Friday, January 14, 2011

WILD STRENGTHENS DEFENSE

Press Release

WENATCHEE, Wash. –The Wenatchee Wild is pleased to announce that it has upgraded its defensive unit by acquiring defensemen Hunter Brown (Huntsville, Ala.) and Richard Berzins (Riga, Latvia) in separate transactions.

Brown, 20, comes to the Wild from the Chicago Hitmen, where he served as the team’s captain. Brown recorded 20 points (2G, 18A) in 32 games with the Hitmen this season.

“When you’re getting a captain, you know you’re getting a high-character guy,” Wenatchee Wild head coach John Becanic said of Brown.

In Brown, who is 6 feet tall and 200 pounds, the Wild is also getting a player that can contribute on the power play. Of his 20 points with the Hitmen, 13 (2G, 11A) came during power-play situations.

In return for Brown, the Wild sent defenseman Anthony Martinez (Schawmburg, Ill.) to the Hitmen. Martinez posted seven points (3G, 4A) in 23 games with the Wild.

An 18-year-old free-agent, Berzins is 6 feet 4 inches tall and possesses high-end potential.

“I see him as a top-4 defenseman,” Becanic said of Berzins. “I think he has unlimited potential.”

To clear roster space for Berzins, the Wild sent forward Jordan Allan (West Richland, Wash.) to the Helena Bighorns of the North Pacific Hockey League (NORPAC). Allan recorded two assists in 14 games with the Wild this season.

“With the trade deadline approaching, I felt we needed to be stronger on the back end,” Becanic said. “We were looking to get a little older, bigger and stronger, and I think we accomplished that.”

(Nathan can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)

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