Newly acquired Leggieri has big second game

In the off-season, the Wild swung a trade with the Innisfil Lakers that sent the rights of Australian forward David Manning and the Wild's fifth-round 2008 GMHL draft pick, Michael Gambacorta (62nd overall), in exchange for the Lakers' Nick Leggieri.

Leggieri officially became a member of the Wild last week when he suited up in the Lightning game, scoring a goal in the victory. Saturday, he scored a hat trick with two assists for five points against the Canada Moose.

"I hope to bring an offensive punch, combined with leadership, being a good teammate on and off the ice," explained the 20-year-old Leggieri.

"It's not so much his offence; it's what he does on defence that creates his changes. He's a good two-way player and is very smart as he reads the play well," Hampton said this of his new player. "If there's any knock on him, it's he has to work on his speed. But, he's a really good kid in the dressing room and the guys like him."

"When you have chemistry in the dressing room it should translate on the ice," stated Leggieri. "And I've seen this so far with King."

The Aurora native hopes to obtain a college scholarship by playing with the Wild. Post-secondary scholarship seem to be the wave of the GMHL as 23 players over the last two years have gone on to various colleges via scholarships.