Struggling Wild Trade for Boston Right Winger

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - The Minnesota Wild acquired right wing Chuck Kobasew from Boston on Sunday in a trade that sent right wings Craig Weller and Alexander Fallstrom to the Bruins.

Kobasew was scoreless with only one assist in seven games with the Bruins this season on their third line.

"We feel he'll help the scoring depth on our club, but just as importantly we expect that he'll bring energy," Wild general manager Chuck Fletcher said of Kobasew. "He's a good skater with a proven track record of playing in the hard areas of the ice, in driving to the net and winning the hard battles on the wall. We think he'll be a good fit with how we want to play."

The Wild also sent the rights to their second-round pick in the 2011 draft. Fallstrom was their fourth-round pick this year, playing at Shattuck St. Mary's prep school in Faribault. He's a freshman for Harvard this fall.

Weller appeared in 36 games for the Wild last season, but he was sent to the team's AHL affiliate in Houston after training camp.

The 27-year-old Kobasew had 21 goals and 21 assists in 68 games last season, reaching the 20-goal mark for the third time in his career. After leaving national champion Boston College in 2001, Kobasew was drafted by Calgary in the first round and played four seasons for the Flames.

He should give the struggling Wild, who are getting used to a new style under Fletcher and new coach Todd Richards, a boost after an 0-5 road trip that wrapped up this weekend. He's also under contract through next season.

"There may have been a little more urgency with respect to the timing, but in all honesty this is a move we would've looked at regardless of our record," Fletcher said.

The Wild have scored 15 goals while going 1-6, and forwards Pierre-Marc Bouchard (concussion), Cal Clutterbuck (ankle), Martin Havlat (groin) and Petr Sykora (groin) have been out with injuries. Fletcher said Havlat will skate at practice on Monday and might be able to play in Wednesday's game against Colorado. Sykora could also return this week. The others are out indefinitely.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)