MINNESOTA WILD ACQUIRES JEFF PENNER, MIKKO LEHTONEN FROM BOSTON BRUINS IN EXCHANGE FOR ANTON KHUDOBIN

HOUSTON --- Minnesota Wild General Manager Chuck Fletcher today announced the National Hockey League (NHL) club has acquired defenseman Jeff Penner and right wing Mikko Lehtonen from the Boston Bruins in exchange for goaltender Anton Khudobin.

Penner, 23 (4/13/87), has posted 19 points (5-14=19) and is a plus-10 in 57 games with the AHL’s Providence Bruins this season. The 5-foot-10, 185-pound defenseman from Steinbach, Manitoba, notched a career-high 35 points (7-28=35) in 68 games with Providence in the 2009-10 season. He made his NHL debut with Boston on March 9, 2010, at Toronto. Penner, originally signed by Boston as an undrafted free agent, played one season of collegiate hockey at Alaska-Fairbanks.

Lehtonen, 23 (4/1/87), ranks second in the Swedish Elite League in scoring this season, racking up 56 points (29-27=56) in 52 games with Skelleftea. The 6-foot-3, 196-pound winger from Espoo, Finland, spent two seasons with AHL Providence (2008-10), posting 103 points (51-52=103) in 150 games. Lehtonen participated in the AHL All-Star Game in 2010. He played two games in Boston, including his NHL debut on April 11, 2009, at Buffalo. Lehtonen represented Finland in both the 2005-06 and 2006-07 IIHF World Junior Championships. He was Boston’s third-round pick (No. 83 overall) in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.

Khudobin, 24 (5/7/86), appeared in four games with Minnesota this season, posting a 2-1-0 record with a 1.59 goals-against average (GAA), a .942 save percentage (SV%) and one shutout. Khudobin is 4-1-0 with a 1.40 GAA and a .955 SV% in six career NHL contests. He is 19-12-1 with a 2.58 GAA, a .911 SV% and one shutout in 34 games with Houston this season. Khudobin participated in the AHL All-Star Game in 2010.

The Aeros return to action this Wednesday night at home in the second of back-to-back games against the IceHogs. Call 713-974-7825 (PUCK) for more information on Aeros tickets and other promotions.