Vying for spot, Kalus raises intensity of play

By MICHAEL RUSSO, Star Tribune

Last update: September 13, 2009 - 10:56 PM

One year after quitting the Houston Aeros after not making the Wild out of training camp, Petr Kalus made his return visible Sunday.

Taking a page out of Aaron Voros' book when he wasn't on the Wild's radar two years ago, Kalus drew the ire of a number of Wild veterans, especially defenseman Nick Schultz, by going after them physically on the opening morning of training camp.

Kalus, 22, a Czech who scored on his first three NHL shots for the Boston Bruins three seasons ago, said, "I want to show them what I can do."

Kalus twice punished Schultz along the wall with powerful checks. Schultz spent the rest of the scrimmage eyeing down Kalus. Finally, along with partner Kim Johnsson, Schultz paid him back late by smashing Kalus along the wall then giving him a couple of shots to the melon.

This came one shift after Derek Boogaard tried to break Kalus' stick in half after a hit.

"Give him credit for going out and playing hard," Schultz said. "He wants to make the team. There's not a lot of spots, so he's got to make an impression and he's definitely doing that. Just when it's against you, you get a little fired up."

Schultz credited Kalus for raising the intensity of the scrimmage but added: "Obviously we're a team here, so you don't want to kill one another in scrimmages. We've got seven exhibition games where we can run around and hit all we want."

Kalus, whose shot broke a pane of glass before practice began, said he plans to "throw the bodies, skate and score" to earn a roster spot. Asked if he'd report to Houston if he doesn't make the team, Kalus paused, then said, "Probably, yeah."

Centers on spec

Coach Todd Richards hopes to solidify the Wild's Nos. 2, 3 and 4 center positions in camp. He'll use Eric Belanger, James Sheppard and Kyle Brodziak, but he started Sunday with Pierre-Marc Bouchard.

Bouchard, a junior star at center, has played right wing since the lockout.

After his first look at Bouchard at center, Richards said it will be a "work in progress."

Bouchard said: "I'm pretty excited about it. I'm mostly a playmaker, so I can feed my wingers. For sure, there's a lot of stuff I've got to work on, but I've got all training camp."

To get used to taking faceoffs again, Bouchard plans to work with Belanger and Mikko Koivu after practices.

Etc.

• It was clear the Wild's defensemen were excited to have the handcuffs removed Sunday: They were taking offensive chances every shift. "There's an adrenaline rush where they want to go and do things, and that's great," Richards said. "Believe me, I'd rather have them going that way than the other way."

• Marian Gaborik, who was injured on the first day of Wild training camp last year, missed the first two days of the New York Rangers' camp because of a groin injury.