Wild reassign Kuemper to AHLâ€™s Aeros

Published Mar. 13, 2013 5:40 p.m. ET

foxsports

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Healed from his lower-body injury, rookie goaltender Darcy Kuemper was activated Wednesday from injured reserve by the Minnesota Wild and reassigned to the Houston Aeros of the American Hockey League.
Kuemper, 22, was 1-2-0 with a 2.22 goals-against average and .924 save percentage in four games for Minnesota this season, making his NHL debut. Kuemper, who last played March 5, returns to Houston, where he was 10-6-0 with a 1.79 goals-against average and .938 save percentage with four shutouts in 16 games this season. Kuemper was second in the AHL in goals-against average and save percentage when he was called up to the NHL for the first time Feb. 12.
Kuemper is one of two young goaltenders highly regarded by the Wild, but he will return to the Aeros to receive more consistent playing time after appearing in just four games over the past month. Matt Hackett, 23, had split time with Kuemper earlier this season in Houston and was the No. 1 goaltender after Kuemper was recalled by the Wild. Hackett was recalled by the Wild when Kuemper went on injured reserve and will stay in Minnesota as the backup to Niklas Backstrom with Josh Harding still on injured reserve.
The Wild host the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday in the final game of a three-game homestand.

Follow Brian Hall on Twitter.