ST. Wes Unseld Jersey . PAUL, Minn. - The Minnesota Wild have re-signed right wing Justin Fontaine to a two-year contract, avoiding a salary arbitration hearing. The deal was done on Tuesday. Fontaine had 13 goals, eight assists and a plus-6 rating for the Wild in 66 games last season as a rookie, ranking fourth on the team in goals. Playing primarily on the third line, Fontaine also had one goal and one assist in nine playoff games. The 26-year-old Fontaines goal total last season was the third-highest by a rookie in Wild history, and his plus-minus rating was second. The former Minnesota Duluth star also recorded the franchises first hat trick by a first-year player, when he had three goals in a game at Phoenix in January. Calbert Cheaney Jersey . Huntelaar also had a penalty saved by Wolfsburg goalkeeper Diego Benaglio. The two goals brought Huntelaars total for the season to 18, level with Bayern Munichs Mario Gomez for most in the league. Antawn Jamison Jersey . -- Jack Del Rio only wanted to talk about the Cowboys, not the Trojans. TORONTO -- It has been an unusual summer to say the least for two of Canadas top young basketball players. Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett have been front and centre in off-season NBA talk, with the Cleveland Cavaliers expected to send them to Minnesota with a first-round pick for all-star forward Kevin Love. The reported deal cant be consummated until Aug. 23, when Wiggins is eligible to be traded. Wiggins, the No. 1 overall pick last June, deftly danced around questions about his future when he returned to his hometown of Vaughan, Ont., last week to shoot a commercial. It was Bennetts turn Monday as he attended the opening day of the NBA Americas Team Camp at the Mattamy Athletic Centre. The sophomore forward from nearby Brampton, Ont., wouldnt bite when asked about the reported deal, but said he has kept in touch with Wiggins over the last few weeks. "Weve been going back and forth a lot," Bennett said. "I know hes busy so I dont really try to hit him up too much. But he said hes working too. So theres not much we can do, you know." Bennett was drafted first overall by the Cavaliers last year but struggled in his rookie campaign, averaging just 4.2 points and 3.0 rebounds a game in limited action. He has dropped some weight over the last few months and was impressive in summer league play. Bennett said he learned a lot over the last year and is determined to come back strong next season. "I can fight through adversity," Bennett said. Bailey Howell Jersey. "It wasnt the best of seasons for me. I will admit that. Fighting the injuries and just the way things were, just never really made me give up. I always just stayed in the gym." Bennett, 21, could officially become a member of the Timberwolves by the weekend but youd never know it by listening to his five-minute media scrum. The questions kept coming and Bennett politely answered without revealing much of anything. So, is he paying attention to the big date looming on Saturday? "I have no idea about that," he said. "Ive just been pretty much working myself. Im just trying to get ready for the season." Any worries about being dealt? "Im just a young man thats ready to work," he said. "Wherever I end up, it doesnt really matter to me. I just want to play basketball." Has it been a distraction? "Not distracting at all," he said. "Im still focused on what I have to do. Just working hard, keeping my body healthy, watching what I eat." Bennett finally opened up a little when asked about whether he had any advice for Wiggins as a fellow first overall pick. "Pretty much I just told him to work hard," he said. "Just try not to listen to everybody. You can have one bad game, you can have one real good game. "But you know, its just a long season full of ups and downs." ' ' '
top of page

bottom of page