MINNESOTA WILD SELECTS SEVEN PLAYERS AT 2005 NHL ENTRY DRAFT

SAINT PAUL/MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – The National Hockey League’s (NHL) Minnesota Wild selected seven players today in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft at the Westin Ottawa Hotel in Ottawa, Ontario. With the fourth overall pick in the first round, the Wild selected LW Benoit Pouliot (pronounced POOH–lee–OTT) from the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).

“We are very pleased to select Pouliot,” said Assistant General Manager/Player Personnel Tom Thompson. “He is a highly skilled player that has the potential to be a good, solid member of the Wild for many years and is the type of player that will excite our fans.”

Minnesota selected LW Matt Kassian in the second round (57th overall) from the Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey League (WHL), G Kristofer Westblom in the third round (65th overall) from the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets, C Kyle Bailey in the fourth round (110th overall) from the WHL’s Portland Winter Hawks, C Morten Madsen in the fourth round (122nd overall) from Frolunda of the Swedish Junior League, D Anthony Aiello in the fifth round (129th overall) from Thayer Academy and D Riley Emmerson in the seventh round (199th overall) from the WHL’s Tri-City Americans.

In addition, Minnesota acquired C Todd White from the Ottawa Senators in exchange for its fourth round pick (95th overall) in this year’s draft.

Pouliot, 18 (9/29/86), tallied 67 points (29-38=67) in 67 games for the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) last year. The 6-foot-3, 179-pound winger was named the 2005 OHL Rookie of the Year and was named to the OHL 2nd All-Star Team. Pouliot added 14 points (6-8=14) in 12 playoff contests for Sudbury. He was ranked second among North American skaters in the NHL Central Scouting final rankings. The Alfred, Ontario-native will attend the 2006 World Junior Development Camp for Team Canada in August.


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