Wild Re-signs Two RFAs

The Wild has re-signed a pair of forward prospects in the organization. The club has inked restricted free agents Justin Fontaine and Carson McMillan to one-year, two-way contracts.

Fontaine led the Houston Aeros of the American Hockey League (AHL) with 56 points (23-33=56) in 64 games last season, adding 10 power play goals with a +10 rating. The 25-year-old also led all Aeros skaters with eight points (3-5=8) in five playoff games. The 5-foot-10, 170-pound native of Bonnyville, Alta., posted 55 points (16-39=55) in 73 games with the Aeros in 2011-12. He played collegiately at Minnesota-Duluth. Fontaine spoke to the PONDcast after signing.

McMillan totaled 18 points (9-9=18) and 29 PIM in 64 regular season games with the Aeros last season. The 24-year-old added four playoff games, totaling two PIM. McMillan has skated in 15 NHL games with Minnesota, notching five points (2-3=5) and 11 PIM. He made his NHL debut at Philadelphia (Jan. 17, 2012), and scored his first NHL goal, a third-period game-winner, at Colorado (Jan. 24, 2012). The 6-foot-2, 194-pound native of Brandon, Manitoba, was Minnesota’s seventh-round pick (No. 200 overall) in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.

Wild.com To Live Stream Development Camp Scrimmage

Good news for those in the State of Hockey and beyond that will be unable to attend today’s Development Camp scrimmage: the game will stream live on Wild.com. Wild radio host Kevin Falness and television analyst Mike Greenlay will call the action.

The Green vs. White game will start at 3 p.m. and the teams will compete in 30 minute halves with running time and a resurface between halves. The scrimmage will be a combination five-on-five and four-on-four play. Overtime (if needed) will be a five minute, 4-on-4 period. If a penalty occurs, a penalty shot will be awarded.

Gate One of Xcel Energy Center will open at 2:30 for those planning to attend.

Here is the link to the scrimmage, live at 3:00 p.m.

 

Saturday Now Full-Ice Scrimmage At Development Camp

The Saturday session at Wild Development Camp will now be a full-ice scrimmage, replacing the three-on-three game. The scrimmage will run from 3 to 4:30 p.m., with Gate One of Xcel Energy Center opening 30 minutes before the action and is free and open to the public.

Today’s session will remain the three-on-three tourney with players taking the ice at 2:45 p.m.

Development Camp Tourney Draws A Crowd

On a beautiful afternoon in July, pucks and ice were on the minds of about 650 Wild fans in the State of Hockey. That’s because the club opened the doors to Xcel Energy Center for the team’s Development Camp 3-on-3 tournament.

The Wild’s showcase for its top prospects changed a little this summer, opting for a 3-on-3 winner take all tourney rather than a scrimmage. Going into today’s action one might’ve thought that the pace on the ice would be a little tame without a full ice surface, but you’d be mistaken. Playing one zone, from the blue line in, the speed was quick and there were plenty of goals, and hits.

Although this is not an “evaluation,” as it is set up as learning experience for these NHL hopefuls, the competitive edge took over. The prospects are looking for every opportunity to impress the club’s brass, who were in attendance steadily watching the action, regardless of when and where they get that chance.

The games were much more physical than expected and with the tight areas, you could see high-skill plays develop. Players had to make quick decisions or get burned like someone who fell asleep at the beach.

Maybe it was the silver chalice that is yet to have the winner’s names etched into the side or the bragging rights of taking home the tourney, but whatever it is, the pace was brisk and worth the price of admission (it was free and open to the public).

If you missed the action, don’t be too bummed, as fans will have tomorrow and Saturday to catch more of the tournament. The Lighthouse will be there with a little more analysis as we catch more of the action.

The Wild’s Kevin Falness caught up with Daniel Gunnarsson, Adam Gilmour, Louie Nanne and Wild Hockey Ops Advisor Andrew Brunette to talk more about the day. You can listen to that PONDcast here.

For a look at what the 3-on-3 tournament was like here is our own WildTV video.

Iowa Lands In AHL Midwest Division

The Iowa Wild, Minnesota’s American Hockey League affiliate, will play in the AHL’s Midwest Division. The club’s new division will include (NHL affiliate in parenthesis): Chicago Wolves (St. Louis), Grand Rapids Griffins (Detroit), Milwaukee Admirals (Nashville) and Rockford IceHogs (Chicago). Visit the Iowa Wild’s website for the AHL’s complete realignment.

The format for the 2014 Calder Cup Playoffs will and remain
the same as 2013: Eight teams in each conference will qualify for the postseason, with the three division winners earning the top three seeds and the next five best teams in order of regular-season points seeded fourth through eighth. The conference quarterfinals will be best-of-five series; the conference semifinals, conference finals and Calder Cup Finals will be best-of-seven series. Teams will be re-ordered after the first round so that the highest-remaining seed plays the lowest-remaining seed.

The playing schedule for the Iowa Wild 2013-14 regular season, which begins Oct. 4, will be announced later this summer.

Check out potential Iowa and future Minnesota prospects at today’s Wild Development Camp 3-on-3 tournament at Xcel Energy Center. Gate One opens at 2 p.m., with the games underway at 2:30 p.m. The tournament is free and open to the public.