MINNESOTA WILD RECALLS DEFENSEMAN LOUIE BELPEDIO
Jan 18, 2019Minnesota Wild General Manager Paul Fenton today announced the National Hockey League (NHL) club has recalled defenseman Louie Belpedio (pronounced LOO-ee Bel-PEE-dee-oh) from the Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League (AHL).
Belpedio, 22 (5/4/96), has tallied 10 points (3g, 7a) in 40 games with Iowa this season. He ranks first amongst team defensemen in shots (80), second in penalty minutes (PIM) and T-2nd in goals. The 5-foot-11, 196-pound native of Skokie, Ill., also ranks first amongst AHL rookie defensemen in PIM (42), third in shots and is one of 11 League rookie defensemen with at least one game-winning goal. The right-shot defenseman owns 12 points (3g, 9a) in 50 AHL games in two seasons with Iowa (2017-19). He recorded two assists in his NHL debut with Minnesota at San Jose on April 7, 2018 to become the first rookie in franchise history to record two points in his debut.
Belpedio recorded 30 points (9g, 21a) and appeared in all 37 games for Miami University (NCHC) during his senior season (2017-18), setting career highs in goals, assists and points and was named to the All-NCHC Second Team. He served as captain for the second consecutive season and led the team in shots on goal (126), power-play points (17) and power-play assists (12), ranked T-1st in assists, second in plus/minus rating (plus-4), T-2nd in scoring and power-play goals (five) and third in blocked shots (46). He ranked second amongst NCAA defensemen in shots on goals, T-10th in goals, T-11th in power-play points and T-12th in scoring and was named NCHC Defenseman of the Week three times.
Belpedio signed a two-year, entry-level contract with the Wild on April 5, 2018. He was selected by Minnesota in the third round (80th overall) of the 2014 NHL Draft.