Wheeler's glad he got taste of life elsewhere

By MICHAEL RUSSO, Star Tribune

Last update: January 7, 2009 - 1:05 AM

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BOSTON - Like virtually every NHL team, the Wild went after former Gophers forward and Breck School star Blake Wheeler last summer.

But Wheeler, a native of Plymouth, never considered playing for his hometown Wild.

Wheeler, 22, didn't want the pressure of playing in Minnesota. He wanted a new life experience, and after signing with the Boston Bruins, he's enjoying a stellar rookie year with 13 goals, 12 assists and a plus-22 before Tuesday's game against the Wild.

"Being a hometown kid, I'd love to stay in Minnesota my whole life, but after my three years at the U, I think it was important for me to get out of my comfort zone and experience new things," Wheeler said. "With Matt [Keator], my agent, and my family, we felt that getting into a different environment was a better option for me than the Wild."

The coolest part of last summer for Wheeler? The bidding war that started for him.

The Phoenix Coyotes, who drafted Wheeler fifth overall in 2004, offered Wheeler the maximum. But the chance to pick his own team was too appealing, so Wheeler opted for free agency.

"It was fun, but there was a lot of anxiety involved, too," Wheeler said. "I don't know if anyone had really ever done what I was doing, so I was anxious to get it over with. But it was definitely flattering having all those teams coming at you like that."

Thanks anyway

Assistant equipment trainer Brent Proulx, who worked with the U.S. team during the world junior championships, returned to the Wild.

Defenseman Nick Schultz did a little arts-and-crafts project, making Proulx a "fifth-place" medal out of tape that said, "Thanks for coming."

"We feel bad Canada's winning all the time," Schultz quipped, sarcastically. "He took time off to go there, so we didn't want him to come home empty handed."

Likes Kolanos

Coach Jacques Lemaire continues to praise call-up Krys Kolanos, the former Boston College star. But Lemaire said he's got to "keep running with this. These guys, we don't need one game out of them. We need them to play hard every night just to get a chance to win."

Said Kolanos, "I'm just trying to work, and then the rest comes from my game."

Etc.

• Left wing Stephane Veilleux and coach Mike Ramsey missed Tuesday's game because of illness. Derek Boogaard missed his second consecutive game because of an "upper body" injury. That allowed Benoit Pouliot, scratched in three consecutive games, to return to the lineup.

• The NHL will announce Western Conference All-Stars today. Mikko Koivu and Niklas Backstrom are the Wild's contenders.

• Houston Aeros players Corey Locke and Barry Brust were named to the AHL All-Star Game.