Wild trades Pouliot; Burns out indefinitely

An eventful day for the Wild began with the team announcing another significant injury to another significant player and ended with the Wild and Montreal Canadiens flipping a pair of maligned wingers desperate for changes of scenery.

Three hours after revealing defenseman Brent Burns is out indefinitely because of another concussion, the Wild traded Benoit Pouliot to the Habs for Guillaume Latendresse.

Pouliot, 23, who grew up 75 miles from Montreal, never lived up to the lofty expectations in Minnesota that came after the Wild drafted him fourth overall in 2005. Latendresse, 22, the 45th pick in the same draft, was expected to grow into a star but found himself buried on the fourth line this season after popping in 46 goals his first three seasons.

"These are two players whose best days are ahead of them," Wild GM Chuck Fletcher said. "You have two young players, both of whom have great potential and hopefully can both thrive in a new environment. We just felt it was an opportunity to get a big, strong power forward and somebody who has the potential to be a contributor for us for years to come.

"Guillaume has good touch around the net, and he's already shown he can score as a young player, and that's with limited ice time and power-play time."

Skating not his forte

The 6-2, 230-pound Latendresse, who hails from Ste-Catherine, Quebec, was thrust into the NHL as a 19-year-old in 2006. Some Montreal critics feel the rush to the league hampered his development.

Unlike Pouliot, skating is not Latendresse's forte, although Fletcher says, "he's shown he can keep up at this level and be effective."

Physically, he's willing to throw his body around, registering 438 hits over his first three seasons. But he frustrated first-year Canadiens coach Jacques Martin by not consistently going to the net.

Latendresse's ice time plummeted to the five-to-eight-minute range in six of the past seven games.

"I'm relieved and very excited," said Latendresse, who scored two goals and one assist in 23 games this season. "Things were not going well in Montreal. I'm looking for a fresh start and to feel part of a team that wants you and wants to see you as a future of the team, not just to be a number and just play when they want.

"With the ice time I was averaging here, I knew it was coming for me. I knew I would be traded pretty soon."

Pouliot was aggravating to watch at times because there was so much untapped talent. He scored 18 points in 65 career games, and motivation and processing the game seemed to be the problem. Former GM Doug Risebrough often bemoaned Pouliot's "professionalism."

Asked why it never worked out in Minnesota, Pouliot said, "That's a tough question."

Latendresse has an $803,000 cap hit and is a restricted free agent next summer. It's unknown as to when he'll debut in a Wild uniform because he's got to get his work visa. Pouliot's Montreal debut will have to wait, too. He's out with a jammed wrist.

Licking their wounds

The Wild continues to be decimated by injuries. While Chuck Kobasew returned to practice Monday, Martin Havlat remains day-to-day because of a strained hamstring. Havlat skated on his own Monday but his return, as well as Kobasew's, is uncertain. Andrew Ebbett, claimed off waivers Saturday, was impressive in his first practice.

Burns, who missed the final 19 games of last season because of a concussion, has suffered another head injury, joining concussed teammates Pierre-Marc Bouchard and Petr Sykora on the shelf.

"You look around the league, it's unbelievable how many injuries are everywhere, especially head injuries," Fletcher said. "Obviously we've had our share. What are you going to do? We've just got to give Brent the chance to take some time to get right."

The Wild believes Burns, who was starting to improve his play after early-season struggles (10 points, minus-11 in 21 games), was injured in the second period of Wednesday's game against Phoenix when he collided with teammates at the blue line.

"It was a solid collision, a pretty good jolt," Fletcher said.

The Wild likely will be cautious with Burns, especially because of the recurring nature of the injury. Like Bouchard and Sykora, the Wild can't project a timetable.

"It's a frustrating injury," Fletcher said. "They're completely impossible to predict as to when you're going to feel better or when you're going to make a full recovery."

As of now, Fletcher said John Scott will fill in for Burns, but the Wild may eventually recall another defenseman -- likely Jaime Sifers or Clayton Stoner -- for depth.