The Ballad of Benoit Pouliot

(Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

Great moments are born from great opportunity.

A line that Kurt Russell immortalized in the 2004 movie, “Miracle,” and a line that fits perfectly with the crossroads that Benoit Pouliot’s career is at.

Drafted 4^th Overall in the 2005 Entry Draft, Pouliot was drafted as the Minnesota Wild’s “Next Big Thing.”

Taken just three spots behind Sidney Crosby and ahead of names like Carey Price, Devin Setoguchi, and Anze Kopitar, Pouliot was expected to give the Wild the scoring punch beside Marian Gaborik that they had needed for so long.

Entering his fourth pro season, Pouliot has yet to live up to those lofty expectations.

In 52 NHL games, he has tallied just 7 goals and 14 points.  After an impressive rookie campaign with the Houston Aeros in the 2006-07 season, one that saw him tally 19 goals and 36 points as a rookie, Pouliot was expected to contend for a roster spot on the big squad the following season.  He was even given the opportunity to play pivot between Gaborik and Pavol Demitra in what would form the team’s top line.

Unfortunately, Pouliot didn’t quite make the cut.  He did, however, earn a late season call up that saw him get a couple goals in the last eleven games of the season.

A promising look into the future.

The next season, he was all but given a spot on the Wild’s roster.

Through ten games, Pouliot had 3 goals and 1 assist and was a plus-4 rating.  Not a terrible clip for a rookie playing in his first full NHL season.

But the signs of a lack of effort soon began to show.

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