Minnesota Wild sign Havlat, Zanon on first day of Free Agency
Published on July 2, 2009 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Houston Aeros News Release
HOUSTON, Texas - Minnesota Wild General Manager Chuck Fletcher today announced the National Hockey League (NHL) club has agreed to terms with right wing Martin Havlat on a six-year contract and defenseman Greg Zanon on a three-year contract. Both signings came on the first day of the NHL Free Agency period, July 1.
Havlat, 28 (4/19/81), led the Chicago Blackhawks with a career-high 77 points (29-48=77) while skating in a career-high 81 games in the 2008-09 season. He ranked ninth in the NHL in plus-minus (plus-29). Havlat added 15 points (5-10=15) in 16 Stanley Cup playoff games as the Blackhawks advanced to the Western Conference finals. The 6-foot-2, 217-pound native of Mlada Boleslav, Czech Republic, has recorded 396 points (169-227=396), a plus-87 rating, 53 power play goals and 31 game-winning goals in 470 NHL games in eight seasons with Ottawa and Chicago. Havlat participated in the NHL All-Star Game in the 2006-07 season, when he led Chicago in goals (25), assists (32) and points (57) despite appearing in just 56 games. He was a member of the NHL's All-Rookie team in 2000-01 and played for the Czech Republic at the 2002 Olympics. Havlat was Ottawa's first-round pick (No. 26 overall) in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft.
Zanon, 29 (6/5/80), ranked third in the NHL in blocked shots with 237, while posting 11 points (4-7=11) and 38 penalty minutes (PIM) in 82 games with the Nashville Predators in the 2008-09 season. The 5-foot-11, 211-pound native of Burnaby, B.C., has totaled 26 points (7-19=26) and 100 PIM in 230 regular season NHL games in parts of four seasons, all with Nashville. Zanon has ranked in the top 10 of the NHL in blocked shots in each of the last three seasons, and ranked second on the Predators roster with 153 hits in 2008-09. He made his NHL debut against the Wild on Dec. 1, 2005. Zanon, who played collegiately at Nebraska-Omaha, was Ottawa's fifth-round pick (No. 156 overall) in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft.
Visit Wild.com for more information on these signings and to follow other off-season happenings.
American Hockey League Stories from July 2, 2009
- Westgarth Re-signs With Kings - Manchester Monarchs
- Kings Sign Defenseman Scuderi - Manchester Monarchs
- Blackhawks To Host 2009 Prospect Camp From July 6-10 - Rockford IceHogs
- Canadiens Sign Mike Glumac, Mathieu Darche And Alex Henry - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Florida Panthers Sign Defenseman Clay Wilson - Rochester Americans
- Amerks Summer Player Profile: Jordan Henry - Rochester Americans
- Minnesota Wild sign Havlat, Zanon on first day of Free Agency - Houston Aeros
- Houston Aeros announce six guaranteed home dates for 2009-10 season - Houston Aeros
- Hurricanes Agree To Terms With Dwyer, Ryan - Albany River Rats
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