White And Foster Will See Ice Tonight

The Wild should get some pop back in their line up tonight against the Nashville Predators as Todd White returns to the lineup.  White has four goals and eleven points on the season, but has missed the last five games with a groin injury.  Head coach Jacques Lemaire said after a brisk practice yesterday that White will be back in the line up barring something unforeseen.

“He’s ready,” joked Lemaire, “unless he falls off the bed tomorrow and pulls a groin again.”

But he won’t be the only new face to surface on the Wild’s side of the ice.  Earlier this week the Wild made a call to their AHL affiliate in Houston and brought up rookie defenseman Kurtis Foster.  Foster, 23, ranked first among AHL defensemen in scoring with 15 points (4-11=15), including one power play goal in 19 games with the Aeros this season.  The 6-foot-5, 235-pound blueliner was a +2 and also notched 32 penalty minutes (PIM) and tonight, according to the head coach, he’ll make his debut with the Wild.

“He looks mobile enough to play in the NHL and he has an NHL shot,” explained Leamire this morning. “The rest we’ll find out on his first shift.  He was getting points (in the AHL) and that’s one of the reasons why we want to try him. He deserves a try and we’ll see what he can do.  Sometimes guys adapt with better players so we’ll see what he does.”

Look for Manny Fernandez to get the start in net as he goes up against Tomas Vokun and the Nashville Predators.