Ryan Stanzel
Director of Communications
Monday, September 19, 2005
713.361.7930 (Direct Line)

AEROS RECEIVE FIVE FROM MINNESOTA

HOUSTON, Texas – The National Hockey League’s Minnesota Wild has assigned the following players to the American Hockey League’s Houston Aeros: left wings Mark Rooneem (rooh-NEEM) and Adam Courchaine (core-SHANE), defensemen Curtis Murphy and Ryan Stokes and goaltender Miroslav Kopriva (MEER-oh-slahv, kop-CHEEV-kah). The Aeros open training camp next Monday, Sept. 26, from 12:30-3:15 p.m. at the Sugar Land Ice & Sports Center.

Rooneem, 22 (1/9/83), played one game for Houston in his rookie 2004-05 season. The 6-foot-2, 191-pound native of Hinton, Alta., split the remainder of the campaign with ECHL Louisiana and Pensacola, accumulating 36 points (19-17=36) in 65 games. The Wild signed Rooneem as a free agent June 3, 2004. He was Los Angeles’ fourth-round pick (No. 115 overall) in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft.

Courchaine, 21 (5/23/84), wrapped up his junior career in the spring. In four seasons with WHL Medicine Hat and Vancouver, Courchaine totaled 283 points (131-152=283) in 285 games. The 5-foot-10, 175-pound native of Winnipeg, Man., was Minnesota’s seventh-round pick (No. 219 overall) in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. The Aeros signed Courchaine to a contract September 8.

Murphy, 29 (12/3/75) is entering his second go-round with the Aeros. A member of both Houston’s 2003 Calder Cup winning team and Milwaukee’s 2004 championship squad, Murphy has 154 points (52-102=154) in 239 career NHL games. He has played in six All-Star Games in as many seasons in North America. The 5-foot-8, 195-pound native of Kerrobert, Sask., is the fourth ever two-time winner of the Eddie Shore Award as the AHL’s top defenseman. The Aeros signed Murphy August 16.

Stokes, 22 (6/23/83) played seven games with the Aeros in 2004-05 before a facial injury that occurred April 2 against San Antonio. The rookie also played in 59 games with ECHL Pensacola with 16 points (1-15=16) and 119 penalty minutes. Stokes, a 6-foot-4, 200-pound native of Corruna, Ont., was signed by the Wild as a free agent May 25, 2004.

Kopriva, 21 (12/5/83) is entering his first season in North America, although he has played 23 pro games in the Czech Republic over the last two seasons. The 6-foot-2, 176-pound Kopriva hails from Kladno, Czech Republic and was Minnesota’s sixth-round pick (No. 187 overall) in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. He went 7-16-0 with a 3.50 gaa in 23 games for HC Rabat Kladno, playing on a team last season that featured NHL’ers Jaromir Jagr, Tomas Kaberle and Jan Hrdina.


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