender Jeff Hackett.

Brown, 25 (2/11/85), has appeared in 21 games with the Quad City Mallards of the Central Hockey League and has posted a 9-10-0 record along with a 2.57 GAA, a .923 SV% and three shutouts. He backed up Josh Tordjman in last night’s win at Chicago.
 
The Aeros continue a run of four games in five nights with a pair of games against Grand Rapids on Saturday (7:35 p.m.) and Sunday (4:05 p.m.).

The first 1,500 fans on Saturday receive an official Aeros 2010-11 Team Photo. On Sunday, the Aeros celebrate Team Mascot Chilly’s 15th birthday with Chillypalooza. Mascots from around the Houston area will be on hand to take part in the festivities including an intermission broomball game against the Sugarland Mites (4-8 years old) hockey team. Sunday’s Family Day ticket packs start at $67 and include four tickets, free parking, Aeros souvenirs and $20 in Toyota Center Bucks.

Call 713-974-7825 (PUCK) for more information on Aeros tickets and other promotions.