DALLAS — Chuck Fletcher can't wait anymore for Pierre-Marc Bouchard and Guillaume Latendresse to return to the lineup.
"I have to manage assuming the worst," the Wild general manager said Friday of the two wingers, who are sidelined because of concussions.
In an effort to infuse skill into a lineup desperate for it, Fletcher acquired experienced but out-of-favor forward Erik Christensen from the New York Rangers for once-top Wild prospect Casey Wellman. If the Wild doesn't re-sign Christensen after the season, it receives a 2013 seventh-round pick.
Bouchard has been shut down since Jan. 4. Latendresse has played twice since Nov. 10 and is experiencing symptoms again after practicing this week.
"We can't assume that Bouchard and Latendresse are going to come back," Fletcher said. "We're going to hope for the best but we have to plan for the worst and that's a big reason for this move.
"If either one can come back, that's a bonus. But we lost two skilled players and Erik is a skilled player with experience and versatility and the things he does well, we think will provide much-needed depth to our roster."
Those things? He's a center and will make his Wild debut Saturday in Dallas on the third line between Darroll Powe and Carson McMillan. He can win faceoffs (52.9 percent in his career). He can play the power play. And, just look at YouTube -- he's a shootout whiz, 24 in all, which ranks ninth in NHL history. The Wild has lost four of its past five shootouts, which stings when making the playoffs could come down to one or two points.
"It would be nice to not lose any more points," said coach Mike Yeo, who coached Christensen in Wilkes-Barre and Pittsburgh. "It's an art. Certain guys are really good at it, and he's one of them."