Wild signs Daoust, Rau
 

http://wild.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id...id=DL|MIN|home

It's good to know the Wild can actually call him up this year.

Yeah, I didn't realize he was on an AHL-contract only. He had a good year, I'm sure he'll challenge for a 4th line role too maybe?

Call-up at best. It's hard to see Doust being a full-time NHLer given he's 5'7" and lacking top-end speed; if anything, he's a tweener.

I suppose so, but having him available for call-up is nice. What happens with Robbie Earl, probably sign another 2-way somewhere? He was our call-up master last year.

My guess is Earl will test the free agent market and see if he can get a better deal because I don't see the Wild with their recent signings giving him more time with the big club.

Looks like we're signing Rau too

Russo tweet:

Good for them, some competition and incentive is always good.

Height doesn't matter, it's all about how he plays. Gionta and Cammalleri are both doing just fine for Montreal and neither of them are over 5'8.

Nice!

I know. If Daoust can't be a top-six guy in the NHL, then he's SOL because he's too small to be a grinder. Gionta and Cammalleri do have the intagibles and skills to be top-six players despite their size, but it's hard to bet on a 26 year-old who hasn't played in the NHL.

I watched JM Dauost play when he was with the Danbury Trashers a few years ago. Guy has all the heart in the world despite being small. Hope he does well.

You can have 50 players signed, so you might as well have the whole Aeros team under contract. JMD was one of their best players, and is familiar with coach Todd Richards so he isn't a terrible option to have in the system, even if he is 5'7.

Our leading AHL scorer had 55 pts? Ouch.

Can't tell if you are being sarcastic but this guy doesn't seem like he's cut out for a fourth line role. You'd never bring up a fourth liner from the minors and stick him on the first line in the National league, I think in the case of a 5-7 skill guy, he wouldn't work in a fourth line role.

There's a reason why Constantine got canned, although to be fair half of the Aeros had frequent flier miles between Houston and St. Paul.

Its what happens when you draft forwards known more for their intangibles than skill.

Maybe they envision a mosquito line of Daoust, Bouchard and Wellman.

Constantine got fired because new management wants their own guy, not because of his team's performance. He's a solid AHL coach and wouldn't be surprised to see him hired elsewhere.

I don't even know if those 3 players will even play for the Wild next year. Wellman has the best chance, but the Wellman that played last year should be in Houston.

AHL depth.

Looks like Minnesota officially signed Rau as well.

And so Chuck Fletcher continues to add depth to the organization without the sacrifice of other assets. More competition in Houston can't be a bad thing: and ANOTHER Minnesotan?!

At the rate things are going, I think Doug Woog might be coaching down there.

Had the most points among 25 and under forwards in Houston last year.

Glad to hear we got Rau locked up too. Adds more depth.

How many FA's did he sign that were Minnesotans? 3?!?!?

He's really outdone himself here. Now no one can say we have no Minnesotans when we clearly now do. :P

I don't mind the signings, would you rather have these guys or Irmen eating up a contract? At least these guys can produce at an AHL level. The end of June can't get here soon enough, I'm super excited for draft day.

Irmen. He may not be a Minnesotan, but unlike those three he is a Gopher and as we all know that's better than having Minnesotans :).