After being pushed aside late last season, Wild center Dominic Moore could be earning a significant role this season.
Coach Jacques Lemaire has been delighted with Moore's training camp, in particular his inspired play during Monday's 2-1 victory against the Buffalo Sabres.
"He's doing something," said Lemaire, who scratched Moore in all five playoff games and seven of the final 11 regular-season games last year. "His vision is good, he gets the puck, he makes some plays. When it's time to drive at the net, he drove. When it's time to support the guys, he did. Defensive zone, he wasn't responsible for any chances against. It was an all-around game.
"[Last year], we didn't see passes, we didn't see as great of a defensive player, we didn't see the skating that he's showing now, we didn't see the confidence that he has now."
Lemaire admitted that confidence goes two ways and possibly one reason Moore didn't show it after his February trade from the Pittsburgh Penguins is because he received little feedback from the coaching staff.
"I like what I see now. It's different," Lemaire said. "If he keeps going like this, he's going to play."
Said Moore: "When you get some positive reinforcement, you know you're on the right track."
Moore could wind up between Pavol Demitra and Marian Gaborik. Not only does he have the speed to keep up, Moore finished 22nd in faceoff winning percentage last season (.526). Possession means Demitra and Gaborik can do what they do best -- generate scoring chances.
"You start the shift without the puck, it could be the difference between playing in your end or their end," Moore said.
Unwanted face time
Wild center Eric Belanger's face has been a magnet for high sticks and pucks all training camp. It was no different Monday against Buffalo when an errant puck knocked two teeth back and cut his mouth open.
Last week in Detroit, Belanger took a high stick that knocked out a tooth.
"I look at it positively," Belanger said. "I had to go to the dentist for one tooth. Now I get to go for three."
Etc.
• Defenseman Kurtis Foster missed Tuesday's practice because of a groin injury, assistant GM Tom Lynn said, adding there's "no return target yet."
• The Wild officially placed forwards Steve Kelly, Serge Payer, Joel Ward and Aaron Voros on waivers Tuesday. If another team doesn't make a claim by 11 a.m. today, the players will be assigned to AHL Houston.
Michael Russo • mrusso@startribune.com
wild/nhl
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