Monday, 06.21.2010 / 5:54 PM / News
By Glen Andresen - Managing Editor

Minnesota Wild General Manager Chuck Fletcher did not exaclty do a cannon ball into the water on his first trade of the 2010 offseason, but he did appear to send a significant message in trading for San Jose Sharks tough guy, right wing Brad Staubitz.

In exchange for the 6-foot-1, 210-pound bruiser, the Wild gave up its fifth round pick (129th overall) in this weekend's NHL Entry Draft. The Wild now owns seven picks, and still holds five in the top 99.

Staubitz appeared in 47 games with San Jose last year, and picked up three goals and three assists. Scoring is not the attribute that Fletcher was seeking in Staubitz. As he's said many times in his one-year tenure, Fletcher targets players with grit, and he certainly has that in Staubitz, who piled up 110 penalty minutes last year. In his rookie season with the Sharks, he totaled 76 penalty minutes in 35 games. A lot of those minutes came via the fighting major, as evidence .

"Brad is a tough, physical player that will provide grit and energy to our team," said Fletcher.

Staubitz said that the toughness aspect of his game just came along with the style of game he's been playing since he was a youngster.

"I'm a hard-working, energy guy," he said. "I'm really excited about this, because it's an opportunity for me to keep progressing. Hockey is so big in Minny, and I'm really looking forward to contributing any way I can, and helping out this team, because they are really improving."

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