ST. LOUIS - Wild General Manager Doug Risebrough said before the Wild's 4-2 exhibition loss to the St. Louis Blues on Friday night that he's "strongly contemplating" signing 19-year-old center James Sheppard to a contract.
"I wouldn't keep him this long if I wasn't seriously considering keeping him," Risebrough said.
Risebrough said he was "very curious" to see how Sheppard would play in between two high-scoring linemates, Brian Rolston and Pierre-Marc Bouchard, in Friday's game.
Sheppard wound up playing a strong game, drawing one penalty and assisting on Bouchard's goal after hammering Christian Backman by the Wild's bench to dislodge the puck.
"I'm at my best when I'm hitting," Sheppard said. "I thought I played well, and hopefully I rose my stock."
Still, as Sheppard said, it's getting down to the "nitty gritty" to sign him.
The deadline to send unsigned players back to their junior teams is Monday, and Sheppard's agent, Mark Guy, said Friday that he hasn't heard from Wild assistant GM Tom Lynn.
Lynn wouldn't comment but said earlier that he didn't plan to call Guy until it became clearer whether Sheppard would make the team.
"I don't know what direction it's going yet, but we'll find out very soon," said Guy, alluding to the deadline.
Because of the NHL agreement with the Canadian Hockey League, Sheppard would have to be returned to Cape Breton of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League if he doesn't make the Wild because he's younger than 20.
Sheppard wishes that weren't the case.
"I think the best thing for me would be to play in the minors, but it's not an option," Sheppard said. "It's going to be up to these guys to decide what's best for me. If I played here, I think it'll help my progression. At the same time if I play junior, I can have a really good year and put up some points at the same time.
"Either way it can be a positive."
If the Wild signs Sheppard, he can be returned to Cape Breton before he plays his 10th game and a season won't count toward his contract. Risebrough reiterated the only way he'll sign Sheppard is if he feels he can play at least 40 games.
Boogaard gets angry
Wild left winger Derek Boogaard was incensed during the second period when Blues veteran Doug Weight slashed him across the wrist. Boogaard punched Weight, earning a double roughing minor while Weight got two minutes for slashing.
"Doug Weight will get his coming," Boogaard said. "Players who play like that, bad things happen to them all the time. A matter of time, it'll catch up to him."
Weight, who had a run-in with Boogaard late last season, declined to comment after the game.
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