Wild sign forward, Minnesota native Chad Rau to two-year contract

ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Minnesota Wild have signed Chad Rau to a two-year deal.

The centre ranked third in the league in goals and fourth in scoring for the Wild's AHL affiliate in Houston last year. The Wild have been looking for depth at centre behind stalwart Mikko Koivu and Rau will get a chance with his hometown team.

The 23-year-old Rau grew up in the Minneapolis suburb of Eden Prairie before going on to play at Colorado College. He was a seventh-round draft pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2007 and signed a free-agent deal with Houston before last season.